One thing I really appreciated about this film is the continuity. In DR. NO, Bond was about to score with a beautiful lady and here he once again is interrupted with the same lady! That was a nice touch.

As for the rest of the film, it was terrific and nearly as perfect as DR. NO. In fact, they are both so good it's hard to determine which is the better film. DR. NO is closer to the Fleming novel but FROM Russia WITH LOVE had some terrific characters. Robert Shaw was amazing as the robot-like assassin (though very different from the sociopath in the book). Colonel Klebb was also one of the scariest and most malevolent ladies ever to appear in a Bond film. Together, they were a great team out to destroy Bond and both the Russian and British intelligence agencies.

In addition to these baddies, the film had some lovely support from Italian Daniela Bianchi (playing a Russian) and Pedro Armendáriz (playing a Turk). Another supporting player really was the lovely scenery and locales for the film. Seeing Istanbul and the Orient Express was lovely and set a great mood for the film.

Finally, I must point out that with the exception of a tear gas cannister and an interesting folding gun, the film lacked the wacky gadgets of the later Bond films. As for me, this was a huge plus--making this and DR. NO both tops for their realism and lack of reliance on special effects.

I loved From Russia With Love. If I had one minor problem with the film, it would be that I did find the film slow in places. But I cannot deny it is a tightly plotted and well acted James Bond thriller with superb action to boot. The film looks amazing, with wonderful cinematography and stunning locations, and the action is constantly fast paced and the stunts jaw dropping. The music score from John Barry is one of the more memorable scores in any Bond movie, with its brilliant main theme my favourite. We were also treated to the song From Russia With Love over the end credits, beautifully sung by the underrated Matt Munro. Sean Connery is in my eyes the definitive James Bond, handsome yet charismatic. As much as I did like Roger Moore and Daniel Craig(in general),Connery just has that extra something. Robert Shaw comes close to stealing the show, and Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb especially is unforgettable. All in all, superb is the only word I have to say about From Russia with Love. 9/10 Bethany Cox

After the success of Dr. No, the movie going public could not get enough of Sean Connery as James Bond. From Russia With Love was almost demanded to be made and it's proved to be one of the most durable of the Bond series in popularity.

That infamous third echelon SPECTRE is after a new Russian decoding machine that the West would certainly like to lay its mitts on as well. But SPECTRE has something additional in mind. Knowing that MI5 will send its best in 007 after the decoder, they have it in mind to kill James Bond. And the alluring bait will be Daniela Bianchi, their agent.

Of course as always no woman can resist the sex appeal of James Bond as packaged by Sean Connery. Personally I've always liked Roger Moore best in the part, I like Sean Connery as well, but more for his non-Bond roles. That I'm sure will be appreciated by Sean Connery should he ever get to read this review.

The cinematography in a story that takes place in Istanbul and along the Mediterranean Sea is gorgeous. Connery gets a really outstanding cast in support including Pedro Armendariz for whom this was a final performance as Bond ally Ali Kerim Bey.

Robert Shaw has a part of few words as the paid assassin SPECTRE has trained for the purpose of killing James Bond. Shaw is terrifying in his role and the fact he did it without much use of a voice that was one of the best in the English language, testifies to his ability as an actor. His confrontation with Connery on the Orient Express is one of the great fight scenes ever done on film.

However I have a warm spot in my heart for Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb, the Russian defector now working for SPECTRE, the woman with those killer orthopedic shoes. Kenneth Cole never designed better.

From Russia With Love has everything you want in a James Bond film, action, sex, and exotic locations. And Sean Connery, who could complain.