Tagged: Rolex Submariner watch
Roger Moore as 007: The Man with the Red and Black Check Sportcoat
Roger Moore strikes a pose as James Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
Vitals
Roger Moore as James Bond, British government agent
Thailand, Spring 1974
Film: The Man with the Golden Gun
Release Date: December 20, 1974
Director: Guy Hamilton
Tailor: Cyril Castle
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Background
The Man with the Golden Gun was the first Bond movie I ever saw. Given that my first Connery Bond was Diamonds are Forever and my first theater-seen Bond was Die Another Day, it’s a miracle at all that I became the Bond enthusiast I am today after starting with these three. (Britt Ekland in a bikini in The Man with the Golden Gun may have helped keep me enthused, though.)
The film’s plot ditches the majority of Ian Fleming’s mostly-ghostwritten finale to the Bond canon, keeping only the primary villain – golden gun-wielding assassin Francisco Scaramanga – intact. The simple story of Bond infiltrating Scaramanga’s organization is replaced with a current events story that weaves in the then-contemporary energy crisis and finds Bond and Scaramanga to be instant enemies.
After some cheeky cat-and-mouse (made rendered by corny jokes, the return of Sheriff J.W. Pepper, and a slide whistle), Bond finally catches up to Scaramanga for the film’s climax on Khao Phing Kan, an island off the coast of Thailand now known as “James Bond Island” for this reason alone. Continue reading
Bond Style – Crab Key Summer Attire in Dr. No
Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, cunning and sophisticated British government agent
Jamaica, Summer 1962
Film: Dr. No
Release Date: October 5, 1962
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Master: John Brady
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Last year around this time, I covered the various swimwear sported by Sean Connery in Thunderball. Today, I’ll be looking at James Bond’s first cinematic beach visit, although his intent was more reconnaissance than leisure.
After a thorough investigation in Jamaica—which included a very bad date—Bond decides that his new target is undoubtedly the evil and enigmatic Dr. No, who has holed up on Crab Key with a small army of disposable minions and a standard megalomaniac plan to take over the world. Continue reading
Bond’s Navy Blazer and Sunbeam Alpine in Dr. No
Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, suave British government agent
Jamaica, Summer 1962
Film: Dr. No
Release Date: October 5, 1962
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Master: John Brady
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Yesterday’s Car Week post focused on a man on an assignment in the Caribbean wearing a blue sport coat and slacks, speeding a sporty roadster along the coast in the early 1960s. Today’s post is going to be exactly the same thing but different.
All kidding aside, plenty of the elements people know and love from James Bond films can be found in the very first movie, 1962’s Dr. No. Here, we see Bond sharply attired as he downs vodka martinis, shoots bad guys, beds exotic beauties, and gets into a car chase… all between cringe-worthy quips and double entendres. Today, I’ll be focusing on the very first James Bond “action car” seen on screen, a blue Sunbeam Alpine roadster. Continue reading
Justified: Raylan Givens’ Tan Suit in Miami
Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in the pilot episode (“Fire in the Hole”) of Justified.
Vitals
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, proudly old-fashioned Deputy U.S. Marshal
Miami, March 3, 2010
Series: Justified
Episode: “Fire in the Hole” (Episode 1.01)
Air Date: March 16, 2010
Director: Michael Dinner
Costume Designer: Ane Crabtree
Background
Justified was one of those shows I’d been aching to see because:
- Everyone in the world was telling me to watch it
- The promos looked badass
- Timothy Olyphant is awesome and his previous show (Deadwood) was criminally brilliant
I try to avoid learning too much about shows I haven’t seen yet, especially serials with actual plot lines, so all I really knew to expect was Olyphant as a badass U.S. Marshal fighting a bunch of rabid Kentuckians.
Imagine my surprise when I pop in the first DVD, and I see Raylan in Miami, surrounded by bikini-clad women and Latin music against the backdrop of a bright tropical sky. As he sauntered around the pool in a fashionable but not-exactly-rugged suit, I wondered if this was the same show I’d been hearing about. Continue reading
Hitman: Agent 47
Timothy Olyphant as the titular Agent 47 in Hitman (2007).
Vitals
Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47, freelance hitman
Turkey, Fall 2007
Film: Hitman
Release Date: November 21, 2007
Director: Xavier Gens
Costume Designer: Olivier Bériot
Timothy Olyphant’s Personal Dresser: Anna Gelinova
Background
A black suit is typically acceptable for funerals and special occasions. These occasions may include a wedding, a semi-formal evening event, or being a badass. 47 would fit into the latter category here. However, being as it’s nearly Christmas, 47’s black suit and red tie would be the perfect attire for a holiday gathering. It would be even more perfect if you have to cut the holiday gathering short to go assassinate a few bad guys, but that might dampen your senile aunt’s holiday spirit.
Many would agree that, especially in the age of Hawaiian-shirted heroes in the Grand Theft Auto series, Hitman‘s Agent 47 has always remained one of the best-dressed video game characters. Continue reading
Live and Let Die: James Bond’s Beige Jacket in New Orleans
Roger Moore as James Bond (sans Rolex) in Live and Let Die (1973)
Vitals
Roger Moore as James Bond, cheeky British secret agent
New Orleans, Spring 1973
Film: Live and Let Die
Release Date: June 27, 1973
Director: Guy Hamilton
Costume Designer: Julie Harris
Background
Ah, Roger Moore’s divisive first outing as James Bond. After getting heat for basing Lazenby almost entirely on Connery’s characterization, the producers (and Moore himself) decided to go a new direction with the Bond character in Live and Let Die. Moore’s “Bond for the ’70s” replaced cigarettes, martinis, and the sleek Walther PPK with cigars, bourbon, and a Dirty Harry-style .44 Magnum. (OK, so he still carried the PPK at the beginning, but you know what I mean.) Continue reading
Bond’s Casual Attire in Thunderball
Sean Connery as James Bond in Thunderball (1965)
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British secret agent
Nassau, May 1965
Film: Thunderball
Release Date: December 29, 1965
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Designer: Anthony Mendleson
Background
Although known to many fans as the film where Bond spends half of his time underwater, which Connery himself commented on in a 1965 Playboy article, Bond does indeed spend some time in the Bahamas on dry land. Notably, he is invited to villain-and-hero bonding time at Largo’s estate, Palmyra. For this, he dresses casually without reverting to the mixed-reception sport shirt and sports he wears for his more aquatic adventures.
He also wears a matching blue set of shirt and pants when meeting with Q which, well… you can decide for yourself. Continue reading
Bond Hits the Beach in Thunderball
I hope you’re all having a warm first day of summer! If anyone is looking to hit the beach soon – and you hopefully will – take a few tips from Bond in Thunderball, who spends plenty of his time beachcombing and getting into underwater battles with international terrorists armed with harpoons.
Sean Connery and Claudine Auger in Thunderball (1965).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, sophisticated British secret agent and sportsman
Nassau, May 1965
Film: Thunderball
Release Date: December 29, 1965
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Designer: Anthony Mendleson
Background
Sensing both a genuine lead and genuine lust, Bond convinces M to send him to Nassau to do his part for Operation Thunderball. Luckily for Bond, it’s September (for the sake of this blog, let’s call it summer) and tourist season is in full swing. Bond’s first order of business is to visit the beach in Nassau. Continue reading
James Bond’s Wedding
Yes, anyone unfamiliar with the James Bond series, you read that correctly – James Bond does get married. It goes about as well as you’d expect.
George Lazenby as James Bond, with new wife Tracy (Diana Rigg), in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
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George Lazenby as James Bond, British secret agent now deciding to “settle down”
Portugal, Winter 1969
Film: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Release Date: December 18, 1969
Director: Peter R. Hunt
Costume Designer: Marjory Cornelius
Background
Despite being the first film appearance of wet-behind-the-ears Australian mechanic and model George Lazenby, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is often considered one of the finer Bond films due to its down-to-earth story, realistic but fantastic villains and situations, Bond as a character rather than an instrument, and strict adherence to the source material, which was one of Ian Fleming’s best Bond novels.
Some argue that, had Sean Connery stayed on the role for the film, it may have been the best in the series. Given Connery’s brief return two years later as a paunchy Bond in Diamonds are Forever, establishing the series’ era of over-reliance on humor, this may or may not be true. Continue reading
Bond Style – Summer Formalwear in Goldfinger
With today being the 50th anniversary of the release of Dr. No, the first Bond film, and the release last night of Adele’s theme song for Skyfall, the 23rd Bond film of the EON Productions series, I figured it was about time we looked at James Bond himself.
Fitting for a celebration, although a bit untimely after Labor Day, here is Bond from the pre-credits sequence of Goldfinger, arguably the most popular Bond film of all time.
Sean Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger (1964).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Mexico, Summer 1964
Film: Goldfinger
Release Date: September 18, 1964
Director: Guy Hamilton
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Background
Ever need that one outfit that you could wear when swimming, disarming a bomb, smoking at a late night dance club, and beating the tar out of a club-wielding assassin?
If you answered “Yes” to the above question, not only are you a very strange person, you are also desperately in need of James Bond’s white dinner jacket ensemble from Goldfinger. Continue reading
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