"Dr. No" is without question the finest Ian Fleming novel put on film. No only was the James Bond brand established but the machinations of nearly every spy movie since has drawn on "Dr. No" for what has come to be a standard plot outline; besides all this Sean Connery became established as a star.
If you read early Fleming you will find he originally cast Bond in thoroughly believable stories. His attention to detail, the play of other characters against him and exotic and varied locations made him a hit before the movie was even considered. Fleming himself is an interesting character; his early life in the military and particularly intelligence gave him ample opportunity to invent James Bond.
The movie begins with the assassination of an intelligence officer and his secretary; a file is taken from his office, labeled Dr. No. James Bond (Sean Connery) is dispatched to Jamaica to find out what led to the deaths. From the moment he arrives he is plunged into intrigue; his car is tailed, and almost as quickly bedded by a beautiful but questionably-motived woman. Clad nearly always in tailored suits, sipping his martinis and giving off the air of a man intensely confident in his ability, a new screen persona (type) is invented right before our eyes.
As Bond's probing unearths more questions than answers, the common thread leads him to put together a clandestine late-night visit to Dr. No's mysterious Crab Key with the colorful Quarrel as guide. After a few hours sleep, a stunning figure emerges from the surf; Honey Ryder's entrance has never been equaled by any woman in any subsequent Bond flick.
Bond, Ryder and Quarrel evade the private patrols for a while, but eventually their luck turns bad and they are captured by Dr. No's henchmen. From the time they in the hands of the island police the adventure takes a decidedly high-tech turn. The effects are a little dated in this, our new digital age, but don't seriously detract from the film.
The rest of the story is pure Fleming. As he wrote more over the years his plots got less believable and Bond himself became something of a stuntman whose missions were set in a technologically advanced society. I cannot stress enough how this The use of Jamaica as a setting is a master stroke; there are dazzling shots that convey the beauty of the island. There are a couple of spots that you would love to find on your own.
Three and a half stars.
If you read early Fleming you will find he originally cast Bond in thoroughly believable stories. His attention to detail, the play of other characters against him and exotic and varied locations made him a hit before the movie was even considered. Fleming himself is an interesting character; his early life in the military and particularly intelligence gave him ample opportunity to invent James Bond.
The movie begins with the assassination of an intelligence officer and his secretary; a file is taken from his office, labeled Dr. No. James Bond (Sean Connery) is dispatched to Jamaica to find out what led to the deaths. From the moment he arrives he is plunged into intrigue; his car is tailed, and almost as quickly bedded by a beautiful but questionably-motived woman. Clad nearly always in tailored suits, sipping his martinis and giving off the air of a man intensely confident in his ability, a new screen persona (type) is invented right before our eyes.
As Bond's probing unearths more questions than answers, the common thread leads him to put together a clandestine late-night visit to Dr. No's mysterious Crab Key with the colorful Quarrel as guide. After a few hours sleep, a stunning figure emerges from the surf; Honey Ryder's entrance has never been equaled by any woman in any subsequent Bond flick.
Bond, Ryder and Quarrel evade the private patrols for a while, but eventually their luck turns bad and they are captured by Dr. No's henchmen. From the time they in the hands of the island police the adventure takes a decidedly high-tech turn. The effects are a little dated in this, our new digital age, but don't seriously detract from the film.
The rest of the story is pure Fleming. As he wrote more over the years his plots got less believable and Bond himself became something of a stuntman whose missions were set in a technologically advanced society. I cannot stress enough how this The use of Jamaica as a setting is a master stroke; there are dazzling shots that convey the beauty of the island. There are a couple of spots that you would love to find on your own.
Three and a half stars.