Ranking Every James Bond Opening Scene From Worst To Best
11. From Russia With Love
From Russia With Love was the first James Bond film to include a cold open, and the debut of this tradition is quite effective. The scene depicts Bond traversing a moody courtyard while being stalked by a mysterious assailant.
The assailant, Red Grant, ultimately gets the better of 007 and strangles him to death. However, it is then revealed that that is not the real Bond, and the entire opening had been an elaborate SPECTRE training exercise.
This opening scene may seem quaint compared to others in the series, but its simplicity does not lessen its value. Robert Shaw's Red Grant is one of the greatest henchman in Bond history, and the character's introduction in this scene memorably establishes him as a cunning and imposing adversary. SPECTRE's presence itself is this scene is noteworthy, as their unrelenting devotion to kill 007 creates a suspenseful tone that carries throughout the entire film.
With its brief run time (three minuets) and small scale, this opening scene can easily go under appreciated. But this scene's brevity does not determine its quality, and From Russia With Love's opening should be remembered as a solid starting point for one of the Bond series' proudest traditions.