1989-2019- Thirty Years of Watching the Birdie, You Bastard

see how long this lasts before Forumotion decide it's a touch profane, chortle.

As Fields gave us the go ahead, repost my LTK review and let everyone do their thing once it gets going. The anniversary has three months to run!

Are you really Colombian?

Licence to Kill

(pre-empting the 30th anniversary viewing but I’ll gladly revisit later in the year)

if you do TLD, it's only fair you do the other Dalton. Too short a season. Hold on chaps, Hilly goes long.

I'm skipping past the look of the film -without sounding facetious, I always choose to look past it and what we have. I remember on the old forum launching spirited defences of this film and I still hold it high. Top 5 high which always makes eyes water.

The lengthy PTS you wouldn't have Sir Roge's Bond doing outside of the parachuting into a wedding perhaps. Sets the film up well enough -on one hand we have Felix going after a drug dealer and on the other, we have the music which from the off lets you know that of course John Barry isn't doing the gig anymore. (I skip the title song, song's good enough yes but to me doesn't quite fit the overall tone of the film. What I expected I don't know).

From the off it's good to see Bond is on one hand slightly attracted to Pam (at least there's something in that first look) and that he seems to have an instant dislike to Kilifer when he first meets him.
Indeed, to use the same expression, from the off the tone of the film after the titles goes right into an area we're perhaps not used to or at once, is quite concentrated. Sanchez has already demonstrated the man that he is in the PTS by beating his girlfriend, then there’s Felix’s (and off screen, Della’s) fate. By the time poor Felix is fed to the sharks it’s quite clear we’re not in regular Bond territory (Del Toro’s “hoooonnneyyyyymooon!” is still quite chilling).

To me, Davi’s Sanchez is one of the best villains in a Bond film. He’s probably the most ‘real’ of all villains –he’s a damn drug lord. He’s charismatic and deadly, there’s a sinister joy he has when Felix is about to hit the water (Felix’s facial expression after the “today is the first day of the rest of your life” is somehow quite brilliant). There’s also something about his trust and loyalty first to Kilifer (he seems to genuinely think this guy is one to keep) and then Bond. His scenes are all a delight- check out that look he gives his henchman late on, a simple slight flick of the eyes that conveys a lot.

(Honourable mention first to Benecio del Toro, who again is one a very real villain and a creepy little shit to boot -he at least is probably the only Bond villain to twig Bond but also to Anthony Zerbe. I can imagine this Krest being exactly the same as the one in Fleming’s short story. I’m a huge fan of Mr Zerbe and he’s not too bad in this film –“Mr…/”Goodbye”- his death perhaps a top 5 most grisly Bond death). Don Stroud isn’t too bad (the last thing I watched him in was this week, an episode of Ironside and it’s fair to say he’s better here than in that).

More contrasts albeit not the same as Koskov/Saunders. In Sharkey we have a decent ally –poor man is taxed from the off but he’s likeable and his death is a top 5 one. Like Kerim Bey, like Vijay and even like Ferrera to a point in FYEO, it’s keenly felt –especially underlined by the “His name really was Sharkey!” which demeans him further. And then in Kilifer there’s a near instant dislike to him- there’s something slimey about him and then you see him sell out our beloved Felix. His death is satisfying to a point. Bond’s pay off is brilliant.
“What a terrible waste!”
[cue Bond’s absolute killer of an expression]
“Of money!”

Pam is the latest in a long line of Bond women who can handle herself. I’d say skill-wise she’s probably on par with Ms Goodhead. She knows her trade and then some (helicopter pilot in some danger zones), she’s a Goodhead that’s been refined, sharpened and thrown out there. Yes, yes I prefer her with longer hair but then that’s my thing- I quite like her even after that. (I’m not mentioning much of Ms Sato. Attractive yes but acting wise, Jesus wept).

Good to see David Hedison in action one more time as Felix, albeit after sixteen years. (Hope yet, that John Terry could return!). Though I figured drug stuff is more the purview of the FBI rather than CIA?

Likewise, how good is to see Q having probably his biggest outing? Though it’s a touch off that SIS’ top armourer would off to South America just like that to help Bond, he has some good scenes and moments (being there for Pam’s curt “Bullshit!”). Bond and Q having to share a double-room is quite funny in its way. Something you’d expect in a Moore film complete with shot of Bond trying to sleep.

And finally, Dalton. As good a performance as Daylights. His scenes with Felix early on are ten times better than in TLD (it’s a pity, personally, Hedison did not have at least one more Bond film as Felix) and there’s the scene with M. There’s something akin to Bond’s scene with M in OHMSS when he wants to go after Blofeld at Piz Gloria. “We’re not a country club, 007!” (Though M chides the other, one assumes they’re SIS, agents not to shoot as it’d cause a scene. A- you just let your guys shoot at Bond and B-anyone with half a sense would surely see the rifle toting agent on the tower).
To me it’s somehow natural that Bond would go after someone who has hurt his friend and murdered/raped his friend’s new wife.

Again, as in TLD, Dalton has some killer Fleming-Bond expressions. When he’s with M at Hemingway’s House, with the narcotics mob (“Piss off!”), his second scene on the boat with Lopez (“It’s Sanchez’s way you seem to like it”), even in response to Della at the wedding (nice touch linking Dalton to Tracy somehow)

Not to mention the action scenes –the helicopter, the skiing scene onto the plane (top ten Bond action scene. I like that moment where Bond slashes at the camera more than I should), the lorry scene late on…everything really (evening the nightclub. Fleming’s Bond might not be caught dead in a dive in Florida but Dalton does well –got to love when he sorts out Dario’s buddy).

Musically, Kamen does a good job. Key moments are the aforementioned boat scene, the sound of the Bond theme when Bond holds onto the boat driven by Sato and the PTS. It does sort of date the film but not massively. Again, a shame we didn’t either get one more Kamen score or a chance of a third Dalton to see what goes. Surely any third film would’ve had him return to the fold. A DAD-esque scene with Dalton meeting M at the Lost Tube Station.

Ah well. In an alternate reality, perhaps, not only did Lazenby do seven films or maybe Moore wrapped up with FYEO/or Octopussy, but Dalton got to do five films and Brosnan did Casino Royale.

Watch the birdie you bastard.

Nice write-up, sir.

Do we know if Hedison was specifically rehired as Leiter for this because, like LALD, it's Bond up against a drug dealer?

Must confess I don't know. I'm sure there's somewhere that says I might go a-searching. It is interesting that when he returns (after sixteen years) it is in a film that borrows elements of LALD's novel in the mauling of Felix. And the drug dealer.

Still, we didn't hear Sanchez knitting a flag.

EDIT...

I couldn't find anything as such but MI6-HQ (ahem), have this little bit on a page long biography for Leiter and then Hedison…

Hedison became the first actor to ever return to the Bond series as the memorable CIA man, Felix Leiter in 1989’s “Licence to Kill”. He won the role for the second time after bumping into Cubby and Dana Broccoli at dinner in LA. A couple of weeks later the call came in inviting him to appear in the 16th Bond film.

I find there to be some interesting parallels between LALD and LTK - they might make a good double bill.

Nice going Hilly! Not sure I personally agree about some things (Sharkey for instance. I feel Tibbett's death is both more shocking and keenly felt) but that's why it's your review and you make a good case for it. I agree about Pam's longer hair!

Oh no doubt Tibbett's is keenly felt but I always like Frank McCrae (I reckon his character in Batteries not Included makes me inclined to write of him so in LTK).

This review was the same one I posted in the other thread. I clean forgot half of what I put into it. But yes the longer hair matters. I would even say I like Moneypenny with her longer hair in Goldeneye (as far as Ms Bond goes). Really seems to make a difference in my book -hence why Tracy always woos me when she takes her hat off in the barn and beams at Bond. No wonder Bond sort of stands there like an idiot gazing at her.

I do like Moneypenny's longer do also, but there is something about her shorter style in TND that I quite like. Maybe because it's longer than her TWINE/DAD styles. Maybe I'm just nostalgic for the 90s.



One knows they've peaked Bond fandom when discussions are begun on Moneypenny's hairstyles.

Yes, I think we've hit peak fandom but I think there's more we can reach, ha

80's Moneypenny was way sexyer than 90's one, that last one looked like any english old lady working as a secretary.

They should've kept Maxwell for Dalton for a bit of a cougar dynamic.

I don't know, there was something about Caroline Bliss. I think she would've done alright opposite a young Brosnan in GE. But yes, Maxwell and Dalton would've been...intriguing.

Stamper wrote:

80's Moneypenny was way sexyer than 90's one, that last one looked like any english old lady working as a secretary.

Bliss did have a bit of spunk in her walk, but I strongly disagree she was sexier than Sam Bond. She had electric chemistry with Brosnan. Maxwell had more of that 'any old lady secretary' in the 80s, since she was, you know, approaching her 60s.

Excellent to be in a place seriously praising LTK instead of the usual "Internet discovers Tim was and always will be awesome because they didn't know these films existed" posts.

David was brought back IIRC because Cubby and Dana had run into him and were like "hey it's great to see you, why not have David play Felix again?" I think Felix is so underused in TLD and is just sort of there because Terry could have been a charming Felix if given more of a chance. That said, Hedison is my favorite onscreen Felix in terms of the Bond relationship and despite the difference in age and being with a new 007 he gives a good performance for what little is in the film.

I like everything in the film, I like the approach and the experiment to shake things up a bit without losing 007 in the process...ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION EON?!?!?!?!?

But I do think it is somewhat unsuccessful and that is why I think it doesn't hold up as well as TLD. Partly due to the switch to Mexico, reduced budget, change in usual production facilities increasing the drab look and feel but primarily to losing Maibaum due to the Writer's Guild strike. Those all combine to what holds the film back for me. I love it dearly but there are always a few bits here and there that make me sort of wince a bit such as the Lupe sudden romance, Pam having the one moment of anger at her love rival, and the weird as described elsewhere on BaB "high school movie" conclusion.

Tim needs no description. Magnificent. Again. Dear God the man is 007 to his physical core in this film...even in the little physical mannerisms-it never lets up! Such as the look in the Krest warehouse that reveals the flower from Felix's wedding coat, or his onlooking at the demise of Krest, the performance within a performance as the ex-MI6 man turned freelancer, the "piss off" scene...and as always the Q scenes. I think that Tim and Desmond sparked off of each other so well that it's probably the best Q-Bond relationship we ever had.

I adore Pam. No secret there. And the short hairdo is just wondrous especially when combined with the purple dress from the casino scene which to me is probably the best Bond girl costuming until Elektra's finale dress from the torture chair sequence. I love that she isn't just a female Bond type and has weaknesses-but can and will find ways out of scrapes and has a mind of her own to come up with a way to save Bond with Q. The whole midwestern farm girl act to get into the temple is inspired. She is easily by far my favorite female character in the series post OHMSS. And I think you can buy into the relationship because the two are on some equal footing which makes the apparent deception midway through the film actually striking. I only dislike the "I love James so much" bit and the very ending though I love the "Why don't you wait until you're asked" repartee. Plus IMO the bar introduction with the shotgun under the table is fantastic with Pam tsk tsking away the PPK.

I really like Bliss as Moneypenny but she doesn't get much to do and especially so in this film. The brief M's office scene is really not so good. But I will agree that Samantha Bond could literally make anything sound sexy simply with that glance and that magnificently near purring voice.

The side characters in LTK are great and more on the realistic side. Sanchez is great and a great characterization. You come to believe in each evil character as a more dimensional person and less as the usual "baddie" character.
And Bond makes mistakes on numerous occasions and must pay for them. This is not an easy film nor should it be.

Kamen's score is very good despite sounding a bit DIE HARD, LETHAL WEAPON and even ROAD HOUSE. The mexican/spanish tinged guitars give a perfect flavor to the dark themes and locale-and I would argue that his usage of the Bond theme itself is more organic, intrinsic and integrated in the entire score than David Arnold ever managed. The action cues are a standout as is the striking gunbarrel.

The title song grows on you. I used to laughingly make fun of it as a kid but I do love the extremely dark feeling. The end title song..oh dear...no Bond film should end that way. We're used to it now but geez that was a bad idea!

I think LTK works in many ways where most others would have failed in attempting to make fresh exciting changes and is a clear example of what EON absolutely must do in 2020.


Now for the weird one: anyone read the Gardner novelization that tells the film story but with 80's Gardner Bond in it? It's a very strange read with extra bits cut from the film, Fleming references and Gardner references to the items/experiences from those books.

I did read that Gardner's novelization has Fleming's Leiter (in so much that he is afflicted by the injuries that were inflicted on him in the LALD novel), and so when it comes to the shark-tank bit from the novel that was put on film in LTK 'novelization Leiter' has a 'How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice?!?' moment and the shark bites his false leg off .

Some excellent points there, HGTB. You're right in that the exploration into new territory is certainly more appealing than the current era as it doesn't compromise the essence of Bond's character. Bond sowing the seeds of doubt in Sanchez is much more exciting play than ramming planes into the backs of cars to save a hostage, or hotheadedly picking up a knife to kill due to a mistake.

Dalton and Desmond do have some great scenes. Q's "If it hadn't been for Q-Branch you would have been dead long ago" seals the deal. Though you'd have thought his own tossing aside the broomstick walkie-talkie would have meant less friction about Bond's treatment of his equipment!

The latino tang is certainly one of the score's highlights.

I really don't like Pam's covers, though. She works best when she's trying to one-up Bond.

Thanks. LTK indeed feels more accurate due to this and thus the Bond gone rogue off the rails experiment works because it doesn't throw away the series continuity and style.


Oh yes! One of my favorite bits of Gardner's book is that it's Fleming's Felix so he indeed has the false arm and leg bitten off again and must indeed be among a select club whose members have been thrown to sharks by villains and survived...twice!

hegottheboot wrote:

Thanks. LTK indeed feels more accurate due to this and thus the Bond gone rogue off the rails experiment works because it doesn't throw away the series continuity and style.

BOOM.

Spot on.

And the differences between now and then I'd argue were the removal of the control variables in the LTK experiment: Cubby and Dick Maibaum.
And I don't think Dalton would have stood for what they're doing now because unlike shall we say others...he actually read the books and knew the films!

Nice review Booty. I actually decided to rewatch LTK last night. Little things this time I noticed -the fact Bond doesn't react to his cigarette lighter first time round but the Leiter's do and when you first see him drive up to Felix's house (prior to discovering the body of Della and poor Felix), there's this woman walking with her kid at the camera and then suddenly they get the hell out of the way, the woman seems to look at the camera, nudges the kid and both get out of frame quickly.

that and as much as Lupe can't act, very attractive woman.

As soon as you spot the woman and child you can't unsee it! Best silly extra bit this side of the dude on the street corner in TLD.

Lupe is a waster opportunity. Some of the line readings get me every time as feeling false, such as the Lupe Bond tryst in Sanchez's estate-however I think this is down to the scripting troubles more than the performance.


Can we also say that Bond leaving the wedding party as the final guest-that entire exchange with the garter-is perhaps the most subtly beautiful moment in the series. Perfectly referential in a way that doesn't hit you over the head and so moving for longtime fans to see the way Dalton plays that scene in utter silence. You can physically see the grief and sadness wash over him live a cresting wave. And the extra bit of foley work to give Bond's rental car tires a slight squeal out of the driveway.

Yeah, I actually rewound it three or four times to double check. Maybe Glenn signalled to them to get moving. Notice when the camera follows Bond around they're already long gone.

I do indeed recognise the moment you cite of Bond leaving the wedding last. As I've said before, a nice little moment linking his Bond to Tracy but that for Bond generally, she's still missed. Brilliant summation Boots.

While I like the reference to Tracy, I always felt Dalton overplayed the moment, so find it hard to see it as subtle. He should have tried to cover how he was feeling as opposed to wearing it on his sleeve. Poor Della must have felt awful.

Well, to be fair, she felt a lot worse after that scene.

I disagree. The way Bond still catches it out of the air and then with a glance has such inherent pain-then manages a moment of rueful charm mixed with aching sadness-the demons of his past surfacing as they will. Little touches like this are ones I love and things that would happen to people in real life. I like when the later novels find ways to do this while making it intrinsic to that particular story moment. Gardner could do it and then got to the point later on where it seemed virtually anything would evoke memories of Tracy.

The we have just the simple: "He was married once but it was a long time ago." Perfect and exactly what Felix would say in that situation. Then immediately over the threshold and BAM-right back into the narrative and a complete 180 to make the audience be less complacent. (When have we last had a plot in the series develop that fast!!!) Plus the reminder of OHMSS is helpful in setting up the tragedy of Felix's plight in LTK and underlines Bond's whole vendetta. I've always felt the film does the story a major disservice in not highlighting how 007 is personally motivated not only by friendship but by the connections to his own doomed bride and how it must reignite some of the old emotions post-OHMSS. I think Dalton at least must have picked up on that and it could be read into a few scenes maybe. Parts of LTK could thus resemble the DAF man out for revenge Laz film we never got.

SKOH does finally confirm what I always suspected; LTK is pretty much concept by Maibaum and Wilson, but written by Wilson solo due to the WGA strike. This is why the film doesn't hold up as well for me. (That and perhaps the choice of the costume designer from Miami Vice. Though Pam's purple long/short dress is my favorite costuming between the 60's and Elektra's final dress.) I think it's a marvel Wilson did so well and that the film turned out so good with all of the setbacks-but it crucially needed the typewriter of the series brain.

Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised had Dalton *not* picked up on the connections to OHMSS, Bond being partly fuelled by the loss of his own wife. He strikes me as someone that had paid close attention to the books and the past films even.

I often find myself (since the anniversary started for LTK) wishing I could ask Dalton so many questions. Many more than I ever got to ask Lazenby.