Dr. No: The First James Bond Film

by James Chapman

When Dr. No premiered at the London Pavilion on October 5, 1962, no one predicted that it would launch the longest-running series in cinema history. It introduced the James Bond formula that has been a box-office fixture ever sensational plots, colorful locations, beautiful women, diabolical villains, thrilling action set pieces, and a tongue-in-cheek tone. An explosive cocktail of action, spectacle, and sex, Dr. No transformed popular cinema.

James Chapman provides a lively and comprehensive study of Dr. No , marshaling a wealth of archival research to place the film in its historical moment. He demonstrates that, contrary to many fan myths, the film was the product of a carefully considered transnational production process. Chapman explores the British super-spy’s origins in Ian Fleming’s snobbery-with-violence thrillers, examining the process of adaptation from page to screen. He considers Dr. No in the contexts of the UK and Hollywood film industries as well as the film’s place in relation to the changing social and cultural landscape of the 1960s, particularly Cold War anxieties and the decline of the British Empire. The book also analyzes the film’s problematic politics of gender and race and considers its cultural legacy.

This thorough and insightful account of Dr. No will appeal to film historians and Bond fans alike.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

James Chapman is Professor of Film Studies at the University of Leicester. He has written several books on the history of British popular culture, including work on cinema, television and comics.

He attended Wales High School during the 1980s. He took his BA (History) and MA (Film Studies) at the University of East Anglia and then undertook his doctoral research at Lancaster University, completing his thesis on the role of official film propaganda in Britain during the Second World War.

In 1996 he joined The Open University where he taught a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and was principal contributing author to the university’s first dedicated course on Film and Television History. He joined the University of Leicester as its founding Professor of Film Studies in 2005.

Chapman’s research focuses on British popular culture, especially cinema and television in their historical contexts. He has written or edited ten books, including two which he has co-authored with Professor Nicholas J. Cull. His work draws upon the ideas of the film theorist Gilles Deleuze and applies them to understanding the role and nature of popular film and television. His books include studies of the science fiction television series Doctor Who and the James Bond films. SFX magazine described his book Licence To Thrill as "thoughtful, intelligent, ludicrous and a bit snobby - bit like Bond really".

He is a Council member of the International Association for Media and History (IAMHIST) and is editor of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television.

Chapman has also published articles in the following journals: Screen, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Journal of Popular British Cinema, Visual Culture in Britain, Journal of Contemporary History, Contemporary British History, Media History and European Journal of Cultural Studies.

Reviews

[Brad B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book perfectly compliments James Chapman's earlier book, Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films. Chapman's Dr. No: The First James Bond Film is outstanding, not a traditional "making of" book with a lot of production details, but a cultural assessment that also puts the film in context with film industry trends, compares the film to Ian Fleming's novel, considers race and gender issues, and examines how the film was received by contemporary audiences and critics. I would have liked a little more on Dr. No's music, and editor Peter Hunt only gets 1 mention, despite the significant contribution he made to this film and the overall franchise, eventually directing On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. Those are small quibbles, however. Overall, this book should have considerable appeal both to Bond fans and anyone interested in film history.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Chapman, Dr. No The First James Bond Film, Columbia University Press, Wallflower Press Pub Date 08 Nov 2022

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw Dr No available for review, I must admit that my reaction was personal, rather than an admiration for James Bond films. I saw Dr No at an Australia drive-in, where, by design or mistake I shall never know, my friend drove to instead of going to one where a romantic comedy or something of that ilk was playing. As I ate the drive-in fare, horrified at what I was seeing, I had no idea of the work that had brought this first James Bond film to the screen. This book has given me the opportunity to learn so much, not just about the filming of Dr No, but of the world in which a film is written, produced, and acted and directed, to arrive on the screen. It is an absolute hive of information, with some amusing stories; business and financial cases being described; analysis of script alternatives; decision making about actors, sets, and directors; reviews and analysis of the content of Dr No.

Sex, snobbery, violence, technical audacity, charm and excitement are hallmarks of the James Bond films, and Chapman’s book tells us how all these features got to the screen. As a story about, and analysis of, the first James Bond film, this book is a valuable tool for investigating the new phenomena that arrived on British and American screens in the 1960s. Chapman provides a well-considered context for the film, setting it in cultural and political environments, as well as considering its place in film history. He also discusses the location for much of the film, Jamaica, and its influence on the film. Racism and sexism within the film, as well as in the cultural environment in which it was made, are briefly discussed.

The chapter describing the early reviews was particularly interesting. Not only did some reviewers make mistakes, pointed out by Chapman; but the opinions varied so much. Some of the variation arises from location – there seems to have been a marked similarity between British opinions that differs from those of the Americans. This is not always the case, of course. Although there was some commentary on the violence and sex, these issues did not dominate the reviews. Rather, opinion makers were grappling with how to define the film, where to place it in the film hierarchy, and then, as its popularity became apparent, trying to find an answer to this phenomenon.

Chapman’s solid research and analysis of the cultural context of the making of Dr No is a valuable contribution to cultural studies and film. His detailed work on the way in which the idea eventually got to the film I saw in the early 1960s at a Western Australian drive in is commendable. Not only is it informative, but it is delivered in an accessible way. A student of film will find this aspect of the book worthwhile and easy to digest. For someone who is interested in film in general, this book masters what could be difficult reading so that it is accessible to such a reader. I enjoyed reading the book far more than watching the film. However, after having done so, I am prepared to appreciate being a member of an audience of a James Bond film or two. But I shall miss being able to reprise the drive in!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Colombia University Press for an advanced copy on the making of and cultural influence on society of this first film featuring 007.

I'm not sure when I first saw Dr. No. I assume it was a Sunday Night Movie on Channel 7 out of New York City, that always ran till 11:25 pm on a school night, but my father would let met stay up and watch. It's where I saw all the early Bond movies with my father watching them with me, or if he was working nights, staying as long as he could before he had to drive to work. Bond was a big thing with us, we would discuss the movies and films, rumors that he had heard about and later that I would read in various film books. I still have the original LPs for most of soundtracks that he had. So I know that he would have loved this book. Dr. No: The First James Bond film by James Chapman, professor of film studies at the University of Leicester has written a book about the making of the film, the cultural impact of both books and the films, and addresses many of the myths and stories that have grown up around the series.

The book begins with a brief history of the character, the books, Ian Fleming the writer, and the way the books were thought of in society. From there we enter a fascinating world of how the book was acquired, partnerships, financial deals, and the studios involved. At the same time the books were being developed the world was changing, Britain was not the Empire it once was, but this was not a view projected by the books. Script development had quite a few hands in it, but I was unfamiliar with the fact that a woman was credited with the final script. Of course she is referred to as girl by all the male producers, which should be a reflection of the times, but is probably something that still goes on today. Problems in filming, delays, in both Jamaica and Pinewood studios made people nervous, right up to the premiere of the movie, which introduced James Bond on film to the world.

A fascinating behind the scenes look that even after all these years provides new information and clears up many rumors and innuendos. Dr. No was going to be played by a monkey. Ian Fleming hated Sean Connery, the film studios hated the movie, and thought they were going to lose their investment. Using collections from writers, producers, agents and collectors, Professor Chapman has gathered together many fresh facts and can dispel many of this rumors and more. The writing is good, very sharing and not to technical, though the financials might be a bit of a slog. The stories are good, as are the sections on the impact of the films both to movie goers, and movie makers. One of the few behind the scene books that completely covers the entirety of the movie making experience.

A book for fans of the series, and for movie scholars. The explaining of the industry and how the film business worked in England is very informative. The making of sections are super entertaining, and I liked the breakdown in scripts to show what was planned, and what went on the screen. A book that I really enjoyed, and wish I could share with my Dad. A great gift for the holidays.

[Varun Bhakay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The year I came into this world, the nineteenth James Bond film hit screens, opening in the United Kingdom four days after I had first opened my eyes. The franchise has seen, just last year, its twenty-fifth release in Daniel Craig's final outing as 007 - No Time to Die.

The film nut in me has always been boggled by the longevity of James Bond. Six actors have played the part. Multiple writers and directors have had their shot at making the ultimate Bond film. They've become blockbusters in search of prestige, attracting the likes of Sam Mendes, Michael Apted, and Cary Joji Fukunaga, all of whom couldn't be more different from Terence Young and Guy Hamilton.

James Chapman works his way through archives and studio notes and interviews and features to come up a history of the very first Bond film - Dr. No.

Chapman uses the motions of filmmaking for the structure of his book: it's linearly-written, beginning with film culture in the late 50s and early 60s, proceeding to Ian Fleming's novels, then through the production process all the way through to the end, Of course, Chapman gestures to the future of the franchise throughout the narrative, but the approach, however simple it may seem, lends to the story of the making of Dr. No an easier feel.

Chapman taps into various sources, but it is his account of the financial overruns and the production itself that stand out. It's a fairly complex process, funding a film and then trying to recover your money from it, but Chapman describes it well, even with the overload of numbers, which can't be avoided, for obvious reasons.

If there is a shortcoming in the book, it is that Chapman justifies all of the film's missteps one way or another, save racism, where he is quite straightforward in his critique of the filmmaking. Everything else - the sexism, the male gaze, the violence, the politics - is ascribed to various other facts and factors. Having a bias is natural, why else would one write a book about something, but to repeatedly let the film off the hook is a little too much of a stretch.

That being said, it is a book loaded with great insight into what went into making the first of a series that became a cultural phenomenon.

Thank you, NetGalley and Columbia University Press, for an ARC of the book.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. No: The First James Bond Film, by James Chapman, gives the film the attention and credit it deserves while debunking many of the myths that arose.

I will state upfront that I am not a fan of the Bond series. I don't mean I am an anti-fan, just that I have never waited for each new film, with the possible exception of when I was very small (my sister took me to see Thunderball when I was seven). While I have seen almost all of them, a couple of them a second time (usually for a class), it has always simply been entertainment that as I grew older made me question why I was still watching them. This was due to problematic issues rather than the film production qualities. In short, I am coming to this as a film lover not a Bond fan.

Chapman does a tremendous job of using as much primary material as possible to tease out the truth from the myriad of misdirection promoted by those with their own reasons. In doing so, he strips some of the mythical elements these others wanted to give the film (and themselves) which actually results in elevating the film as both a film and as the 'first Bond film.'

The writing is so engaging that even the discussion around contracts and daily production notes was interesting. The parts of the book that one would expect to be enjoyable were even more so. Maybe what stood out for me was the way Chapman placed everything about the film, from the social climate of the period to the problematic portrayals that often dominate contemporary analyses, into perspective. It is easy to forget that at the time this wasn't the first film in a long-running and well-loved series, but a singular film that they hoped might lead to more.

I would highly recommend this to both film historians and Bond fans. In fact, I would put this forward as an excellent example of how to research and present any deep dive into a single film. For the Bond fans, this might burst a couple of bubbles with the myth-breaking, but also offers new perspective on the origin of an iconic series.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit https://www.ManOfLaBook.com


Dr. No: The First James Bond Film by James Chapman is a comprehensive study of how Ian Fleming’s novel became the one to start the franchise, and change cinema. Mr. Chapman is a professor of film studies at the University of Leicester.

I’ve always enjoyed the escapism of the James Bond movies, and have read much about them (as well as the novels). Unlike the movies, however, it is much more difficult to tell the difference between fact and fiction when it comes to pop culture (for one). Pop culture history is usually just as fascinating and informative as politics, for example, but certainly much more entreating. And, undoubtedly with much less at stake for most of us.

Dr. No: The First James Bond Film by James Chapman is particularly well researched. I especially appreciate the time the author took to dispel myths and legends about the movie. He delved into archives, first-hand sources, as well as unfinished scripts to separate fact from fiction.
A difficult undertaking indeed, when even the movie producers themselves spread favorable rumors to lionize themselves.

When analyzing the film, the author’s main objective is to put it into the context of the times. Today Dr. No might seem outdated, and certainly out of touch with today’s morality but so are The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tarzan, and other works of literature which are considered classics. The discussions revolved around the geopolitical world, the Cuban Missile Crisis (a profitable coincidence), the end of British colonialism, and more. The fact that Dr. No provided eye candy for both men and women was something that today might not seem groundbreaking, but together with its technological achievements, it was in 1962. This analysis was, for me, emphatically the most interesting part of the book, and made me want to take one of Mr. Chapman’s classes.

There is no doubt that the movie can be looked at as a sexist, snobbish, and a male fantasy. There’s certainly merit to that criticism, but it also changed British cinema and brought us one the most successful movie franchise ever.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent examination of the making of the film “Dr. No,” (1962), starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, and Jack Lord. This “short monograph” examines the making and financing of this James Bond classic, and how it all worked together to put this action adventure on the screen.

For anyone interested in the history of the Bond films, or of films of the 1960s, this is required reading to understand HOW they came about. The author doesn’t focus on one or two stars as many articles and books do; instead he cogently lays out the sometimes rocky road that Ian Fleming’s book needed to travel on it’s way to the silver screen. This is primarily an examination of the business-end of the business. The cultural context of the time is also discussed, with geopolitics, racism, and sexism/misogyny being in play.

The main focus does seem to be how fast the film came to be over-budget and behind schedule which led to the film being “taken over” by the completion guarantor company. Also analyzed are the projected costs, real costs, and earnings.

Much of the information came from the United Artist collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and from a collection in Iowa which yielded numerous primary sources used in this book. There are other sources listed in the Bibliography upon which someone keen on the industry could also read. Happily, this author footnoted the text and there appear to be Endnotes as well, but I’m not sure as I reviewed a pre-publication electronic galley. There is nothing worse than reading a text that purportedly reports fact or allegations with no supporting sources!

I finished this book in under 10 hours. I found it to be a fascinating and fast read.

A HUGE thank you to author James Chapman, Columbia University-Wallflower Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an eGalley of this work. I received nothing for my review and my opinions are notably my own.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Sixty years after the release of Dr. No, this book offers a deep dive into the making of a movie that would change the face of film and herald a most successful film franchise. There were a few false starts in the 1950s after Ian Fleming published the book. But when Broccoli and Saltzman took over, it was going to be made whatever the hurdles. And there were many not the least of which was financing. What the producers proposed to do was something unheard of. And they were not going to cast stars and they were going to use some crew who came with some baggage. But they felt they had something special and they were right.

Bond was violent and cheeky and quite sexual but also charming and fun and exhilarating. It did not get universal praise but enough critics loved it and the movie going audience ate it up. One wit quipped it had the second best entrance of an actor and the best entrance of an actress. The latter was Ursula Andress in her bikini and the former was the first time we heard those immortal words- Bond. James Bond.
By any gauge it was a blockbuster but depending on which accounting system was used it scored high on the all time box office champs yet was made for a fraction of the cost.

It catapulted Sean Connery into stardom. In any list selecting the “best” Bonds, he almost inevitably tops the chart. He is the standard by which all other Bonds are judged. There are parts of the movie that do not stand up to the test of time but it is still jolly good entertainment. And this book lovingly but with great research gives it its due. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Joe Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp and detailed monograph about the making of the first James Bond movie, ‘Dr. No,’ which not only became the most successful movie series ever - 60 years old and still popular - but also influenced the style of 1960s cinema. The author shows how many of the myths surrounding the film are false - it had a higher than average budget for the time and was extremely successful on both sides of the Atlantic. The author believes the producers have portrayed the movie as a sleeper and an underdog to make themselves look visionary, but United Artists knew that it had a winner with great sequel potential. The book digs into the details of day to day production, the critical response to the film, and what scholars have had to say about the sexual, political and social implications of the James Bond franchise. Will be catnip for fans of 007.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent analytical thesis of the making of Dr No and it's subsequent legacy in world cinema and it's impact on social change and ideologies with the UK and the US during the 60's to present day. A must read for all Bond fans and cinephiles.

[Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a huge James Bond fan, and this book takes it back to where the movies started with Dr. No. find out everything you would want to know about it and enjoy the movie even more after reading James Chapman’s book. Five stars