"Madame Sin" (1972) - From the Video Vault

Like campy spy thrillers? This one was made as Bond-mania was waning. Casting the grand dame was a fun idea. Robert Wagner was a popular leading man, having just finished "It Takes a Thief".

Sir Lew Grade was throwing buckets of cash into film and television in the 1970's. "Madame Sin" was intended to be a television series (each week - another fiendish plot??). At the end of this pilot, the Madame Sin (Bette Davis - on brand - chewing the scenery) is planning to steal the Russian Crown Jewels as she eyes off Windsor castle as a future HQ.

Pros:
Scottish locations (Isle of Mull)
Brian Eatwell (Dr Phibes films) set decoration - a nod to Bond's Ken Adam (Madame Sin's lair is very "Dr No", it even has an underground aquarium).
Excellent  British supporting cast (plus Roy Kinnear has a funny cameo)

Cons:
Annoying electronic soundtrack
Even though it is under 90 minutes, the pacing is slow.
The scene with a deaf Wagner trying to communicate the villain's plans is either embarrassing or comic.
Some scenes seem to have been trimmed.

Vintage James Bond - 007 novel car scenes

1. "Dr No" 1962 - the hearse plummeting over a Jamaican cliff. Bond makes some sardonic comment (the first of many in the series) like "They were on their way to a funeral."
2. Bond pulls up outside Government House, Kingston in a Pontiac convertible, a slumped (body in front seat). He turns to the sergeant with the throwaway line: "Make sure he doesn't get away."
3. "Goldfinger" 1964 - Bond tailing Goldfinger (in the 30's Rolls Royce) through the Swiss alps (the 60's version of sat nav.).
4. The DB-5 making short work of Goldfinger's Korean henchmen. I never tire of the ejector seat.
5. In a Kentucky scrapyard, Oddjob's Lincoln Continental being compacted into a nifty cuboid.
6. "You Only Live Twice" 1967 - A baddie-packed Toyota Crown being picked up by a helicopter with an electro-magnet, then dropped into Tokyo Bay.
7.  "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) Tracy (GoT's gran Diana Rigg) gatecrashes (literally) an alpine stock car race to escape Blofeld's henchmen. Bond, gobsmacked, is in the passenger seat (for once).

10 cool things from 60's movies

• Ken Adam's war room set in "Dr Strangelove"
• Derek Flint's ring tone/ Z.O.W.I.E. chief Cramden (Lee J Cobb) hotline to the President.
• The black armchairs in the Pentagon in "You Only Live Twice" (Ken Adam again)
• Use of split screens (circa 1968, e.g. "The Thomas Crown Affair", "The Boston Strangler")
• Saul Bass credits e.g. "Spartacus", "Walk on the Wildside"
• The interior of Robert Mitchum's private jet in "What A Way To Go!"(1964)
• Michael Caine's glasses in the Harry Palmer films
• The multi-level set in Jerry Lewis's "The Ladies Man" (1961)
• The first 10 minutes of "Goldfinger" (1964)
• Dr No's underwater living quarters (complete with recently stolen Goya painting)

11 things you might not know about the James Bond films

• In "Dr No" Ursula Andress's voice was dubbed by Monica Vander Zyl because her Swiss accent was unacceptable. The casting director said she sounded like "a Dutch comedian".
• Noel Coward (Ian Fleming's Jamaican neighbour) was offered the role of Dr No. Coward's telegram read: "Dr No. No, no, no."
• In "Goldfinger" Gert Frobe's voice was dubbed by Michael Collins. Frobe knew little English. 
• Both he and Sean Connery were golf novices. Connery developed the love for the game during filming.
• In 1962, Ian Fleming's wife, Ann was having an affair with the then leader of the U.K. Labour Party, Hugh Gaitskell.
• Pussy Galore was nearly changed to Kitty Galore for the U.S. censors.
• "Diamonds are Forever" owes its plot about a kidnapped Las Vegas billionaire (Willard Whyte) to a dream producer Cubby Broccoli had about his friend, recluse Howard Hughes.
• Christopher Lee (Scaramanga in "The Man with the Golden Gun") was a cousin of Ian Fleming.
• Aston Martin was saved from near bankruptcy in 1964. Sales nearly doubled after the release of "Goldfinger". Thanks goes to Sir Ken Adam (the brilliant production designer) who plugged for Aston Martin instead of Lotus.
• The "Moonraker" title song was offered to Frank Sinatra, then Kate Bush before Shirley Bassey.
• "A View to a Kill" villain Max Zoran - David Bowie, then Sting were considered before Christopher Walken was cast.

I'm reading a great book about the James Bond franchise. The above trivia is from this book. With thanks:

"The Man with the Golden Touch" (2008) by Sinclair McKay

Ian Fleming's James Bond novels - my 'awards'

The novels that most resembles the Bond movie: Dr No (1958), From Russia with Love (1957), Goldfinger (1959)
Weirdest novel: You Only Live Twice (1964) A depressed Bond wandering around nutbag Blofeld's (Dr Shatterhand) Japanese Garden of Death.
Most consistent read: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963)
Biggest return to form: The Man with the Golden Gun (published a year after Fleming's death, 1965)
Biggest disappointment: The Spy Who Loved Me (1962, told from heroine's viewpoint, mainly set in a upstate New York motel)
Biggest surprise: Live and Let Die (1954), Fleming's second Bond book is one of his best, shame about the film.
Culinary advice: melon wrapped with prosciutto featured in Thunderball (1961)
Most informative (gambling tips): Casino Royale (1953), Diamonds are Forever (1956)
Most outrageous scene in a Bond novel: Dr No - Bond ordeal in Crab Key, culminating in a fight with a giant squid.
Best book where Bond doesn't globe trot:  Moonraker (1955)- encounters Hugo Drax's rocket base in Kent!
Best short story: Octopussy (bears no resemblance to the embarrassing film).


Biggest regret: Giving my entire Fleming collection to the Salvos when we moved house decades ago. At least I have the e-books now.

My favourite James Bond scenes

• "Ninja training camp" in Nimeji Castle, You Only Live Twice, as an 11 year old, this was very cool.
• Aerial shot of Bond fighting henchmen on Kobe docks rooftop in You Only Live Twice
• Bond entering Tokyo subway in You Only Live Twice, meeting Tanaka in his private train.
• Lincoln Continental and hoodlum getting crushed in Goldfinger.
• Bond playing golf with Auric Goldfinger.
• Jill St John with the brat in "Circus Circus" in Diamonds are Forever, "Blow up yer pants!"
• Bond looking absolutely rooted before Diana Rigg skates up to him in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
• In Dr No Bond leaves the dead would-be assassin sitting in the rear seat of his conertible. He turns to the Government House guard with the line, "See he doesn't get away".
• Entering Dr No's underwater lair (early Ken Adam Bond production design, refined and maxed up in You Only Live Twice.)
• Bond meeting Honey Rider on the beach in Dr No (this is a no brainer).
• Bond with jetpack in the start of Thunderball (the rest of the film is a bit of a bore, surprisingly - the remake Never Say Never Again was infinitely better)
• "Welcome back Mr Bond, I hope we can expect more gratuitous sex and violence" from Never Say Never Again.
• Bond on the Orient Express talking wine with Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love
• Aston Martin showing its stuff in the Swiss Alps (Goldfinger, of course)
• Bond in the old DB5 with M (finger poised on the red gear shift button) in Skyfall
• all the opening titles (even the new ones)
• the excitement generated in the end credits before: "The End of ..... but James Bond will return in ......"