11 Things You Learn Rewatching From Russia With Love

7. Tatiana Romanova Is A Totally Mediocre Bond Girl

From Russia With Love Tatiana
United Artists

As the second major Bond girl, Soviet Consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) gets more to do than her predecessor, Dr. No's Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress), but she's also decidedly more irritating and wholly less iconic.

Tatiana is beautiful and initially appealing as she appears to have actual agency beyond being an object for Bond's sexual magnetism, but before long she's creepily sneaking into Bond's bed, and spends the rest of the movie being a loved-up horndog who repeatedly needs to be saved by Bond.

She ultimately comes off as needy and desperate, hopelessly in love with Bond and keen to settle down with him, though she does mildly redeem herself in the final stretch by killing Rosa Klebb and saving Bond's bacon. It doesn't quite compensate for how submissive and helpless she is for most of the movie, though.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.