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Best Bond & M Instances

ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
edited November 2015 in Bond Movies Posts: 1,984
All versions of M, from Bernard Lee and Robert Brown to Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes are counted. Please mark "spoilers" if you're using a SPECTRE instance for Ralph Fiennes.

It'd be nice if you guys could list an instance for each M. For instance, Judi Dench's confrontation with Brosnan and Robert Brown's revoking of Dalton's Licence to Kill, etc.
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Comments

  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    One of my favourites is in the opening minutes of LALD after the titles when M makes an early morning visit to Bond's apartment and, of course, catches him... er, "entertaining" his Italian liaison from his last mission. The comment about the -- then very rare -- home espresso machine "Is that all it does?" produced spontaneous laughter from everyone and quickly became a popular Bond catch-phrase.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    Hmm. True. Bernard Lee was an excellent M. I still think people don't give Robert Brown enough credit, though. And, of course, Judi Dench was fabulous in the role. As for Ralph Fiennes, we'll have to see, but based on his previous acting I suspect he'll be a great M.
  • Scaramanga12Scaramanga12
    Posts: 562
    I like in Moonraker when after being humiliated by Drax's quick DIY, Bond shows the vial to M and M realises Bond was telling the truth, and asks him where he's thinking on taking his holiday. I think this scene shows the respect, personal and professional, M has for Bond, made all the more poignant as it was Bernard Lee's last Bond.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Was watching Live and Let Die yesterday. The scene with M at Bond's home surely has to be one of the best. Bernard :Lee in particular is brilliant.
  • jobojobo
    edited November 2015 Posts: 7,500
    The first metting in Dr No has always been my favourite. Bernard Lee was always the perfect incarnation of Fleming's M. Absolutely impeccable!

    Bond breaking into Ms apartment in CR is pretty great too.
  • Matt007Matt007
    Posts: 1,314
    Scaramanga12 wrote: »
    I like in Moonraker when after being humiliated by Drax's quick DIY, Bond shows the vial to M and M realises Bond was telling the truth, and asks him where he's thinking on taking his holiday. I think this scene shows the respect, personal and professional, M has for Bond, made all the more poignant as it was Bernard Lee's last Bond.

    Agree I like the chemistry between the two men here.

    "Colonel Smithers is giving the lecture 007"
  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    I'm surprised no one has mentioned M's death in Bond's arms in SF. I think this is a very well acted scene and one can see Bond's anguish because he knows M is about to die. M's final comment about "getting it right" with Bond contains just enough pride and uncharacteristic warmth to show a brief and fleeting glimpse of "mother and favourite son".
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    edited November 2015 Posts: 1,984
    Yeah, Bernard Lee and Judi Dench's M just had this intimacy and synergy with Bond that Robert Brown's lacked. The only time Robert Brown really played off Bond well was in the Hemmingway House in LTK. Bernard Lee played off Connery and Moore very well, while Brown just didn't work with Moore because they seemed more like colleagues than someone reporting to their superior - probably because they had already worked together in Ivanhoe and because they were only six years apart in age. I think Brown and Dalton had excellent chemistry with each other, and it was a genuine Bond-M relation there. As for Judi Dench, she excelled with any Bond.

    I was kind of hoping that people would list instances in order, though. I can't really decide what to rank first to last, etc. but here's a couple of good ones in chronological order:

    1. M swaps Bond's Beretta for the Walther (Dr No, Bernard Lee)

    2. M changes Bond's assignment to Nassau (Thunderball, Bernard Lee)

    3. M meets Bond for his assignment and some coffe (Live and Let Die, Bernard Lee)

    4. M and Bond confer on Scaramanga (The Man With The Golden Gun, Bernard Lee)

    5. M discusses Bond's "two weeks leave of absence" (Moonraker, Bernard Lee)

    6. M revokes Bond's Licence to Kill (Licence to Kill, Robert Brown)

    7. M schools Brosnan's Bond (GoldenEye, Judi Dench)

    8. Pretty much all of M's appearances in TWINE (The World Is Not Enough, Judi Dench)

    9. "Christ, I miss the Cold War" and the apartment break-in (Casino Royale, Judi Dench)

    10. M's Death (Skyfall, Judi Dench)

    Hopefully Ralph Fiennes plays a very good M.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    Also, does anybody else love the line 'We're not a country club, 007!"
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I always like Edward Fox as M in NSNA. Actually banging the table as he gets
    Exasperated with Connery's Bond. :D
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    I don't think Fox was outright terrible, but I didn't think much of him as M. By far the worst, IMO. He had no really good scenes with Bond.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Lee accepts Lazenby s request in OHMSS, then thanks Moneypenny later.
    Brown briefing the 00 agents before the training exercise in Gibraltar.
    Dench and Craig in the DB5.
    Fiennes and Craig at the very end of SF.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    Damn, I forgot about Dench in the DB5. She pretty much excels in all of Skyfall, though, including the poetry scene.
  • DariusDarius UK
    Posts: 354
    I always liked the way M bursts Bond's bubble in DAF. When Bond says "I wouldn't mind a trip to South Africa", M immediately says: "You're going to Holland!" with ill-disguised relish. It's a bit like the gold bar scene with M in GF when, as Bond reaches for the gold bar, M stops him and (with a slightly malicious expression) says: "You'll collect it with all your other equipment in the morning."

    Apologies if these aren't word perfect quotes, but I'm doing them from memory. I really must check out these movies again.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    My top 5:

    -M reprimanding Bond in GF
    -M and Bond in their second scene of OHMSS ("this department is not concerned with your personal problems")
    -M in Bond's flat
    -M and Broz the dinosaur
    -Craig and Dench ("utter one more syllable and I'll have you killed")

    Honourable mention goes to the scenes between Dalton and Robert Brown.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    M and Bond in TMWTGG is a damn good bit of acting - very Flemingesque in nature.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,600
    The death scene in SF, nothing more dramatic than death, well directed, well acted, well staged, etc, up there with the end of ST2 IMHO - not a dry eye in the house, this is movies are all about IMHO...

    in terms of one liners:
    "Unusually small for a Nymphalis polychloros"
  • FourDotFourDot
    Posts: 250
    Brown is super-underrated... moreso for the Dalton films, thought he was a great match for Dalton, moreso than Moore. One moment in particular - the look on his face when Koskov is going through what Bond has picked up from Harrod's.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    FourDot wrote: »
    Brown is super-underrated... moreso for the Dalton films, thought he was a great match for Dalton, moreso than Moore. One moment in particular - the look on his face when Koskov is going through what Bond has picked up from Harrod's.

    I agree. I like Robert Brown very much - he was a good M in my view but he had a very tough act to follow with Bernard Lee.
  • SzonanaSzonana Mexico
    Posts: 1,130
    First Meeting with Bond and M in Goldeneye when she tells him his famosu line of being a sexist misogynist dinosaur.

    The end of that last scene is really memorable because she still ask him to come back alive and you can notice a smile on both ( Pierce and Judi)

    I loved the relationship between Pierce and Judi Dench throughout the 4 movies.
    It started like almost hate to real respect and appreciation of each other.
  • CowleyCowley
    Posts: 486
    1. OHMSS.
    Nice to see M out of the office at his home and then the wedding. "What would I do without you Moneypenny...thank you" is a really tender delivery from Bernard Lee.
    2. DAF
    I love his eagerness to put Bond down with "there is no year for sherry" and "we do function in your absence"
    3. MR
    As some have said a nice scene on location in Venice with Roger Moore.
    4. TLD
    Robert Brown's M is a total grump by the time Dalton arrives. Have to love the scene in which Bond initially disobeys M's order to assassinate Pushkin.
    5. LTK
    Great scene in Hemingway's house ending with "god help you commander".
    6. SP
    Ralph Fiennes is bloody good as M in this. I'm glad they gave him stuff to do.
    Ralph Fiennes and Daniel Craig seem such a formidable team when in the car together. I like his performance on Westminister bridge whilst we're all wondering if Bond will exercise his 'licence not to kill' which M spoke of to Denbeigh earlier in the film.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    edited November 2015 Posts: 2,138
    It will never be as good as this every again. Perfect smart ass moment delivered by Connery. Lee and Connery were just cinema gold together it was naughty schoolboy and headmaster stuff.

  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,347
    Scaramanga12 wrote: »
    I like in Moonraker when after being humiliated by Drax's quick DIY, Bond shows the vial to M and M realises Bond was telling the truth, and asks him where he's thinking on taking his holiday. I think this scene shows the respect, personal and professional, M has for Bond, made all the more poignant as it was Bernard Lee's last Bond.

    Yes! I love this moment as you can see the respect they have and shows they are in it together.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    MooseWithFleas wrote: »
    Scaramanga12 wrote: »
    I like in Moonraker when after being humiliated by Drax's quick DIY, Bond shows the vial to M and M realises Bond was telling the truth, and asks him where he's thinking on taking his holiday. I think this scene shows the respect, personal and professional, M has for Bond, made all the more poignant as it was Bernard Lee's last Bond.

    Yes! I love this moment as you can see the respect they have and shows they are in it together.

    Agreed, I love that scene too. M has to act unofficially but he still places his trust in his best agent, despite the political interference from the Minister of Defence, Frederick Gray.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Opening scene of LALD: Not only a great M scene but also one of my favourite scenes of the whole series!
    Moneypenny and Moore show great chemistry from the get-go.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    Posts: 4,151
    Not an easy choice as there are so many good ones. DN is a particular favourite of mine, Bond being reprimanded for using that "damn Beretta", the Moonraker scene after Drax seems to make a monkey out of 007. Robert Brown's scene with Dalton were good, in particular during LTK. Judi Dench was excellent and I've no doubt that Ralph Fiennes is going to be another excellent M.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Yes, Lee and Connery were absolutely excellent together.

    In Dr.No when M is berating Bond about his beretta..."you have a license to kill, NOT get killed."

    When M want to light his pipe and gets up, ignoring Bond's gesture of offering him his lighter.

    M looking unimpressed as Bond walks in and throws his hat on the stand..."for my next miracle"

    "but sir, what if I don't live up to expectations?"

    "Just see to it that you do"

    Also when M, MP and other ministers are listening to the tape of Bond and Tanya and Bond's about to talk about an interesting time in Tokyo.

    One of all time favourites is in GF when M and Bond are having a black tie dinner with Col. Smithers and M reprimands Bond after Bond explains in detail the disappointing Brandy.

    So many other golden moments.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    edited November 2015 Posts: 1,984
    Why hasn't there been more mention of M in Thunderball? He shows real intimacy with Bond there, too, and he shows it directly.

    That being said, I think we can conclude that pretty much all moments with M are good (or at least not bad, even in the short scenes).
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,727
    ForYourEyesOnly wrote: »
    Yeah, Bernard Lee and Judi Dench's M just had this intimacy and synergy with Bond that Robert Brown's lacked. The only time Robert Brown really played off Bond well was in the Hemmingway House in LTK. Bernard Lee played off Connery and Moore very well, while Brown just didn't work with Moore because they seemed more like colleagues than someone reporting to their superior - probably because they had already worked together in Ivanhoe and because they were only six years apart in age. I think Brown and Dalton had excellent chemistry with each other, and it was a genuine Bond-M relation there. As for Judi Dench, she excelled with any Bond.

    I was kind of hoping that people would list instances in order, though. I can't really decide what to rank first to last, etc. but here's a couple of good ones in chronological order:

    1. M swaps Bond's Beretta for the Walther (Dr No, Bernard Lee)

    2. M changes Bond's assignment to Nassau (Thunderball, Bernard Lee)

    3. M meets Bond for his assignment and some coffe (Live and Let Die, Bernard Lee)

    4. M and Bond confer on Scaramanga (The Man With The Golden Gun, Bernard Lee)

    5. M discusses Bond's "two weeks leave of absence" (Moonraker, Bernard Lee)

    6. M revokes Bond's Licence to Kill (Licence to Kill, Robert Brown)

    7. M schools Brosnan's Bond (GoldenEye, Judi Dench)

    8. Pretty much all of M's appearances in TWINE (The World Is Not Enough, Judi Dench)

    9. "Christ, I miss the Cold War" and the apartment break-in (Casino Royale, Judi Dench)

    10. M's Death (Skyfall, Judi Dench)

    Hopefully Ralph Fiennes plays a very good M.


    Can't agree with your list - where are OHMSS or TLD 'M' scenes...??
    Dench was overrated as M, imo. I for one am very glad she's been replaced, she was awkward in the role.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    They weren't in order of how good they were, and I forgot OHMSS. The TLD scene is nice but the LTK one is better.
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