From Coronado With Love: Dr. No
James Bond was my generation’s pop culture counterpart to Star Wars, and as such, the first six installments are pretty much beyond criticism. But the first indications of the franchise ramping up the camp and becoming a slave to gadgetry were apparent as early as You Only Live Twice. For my money, the series ended on a high note with the release of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, still the most adult of the Eon-produced 007 titles. It’s interesting to see how much has changed since the series commenced with this tightly drawn thriller. Instead of globetrotting, we open and close in Jamaica. There’s no pre-credit sequence of the sort that would later become a series trademark, and Maurice Binder’s credits are completely animated, in a bouncing-ball manner reminiscent of Saul Bass’ intro to Ocean’s 11. We meet Bond at a baccarat table, where he’s revealed to us in bits and pieces; reaction shots of the various players cut together with tight closeups of Sean Connery’s body. It’s only after a winning hand and a celebratory smoke that we see his face. The regulation Bond girl (Ursula Andress) doesn’t make her famous entrance until an hour into the picture, and it’ll be another 20 minutes after that before the eponymous agent of evil (Joseph Wiseman) is seen. With but one special effect to show for itself, this is as gentlemanly-paced a 007 picture as you’re ever likely to find. — Scott Marks