Dr. No

In the wake of the sad news that Sean Connery had passed away at the end of last month, I opened up my James Bond Blu-ray collection and decided to put on Dr. No which the film that put the young Scotsman on everybody's radar. Released in 1962, this was the first official Bond movie adapted from Ian Fleming's novels that was directed by Terrence Young, and produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman who would all become regular collaborators in the franchise.

Connery stars as the classy MI6 agent sent out to Jamaica, in a full suit no less, to investigate the disappearance of a colleague and an ongoing disruption with the American space program that's coming from a small island operated by the mysterious Dr. No. The producers chose the book because of its affordability with two primary locations but it was the perfect choice as it introduced many familiar aspects that viewers now expect from the Bond series. There's the briefing scene with Bond's boss M, a flirtatious catch-up with Moneypenny, Bond working alongside his CIA counterpart Felix, a reliable and friendly source of local information with Quarrel, and a disfigured villain with sinister plans.

For a film made on a tight budget in the early 1960s, Dr. No generally holds up pretty well today in its remastered form with its well-dressed lead and stunning locations in Jamaica. Granted the scale of the film isn't anything quite like The Spy Who Loved Me but Young and his talented crew are still able to provide plenty of excitement while in keeping with Fleming's series. Future Bond films would gradually break away from the source material but Dr. No remains generally faithful while wisely removing a battle with a giant squid. I'll leave that right there and let you imagine what that would've looked like. 

As for Sean Connery, it's hard to say what hasn't already been said but he really is perfect for the role despite some concern prior to filming whether he was a little too 'rough around the edges'. "Bond, James Bond" could have been any other line in a lesser film but the way Young directs the scene and Connery's delivery has raised many a hair of the back fan's necks. But Connery's performance goes beyond his first scene and is great to watch throughout as he captures the spirit of Fleming's agent. However, we also get some small touches of humour which lay the ground for what would become a staple of the character in films to come. 

I had a lot of fun revisiting Dr. No; it's a perfect introduction for newcomers and holds-up very well today for fans of the series as it approaches its 60th anniversary. Sure, the film has aged in areas and will seem as if its been scaled back when compared against other Bond films but for me that just adds to its charm. The stars really did align for Broccoli when you look at the talented cast and crew who made this and who would go on to greater success with From Russia With Love.