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As I used to be?
Bond’s exchange with Moneypenny in Octopussy lands with an odd mix of nostalgia and discomfort, largely because of the sudden introduction of her younger assistant, Penelope Smallbone. Bond, momentarily wrong-footed, compliments Smallbone as being every bit as “attractive and charming” as Moneypenny, only to be abruptly corrected with this pointed… Read More →
Filed Under: Octopussy -
You lost. You lost a fortune.
In the 1954 adaptation of Casino Royale, Zuroff’s blunt warning to Le Chiffre following his defeat at the baccarat table initially lands with the weight of financial catastrophe. The 32 million franc figure at stake sounds staggering, however, when adjusted to the exchange rate of the time (roughly 500 francs… Read More →
Filed Under: Casino Royale (1954) -
Well, tell him to pull out. Immediately!
In The Spy Who Loved Me, when M learns from Moneypenny that Bond is on mission in Austria, he delivers this line in a moment of surprisingly overt innuendo. The gag lands not simply because of the double entendre, but because it comes from Bernard Lee’s M: a curmudgeon otherwise… Read More →
Filed Under: The Spy Who Loved Me -
Some girls have all the luck
Moneypenny’s lament in Goldfinger ranks among the most overtly wistful moments between her and Bond of any movie. Frustrated by Bond’s predictable excuses for avoiding a proper date, she masks disappointment with the familiar line, “Some girls have all the luck.” A decade or so before the “guys” version of… Read More →
Filed Under: Goldfinger -
Stop that astronaut. Bring him to me.
In You Only Live Twice, Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s command just before the rocket launch is a revealing character moment. It showcases not only his vigilance, but also a distinctly controlling, almost micromanaging leadership style. When Bond infiltrates the mission under the guise of an astronaut and carelessly brings an air-conditioning… Read More →
Filed Under: You Only Live Twice -
Character Spotlight: Zena Marshall as Miss Taro
Zena Marshall’s Miss Taro in Dr. No has an intriguingly unique role in the Bond universe as a seemingly innocent secretary turned seductress, and ultimately a capable yet outmatched henchwoman. When Bond visits Pleydell-Smith seeking information on Dr. No, Miss Taro is quickly pursued by Bond, if not at first… Read More →