Spectre – the man with repartee
This week has seen the release of ‘Spectre’ the twenty fourth film in the Bond series. It has already taken $296 million at the box office. Often the film’s soundtrack is as eagerly anticipated the film and this time the title piece is called ‘Writing’s on the Wall’ by Sam Smith. Have you seen the film yet? What was the highlight for you?
The Master of the Repartee
It isn’t just his weapons Mr Bond, James Bond, has to get out quickly. It’s his words too! But which of them do you want to sound like: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan or Daniel Craig?
Here are some famous Bond quotes focussing on challenging situations, ladies and gadgets, with one missing word in each. Can you guess the missing word like quick-witted Bond? Are you ready to be shaken not stirred?
- Keeping his wits about him in a tight situation
Casino Royale, 2006
Le Chiffre: The password please.
Bond: I’ve got a little itch down there. Would you mind?
Le Chiffre: You are a funny man Mr Bond
Bond: Now the whole world will know you died 1. _________ my balls
- Bond and the ladies
Diamonds are Forever, 1971
Arrogant Sean Connery’s Bond would ‘break any heart without regret’ (theme song from ‘Thunderball’ 1965). Here’s a typical introduction:
Plenty O’ Toole: Hi, I’m Plenty.
Bond: But of course you are.
Plenty O’ Toole: Plenty O’ Toole.
Bond: Named after your 2. _________ perhaps
- Smooth talker
The Spy who loved me, 1977
Roger Moore’s Bond is a little more genteel. When his attractive co-spy informs him that she is going to kill him, he replies:
Bond: In my country, it’s customary to grant the condemned man one last 3. _________ .
Major Anya Amasova: Very well, granted.
Bond: Let’s get out of these wet things first.
The lady smiled and did not kill Bond. But like the other Bonds, Roger liked to lighten the mood with a sprinkling of double-entendre.
- Gadget Mad Brosnan
The World is Not Enough, 1999
Here’s Pierce Brosnan’s gadget-mad Bond also using his 007 charm on the ladies.
Bond: [in bed with Jones] I was wrong about you.
Dr. Christmas Jones: Yeah, how so?
Bond: I was told Christmas only 4. _________ once a year.
- Modern-day charmer
Skyfall, 2012
Once again, efficient Daniel Craig shows the other Bonds how to do it really well: putting on the charm and staying PC at the same time:
Sevenne: Now you can afford to buy me a drink
Bond: I might even 5. _________ to two.
- Bond loves brands
The Spy Who loved me, 1977
In the films, and the novels even more, Bond knows which brands he likes.
Bond: Mmm, maybe I 6. _________ Stromberg. Any man who drinks Dom Perignon ’52 can’t be all bad.
Here are the missing words to the famous Bond quotes.
- scratching
- father
- request
- comes
- stretch
- misjudged
Bonus Bond lingo – a British Secret Service Agent.
repartee – quick and clever comments
keeping his wits about him in tight situations – making the right decisions quickly in difficult situations
genteel – polite and refined
double–entendre – a word or phrase which has two meanings, one of which is sexual
PC – politically correct: saying and doings which are not inappropriate or offensive