Dr. J. Ferguson
University of Nevada, Reno
Spring 2018
Dr. No, (1962), Directed by Terence Young --
Conversation Analysis (CA): A. Duranti Method
SYLVIA TRENCH--
In conclusion, no matter how many times the viewer watches the scene, it is unique in every aspect, unparalleled in conversation exchange, with a minimum of delivery. The screenwriters were Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkely Mather (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._No_(film) but is unclear who drafted the sequence. If anyone needed an introduction to 007, there is no better than this scene.
http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/Sylvia_Trench
SYLVIA001-- (Time-2:47) The You Tube sequence.
Eunice Grayson plays the role of SYLVIA TRENCH, seated in a stunning red dress, with red lipstick to match, playing baccarat in “Le Circle” -Les Ambassadeurs Club in London. Her OPPONENT in the game is not immediately revealed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_Gayson
The dialogue from the scene follows:
SYLVIA: Card
Her OPPONENT at the table shows a Jack of Clubs and Eight of Diamonds. SYLVIA shows her cards, a Queen of Clubs and a Two of Hearts. The BANKER sits next to SYLVIA as she demands another hand be dealt.
SYLVIA The house will cover, (not intelligible)..?
BANKER: Oui, Madame. (pause) Oui, Masseur, charges sil vous plait.
OPPONENT, still out of sight, deals another round from the card shoe.
SYLVIA Card.
BANKER Card, Sir.
This time the OPPONENT reveals a King of Clubs and a Nine of Hearts; SYLVIA throws in the cards without revealing her hand.
SYLVIA I need another Thousand..
The OPPONENT (still off camera) , removes a cigarette from a chrome case
OPPONENT I admire your courage, Miss ...uh… (pause)
SYLVIA (writing a check) Trench, Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr.,.. (pause)
OPPONENT (close face shot, lighting cigarette with a lighter) Bond, James Bond.
The scene continues with SYLVIA suggesting to raise the limit, another hand is dealt and it appears the overall greeting-introduction has reached a climax. The STEWARD interrupts and 007 leaves the table, soon trailed by SYLVIA. Small talk ensues about a further rendezvous and the scene gradually comes to a conclusion.
Duranti Conversational Analysis:
Eunice Grayson plays the role of SYLVIA TRENCH, seated in a stunning red dress, with red lipstick to match, playing baccarat in “Le Circle” -Les Ambassadeurs Club in London. Her OPPONENT in the game is not immediately revealed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_Gayson
The dialogue from the scene follows:
SYLVIA: Card
Her OPPONENT at the table shows a Jack of Clubs and Eight of Diamonds. SYLVIA shows her cards, a Queen of Clubs and a Two of Hearts. The BANKER sits next to SYLVIA as she demands another hand be dealt.
SYLVIA The house will cover, (not intelligible)..?
BANKER: Oui, Madame. (pause) Oui, Masseur, charges sil vous plait.
OPPONENT, still out of sight, deals another round from the card shoe.
SYLVIA Card.
BANKER Card, Sir.
This time the OPPONENT reveals a King of Clubs and a Nine of Hearts; SYLVIA throws in the cards without revealing her hand.
SYLVIA I need another Thousand..
The OPPONENT (still off camera) , removes a cigarette from a chrome case
OPPONENT I admire your courage, Miss ...uh… (pause)
SYLVIA (writing a check) Trench, Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr.,.. (pause)
OPPONENT (close face shot, lighting cigarette with a lighter) Bond, James Bond.
The scene continues with SYLVIA suggesting to raise the limit, another hand is dealt and it appears the overall greeting-introduction has reached a climax. The STEWARD interrupts and 007 leaves the table, soon trailed by SYLVIA. Small talk ensues about a further rendezvous and the scene gradually comes to a conclusion.
Duranti Conversational Analysis:
The pause, lighting of the cigarette with the introductory clause,
“Bond.., James Bond.”
is the single most signature statement ever made in a 007 film. It doesn’t happen at the beginning of the film, there is no formal greeting of SYLVIA with BOND; the introduction serves as the greeting. The iconic James Bond music theme gradually creeps into the scene as 007 introduces himself. There probably is no better introduction style greeting ever made in any other film. James Bond was a nobody when the film was released in 1962. I saw it as a second run feature at the Midway Drive In on South Virginia St, now an indoor cinema next to the sprawling Peppermill Casino, then just a little pancake house next to a dirt lot. The film was years ahead of its time and paved the way for spy thrillers for years to come.
To this day, no one has matched a James Bond film in its long running history, through the many stars who portrayed the role. But it was Sean Connery who carried the iconic image of 007 far better than anyone of his successors, and it was due to the very first scene where he introduced the character to the world, in three simple words. The multimodal gesture of lighting the cigarette, combined with the rather amused stone-cold, self-confident expression on Connery’s face assures the viewer that Bond will be the central figure in the action adventure thriller. Sylvia becomes his first girlfriend, but not his last, in the film
His third girlfriend, a rising star Ursula Andress, clad in a bikini, Honey Ryder introduces herself but leave it to say when she asks 007 his name in this introductory greeting, he abbreviates it to “James.”
What can we learn from the initial, iconic greeting by 007 in the baccarat scene? The Duranti analysis is as follows:
Adjacency, they were sitting across the table in a crowded casino, the scene unfolded with the a plaque on the exterior of the club, while inside a STEWARD carries a message to the table; but waits to deliver as the game is in full progress.
Reciprocity in the conversation is initiated only after SYLVIA loses two hands and requests more money to play; it is here that BOND first speaks,
The near-boundary and shared perceptual field are already established in the scene; SYLVIA appears to be the interlocutor.
Adjacency Pair occurs when 007 first speaks.
Relative Predictability of Format appears to be moot at least until the three words are introduced that identifies the recipient. The fact that the James Bond theme plays in the background signifies that the interlocutor may not be SYLVIA at all.
In fact the formulaic interpretation of the predictability component has no bearing on this unique interchange of conversation. Certainly one could expect a reciprocation when SYLVIA asks 007 his name, but the scene stands as a unique paradox in the introduction of a film character that would stand the test of time for decades to come. Here we have an example of a rather mundane conversational exchange being completely outclassed by the delivery performance of Sean Connery, who in a simple response established, without a doubt, the qualitative norm for an introductory greeting.
Relative Predictability of Format appears to be moot at least until the three words are introduced that identifies the recipient. The fact that the James Bond theme plays in the background signifies that the interlocutor may not be SYLVIA at all.
In fact the formulaic interpretation of the predictability component has no bearing on this unique interchange of conversation. Certainly one could expect a reciprocation when SYLVIA asks 007 his name, but the scene stands as a unique paradox in the introduction of a film character that would stand the test of time for decades to come. Here we have an example of a rather mundane conversational exchange being completely outclassed by the delivery performance of Sean Connery, who in a simple response established, without a doubt, the qualitative norm for an introductory greeting.