bond , james bond…
Posted: October 20, 2012 Filed under: history | Tags: bond, boyhood memories, diana rigg, history, in his magestys secret service, james bond, memories, movies, tannery hill 44 CommentsWe would meet at the top of tannery hill and then walk past the deserted tannery building perched next to the river and the bridge that spanned the lazy current. I never saw it, but older people said when the tannery was active and a load of hides arrived, the river ran red for days. Now the building stood abandoned. Only a few unshattered windows remained in defiance to stones kids would hurl when no one was around.
Then up the hill toward town and Wentlings Pharmacy next door to the movie theater. Fifty-five cents at the counter delivered a hamburger and a Coke served in a classic Coca Cola glass with the narrow bottom and wide bulb top. For a dollar we could get into the matinee and this was James Bond In Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It was a Saturday treat that Donnie and I managed sometimes when we both had a couple dollars to spare. We had seen “The Magnificent Seven” and other shows and afterwards we would talk about them as we walked the several miles home.
This day Diana Rigg dazzled as the love interest. I can’t speak for Donnie, but I think two twelve year olds fell deeply in love for those two hours. At the end, she and Bond are married. I remember being puzzled ( James Bond can’t get married ), and then numb as in the final scene a thwarted villain seeks revenge with a drive by shooting. Of course I know now that marrying Bond was never a plan with good long term prospects.
We walked the entire way back in silence.
bwthoughts 
Do you know I had not seen a single Bond film until about three years ago?! Lol! Then I proceeded to watch them all at once – back to back and thoroughly enjoyed them all.
My favourite Bond is Sean Connery (I’m a big fan of his now but that was the first time I saw any of his earlier work). What a total babe he was back then! And still a hottie now in my opinion – I’m pretty sure its that accent and is swish debonair manner…
he was always my hero, and I suspect my wife wishes I had aged as well.
A real good show with Sean is “The Wind and the Lion” —
If you are a fan of quirky post acopolyptic SCI-FI Zardoz was good, but weird. Has a bit of Nudity if I remember right.
haha! I shall look both of your recommendations up 🙂
This post brought back many great memories of my best friend Jim and I in our pre-teens and early-teens going to double-features, and especially going to the titillating James Bond movies. We too were shocked when he married Diana Riggs and then shocked again when she was offed by the bad guys at the end. Sean Connery was our favorite Bond. I agee that he would have saved Diana. Then again, he probably wouldn’t have married her in the first place!
Russ
Ha Ha! I remember that movie too. I also remember the 55 cent burgers and 1 cent pieces of candy. I LOVE your posts!
Thanks — I will show this to my kids when they look at me like — that didn’t really happen!
Thanks for allowing me to having your back! LOL!
horse lovers of the world unite! ( smile )
did you ever see the link of the Nokota horses? This is so peaceful I sometimes look at it when I am stressed.
It was a nice trip back to memory lane for me, too.
Eating at a Woolworth’s counter drinking with those same coke glasses, or getting a hoagie (in Pennsylvania) for 33 cents at the original “5 and Dime”. The Saturday morning serials. Eating pizza and a drink (in NYC) after the movie when I was a little older – watching the oil drip off the back of the pizzas aas we folded the crust into a “V”, and all for 75 cents.
Ushers in movie theaters telling us with their flashlights to put our feet down, throwing popcorn, and laughing.
Great memories. Thanks. I remember seeing The Birds when I was 14 or 15 and walking home afterwards through back alleys. I heard a thump and looked around and a bird fell from a garage roof top onto the ground. Dead! I made it home in record time.
( laughing ) — we certainly felt alive when terrified at that age.
Yeah! Watch me run now. Not a pretty sight!
same here. Sometimes I dream I can run. but then when monsters were around, I could literally fly.
How is your wife ?
Thank you for asking. She’s doing great. Remind me how much I told you.
she had developed an infection in her heel, and was undergoing a long course of antibiotics.
That’s where I am right now, In the waiting room on a Sunday while she receives her daily treatment intravenously. But she is now walking and driving as if nothing ever happened. It’s amazing. The infection was from metal in her heel used to reconstruct it after shattering it in a fall. Her last day is November 8. We are going away for a week two days later. And how are you and your family?
we are good. My wife is making progress on selling our Cleveland house so soon to be in one location. Thanks for asking. Give my best to your wife.
Thanks, I will.
Love that movie! Have it on DVD. Just don’t make them like that anymore. Bond with feelings. Great story. Never get married to Bond. Never. 😉
Agreed!
Her Majesty’s Secret Sevice was the first Ian Fleming I read – also when I was 12. I loved all the 007 books. Yeah, we used to go to the movies on Saturdays for less than half a buck. And we stayed there all day watching the double feature, the cartoons. And then again.
we did that for “Swiss Family Robinson” until my parents came to the theater thinking we were lost. We just wanted to sit through the third showing.
Oh yes, James Bond. That was a Friday night favorite for us. Connect with happy memories.
hard to believe that was so long ago.
How many different actors have played James Bond now? What an enduring story huh?
yes, the age old confident man and beautiful woman story. That’s why this was so powerful, he fell in love, was married, and then BAM no more Mrs Bond.
Of course the only Bond to me was Sean Connery.
PS — saw the eyes of Laura Mars…. creepy ( did I remember you mentioning it ? )
Yes I mentioned it. 🙂 And yes, creepy right? I’m not sure who my favourite bond was, Sean is definitely up at the top of the list. My mother would disagree and say Roger Moore was the best one!
way creepy !
On another note, I miss seeing you and hearing from you on my blog… are we good? I haven’t offended you, have I?
no — I don’t get your notices any more in my reader.
I will unfollow and then refollow. I thought you were taking a break.
oh LOL from voicing my opinion? Highly unlikely haha…
I’m relieved that that is the reason. 🙂
feisty is fun ( smile )
I thought you were mad you didn’t always get the last work ( smile )
you mean word! work is a 4-letter word! (laughing)
maybe I meant you had to work for it ( laughing ) — na it was a typo. I just realized if you mis-type typo you can come up with “type”.
it comes naturally 🙂
I’m glad
I un and then followed — let’s see if that kicks wordpress in the behind
smiling
This is great…I can see why you would remember this. What a cherished memory. But not a happy ending for Bond.
If only they had cast Sean Connery in that one, I am sure he could have saved her ( smile )
I guess it shows how each generation has a unique pace of life.
You know, that’s what I really enjoyed about this post. Each generation is so different. While reading your post, it seemed like a more simple time and I found myself wanting that back. I went to a movie for a dollar…I think it was even cheaper…without parents, and we would watch the double showing until late at night, and even walk home in the dark! A different time.
how we live has changed so much. We are in uncharted territory now. I suppose I wanted someone to know how it was once.
I remember those double showings!
It was nice to think back on it! Thanks for that. It’s amazing how quickly things change, too.