THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

REVIEWED BY CARISSA HORTON

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: violence, sexual implications, thematic elements

Rated:

More testosterone pumped men than imaginable have portrayed the illustrious womanizer and super spy, James Bond. And now it is Timothy Dalton’s turn, a renowned Shakespearean actor, also known for his performance as Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre. Perhaps, if all Bonds’ adapted the role as Dalton did, than the character would prove more likeable.

Bond (Timothy Dalton) is on a mission to assist a Russian in his defection, one General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbe). In the process, he halts a charming would-be-assassin, whose inexperience proved the only reason for his not killing her. Returning with the rescued Georgi to higher ground, all seems well until the safe house is attacked and Georgi is snatched from under the veritable noses of the agency. Not only that, but a KGB black list is created for Bond and his fellow agents, eradication already occurring in some instances. Bond's life may be next on that list.

Suspicious that the two incidents may be connected, Bond begins a man, or rather woman-hunt for the unskilled assassin, learning her to be Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo), an experienced musician with a local orchestra. But her expertise with the cello aside, Kara is also the girlfriend of Georgi Koskov. Can James uncover the truth of Georgi’s defection? Or will his ultimate demise be at the hands of mercenaries and arms dealers? His suspicions lead toward General Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies) as the ultimate mastermind, but evidence slowly directs him toward an entirely different conclusion. Combine this complication with Bond’s sudden admiration for young Kara and even a brief altercation in the Middle East and The Living Daylights manages to deliver a payload.

Honestly, I despise James Bond. The character holds no respect for women and depending on the version you’re watching, he may bed four females in a single film. But Timothy’s Bond is more calculating, more stolidly serious, and more intriguing. He approaches the character in a sensitive style, adding a surprising depth which other Bonds lack. Even his treatment of women is improved over other versions. The premise for this film is impressively intricate with marvelous twists and turns and a grand finale. The actors chosen are also impressive ranging from Dalton himself to a young John Rhys-Davies. And Maryam portrays an extraordinary Bond woman. She’s not morally loose as I expected. Kara is young and naive and it seems her gentile nature is what attracts Bond in the first place. Stimulating performances by all.

The side-trips into various beds are tedious, but they’re more implied than explicitly expressed and few and far between. By no means am I a Bond expert, but of the few films I have seen, this movie does stand out above the rest. His affection for Kara almost outweighs his good sense, and while they indulge in a few tLte-B-tLte’s, the camera spares us any vivid details. Unfortunately, the content is visible in other areas. A bulldozer plows through a metal outbuilding, exposing two nude men, seen from the rear, holding towels across their fronts. And in an effort to distract a guard, Bond rips a woman’s bathrobe from her shoulders and we see her from the side, glimpsing a bit of breast in a prolonged scene until Bond tosses her a shirt. So unnecessary and very disappointing. And of course there are the female silhouettes during the opening credits which are typical of a Bond film.

In a positive light, language is kept to almost a nonexistent minimum. A Middle Eastern prisoner gives his captives the "finger" but it’s slightly blurred. Violence is never graphic, with only the regular weapons fire. A man hurtles to his death from a cliff after his safety rope has been cut. A sliding glass door is perfectly timed to nearly slice a man in half, although details are avoided. Fisticuffs break out occasionally and one particularly impressive fight has Bond and his adversary hanging from the rear end of a plane’s cargo hold. Opium is used for leverage, although Bond scatters it halfway across the Afghanistan plains.

I never expected to enjoy a Bond film. The other two I’ve witnessed bored me to tears or insulted my sensibilities. Timothy Dalton walks a fine line as James Bond. There are moments where I wanted to throttle him, but at other times he’s sweet and sensitive. That he’s an expert agent is a given, just as his skills as a lover. People have to be discerning. This film has its issues, but it’s better than most. It boils down to what the viewer prefers in a film and what is unacceptable.