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Dr. No

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Dr. No 1962 poster 2

Dr. No is a 1962 spy film and the first film in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions. It stars Sean Connery as as the fictional British MI6 agent James Bond. It is directed by Terence Young and it was written by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was based on Ian Fleming's sixth Bond novel of the same name.

Storyline[]

Plot[]

In the film that launched the James Bond saga, Agent 007 (Sean Connery) battles mysterious Dr. No, a scientific genius bent on destroying the U.S. space program. As the countdown to disaster begins, Bond must go to Jamaica, where he encounters beautiful Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress), to confront a megalomaniacal villain in his massive island headquarters.

Genres[]

  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Spy
  • Thriller
  • Mystery
  • Crime Fiction

Motion Picture Rating[]

  • 13 (Argentina)
  • A (Argentina) (original rating)
  • PG (Australia) (1985, re-rating)
  • 12 (Brazil)
  • 10 (Brazil) (Google Play)
  • PG (Canada) (Manitoba/Ontario)
  • G (Canada) (Quebec)
  • PG (Canada) (video rating)
  • 15 (Denmark) (DVD rating)
  • K-16 (Finland)
  • Tous publics (France)
  • 12 (Germany) (video rating)
  • 12 (Iceland)
  • UA (India) (re-rating)
  • A (India) (1963, original rating)
  • PG (Ireland)
  • PG (Ireland) (DVD rating)
  • T (Italy)
  • PG-12 (Japan) (video rating)
  • G (Japan) (2015)
  • U (Malaysia)
  • B (Mexico) (original rating)
  • A (Mexico) (re-rating)
  • 14 (Netherlands) (orginal rating)
  • 12 (Netherlands) (2004, DVD rating)
  • PG (New Zealand)
  • 15 (Norway) (DVD and Blu-ray rating)
  • 12 (Norway) (1979, re-rating, cinema rating)
  • 16 (Norway) (1963, cinema rating)
  • 14 (Peru)
  • PG-13 (Philippines)
  • 16 (Poland)
  • M/12 (Portugal)
  • 12 (Serbia)
  • PG (Singapore)
  • PG (South Africa) (video rating)
  • 12 (South Korea)
  • A (Spain) (ICAA)
  • 15 (Sweden)
  • 15 (Sweden) (1970, uncut)
  • 7A (Turkey) (self-applied)
  • PG (UK) (current rating)
  • A (UK) (original rating, passed with cuts)
  • PG (USA) (1994)
  • GP (USA) (1971)
  • Approved (USA) (1962)
  • PG-13 (United Arab Emirates) (self-applied)
  • 12 (West Germany) (nf)

Images[]

Cast and Crew[]

Director[]

  • Terence Young

Writing Credits[]

  • Richard Maibaum (screenplay by) and
  • Johanna Harwood (screenplay by) and
  • Berkely Mather (screenplay by)
  • Ian Fleming (based on the novel by)

Cast[]

  • Sean Connery - James Bond
  • Ursula Andress - Honey Ryder
  • Joseph Wiseman - Dr. No
  • Jack Lord - Felix Leiter
  • Bernard Lee - M.
  • Anthony Dawson - Professor Dent
  • Zena Marshall - Miss Taro
  • John Kitzmiller - Quarrel (as John Kitzmuller)
  • Eunice Gayson - Sylvia Trench
  • Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
  • Peter Burton - Major Boothroyd
  • Yvonne Shima - Sister Lily
  • Michel Mok - Sister Rose
  • Marguerite LeWars - Annabel Chung - Photographer (as Margaret Le Wars) (as Marguerite Lewars: end credits)
  • William Foster-Davis - Superintendent Duff (as Wm. Foster-Davis)
  • Dolores Keator - Mary Trueblood
  • Reggie Carter - Mr. Jones (as Reginald Carter)
  • Louis Blaazer - Pleydell-Smith
  • Colonel Burton - General Potter

Other Cast (in alphabetical order)[]

  • Abbot Anderson - Crab Key Guard (uncredited)
  • Jack Arrow - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Nigel Bernard - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Keith Binns - Crab Key Guard (uncredited)
  • Chris Blackwell - Henchman Jumping Off Dock into Water (uncredited)
  • Kes Chin - Dragon Guard (uncredited)
  • Anthony Chinn - Decontamination Technician (uncredited)
  • Diana Coupland - Honey Ryder - Singing Voice (voice) (uncredited)
  • Eric Coverley - 1st Three Blind Mice Assassin (uncredited)
  • Reggie de Beer - Casino Patron (uncredited)
  • Alicia Deane - Woman in Dr. No's Lair (uncredited)
  • Charles Edghill - 2nd Three Blind Mice Assassin (uncredited)
  • Margaret Ellery - Stewardess (uncredited)
  • Joe Enrikie - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Lancelot Evans - Crab Key Dock Guard (uncredited)
  • Peter Evans - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Hilary Farish - Stewardess (uncredited)
  • Charles Gilliard - Le Cercle Waiter (uncredited)
  • Alan Gold - Croupier at La Cercle (uncredited)
  • Arthur Goodman - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Victor Harrington - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • John Hatton - Radio Operator (uncredited)
  • George Hilsdon - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Billy John - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Gerry Judge - Le Cercle Waiter (uncredited)
  • Pat Judge - Le Cercle Waiter (uncredited)
  • Juba Kennerley - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Bettine Le Beau - Professor Dent's Secretary (uncredited)
  • Arnold Lee - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Byron Lee - Singer at Puss Feller's (uncredited)
  • George Leech - Decontamination Technician (uncredited)
  • Dan Lester - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Rick Lester - Guard (uncredited)
  • Henry Lopez - 3rd Three Blind Mice Assassin (uncredited)
  • Keith Lyn - Vocalist - the Dragonaires (uncredited)
  • Louis Marriott - Dragon Guard (uncredited)
  • Colin McKenzie - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Count Prince Miller - Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
  • Stanley Morgan - Concierge at Le Cercle (uncredited)
  • Tim Moxon - Professor John Strangways (uncredited)
  • Malou Pantera - Hotel Receptionist (uncredited)
  • Willie Payne - Johnny - Hotel Worker (uncredited)
  • Lester Pendergast - Puss Feller (uncredited)
  • Carol Reckford - Dent's Boat Captain (uncredited)
  • Milton Reid - Dr. No's Guard (uncredited)
  • Robert Rietty - John Strangways / Superintendent Duff (voice) (uncredited)
  • Adrian Robinson - Hearse Driver (uncredited)
  • Carey Robinson - Guard with Loudspeaker (uncredited)
  • Harold Sanderson - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Bunny Seaman - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • John Sefton - Le Cercle Croupier (uncredited)
  • Maxwell Shaw - Communications Operator (uncredited)
  • Bob Simmons - James Bond in Gunbarrel Sequence (uncredited)
  • Frank Singuineau - Hotel Waiter (uncredited)
  • John Smart - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Graham Tonbridge - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • Nikki Van der Zyl - Honey Ryder / Sylvia Trench / Various (voice) (uncredited)
  • Robert Vossler - Le Cercle Waiter (uncredited)
  • Pearl Walters - Le Cercle Patron (uncredited)
  • John Wilder - Le Cercle Cashier (uncredited)

Producers[]

  • Albert R. Broccoli (as Albert R .Broccoli) (produced by)
  • Harry Saltzman (produced by)

Details[]

Countries[]

  • UK
  • USA

Language[]

  • English
  • Italian

Release Dates[]

  • October 10, 1962 (UK)
  • October 12, 1962 (Ireland)
  • January 17, 1963 (Italy)
  • January 25, 1963 (West Germany)
  • January 27, 1963 (France)
  • January 31, 1963 (Netherlands)
  • March 29, 1963 (Finland)
  • April 1, 1963 (Norway)
  • April 5, 1963 (Denmark)
  • April 27, 1963 (Malta)
  • April 29, 1963 (Sweden)
  • May 8, 1963 (Greece)
  • May 8, 1963 (Portugal)
  • May 8, 1963 (USA)
  • May 9, 1963 (Hong Kong)
  • May 13, 1963 (Spain)
  • May 29, 1963 (Colombia)
  • June 1, 1963 (Japan)
  • June 3, 1963 (India)
  • July 4, 1963 (Australia)
  • July 18, 1963 (Argentina)
  • September 7, 1963 (Brazil)
  • September 14, 1963 (Israel)
  • November 11, 1963 (Uruguay)
  • February 20, 1964 (Mexico)
  • June 22, 1964 (Denmark) (re-release)
  • October 1, 1964 (Iran)
  • May 17, 1965 (Denmark) (re-release)
  • August 20, 1965 (Belgium) (Gent)
  • August 20, 1965 (South Korea)
  • April 7, 1966 (Turkey)
  • January 1, 1966 (UK) (re-release)
  • September 23, 1971 (Argentina) (re-release)
  • December 14, 1972 (Netherlands) (re-release)
  • December 23, 1972 (Japan) (re-release)
  • August 12, 1974 (Spain) (re-release)
  • January 1, 1977 (UK) (re-release)
  • October 1, 1986 (Norway) (re-release)
  • October 6, 2006 (Czechia) (DVD premiere)
  • March 12, 2007 (United Arab Emirates) (DVD premiere)
  • November 6, 2012 (Singapore) (DVD premiere)
  • March 8, 2013 (Poland) (DVD premiere)
  • November 4, 2013 (United Arab Emirates) (TV Release)
  • June 14, 2015 (UK) (re-release)
  • September 25, 2015 (Philippines) (DVD premiere)

Release[]

Promotion[]

As soon as late 1961, United Artists started a marketing campaign to make James Bond a well-known name in North America. Newspapers received a box set of Bond's books, as well as a booklet detailing the Bond character and a picture of Ursula Andress. Eon and United Artists made licensing deals revolving around the character's tastes, having merchandising tie-ins with drink, tobacco, men's clothing and car companies. The campaign also focused on Ian Fleming's name due to the minor success of the books. After Dr. No had a successful run in Europe, Sean Connery and Terence Young did a cross-country tour of the US in March 1963, which featured screening previews for the film and press conferences. It culminated in a well-publicised premiere in Kingston, where most of the film is set. Some of the campaign emphasised the sex appeal of the film, with the poster artwork, by Mitchell Hooks, depicting Sean Connery and four scantily clad women. The campaign also included the 007 logo designed by Joseph Caroff with a pistol as part of the seven.

Dr. No had its worldwide premiere at the London Pavilion, on 5 October 1962, expanding to the rest of the United Kingdom three days later. The North American premiere on 8 May 1963 was more low-profile, with 450 cinemas in Midwest and Southwest regions of the United States. On 29 May it opened in both Los Angeles and New York City – in the former as a double-bill with The Young and the Brave and the latter in United Artists' "Premiere Showcase" treatment, screening in 84 screens across the city to avoid the costly Broadway cinemas

Home video[]

Dr. No has been distributed on CED Videodisc (1981), VHS (1982, unredacted), Betamax (1982, unredacted), LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray, Multi-Format streaming, and other formats.

Reception[]

Critical response[]

Upon release, Dr. No received a mixed critical reception. Time magazine called Bond a "blithering bounder" and "a great big hairy marshmallow" who "almost always manages to seem slightly silly". Stanley Kauffmann in The New Republic said that he felt the film "never decides whether it is suspense or suspense-spoof." He also did not like Connery, or the Fleming novels. The Vatican condemned Dr. No describing it as "a dangerous mixture of violence, vulgarity, sadism and sex", whilst the Kremlin said that Bond was the personification of capitalist evil – both controversies helped increase public awareness of the film and greater cinema attendance. However Leonard Mosely in The Daily Express said that "Dr No is fun all the way, and even the sex is harmless", whilst Penelope Gilliatt in The Observer said it was "full of submerged self-parody". The Guardian's critic called Dr. No "crisp and well-tailored" and "a neat and gripping thriller."

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, Dr. No has a 95% rating based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The sites critical consensus reads: "Featuring plenty of the humor, action, and escapist thrills the series would be known for, Dr. No kicks off the Bond franchise in style."

Company Credits[]

Production Companies[]

  • Eon Productions

Distributors[]

Technical Specs[]

Runtime[]

  • 110 mins

Color[]

  • Color

Sound Mix[]

  • Mono (Westrex Recording System)
  • DTS (4.1 Surround)

Aspect Ratio[]

  • 1.66:1
  • 4:3 (Full screen prints, along with the film itself in open matte)

Trivia[]

  • All of the sets and furniture were slightly smaller than they would be in reality, so that Bond would look larger.
  • Sean Connery was fitted with a toupee for this film. He had started losing his hair when he was 17, and be began wearing a hairpiece in films in 1958. From "Goldfinger" onwards he wore a full wig. In this film he wore a dry toupee, and a wet toupee for when he was in the water.
  • This was chosen to be the inaugural movie in the James Bond film franchise as the plot of the source novel was the most straightforward. It had only one major location (Jamaica) and only one big special effects set piece.
  • Sir Sean Connery is morbidly afraid of spiders. The shot of the spider in his bed was done with a sheet of glass between him and the spider, which can be seen in one shot in the movie. When this didn't look realistic enough, additional close-up scenes were re-shot with stuntman Bob Simmons. Simmons reported that the tarantula crawling over Bond was the scariest stunt he had ever performed. According to Steven Jay Rubin's 1981 book "The James Bond Films", this tarantula was named "Rosie".
  • As detailed as Dr. No's underwater lair was, one vital element was very nearly forgotten: background plates of fish swimming in the sea to be added to the thick-glass window. The necessary film was quickly found among library footage the day before the scene was to be filmed. When it turned out the footage featured extreme close-ups of fish, it was decided to have Dr. No explain that the window works as a magnifying glass.
  • According to Lois Maxwell, Ursula Andress made quite an impression at the wrap party. "At the party, she danced with all the crew and she was the first grown woman I had ever known who didn't wear a bra. As she danced, those wonderful breasts were just swaying. I remember thinking how marvellous it must be to be that uninhibited and I wanted to throw my bra off, but I didn't have the courage."
  • Maurice Binder designed the gun barrel opening at the last minute, by pointing a pinhole camera through a real gun barrel. The actor in the sequence is not Sir Sean Connery, but stuntman Bob Simmons. Connery didn't film the sequence until Thunderball (1965).
  • A Francisco de Goya painting of the Duke of Wellington, stolen in August 1961 from London's National Gallery, is found on an easel next to the stairs in Dr. No's dining area, which is why Bond stops to notice it as he passes it while going up the stairs. It was recovered in 1965. When this movie first came out, British audiences laughed upon seeing the Goya, knowing it had been stolen. According to director Terence Young, the idea for the stolen painting prop came from the film's Irish co-screenwriter Johanna Harwood. A clip of this scene is featured in The Duke (2020), which dramatized the theft.
  • After viewing this movie, James Bond creator Ian Fleming reportedly described it as being, "Dreadful. Simply dreadful."
  • The first scene Sean Connery filmed as James Bond is the sequence in the Kingston Airport where he passes a female photographer and holds his hat up in front of his face. The filming date was January 16, 1962.
  • The first of three times James Bond's apartment is shown. The others are Live and Let Die (1973) and Spectre (2015).
  • Filmed January 16, 1962 to March 30, 1962.
  • In the very first Bond movie, Dr. No (1962), two other people - both of them Bond girls - introduce themselves "the Bond way." On the Caribbean beach, Ursula Andress gives her name as "Ryder [...] Honey Ryder"; and, in the casino at the very beginning - before Sean Connery has uttered more than a handful of words in the movie - Eunice Gayson presents herself as "Trench, Sylvia Trench." When Connery then replies "Bond, James Bond", it is to poke sweet fun at the young lady, by mimicking her cadence. It is extremely likely, therefore, that, at the time, there was never any intention of ever having 007 use that exact type of presentation again.
  • Only completely animated opening title sequence in the EON Productions James Bond official film franchise until Casino Royale (2006).
  • The movie begins with the opening title sequence. This is the only EON movie with no cold open.
  • In 1977, Milton Reid played the henchman Sandor in the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and the henchman Eye Patch in the spy spoof / James Bond parody No. 1 of the Secret Service (1977). Previously, Reid had applied to play the role of Oddjob in Goldfinger (1964), but lost out to Harold Sakata. Also, Reid had previously played one of Dr. No's guards (uncredited) in this movie, and was also one of Mata Bond's attendants in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967).

Connections[]

Followed by[]

References[]

  • The Great Train Robbery (1903) (Short) - The shot at the end where one of the robbers fires his gun at the camera, that is probably what inspired the Gun Barrel Sequence in the James Bond movies.
  • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) - Bond and Honey Ryder evade capture by hiding underwater, breathing through reeds
  • Juarez (1939) - Terence Young copied Paul Muni's introduction from this film for Sean Connery's
  • Never Say Never Again: Royal Film Premiere (1983) (TV Special) - Cover of source novel displayed. It is mentioned when Sean Connery first played James Bond. It is mentioned that Sean Connery previously had starred in six James Bond films.

Referenced in[]

  • From Russia with Love (1963) - Mention of Bond's mission in Jamaica. Kronsteen suggests killing Bond in revenge for the death of SPECTRE operative Dr. No.
  • Goldfinger (1964)
  • Casino Royale (1967) - During training, one of Terence Cooper's sparring partners is dressed in a costume like Ursula Andress' bikini, as well as Andress herself appearing in another role.
  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
  • Live and Let Die (1973)
  • The Living Daylights (1987)
  • Licence to Kill (1989) - When Bond and Pam Bouvier escape in a boat, the gas tank is punctured, leading to Bouvier saying "Out of Gas. I haven't heard that one in a long time." At the end of the first EON Bond film, Dr. No, Bond and Honey Rider escape in a boat, but, as Bond remarks, they run out of gas.
  • Die Another Day (2002) - Jinx (Halle Berry) walking out of the sea in a bikini, wearing a white belt and a diving knife. The synthesizer sounds from the opening credits play when Bond escapes the MI6 hospital. The gun that Jinx has to surrender to Miranda on-board the plane is a Beretta Cheetah. In Dr. No (1962), the Armorer remarks to 007 that the Beretta made a good woman's pistol. During the "Kiss Of Life" scene, David Arnold's film score includes samples of the same electronic sounds heard in the gun barrel sequence of Dr. No (1962). In that film, Bond asks if the government house sent him a car. He uses the name "Universal Exports" in order to be patched through. In this movie, Bond claims he is from Universal Exports, asking about the Delectados (cigars), in order to gain access to the contact in Cuba.
  • Stormbreaker (2006) - Alex Rider and his world are based on James Bond movies in general. More specifically, the factory scene with the radiation suits is reminiscent of Dr. No's base.
  • Skyfall (2012) - Q gives Bond a (modified) Walther PPK as a replacement for his standard-issue sidearm. The bottle of alcohol that Silva offers Bond on his island says, in big letters, "1962" on its label, referencing the franchise's 50th anniversary. Silva pours a shot each for both Bond and himself, simulating a sort of "toast" to celebrate.
  • Spectre (2015) - Nehru collarless jacket of villain; SPECTRE criminal organization
  • No Time to Die (2021) - The opening credits start with the same colored circles as the animated opening titles. "No" word in title. Jamaica setting and filming location. Safin has a stomach wound from being shot in the heart and has the same dextrocardia condition as Dr. No. Safin has a facial similarity with Dr No. Safin wears a Noh mask. The villain's lair has aquariums.

Featured in[]

Spoofed in[]

  • Casino Royale (1967) - The mastermind is named Dr. Noah. Also, Lord Nelson's statue sitting in Vesper's apartment is a takeoff on the scene in Dr. No where Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington is seen on an easel in Dr. No's lair (it had just been stolen in real life).
  • Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) - The title sequence is a direct spoof to the James Bond films.

Crazy Credits[]

  • The opening credits are a montage composed of flashing lights, dancing people and finally the three blind men walking around.
  • An assassin tracks James Bond, but the spy turns and shoots the assassin, all seen through the assassin's gun barrel.
  • The boat carrying Bond and Honey is between "The End."
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