My favorite spy movie is Dr. No, starring Sean Connery as James Bond.
The movie originally came out in 1962 and was directed by Terence Young. It is the first film in the main James Bond series. The plot concerns a plot by Dr. No and SPECTRE to sabotage American missiles. The movie is set mostly in Jamaica. It opens with an MI6 operative getting killed by some of Dr. No's henchmen, which leads MI6 to send James Bond to investigate.
Bond eventually tracks the murder to Dr. No and goes to Dr. No's island (Crab Key) to see if he can find out what exactly Dr. No's plan is. Dr. No is a half-Chinese former gangster who now belongs to SPECTRE, a terrorist organization dedicated to trying to take over the world. Bond foils the plot, but not before his assistant is killed by some of Dr. No's goons.
This is the first Bond movie, which means that the gadgets are minimal to non-existent. Bond's boss issues him a Walther PPK in place of Bond's favored Baretta in an early scene, but there is no Q in Dr. No, only a character called the armourer who gives Bond the PPK.
The elements that have become familiar in all subsequent Bond movies are already present. There is a grotesque and ingenious villain threatening the peace of the world; casual sex and even more casual sadism abounds; there are the wisecracks, exotic locations, and that familiar theme music.
However, "Dr No" is a more down-to-earth affair than subsequent entries. The modest budget enforces a low-key, almost realistic tone. Bond is forced to rely on his wits to get the job done, rather then pulling out the gimmicks and gadgetry of later films. That is a main reason why I enjoy the film so much.
