“Yes, I thought so. This damn Beretta
again.”
DIRECTOR: Terence Young
STARRING: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph
Wiseman, Jack Lord, John Kitzmiller, Bernard Lee, Anthony Dawson,
Lois Maxwell, and Eunice Gayson.
SCREENPLAY: Richard Maibaum, Berkley Mather, and
Johanna Harwood.
CLASSIC SCENE: In the early hours of the morning
secret agent James Bond oo7 is summoned from a London casino to
appear before his boss ‘M’ (Bernard Lee), head of British
Intelligence. After customary by-play with M’s secretary Miss
Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), oo7 is briefed on his next assignment
by M, who then calls for the armourer, Major Boothroyd (Peter Burton)…
M: Armourer! (to Bond) Take off your jacket! Give
me your gun.
Yes, I thought so. This damn Beretta again. I’ve told you
about this before. (to Boothroyd) You tell him — for the last
time!
MAJOR BOOTHROYD: Nice and light — in a lady’s
handbag.
No stopping power.
M: Any comments Double-O Seven?
JAMES BOND: I disagree sir. I’ve used a
Beretta for ten years — I’ve never missed with it yet!
M: Maybe not, but it jammed on your last job and
you spent six months in hospital in consequence. If you carry a
Double-O number it means you’re licenced to kill not get killed.
And another thing. Since I’ve been head of MI7 there’s
been a 40 percent drop in Double-O operative casualties, and I want
it to stay that way. You’ll carry the Walther — unless
of course you’d prefer to go back to standard intelligence
duties.
JAMES BOND: No sir. I would not.
M: Then from now on you carry a different gun,
show him armourer.
MAJOR BOOTHROYD: Walther PPK 7.65 mil with a delivery
like a brick through a plate-glass window. Takes a Brausch silencer
with very little reduction in muzzle velocity — the American
CIA swear by them.
M: Thank you Major Boothroyd.
MAJOR BOOTHROYD: Thank you sir. (to Bond) Goodnight
sir.
M: Any questions Double-O Seven?
JAMES BOND: No sir.
M: Alright then. Best of luck.
JAMES BOND: Thank you sir. (Bond picks up the
Walther in its box, hiding the Beretta underneath, and walks to
the office door)
M: (without looking up from his desk) Double-O
Seven!
JAMES BOND: Sir?
M: Just Leave the Beretta.
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