On this day in 1986, Timothy Dalton signed his contract to play James Bond for the first time in The Living Daylights. In this scene Bond and Kara (Maryam d’Abo) make their escape from the Hercules plane (which was lent to production by the Royal Moroccan Air Force).
Bond and Amasova Versus Jaws
“Let’s try reverse… that’s backwards.” Bond (Roger Moore) and Amasova (Barbara Bach) try and escape in Jaws’ van in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Director Lewis Gilbert remembers getting a crick in his neck on the first day of filming with Richard Kiel, because the actor was so tall. “He was a remarkable size, but like all giants, he was sweet and charming and a real pussycat.”
Bond’s Introduction In Dr. No
“Bond, James Bond.” 007 (Sean Connery) delivers the iconic line for the first time to Sylvia Trench (Eunice Gayson) in Dr. No (1962) at Le Cercle, Les Ambassadeurs Club, London. Producer Cubby Broccoli said: “Those words against the insistent rhythm of the ‘James Bond Theme’ was not just good cinema, it became the signature which has run through all of the Bond films.”
Bond And Q Meet In Skyfall
Bond (Daniel Craig) meets his new quartermaster (Ben Whishaw) in Skyfall (2012). Filmed at The National Portrait Gallery in London, the painting they are admiring is J.M.W. Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire.
Bond Spies Jinx For The First Time
“Magnificent view.” Bond (Pierce Brosnan) meets Jinx (Halle Berry) for the first time in Die Another Day (2002). The scene wasn’t actually filmed in Cuba but in Cadiz, Spain. Costume designer Lindy Hemming said: “We wanted to pay homage to the Ursula Andress bikini and we came up with this electric orange, sexy bikini and a beautifully crafted diving belt.”
Casino Royale Torture Scene
“I’ve got a little itch down there, would you mind?” Bond is tortured by Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) in Casino Royale (2006). The wooden chair Daniel Craig is sitting on was actually fitted with a fibreglass screen underneath to prevent any unwanted injuries to the leading man.
Rosa Klebb’s Hidden Blade Shoe Attack
On this day in 1963, the scene in From Russia With Love where Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) attacks Bond (Sean Connery) with the poisoned hidden blade in her shoe was filmed.
For Your Eyes Only Ski Chase
Bond (Roger Moore) ski’s down the mountain pursued by assassins on motorbikes in For Your Eyes Only (1981). Filmed in Cortina, Italy, the motorbikes’ wheels were fitted with special spike-laden tyres to ensure they could grip the snowy ground while travelling at 50mph.
GoldenEye’s DB5 Versus F355 Road Duel
It’s Aston Martin DB5 versus Ferrari F355 in the GoldenEye (1995) car chase between Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and Onatopp (Famke Janssen). It wasn’t the stunt drivers but Pierce Brosnan himself who caused the most damage to the DB5. He said: “We did about eight takes and they said, ‘What’s that smell?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know?’ I had been driving up the mountain with the handbrake on.”
Bond’s Moon Buggy Escape
Bond (Sean Connery) escapes Willard Whyte’s Techtronics research centre in a moon buggy in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Production designer Ken Adam said: “The moon buggy was not 100 percent based on the actual moon lunar vehicle as director Guy Hamilton wanted it to look grotesque with these flailing mechanical arms.”
A View To A Kill Paris Chase
Bond borrows a taxi in pursuit of Mayday through the Paris streets in A View To A Kill (1985). The stunt, where the car loses its top half and then its back half, was orchestrated by coordinator Rémy Julienne. Director John Glen said: “Rémy’s English wasn’t very good and my French was even worse. We managed to communicate through drawings.”
The Attack On Piz Gloria
Today’s clip is the attack on Piz Gloria by Draco’s men in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Due to the altitude and high winds the helicopters couldn’t land so the stuntmen had to jump out of the choppers instead. Stunt coordinator Richard Graydon said: “You didn’t know exactly how far you were going to sink into the snow. And being fairly small I found myself up to my nose, so just the top of my hat was visible.”
