James Bond - From Russia With Love

• Year: 1963
• Song: From Russia With Love (Matt Munro)
• Running Time: 3:05

A slightly smoother start to the film, the opening looking-down-the-barrel-of-a-gun graphic feels more polished than in Dr. No, the first scene has James in it right away, although there is a second man, unknown to us following him. James has his gun drawn, and is alerted to the other man's presence when he accidentally breaks a twig. James takes a shot a the second man, after seeing a movement in the corner of his eye, he misses.

Tension is successfully created with the addition of apt music, and well cut scenes. The second man draws a garrote from his watch, and an uncharacteristic mistake from James allows this man to get the drop on him, he grabs him from behind and strangles him.

At this point it is revealed that the setup is in fact a training exercise for a Soviet agent and the man we had believed to be James Bond is in fact a different man wearing a James Bond mask. This is the first time we meet Walter Gotell (as a Soviet Handler) although he does not play General Gogol in this film, instead he plays a character called Morzeny.

Scene fades to black and changes to the opening credits, which are vastly superior to Dr. No's, with a nicely polished Bond song and a belly-dancing woman onto which many of the credits are projected, starting the tradition of scantily clad women posing in the credits.

A good opening scene in my opinion.

Honorable Mention

The sound effect used when they remove the mask form the fake (dead) James Bond.