The Story: A new James Bond film comes out this week (on this side of the pond; your friends in England have already ruined it for you, probably). And No Time To Die, being part of the Daniel Craig canon, is heavy on continuity from film to film.
That's not the way it was in "the old days." Back then, from every Bond from Connery to Brosnan, the continuity was—well, there wasn't much! The series would re-cast C.I.A. agent Felix Leiter in every film. Heck, there have been six actors who've played James Bond (name them, but you're probably forgetting George Lazenby...or Timothy Dalton) in the series! Only one actress has played a recurring Bond girlfriend (that would be Eunice Gayson and she was phased out after the second film); "Bond-girls" would wind up in a clinch with 007 at the end of each film and never be seen or heard from again. Not even mentioned.
Well, the new one features the one who has survived. At the end of SPECTRE, Bond is seen motoring away in his Aston Martin with Dr. Madeleine Swann in the passenger seat, both of them with smug, satisfied smiles on their faces. And she's back in the new one! No more mooning over Vesper Lynd, the woman who betrayed Bond in Casino Royale! Bond has moved on...
So, who is she? Well, in the Craig films, it seems everybody is related to somebody else, and Dr. Swann is the daughter of the mysterious Mr. White, who has been in the majority of the last few films. Seems he was a bad guy who did a lot of work for the nesting dolls of Evil Empires that have plagued Bond lately. And, since she's in the Craig era when Bond's psyche and background are the highest priority, it's only appropriate that she's a shrink. In this era, he needs someone just like her—Daniel Craig's Bond has issues!
The Set-Up: James Bond (Daniel Craig) has gone rogue again. On a tip from his former boss "M" (Dame Judi Dench), he ran down to Mexico to take out a terrorist involved in a string of bombings. Then, after a reprimand from the new "M" (Ralph Fiennes), he has secretly gone to Rome to visit the bad guy's widow, which leads him to the board meeting of a criminal organization and one of its operatives—one he's met before—"Mr. White" (Jesper Christensen) who, before he takes his own life, requests Bond to protect his only remaining relative, his daughter (Lea Seydoux), who may be next on the "hit list."
Action.
INT. CLINIC, EXAMINATION ROOM, AUSTRIA - DAY
The impressive snowscape behind the floor-to-ceiling window provides all the decoration this room needs. Until he spots MADELEINE SWANN across the room at her desk. MADELEINE SWANN: Please, take a seat.
I'll be with you
in just a moment.
Mr. White's daughter is beautiful. She speaks into a DICTATION PHONE under her breath, finishing up her notes on the previous patient.
MADELEINE: (into recorder, in French. No subtitles)...following blood-tests on Monday, patient was diagnosed with subacute thyroiditis suspected to be linked with a pituitary gland malfunction. She crosses the room carrying her clipboard, to the window still talking into her dictation machine. Bond watches her intently. She presses stop.
MADELEINE: Please excuse me,... MADELEINE: My name is
Dr. Madeleine Swann.
Our job today is to
analyze your needs,... MADELEINE: ...both psychological and physical to best prescribe bespoke therapy to put you on the path to a rejuvenated and healthful lifestyle.
JAMES BOND: Hmm, sounds pretty
straightforward. She walks over to the wall and pulls down a blind.
MADELEINE: I hope you don't mind.
The view can be distracting. She looks up from her clipboard and catches his eye for the first time; but if she catches his inference she doesn't show it.
MADELEINE: I see you filled out
most of the paperwork. MADELEINE: Just a few questions to complete
your evaluation, if I may.
Do you exercise? MADELEINE: Do you consider your employment
to be psychologically stressful? BOND: On occasion. Sometimes. MADELEINE: Do you have trouble sleeping?
BOND: Only when I'm alone.
She pauses slightly, doesn't look up.
MADELEINE: How much alcohol do you consume? BOND: As much as is necessary. Too much. She looks up at him. He gives nothing away.
MADELEINE: Some broader questions. MADELEINE: As a child, would you say you
were close to your parents? BOND: My parents died
when I was young. MADELEINE: Really? How old?
BOND: Eleven. Old enough to remember. MADELEINE: How, if I may ask?
BOND: It was a climbing accident. She looks up at him.
MADELEINE: So you grew up where?
BOND: Here and there.
She looks at him levelly. Returns to her questions.
MADELEINE: So who brought you up? BOND: (dismisses it) Someone else. BOND: ...and end up here?
BOND: Forgive me,
but anyone might think
you were hiding from something. MADELEINE: You're paying a lot of money to be here,
Mr. Bond.
MADELEINE: Who's asking the questions,
you or me? BOND: Of course. Carry on.
MADELEINE: I see you left this
final question blank.
What is your occupation? BOND: Well, that's not the sort of
thing that looks good on a form. MADELEINE: And why is that?
She looks back at him, turns cold. She realizes what he means. Puts her paperwork down.
BOND: Your father's dead. MADELEINE: How do you know? BOND: Because I was there. MADELEINE: Did you kill him? BOND: I didn't have to.
MADELEINE: Were you friends?
BOND: No.
She regards him, fighting her emotions.
MADELEINE: And you came all the way
just to tell me this?
That your enemy my father's dead? BOND: I came to tell you that your life
is in danger and I need your help. BOND: Your father worked for someone who views emotional attachments as Fair Game. I made a deal with him...
MADELEINE: You're lying.
Why would he trust you? BOND: Because he knew that I
needed something in return. MADELEINE: And what was that? BOND: To find L'Americain. MADELEINE: This interview is over. He stands, moves to her, she flinches back.
MADELEINE: You have 10 minutes to leave the building.
Then I'm calling security. She heads to the door, opens it.
Bond sees THE RECEPTIONIST outside the room. Doesn't want to make a scene. BOND: I gave him my word.MADELEINE: What does that even mean to people like you?
BOND: Thank you,
Dr. Swann. Madeleine stands, shaken.
SPECTRE is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from M-G-M and Fox Home Video.
No comments:
Post a Comment