Review of "Dr. No," DVD version

Review of

Dr. No, DVD version


Five out of five stars

The original is in many ways the best

 This movie was original, both in introducing a new movie star, the Bond franchise and what was to become several staples in film. It of course made Sean Connery a star and developed the public secret agent persona. Even the opposition knew the name James Bond and that he was a British agent, yet that knowledge never made Bond’s job more difficult.

 It introduced the oversexed male lead and the first in the series of what was to become the list of “Bond Women.” We see Moneypenny for the first time, madly in love with Bond, yet forever relegated to the relationship sidelines. Bond flirted with her in ways he never used with his stable of women. It also introduced the massive criminal organization known as S. P. E. C. T. R. E. and the associated extremely well-funded master criminal bent on dominating the world.  

 However, the single most important line of dialog in all of the Bond movies occurred early in this one, where the camera goes to a man lighting a cigarette and he says, “My name is Bond, James Bond.” Understated, yet with immense power and consequences. Although other films introduced “Q” and many neat gadgets, this movie is in many ways the best of the Bond series.