11 Things You Learn Rewatching From Russia With Love

6. Bond Doesn't Show Up For Almost 20 Minutes

Perhaps the biggest surprise when rewatching the movie is just how long it takes for Sean Connery to make his first appearance as Bond (not including the opening sequence, where he's essentially playing a Bond mask).

A whole 18 minutes pass before Bond first shows up, a length of time practically inconceivable nowadays, but the movie instead boldly opts to focus on its supporting cast right out of the gate. It's a gamble that totally pays off, as the likes of Red, Rosa, Blofeld and Tatiana are interesting enough that you might not even notice Bond's absence.

Audiences are already familiar enough with 007, so focusing on the new characters from the outset is a smart call, getting the exposition out of the way early and allowing the latter two acts to clip along with greater efficiency.