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Sean Connery makes a big splash with his charismatic performance in the very first James Bond film, Dr. No. Agent 007, licensed to kill, is sent to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of a fellow spy from Britain’s MI6 agency. He uncovers a plot to destroy the nascent U.S. space program, instigated by a reclusive, somewhat eccentric billionaire villain named Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman). A Jamaican boatman working for the CIA (John Kitzmuller) and a bodacious sea-shell collector named Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) are swept up in the adventure.

Connery’s cool mix of machismo swagger and tongue-in-cheek humor is the most winning ingredient in this action/adventurer. As the first film in the long-lasting series, Dr. No is a bit light on action, but makes up for it with its colorful Caribbean locations and supporting characters. Andress makes quite an impact as the first significant ‘Bond girl’ when she climbs out of the ocean in a revealing swim suit. But she’s not just a pretty face — she’s also an interesting character, sweetly naïve and potentially dangerous. We also get introduced to Bond’s boss ‘M’ (Bernard Lee) and Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), the secretary who has long held a flame for Agent 007. These characters will continue playing these roles for many installments to come. The classic James Bond theme by Monty Norman is played throughout, giving the film an extra punch of cinematic pizzazz.

On the down side, Joseph Wiseman doesn’t leave much of an impression as the title villain, and the casting of Caucasian actors to play Asian characters is a distasteful one in hindsight. But overall, Dr. No gets cinema’s longest-lasting franchise (26 films in 63 years) off to a promising start.

Directed by Terence Young. With Jack Lord, Anthony Dawson, Zena Marshall, and Eunice Gayson. Based on characters and stories written by Ian Fleming.