THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
UK, 1997, 130 minutes. Colour.
Timothy Dalton, Maryam d' Abo, Jeroen Krabbe, Joe Don Baker, John Rhys- Davies, Art Malik, Andreas Wisniewski, Thomas Wheatley, Desmond Llewellyn, Robert Brown, Geoffrey Keen, Walter Gotell, Caroline Bliss, John Terry.
Directed by John Glen.
The Living Daylights is the first James Bond film with Timothy Dalton. He did not appeal so much to the audiences, probably too serious. He made only one other film, Licence to Kill, in 1989. It was six years before Pierce Brosnan took his place in Golden Eye. The long continuity of the James Bond films for twenty-five years had included seven films with Sean Connery, seven with Roger Moore and one with George Lazenby. The Connery- Lazenby- Moore style of James Bond was suave, offhand at times, with quips. Timothy Dalton was not so flip in his manner – perhaps a bit more akin to Daniel Craig who took over the role in 2006.
The film reflects the changing times. The Roger Moore films had been very light, action with comedy. This film is particularly serious although written by the writers of previous films. It reflects the Cold War of the 1980s – intimating that the Soviet Union might turn in on itself eventually, as it did.
Joe Don Baker is a renegade American, an arms dealer. However, the villain is played by Jeroen Krabbe as a rogue Russian general, campaigning against his superior general (John Rhys- Davies) but trying to get 007 to murder him by engineering his defection to the West.
Art Malik appears as an Afghan chieftain, leading the rebels against the Russians as was the case in the 1980s – which gives pause for thought for occupations in later decades. While Bernard Lee had died, Robert Brown steps in for M before Judi Dench took over. Desmond Llewellyn continues his role as Q.
The romance is much more focused with Maryam d' Abo as a Russian cello player who helps Krabbe in his defection to the West, is rescued by Bond, helps him with his adventures – even to flying a plane in Afghanistan.
As with all the films, there is a wide range of locations including Gibraltar, Tangiers, Bratislava, Afghanistan.
1. The popularity of the series, continuing, changes, for the 80s?
2. Timothy Dalton and his style, the continuity with Sean Connery and Roger Moore, the change?
3. The series, relying on Ian Fleming’s stories? Espionage, action, comedy? Romance?
4. Timothy Dalton as a serious Bond, as a person, the lone agent, with M, with the government ministers? With Miss Moneypenny? The entanglements with Q? Relationships with women – the focus on Kara, a more serious relationship?
5. Russia in the 1980s, the opening up of glasnost, the 90s and the collapse of the Soviet empire? The difficulties in the USSR, the military, exploitation? Profiteering?
6. The opening in Gibraltar, the locations, the exercise, the government expectations, the deaths, Bond and the elaborate car chase?
7. The new M, the ministers? The demands on 007? Q and his devices, the experiments, especially the whistling and Bond’s later use of the equipment?
8. General Koskov and his defection, at the concert, the British agent and his proprietorial rights over the defection? The interval, getting the general out? The sniper, Bond not shooting her? The debriefing of the general? The pipeline, the hefty agent helping with getting Koskov through the pipes? His arrival in Austria?
9. The British welcome to the general, the discussions, blaming Pushkin? The mansion, the organised attack, the killing of the staff, the taking of the general?
10. Whitaker, in Tangiers, his military collection, arms deals? With General Koskov, with Pushkin? The final confrontation with Bond, the comeuppance, his refighting battles as he thought they should be fought, his Waterloo?
11. General Pushkin, Koskov and the antagonism, Koskov persuading Bond that Pushkin had to be killed? Bond and his following the clues, especially his suspicions in Slovakia? With Kara? Going to Tangiers? The discussions with Pushkin? The setup, the planned fake assassination? General Koskov deceived?
12. Koskov and his plans, his idle and luxurious life, his henchmen, his relationship with army personnel? His treatment of Kara and despising her? Using her?
13. Kara, in love with Koskov, his buying the Stradivarius cello, the setup for her to fire blanks as a sniper? Her hopes to go to the US? With Bond, getting to know him, getting her out of Slovakia? Her spending spree and shopping? Her believing in Koskov, helping Koskov to capture Bond?
14. Going to Russia, the plans, the planes and the arms depots? Going to Afghanistan, Bond and Kara in prison? Bond and his escape? The reaction of Kamran? His escape?
15. The Mujahadin and the tribes, anti-Russian? Their decisions, the packing of the drugs and the sales? Going into action? Bond and his pursuing the drugs, the plane, Kara and her driving the car, driving into the plane? The character of the chief henchman, his killings, his fight with Bond, the drugs falling out of the back of the plane, the conflict, his death? Bond and the plane, escaping with the car?
16. Mission accomplished – and audiences enjoying it?
