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Ranking James Bond Films: #3 – “From Russia With Love” (1963)
Right from the jump, From Russia With Love feels different. It feels scarier. Bigger.
“James Bond willingly falls into an assassination plot involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by the organization Spectre.”
Director: Terence Young
Writers: Richard Maibaum, Ian Fleming, Johanna Harwood, Berkely Mather
Cast: Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Robert Show, Bernard Lee, Lotte Lenya, Eunice Gayson, Lois Maxwell
Release Date: May 27, 1964
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Right from the jump, From Russia With Love feels different. It feels scarier. Bigger.
As a sequel to Dr. No, the true original, From Russia With Love is a great example of a franchise stepping its game up and keeping its audience wanting more.
If folks were to go back and watch From Russia With Love now, they’d be surprised to see that James Bond gets beat up a bit. Nash is a worthy foe. He is a worthy rival. Nash himself keeps this movie alive and thrilling. When Nash is felled by Bond (sorry, spoiler), the movie itself suffers. The final 20 minutes revert back to Bond being indestructible. It reverts back to the enemies just being dumb.
And I admit it’s crazy to say “revert” because From Russia With Love is the second movie in this franchise. But if you have seen all the movies, this feels like a flashback, but it’s really the start of the invincible armor 007 seems to have.
That is why From Russia With Love succeeds and ranks among the best. More than 85% of this movie holds up without issue, and it’s remarkable to see Bond both vulnerable and indestructible. The lore of Spectre grows, and the first appearance of the cat. The end is classic “Oh you think it’s over” material, but don’t ever take away the venomous foot fight scenes from me.
Also, Daniela Bianchi as Tatiana Romanova. I might be in love with her.
STANKO RATING: B+
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