“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.