The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
Director: John Glen
Producers: Albert R. Broccoli; Barbara Broccoli (associate), Tom Pevsner (associate); Michael G. Wilson
Writers: Ian Fleming (story); Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Title Song: Lyrics by a-ha and Sung by a-ha
Opening Action Sequence: During a training session in Gibraltar for double-o agents, a British spy is mysteriously murdered. Bond (Timothy Dalton) spots the killer just in time to chase him down a hill and jump on top of his speeding Jeep. As the two men struggle for control of the automobile, a fire starts inside of it and the car drives off of a cliff. Bond has just enough time to escape via parachute and land on the passing boat of a woman who says she has been searching for a "real man".
Bond Visits: Spain; Czechoslovakia; Austria; Tangier, Morocco; Afghanistan; Russia
Film Gross: $51,185,897--United States; $191,200,000--Worldwide
Plot Summary: Bond is sent to Czechoslovakia to assist in the
defection of a powerful KGB agent, General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbe).
There he stops a sniper set to kill Koskov, but is surprised and intrigued
to discover that the shooter is a woman, a cellist whom he saw at a concert
that night. After sending Koskov to safety in Austria, Bond decides
to investigate the matter further.
Before long, it is apparent that Koskov is not all that he seems. The man seeks to befriend 007 and talk him into killing General Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies), who warns Bond that Georgi is not to be trusted.
With the help of Koskov's lover, Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo), Bond tries
to prevent him from assassinating Pushkin and selling dangerous military
weapons to the Russians. Standing in 007's way are a psychotic arms
dealer (Joe Don Baker) and a dangerous KGB agent (Andreas Wisniewski), who
promises to give Britain's top agent a hell of a fight.
Review: This is the type of hard-nosed spy film I'd been hoping
for. The Living Daylights throws out the forced comedy and bravado
that saturated many of the 70's Bond films and invites us to participate
in all of the gritty danger of spying: snipers, bombs, arms dealers,
and all that other fun stuff.
Timothy Dalton is a little rough around the edges; he doesn't have the charm of Sean Connery or the wit of Roger Moore, but there's an element of danger about him that hasn't been seen from Bond in quite some time. Dalton is like a breath of fresh air in a series that, up to this point, had pretty much gone stale. He's a darker Bond than one is used to, but it's a pretty easy adjustment.
The film
itself is like a cinematic facelift for the entire Bond franchise. It's
suspenseful, slick, and serious. The script is very engaging and smart
as well, and the action (particularly the mid-air plane struggle between
Bond and Necros) is well-paced and consistently hits the bulls-eye .
The Living Daylights is a thoroughly, and unexpectedly, rugged
adventure that returns Bond to his roots.
However, Maryam d'Abo falls a little short, as Bond women go. She's the only love interest in this film (hey, Bond's got AIDS to worry about now), so the weight's all on her shoulders. Sadly, she's unable to carry the load, as she acts vaguely aloof and insipid throughout most of the picture. At times she seems more like a lovesick teenage girl than a mature match for 007.
While the glitz of Roger Moore's era has faded away, Bond can still rely on his Aston Martin and his Walther PPK to get him through this mission. The car makes for a pretty neat chase scene, while the gun is used to get Bond out of a hairy situation or two. But 007's dependable pistol is rarely drawn by Dalton, as he is forced to use his wits and agility to come out of this one alive. And Tim's Bond (unlike Moore's) is never afraid to get rough.
Standing in Bond's way is a fairly formidable opponent (and two fairly boring ones). Muscleman Andreas Wisniewski is the interesting villain, using explosive milk bottles to clear out a room. However, Koskov is just a boring schmoozer and Joe Don Baker as Whitaker is probably one of the hammiest bad guys in the series.
But don't let the villains deter you from seeing this entry in the franchise. If anything, watch it for the action. There's enough excitement in this film to fill a couple of the earlier Bond adventures, and there's plenty of super-secret spy suspense to bask in.
The story brings forward one sub-plot after another, which may become confusing after all of the storylines are pushed together under the spotlight. But, if followed carefully, it's an altogether much more sober film than what many Bond fans are used to. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
If you can make it through the twists and turns of this adventure, and if you're willing to accept Dalton as a capable James Bond, The Living Daylights should please even the most casual Bond fan.
Grade: B+