I loved Dr. No when I saw the film as a pr-teen in the early 1960s, but I truly became an Ian Fleming (seen in the photo below) aficionado when I read all of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels after seeing the film From Russia With Love.
In my view, From Russia With Love is the best Bond novel as well as the best Bond film. And Sean Connery remains the best James Bond.
Director Terence Young was mostly faithful to Ian Fleming's novel, save from changing the villains from the Soviets to the international criminal organization SPECTRE, which Ian Fleming created in a later novel, Thunderball. (The plot made more sense with the Soviets as the bad guys).
In addition to Sean Connery as Bond, Terence Young casts some fine actors to portray Ian Fleming's great characters. The inspired casting included Robert Shaw, who was truly menacing as Grant the assassin, as well as Pedro Armendariz, who portrayed Darko Kerim, the British head of Section T. (In the film Kerim is call “Kerim Bey.” Bey is an honorarium, like the Japanese “San”).
Also outstanding were the villains Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb and Vladek Sheybal as Kronsten.
The film has so many iconic scenes from the girl fight at the gypsy camp to the shooting of Krilencu as he tried to escape from a huge film poster. And I believe the fight aboard the train with Bond and Grant is the best fight scene on film.
I
love the film and I’ve seen it many times over the years. To me, it is the
greatest Bond film.
Apparently, many others agree.
Rachel Schieider at Men’s Journal offers her take on the great film thriller.
James Bond introduced himself to audiences in Dr. No, but it was his second outing that convinced many moviegoers the franchise was here to stay.
Released in 1963, From Russia with Love remains one of the most
acclaimed entries in the 007 series.
More than 60 years later, it still boasts one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores of any James Bond movie ever made.
Starring Sean Connery in his second appearance as the legendary British spy, From Russia with Love sends Bond to Istanbul to retrieve a Soviet decoding device before it falls into the wrong hands.
Along the way, he finds himself caught in an elaborate trap orchestrated by the criminal organization SPECTRE, leading to one of the franchise’s most suspenseful adventures.
Unlike many later Bond films that leaned heavily into gadgets and over-the-top spectacle, From Russia with Love is often praised for its grounded espionage story and Cold War atmosphere.
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