10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Sean Connery's First James Bond Movie

Summary

Delving into the origins of the iconic James Bond franchise highlights the problematic portrayal of Asian characters and women in “Dr. No.”
While “Dr. No” introduced key elements of the Bond franchise, such as the theme tune and stylish spy aesthetic, it also suffers from inconsistent action scenes and poor character development.
The legacy of “Dr. No” continues to influence the Bond franchise, sparking ongoing debates about representation.

62 years after Sean Connery’s first outing as 007 in Dr. No, there are some uncomfortable truths that fans of the James Bond franchise can’t ignore. The franchise has become one of the longest and most successful of all time, and excitement for Bond 26 is building, but a lot of its identity can be traced back to Dr. No. This means that fans have to get to grips with some of the problems from the movie.

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Dr. No gets a lot of things right, including Sean Connery’s casting as James Bond. His stylish performance is strong enough to carry the movie through some of its weaker moments, and it’s easy to brush aside some of its weaknesses. Unfortunately, some of the issues with Dr. No are a lot deeper than mere plot considerations, and they’re especially important since they have colored the entire history of the franchise.

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10 Dr. Julius No’s Casting Has Aged Poorly

Joseph Wiseman Had No Asian Heritage

When Bond finally meets Dr. No in his lair, the villain details his backstory. He is half-German and half-Chinese, having grown up amid the warring Tongs in Shanghai. The actor who plays No, Joseph Wiseman, is Canadian-American, so his casting as an Asian character would come under a lot more scrutiny today. Of course, racism still exists in the movie industry, but the standards have shifted since 1962.

One of the uncomfortable truths about the
James Bond
franchise is that it has consistently depicted Asian people and Asian cultures in derogatory ways. It didn’t stop with
Dr. No.

Wiseman’s casting would be a little easier to ignore if Dr. No didn’t pull the same trick with another character. The Chinese double-agent Miss Taro is played by Zena Marshall, a European actor. Miss Taro is a relatively minor character, but she should still have been played by an actor of Asian descent. One of the uncomfortable truths about the James Bond franchise is that it has consistently depicted Asian people and Asian cultures in derogatory ways. It didn’t stop with Dr. No.

9 Dr. No Takes A Long Time To Get Going

The Pace Is Very Slow For A Spy Thriller

Compared to the breakneck speed of more modern spy thrillers, especially after the Bourne movies changed the game, Dr. No can feel tediously slow. It takes a long time for Bond to even make his way to the Caribbean. When he does leave his flirtations with Moneypenny behind, he still spends a lot of time strutting around without much gusto. Dr. No only ratchets up its intensity for the third act.

A lot of the runtime of Dr. No is allotted to extended shots of Sean Connery wearing beautifully tailored suits and being suave. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it could irritate 007 fans who want more substance than style. Bond makes plenty of time for romantic meetings, often to the detriment of the plot. This all makes Dr. No wonderful to look at, but there is a lot of filler to get through.

8 Sylvia Trench Is Hugely Underdeveloped

The First Bond Girl Doesn’t Seem Real

The idea of the “Bond girl” has been re-evaluated in recent years. Every major criticism of the trope can be directly applied to the first Bond girl who appears in Dr. No, Sylvia Trench. She introduces herself to James Bond in a casino, instantly becomes enamored with him, and later appears in his apartment wearing one of his shirts. She’s an ornamental character who feels like a borderline offensive caricature of subservient femininity.

The original plans for her character were much more interesting. Producer Albert Broccoli wanted her to have a bigger role as Bond’s girlfriend.

The original plans for her character were much more interesting. Producer Albert Broccoli wanted her to have a bigger role as Bond’s girlfriend, and she does appear briefly in From Russia With Love. However, her part was stripped back. It doesn’t make sense how she gets into his apartment or why she doesn’t flinch when he has a gun. These details make her seem like she could also be a spy, but she isn’t that interesting in the end.

7 The Score Is Heavy-Handed

The Iconic Bond Theme Is Used Without Restraint

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Before the franchise tradition of using original pop songs for the opening credits, Dr. No uses the iconic Bond theme tune, composed by Monty Norman. It sounds fantastic, and it sets the scene perfectly for a stylish spy thriller. Unfortunately, Dr. No spoils its impact by repeatedly using the tune throughout the movie during moments that don’t warrant it whatsoever.

Some scenes of Bond idly milling around don’t need the theme tune blasted over the top of them.

Some scenes of Bond idly milling around don’t need the theme tune blasted over the top of them. This comes across as a misguided attempt to inject some drama and intrigue into scenes which are lacking in both. The theme tune isn’t the only song which is overused, but it’s the most noticeable. This heavy-handed approach to the music can be very distracting, and it dampens the inherent style of the movie.

6 Some Of The Action Scenes Are Relatively Lackluster

The Franchise Developed Much More Exciting Action In Later Movies

Since so much of Dr. No ambles along at a slow pace, the action scenes are important to keep things lively. Sadly, a lot of the most consequential action scenes come out of nowhere, and they are over after a quick scuffle. Most James Bond movies can be relied on for a great action sequence at the beginning, but Dr. No hadn’t yet developed this tradition. The frantic bursts of action are often underwhelming when they do occur.

Since so much of
Dr. No
ambles along at a slow pace, the action scenes are important to keep things lively.

Despite some weaker scenes, Dr. No does have a few pulse-raising action scenes. The dragon tank is undeniably effective, as is the car chase sequence. Both of these scenes are a little lacking in execution, however. In the car chase, for example, the green screen shots of Sean Connery at the wheel break the suspension of disbelief, even while the wide shots of the cars look brilliant.

5 Quarrel Deserved Better

Bond’s Local Guide Could Have Had A Bigger Role

Quarrel is one of Felix Leiter’s local contacts, and he also helps James Bond when he arrives and starts poking around the island. Quarrel remains by his side for the trip to Crab Key, but he is eventually burned alive by Dr. No’s flamethrower tank. His death is glossed over fairly quickly, and Honey seems more upset by the loss than Bond does. Quarrel is eliminated as soon as there is no more use for him.

In a movie with so little palpable emotion, Quarrel is one of the few characters who shows a more human side.

The manner of Quarrel’s death is an insult to him. In a movie with so little palpable emotion, Quarrel is one of the few characters who shows a more human side. He overcomes his fears that there’s a dragon living on Crab Key, and he’s eventually proven right. Although he is never more than a supporting character, Quarrel has a big impact, and he shouldn’t be discarded so easily.

4 Dr. No Is A Weak Villain

Bond’s First Villain Is Far From The Franchise’s Best

Not many Bond villains get the honor of having their own movies named after them, but Dr. No doesn’t quite live up to his hype. For most of the movie, Dr. No is pulling the strings from behind the scenes. He sends assassins to dispose of Bond, and he has a menacing conversation with Professor Dent from off screen, but he only shows his face when he captures Bond and brings him to his lair.

With a little bit more development, Dr. No had the potential to be as chilling and dangerous as Bond’s greatest foes. Sadly, he’s a weak point in his own movie.

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Dr. No has a lot of potential, but he doesn’t measure up to the best Bond villains. His metal hands are an interesting detail, but they aren’t utilized in any meaningful way. Likewise, his strangely generous hospitality is another character quirk that goes nowhere. With a little bit more development, Dr. No had the potential to be as chilling and dangerous as Bond’s greatest foes. Sadly, he’s a weak point in his own movie.

3 Dr. No Actually Holds Up Better Than Most Later James Bond Movies

The Franchise Doesn’t Follow A Steady Trajectory

The James Bond franchise has had plenty of ups and downs. Dr. No may not be the best James Bond movie, but it holds up much better than some of the duds that followed it. Dr. No isn’t just more entertaining than many other Bond movies. That’s to be expected. What’s surprising is that, despite being the oldest of the lot, it’s less dated than movies such as Diamonds Are Forever and You Only Live Twice.

Dr. No
‘s elegant simplicity has given it a timeless appeal, despite some of its less forward-looking choices.

Dr. No‘s elegant simplicity has given it a timeless appeal, despite some of its less forward-looking choices. Other James Bond movies have dated themselves terribly with over-the-top action sequences and villain plots that draw on contemporary anxieties. With a few modifications, Dr. No could look as if it were much more modern. It’s not a surprise that No Time To Die, the latest Bond movie, borrows so much from Dr. No.

2 Bond’s Escape From His Prison Cell Is Too Convenient

Dr. No’s Third Act Wraps Up Very Quickly

After Bond’s meeting with Dr. No at his dinner table, he is locked up alone in a cell with none of the homely touches that he was afforded in his previous accomodation. This should be the end for him, but he is able to easily escape through a loose ventilation grate. This is a massive oversight on Dr. No’s part. He fancies himself as a genius, but he can’t keep Bond in the same room for more than a minute.

Bond has made a habit of escaping from far more perilous situations, but this escape shouldn’t be ignored, since it happens at such a critical juncture.

Bond has made a habit of escaping from far more perilous situations, but this escape shouldn’t be ignored, since it happens at such a critical juncture. The entire finale of Dr. No feels strangely anticlimactic, as Bond is allowed to escape so easily, foil Dr. No’s plan by turning a big wheel, and kill the villain without being subjected to the crushing force of his hands. Dr. No sends assassins after Bond before, so it doesn’t make sense that he suddenly decides against killing him.

1 A Lot Of The Franchise’s Biggest Problems Begin With Dr. No

Dr. No Sets Up The Bond Franchise, For Better Or Worse

It’s surprising to look back at the first James Bond movie and see so many of the franchise’s ideas fully-formed from the beginning. Bond’s style, the iconic theme tune, the eccentric villain and the beautiful women are all here from the beginning. While the franchise has taken plenty of positives from Dr. No, it has also doubled down on many of the movie’s worst qualities, and they are still causing controversy over 60 years later.

The
James Bond
franchise has matured in many ways, especially during Daniel Craig’s era, but it is still grappling with the legacy of
Dr. No.

In particular, the franchise’s poor treatment of women and Asian characters can both be traced back to Dr. No, but this isn’t all. Many Bond villains have facial scars, and Dr. No’s prosthetic metal hands are another example of negative portrayals of people with disabilities. The James Bond franchise has matured in many ways, especially during Daniel Craig’s era, but it is still grappling with the legacy of Sean Connery’s first outing in Dr. No.

Dr. No ActionAdventure

Sean Connery stars as 007 in 1962’s Dr. No, the first-ever James Bond movie. Directed by Terence Young and based on Ian Fleming’s sixth Bond novel, it follows the famous spy as he investigates the disappearance of a fellow MI6 agent and uncovers a secret plot by the titular villain, played by Joseph Wiseman.

Director Terence Young Release Date October 2, 1962 Studio(s) United Artists Cast Sean Connery , Joseph Wiseman Runtime 110 minutes

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