25 Days Of Bond Begins

Every time a new James Bond movie is released I prepare for the event with a ritual of watching all the previous official 007 movies. Today is the start of that marathon as I amp myself up for the upcoming No Time to Die.

I mentioned this event in the morning carpool with the boys on our way to school drop off and Jack asked what I liked about my upcoming favorite in the series, From Russia with Love. That got me to thinking about posting my favorite thing in each Bond movie as I watch them during the 25 days of Bond. Some days it will be a laundry list of things. Other days I will be happy to get to five items that make it enjoyable (I'm looking at you The Man with the Golden Gun). Without further delay, here are some great things about Dr. No.

1. The introduction of a lot of things in the Bond series, including, but not necessarily limited to, the James Bond theme song, an interesting credit sequence that doesn't just list the names of the people who worked on the film, James Bond himself, a deformed villain who is hoisted by their own petard, a bevy of beautiful women, gambling, and thrilling action.

2. Speaking of that credit sequence, it is the least Bond-like of all the ones that would come later, but it has a really great swinging 60s vibe to it.

3. Sylvia Trench, the introduction of our hero and high-stakes gambling all combined. While not considered an iconic Bond girl by any means, Sylvia Trench is the first lady to interact with our protagonist, 007, while gambling late at night. She also has one of the sexiest moments in the film as she seduces Bond instead of the other way around, which would become the norm later in the film and series.

4. The James Bond theme song playing at the most unlikely times. In today's movies the action theme comes in during exciting climaxes or introductory scenes of our hero. However, in Dr. No the James Bond theme can be heard several times throughout, including during traveling and walking scenes. Our hero is simply walking through the airport and you are treated to the familiar tune. He does nothing exciting, nothing any other person isn't doing in the scene, but the theme gives us a feeling that this guy, the guy we are focused on is someone to watch.

5. Jack Lord as Felix Leiter. The guy who went on to star in the original Hawaii Five-0 is our first Felix Leiter, Bond's American counterpart and, at least in the books, best friend. Lord only starred the one time as Felix in this movie and the story goes that the producers didn't want someone rivaling Sean Connery in the looks department in future outings. So, we only get Jack Lord the one time, which is a shame as he was pretty remarkable for such a bit part.

6. But the really memorable ally in the field is Quarrel. Usually not at the top of anyone's list of favorite Bond ally, but always in the top half.

7. The spycraft in this movie is as close to realistic as you are going to get, partly due to being the first in the series and partly due to Bond simply being a detective throughout most of the film. You get to see Bond set up some traps in his room in order to detect if he has been watched, but one of the most unforgettable scenes is when he sits in a dark room, sets up a bed to trick his foe, and waits to spring his trap.

8. While this isn't really something a modern audience appreciates as world travel and scenic locations are much more prevalent, the globe trotting was a draw for moviegoers. Setting the majority of the film in Jamaica and the Caribbean was a great idea for the producers since most audience members didn't get to see beautiful beaches like the ones in this movie

9. "That's a Smith and Wesson, and you've had your six."

10. That white bikini and the goddess filling it out. Whew! There is a reason author Ian Fleming inserted Ursula Andress into his later Bond adventure, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. And her walk up onto the beach is iconic.

11. I've always enjoyed this villain, Dr. No, more than he probably deserves. While he isn't memorable enough, fierce enough, or megalomaniacal enough, he has this sense of superiority while remaining cool as a cucumber no matter the annoyance. He is something of a prototype of Hugo Drax, who would show up later in the series and is certainly a much-loved villain.

12. It is ridiculous to have your enemy over for dinner, but this scene is my favorite in the entire film. The repartee between Bond and Dr. No is fantastic.

13. Ending the film in a boat with Bond and the main female ready for some post-mission victory love making. Anyone who has watched the 007 movies knows this is a frequent trope the producers go to when ending their film.

I know that few people have the time or fortitude to watch 25 Bond movies in 25 days, but I certainly hope when you do get around to watching Dr. No you like it as much as I do. It was my introduction into the Bond universe and I've been hooked on the character ever since seeing it when I was 17.