20 Things You Didn't Know About From Russia With Love (1963)

10. The Distracting Stuntman

From Russia With Love
MGM/UA

The idea that the James Bond franchise only became a runaway hit with the release of Goldfinger is a falsehood; “Bondmania” was already starting to set in during the filming of From Russia With Love.

Thousands of onlookers came to view the filming of the scene in which Bond, Kerim, and Tania board the Orient Express at Sirkeci railway station in Istanbul, hoping to catch a glimpse of the main stars, particularly Sean Connery.

It became so disruptive that Terence Young asked stunt coordinator, Peter Perkins, to create a distraction to lure the crowds away.

The experienced stuntman promptly went and dangled himself upside down from a balcony at a nearby building, pretending to be stuck. The ruse worked and Young was able to capture the brief but important sequence for the film.

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.