Scenes That I Love: “Bond. James Bond” from Dr. No (in honor of Ian Fleming’s birthday)

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

118 years ago today, Ian Fleming was born in Mayfair, London. A member of British Intelligence during World War II, Fleming is today best-remembered as the creator of James Bond.

Today’s scene that I love comes from 1962’s Dr. No. Here is Sean Connery, in his first appearance as Fleming’s iconic secret agent. Eunice Gray was cast as Sylvia Trench, who was originally envisioned as being Bond’s permanent “London” girlfriend. She also appeared in From Russia With Love before the idea was abandoned. We all know that Bond’s true love was Tracy di Vincenzo.

Scenes That We Love: Ursula Andress Makes The Bikini Famous In Dr. No

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is the official birthday of the bikini and today’s scene that I love features a moment that played a huge role in the bikini’s growing popularity.

Ursula Andress was one of the very first Bond girls, appearing opposite Sean Connery in Dr. No. Andress played the role of Honeychile Ryder, who was good with a knife and totally willing to trespass on Dr. No.’s beach. Andress set the standard by which almost all future Bond girls would be judged and the scene where Bond and Ryder first meet remains one of the most famous in the Bond franchise. It was such a culturally-defining moment in 1962 that it apparently led to rocketing sales of bikinis. Up until this film came out, bikinis were apparently considered to be too risqué to be worn anywhere other than France.

(Personally, I’m thankful that Andress and Dr. No made bikinis popular. I look good in a bikini and, even if I don’t swim, I do like lying out by the pool and pretending like I’m capable of tanning as opposed to just burning.)

Of course, in the original novel, Honey Ryder is naked (except for a belt and a knife) when Bond first sees her. Personally, I think that’s a bit much. I prefer the scene as it plays out in the movie, where everyone is flirtatious and fashionable.

Though Dr. No is best known for turning Sean Connery into a star, it also did wonders for Ursula Andress’s career. Whereas she had previously been best-known for briefly dating Jams Dean and being married to John Derek, Andress was now an actress who was able to pick her roles and to become financially independent, a development she would later tell the Daily Independent that she owed to “that white bikini.” Andress also appeared in Playboy several times, even after becoming a star. When she was asked why, she replied, “Because I’m beautiful,” and I have to say that I absolutely love that answer.

Anyway, from 1962, here’s a scene that we love:

Scenes That I Love: “Bond. James Bond” from Dr. No (in honor of Ian Fleming’s birthday)

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

117 years ago today, Ian Fleming was born in Mayfair, London. A member of British Intelligence during World War II, Fleming is today best-remembered as the creator of James Bond.

Celebrate Labor Day With These 14 Films!

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I have no idea what this day is supposed to celebrate but I hope everyone has a good one.

There doesn’t seem to be any agreed upon way to celebrate Labor Day. A few people have the day off and they’re the reason why I decided to hold off on going up to Lake Texoma until this upcoming, holiday-free weekend. Personally, I think the best way to celebrate any holiday is with a film festival so here are my suggestions for your Labor Day viewing:

Red Menace (1949) — In this wonderfully atmospheric film noir, a former GI named Bill Jones (Robert Rockwell) finds himself seduced by the Communist Party. After he witnesses the head of the party murder a man who questions the wisdom of Marx, Jones and his lover go on the run.
Big Jim McClain (1951) — John Wayne takes on the commies! And you better believe that no one is more determined to keep America and its workers safe from communist influence than the Duke! This film features some lovely Hawaiian scenery and enough over-the-top propaganda to make any American proud.
I Was A Communist For The FBI (1951) — Based (I imagine very loosely) on a true story, I Was A Communist For The FBI is about an agent who spent nine years undercover as a communist. As a result, he lost his friends and almost his family but he also serves his country. Featuring a scene where a strike turns violent, there’s nothing subtle about this film but, as with Big Jim McClain, that’s a large part of what makes the movie so watchable.
On The Waterfront (1954) — Marlon Brando won his first Oscar for this film about union corruption.
Dr. No (1962) — In his very first film outing, James Bond shows what a good job a true professional can do.
The Godfather (1972) — “It’s strictly business.”
Blue Collar (1978) — In this gritty film from Paul Schrader, three auto-workers (played by Yaphet Kotto, Harvey Keitel, and Richard Pryor) discover that their union is even more corrupt than management. Consider this film to be an antidote to Norma Rae.
F.I.S.T. (1978) — After the success of Rocky, Sylvester Stallone played a thinly-disguised version of Jimmy Hoffa in this epic historical film. The film is poorly paced and doesn’t quite work but it’s interesting to see Stallone, post-Rocky, playing a character who isn’t necessarily all-that heroic.
Convoy (1979) — The film celebrate the independent trucker, the hard-working driver who doesn’t want to be tied down by either the unions or the law. Convoy is infamous for being an out-of-control production and yes, it is a bit self-indulgent. But who cares? When that convoy forms, you have to heartless not to cheer a little.
Alien (1979) — One of the best films about how much it sucks to have to work for a living, Alien follows a group of blue-collar workers whose lives are deliberately put in danger by a big, faceless corporation.
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) — A labor strike leaves a Brooklyn neighborhood reeling. This film is not for the faint-hearted.
Hoffa (1991) — Jack Nicholson stars as Jimmy Hoffa in this uneven but watchable film. This movie is unabashedly pro-Hoffa and therefore, it provides an interesting contrast to films like F.I.S.T. and Blue Collar.
Office Space (1999) — And don’t forget to sing along to the copier scene!
The Irishman (2019) — Despite all the criticism that it received when it was first released, The Irishman is one of Martin Scorsese’s finest films. It takes a while to get used to the de-aging but Al Pacino’s performance as Jimmy Hoffa was brilliant. This film is one of the best looks at how the American labor movement lost its way.

Scenes That We Love: James Bond Meets Honeychile Ryder in Dr. No

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 84th birthday to Ursula Andress!

Anyway, from 1962, here’s a scene that we love:

Happy birthday, Ursula Andress!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Dr. No, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Wild Things, Spring Breakers

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is National Bikini Day!

According to the good people at Checkiday, the proper way to celebrate National Bikini Day is to put on a bikini and head to the beach! Unfortunately, I don’t live anywhere near the beach so instead, I’ve just been cleaning the house and taking out a wasp nest while wearing a bikini, which is an experience that’s both frightening and empowering at the same time.

(Seriously, we had a huge wasp nest that showed up overnight over the front door. I went outside and sprayed the nest, which resulted in the porch getting covered with dying and angry wasps. Of course, that’s when I realized that, because of the whole bikini thing, I had put on a t-shirt but I’d forgotten to put on shoes so I was barefoot, the backdoor was locked, and I didn’t have my keys on me, again because of the whole bikini thing. Rather than walking in bare feet across a porch covered by angry wasps, I literally crawled through a window to get back in the house, at which point I put on my shoes, went outside, and swept up all the wasps and the nest. It’s been quite a day!)

Anyway, as we often do here at the Shattered Lens, we’re going to recognize both this holiday and four of our favorite movies! Here, in honor of National Bikini Day, are….

4 Shots From 4 Films

Dr. No (1962, dir by Terence Young)

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982, dir by Amy Heckerling)

Wild Things (1998, dir by John McNaughton)

Spring Breakers (2012, dir by Harmony Korine)

Scenes That I Love: James Bond Meets Sylvia Trench in Dr. No (In memory of Eunice Grayson)

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, I read the sad news that British actress Eunice Grayson passed away at the age of 90. Grayson may not have been a household name but true fans of James Bond (as opposed to those who think that the franchise started with Daniel Craig) know Grayson from her role as Sylvia Trench in both Dr. No and From Russia With Love.

Eunice Grayson was the first Bond girl. When we first meet Bond in Dr. No, he’s sitting down across from her at the Baccarat table. When Bond asks her name, she replies, “Trench. Sylvia Trench.” When she asks his name, he playfully replies, “Bond. James Bond.” and history is made.

Grayson originally auditioned for the role of Miss Moneypenny but, when the producers decided to give that role to Lois Maxwell, Grayson was instead cast as Sylvia Trench. At first, Sylvia was envisioned as being Bond’s permanent “off-duty” girlfriend. That’s certainly the role that she’s plays when she briefly reappears in From Russia With Love. The original plan was for Sylvia (and Grayson) to appear in at least six Bond films and to be the principal Bond girl in the sixth one. However, those plans were abandoned with Goldfinger.

(Check out this 2012 interview that Grayson gave to the BBC for more details about her experiences as a part of the Bond franchise.)

Today’s scene that I love is in memory of both Eunice Grayson and the role she played in the history of one of my favorite film franchises. From 1962’s Dr. No, James Bond meets Sylvia Trench for the first time…

James Bond Begins!: Sean Connery as 007 in DR. NO (United Artists 1962)

Posted on May 15, 2018 by gary loggins

cracked rear viewer

Ian Fleming’s secret agent 007, James Bond, was introduced in the 1953 novel Casino Royale, and was a smashing success, leading to a long-running series of books starring MI-6’s “licensed to kill” super spy. No less than President John F. Kennedy was a huge fan of Fleming’s books, and since the early 60’s were all about “Camelot”, producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman decided to cash in and bring James Bond to the big screen (the character had appeared in the person of Barry Nelson in an adaptation of CASINO ROYALE for a 1954 episode of TV’s CLIMAX!, with Peter Lorre as the villain Le Chiffre).

DR. NO was the first Bond movie, and the producers wanted Patrick McGoohan, star of the British TV series SECRET AGENT, to play the suave, ruthless Bond. McGoohan declined, and Richard Johnson was considered. He also turned them down, leading Broccoli and Saltzman…

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Book Review: Dr. No by Ian Fleming

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Having survived his creator’s attempt to kill him off at the end of From Russia With Love, British secret agent James Bond returned in the 1958 novel Dr. No.

When Dr. No begins, M is concerned that his top agent might no longer have what it takes. After all, James Bond barely survived his previous mission. The doctors say that he’s recovered, Bond has spent months in rehab. Bond is desperate for a new mission but M still has his doubts. So, he gives Bond what should be an easy assignment. He sends 007 to Jamaica, to investigate the strange disappearance of John Strangeways and his secretary. (Strangeways previously appeared in Live and Let Die.)

It turns out to be anything but simple. As soon as Bond arrives, it becomes obvious that the mysterious Dr. No was somehow involved in whatever happened to Strangeways. Dr. No lives on a remote island and has made a fortune through the cultivation of bat guano. (Eck!) With the help of the loyal Quarrel and the beautiful Honeychile Ryder, Bond sets out to find out what Dr. No is actually up to. Of course, the natives say that Dr. No is protected by a dragon. Bond says that’s foolish but then the dragon shows up…

But it’s not just the dragon that Bond has to look out for! There’s Dr. No himself. When we finally meet Dr. No, we discover that he’s basically a cyborg. Oh, he’s never called that, of course. I don’t even know if “cyborg” was a word in 1958. But Fleming delights in telling us about Dr. No’s metal hands and the way that he glides across the floor. Fleming also delights in telling us all about the ins and outs of bat guano. Fleming came up with many creative deaths for his Bond novels but Dr. No is the first to feature suffocation by bat shit.

Dr. No is a departure from Fleming’s previous books, all of which may have featured villains with odd names but, at the same time, remained somewhat realistic. Dr. No, on the other hand, is so fanciful that it almost reads as being satire. Everything from Dr. No’s megalomania to Honeychile Ryder’s first appearance on the beach suggests that Dr. No is intentionally written to take place in a bigger-than-life fantasy world. That doesn’t mean that it’s a bad book. In fact, it’s one of Fleming’s more entertaining novels. But it’s almost as if, having brought Bond back to life, Fleming was determined to take a break from the real world with his next novel.

Interestingly, Dr. No started life as a non-Bond related screenplay. Though Fleming ultimately abandoned the script, he used it as the inspiration for his next book. It’s appropriate that, from such beginnings, Dr. No went on to serve as the basis of the first Bond film.

Christopher Lee, R.I.P.

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The picture above is Christopher Lee in the 1998 film Jinnah. In this epic biopic, Lee played Muhammad Ali Jinniah, the founder of modern Pakistan. Up until yesterday, I had never heard of Jinnah but, after news of Lee’s death broke, Jinnah was frequently cited as being Lee’s personal favorite of his many roles and films.

Consider that. Christopher Lee began his film career in the 1940s and he worked steadily up until his death. He played Dracula. He played The Man with the Golden Gun. Christopher Lee appeared, with his future best friend Peter Cushing, in Laurence Olivier’s Oscar-winning Hamlet. He played Seurat in John Huston’s Moulin Rouge. He appeared in both The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogies. He appeared in several films for Tim Burton. He even had a small role in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo. He appeared in two Star Wars prequels. He appeared in the original Wicker Man (and reportedly considered it to be his favorite of his many horror films). He appeared in Oscar winners and box office hits. And, out of all that, Christopher Lee’s personal favorite was Jinnah, a film that most people have never heard about.

Unless, of course, you live in Pakistan. When I did a google search on Christopher Lee, I came across several Pakistani news sources that announced: “Christopher Lee, star of Jinnah, has died.”

And really, that somehow seems appropriate. Christopher Lee was the epitome of an international film star. He worked for Hammer in the UK. He worked with Jess Franco in Spain and Mario Bava in Italy. He appeared in several movies in the United States. And, in Pakistan, he played Jinnah. And I haven’t seen Jinnah but I imagine he was probably as great in that role as he was in every other role that I saw him play. Over the course of his long career, Christopher Lee appeared in many good films but he also appeared in his share of bad ones. But Christopher Lee was always great.

It really is hard to know where to begin with Christopher Lee. Though his death was announced on Thursday, I haven’t gotten around to writing this tribute until Friday. Admittedly, when I first heard that Lee had passed away, I was on a romantic mini-vacation and had promised myself that I would avoid, as much as possible, getting online for two days. But, even more than for those personal reasons, I hesitated because I just did not know where to start when it came to talking about Christopher Lee. He was one of those figures who overwhelmed by his very existence.

We all know that Christopher Lee was a great and iconic actor. And I imagine that a lot of our readers know that Lee had a wonderfully idiosyncratic musical career, releasing his first heavy metal album when he was in his 80s. Did you know that Lee also served heroically during World War II and, after the war ended, helped to track down fleeing Nazi war criminals? Did you know that it has been speculated that Lee may have served as one of the role models for James Bond? (Ian Fleming was a cousin of Lee’s and even tried to convince Lee to play Dr. No in the first Bond film.) Christopher Lee lived an amazing life, both on and off the screen.

But, whenever one reads about Christopher Lee and his career or watches an interview with the man, the thing that always comes across is that, for someone who played so many evil characters, Christopher Lee appeared to be one the nicest men that you could ever hope to meet. Somehow, it was never a shock to learn that his best friend was his frequent screen nemesis, Peter Cushing.

Christopher Lee is one of those great actors who we assumed would always be here. The world of cinema will be a sadder world without him.

Legends together

Here is a list of Christopher Lee films that we’ve reviewed here on the Shattered Lens. Admittedly, not all of these reviews focus on Lee but they do provide a hint of the man’s versatility:

Sir Christopher Lee was 93 years old and he lived those 9 decades in the best way possible. As long as there are film lovers, he will never be forgotten.