Dr. No (1962)

Theatrical Poster
Source: Wikipedia
James Bond debuts against a scientist who destroys American rockets.

After the British Intelligence chief in Kingston, Jamaica is killed, James Bond (Sean Connery), a British secret agent for MI6, is sent to investigate.

As he digs deeper, he begins to realise that a mysterious island surrounded in local myth might have something to do with it. He teams up with Felix Leiter (Jack Lord), a CIA operative and various local people to help solve the crime.

Watching Dr. No is a bit like going back and watching the first series of your favourite television program. At first I wasn't sure whether I had bought a bootleg copy of Dr. No as the graphics were pretty basic from what we've been treated to over the last decade.

But, as the film went on, it is clear that even the most modern films have their roots from the first in the franchise. "Bond, James Bond", with his Martini, shaken and not stirred, is still just as flirtatious as he ever becomes in the future. Sean Connery is perhaps the most iconic of all the Bond actors having really encompassed Bond during his stint.

Honey Ryder is often touted as the quintessential Bond girl, and it is in Dr. No that one of the most iconic scenes involving 007's conquests takes place as Ursula Andress emerges from the ocean in that bikini.

Perhaps the only usual thing missing then is the gadgets - there is a distinct lack of vehicles or life-saving equipment on show. Bond does, however, get a gun upgrade but that's about all the 'Q' character has to do.

Unfortunately while Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were dipping their toe in the water with the film the telling of the story does rather drop in quality in places, but in some ways this adds a raw element never seen again in the franchise.

Not the best Bond, but one of the most iconic.

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