20 Things You Didn't Know About Dr. No

11. The Reference To From Russia, With Love

Sean Connery Dr No
MGM/UA

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was trapped by the popularity of Sherlock Holmes; Dame Agatha Christie despised Hercule Poirot, but her readers adored him, and Ian Fleming also tired of James Bond, wishing to write other things.

The British author's 1957 novel, From Russia, With Love ended with Double-0 Seven apparently being killed when his Beretta pistol jams and Rosa Klebb kicks him with a poison-tipped knife hidden in her shoe. In the subsequent novel, Dr. No, it was revealed that the gentleman spy had, in fact, survived his encounter with Klebb.

The film was adapted quite faithfully from Fleming's novel and includes a sequence in which M (Bernard Lee) reminds James Bond that his Beretta jammed on him during his last mission, leading him to spend almost six months in hospital.

This is a reference to the novel, From Russia, With Love, even though From Russia With Love (1963) became the second Bond film and did not leave Double-0 Seven at death's door.

Contributor

I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.