007 Event: Report: London Film Fair November 2017 (11 November 2017)

What: London Film Fair November 2017
Where: Central Hall Westminster, Storey's Gate, London, England
When: 11 November 2017
Tickets: £5



When we were about to leave Finland, Pirita noticed at the last minute in the airport that there is London Film Fair in London on same weekend when we are there.

On Saturday morning we took a taxi and drove to Central Hall Westminster, where is a Methodist church, but also a conference center where the London Film Fair was already ongoing.

We bought tickets worth of  £5 per person and soon we were in. We walked around the area and quickly spotted our first target! Caroline Munro, best known as Naomi in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977). Even though 007 (Roger Moore) shoots her down with her helicopter in the films, luckily she seemed to be very much alive :) We went to say hello and gave her #Suomi100 chocolates, which are made in honour of Finland's 100 years of independence (2017), that we brought from Finland. She autographed her photo from the film and we took pics with her.

Caroline Munro and Pirita / 007 Travelers

Mika / 007 Travelers and Caroline Munro

Then we moved ahead and we had also a present to Martine Beswick, who has been in two 007 films. She was Paula Caplan in "Thunderball" (1965) and a gypsy dancer Zora in "From Russia with Love" (1963). Martine told us that she had visited Helsinki, Finland once and she would love to come back one day. We also bought her picture with autograph and took photos with her too.

Martine Beswick and Pirita / 007 Travelers

Mika / 007 Travelers and Martine Beswick

There was still one Bond girl to see... little more unknown to the Bond world... Caron Gardner had just a minor role in one of Pussy Galore's Flying Circus pilots in "Goldfinger" (1964), but she had also appeared in four episodes of "The Saint" series with Roger Moore and starred also in many other movies. Caron said to Pirita that she has a lovely hair. We also got her autograph with photos.

Caron Gardner and Pirita / 007 Travelers

Mika / 007 Travelers and Caron Gardner

There was plenty of people selling different kind of items, like posters, books, albums etc. and there were many other film stars as guests selling their autographs and saying hello to their fans.

See more 007 EVENTS here

007 Item: Photo of Martine Beswick (Paula Caplan and Zora) with autograph and dedication

007 Item: Photo of Martine Beswick (Paula Caplan and Zora) with autograph and dedication

Martine Beswick's autograph, dedicated to 007 Travelers.

She plays Bond girl Paula Caplan in "Thunderball" (1965) and Zora in "From Russia with Love" (1963).

Martine Beswick (Zora) and Sean Connery (James Bond)
in promoshot of "From Russia with Love" (1963)

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Bond girl: Paula Caplan

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Paula Caplan
007 Film: Thunderball (1965)

Actress: Martine Beswick

Bond connection: When Bond journeys to Nassau to make progress on the operation Thunderball, he is partnered with local Bahamian MI6 contact Paula Caplan. Together they pose as a couple to first make contact with Domino Derval, the sister of François unaware of his recent death. Watching Bond flirt with Domino in the sea, Caplan plays him at his own game, flirting with him when he rejoins her on their boat.

Pretending that their motor has broke, Caplan offers to wait for the service boat while Bond gets a lift back to shore from Domino in her boat as he has an important meeting to attend. Bond and Caplan part ways while still undercover.

After several days working in the MI6 bunker with Bond, Felix Leiter and fellow contact Pinder, Caplan plans to rendezvous at Bond’s hotel with the pictures taken from Emilio Largo’s boat.

Waiting for Bond with the photographs and seemingly dressed for a dinner date, Caplan is surprised when Fiona Volpe arrives instead claiming to have a date that evening with Bond too. When a knock is heard in the connecting room, Caplan goes to open the door, expecting Bond, only to be shocked when henchmen working for Largo and Volpe barge in and hold her to the bed. Caplan tries to break free from the men but has no luck and is subsequently kidnapped by them and taken to Largo’s estate.

After Bond breaks into Largo’s estate, he finds Caplan dead; committing suicide so that she doesn't end up being tortured for information, plus leaking information.

See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here