James Bond and a Russian agent are after the same villain.

1.5/4 (Meh).

It's not the most boring Bond movie I've seen. About a quarter of the running time is spent on "jokes" (i.e., racism and misogyny). The rest of the movie is okay. ( )

Rating: 3.75* of five

1977's film, not 1962's book, is under discussion. The film is not one single thing like the book. Apparently, the story was forbidden to the filmmakers, though not the title. I had no idea the films were so contentious, litigious, and all-around ornery to make! This rewatch has been quite an education.

I now know I will never be A Critic, as in publicly known to the civilians, in books, music, or film. I hate the Po-Mo MFA Pit-Sniffers in vogue among Those Who Read Seriously (tedious people, even bores avoid them). I LOATHE rap, hip-hop, hoop-hup, elektronik bullshit non-music. And, yodels from the film establishment aside, I thought this entry in the series was ~meh~ because the villain's a bore, the Bond Girl looks like an insect with a boob job, and it stars Simon Templar.

Loved the car. A Lotus that turns into a submarine? Yee-haw! Since Jaws was our baddie's executioner, and actor Richard Kiel isn't blond, built, or hunky, there was a regrettable dearth of blond henchrat scenery to admire. Q was wonderful as always, and the death of Desmond Llewellyn is never more keenly disappointing than when comparing today's line-up with the classics.

The Egypt and Sardinia scenes are lovely; Stromberg's underwater castle is amazing and I want one; Bond's loser suits are a little less obviously made by Haggar out of Ban-Lon than before.

So why be so generous? This sounds like a squeak-to-make-three-stars review. Nobody Does It Better is why. Ubiquitous tune in 1977. Every time I started my car, this tune came on. I like it even now, Carly Simon's voice is that delicious to me. And Carol Bayer Sager ("Don't Cry Out Loud") writes the hell out of a song! Marvin Hamlisch ("The Sting" and A Chorus Line) composed it; he's got one helluva track record too.

So here endeth my re-watch. After this, all the ones I haven't watched aren't connected to Ian Fleming's books at all, until the Craig reboot of Casino Royale. It's been a big ol' hoot, I've had fun, and now I'm curious about the stuff that's gone on AROUND the films. Must find out if anyone's written about that yet. ( )