In honor of the upcoming 25th James Bond film, "No time to Die", I've decided to rewatch and review all the films from the official canon. The first film, "Dr. No" (1962) has been relatively low on my list of favorite Bond films because it's not as big and fun as the later installments. Rewatching it today, I enjoyed it very much-it was just as exhilarating as any of the Bond films. While there are many dated elements and flaws that are visible from a contemporary viewer-in particular the use of the rear screen projection and dubbing, there are many subtle moments which are brilliant. One example is the briefing scene in M's office. When M takes out his pipe, Bond offers his lighter to light it. However, M stands up and moves away, lighting it himself. I felt that this established M's stern nature against Bond. Another motif that was prominent but not overtly portrayed was the British-American rivalry. In this film, Felix Leiter (played by Jack Lord) is introduced as a foil rather than the ally we see in the later films. He and Quarrel (played by John Kitzmiller) are portrayed as relatively incompetent compared to Bond, the British agent. Leiter even uses the term "Limey" in one of the earlier scenes. When Bond and Quarrel are sailing to Crab Key, Leiter offers to go but the British agent claims that this is "his beat" and that the Americans can come later. This sentiment was more prominent in the novels, and obviously due to it's subsequent success in the US it completely disappeared. Sean Connery is spectacular as always. I thought his verbal confrontation with Dr. No was his best acting. Scenes involving Bond escaping from his prison cell in Dr. No's lair, using his wits still holds up very well today. The score, while overusing the title theme a little too much, was good especially in the climatic scenes of the film. Overall, it's definitely one of the best in the series for a good reason.
