Morzeny, played by actor Walter Gotell who would later play General Gogol of the KGB in six Bond films, is the director of the training centre on SPECTRE Island in From Russia with Love. His stylish black costume for touring Rosa Klebb around his facility gives him a classically villainous and menacing look as well as one that shows he is ready for action. Compared to Blofeld, who sits behind a desk in a suit and tie, Morzeny shows a more involved type of leadership.
Morzeny wears a black leather pea coat to set him apart from the others working on SPECTRE Island in shirt sleeves. The coat has a classic button-three show-three front, plus it has two buttons high on the chest for fastening the revers in place. It has an ulster collar that can be fastened all the way to the top. Unlike a typical pea coat that has slash pockets to use for hand-warming, this jacket has straight, flap pockets like a suit jacket.
From the rear shots it looks like there are double vents, but it is difficult to tell for sure. Because the belt pinches in the rear at the waist, the skirt bunches and flares at the sides and centre back.
Morzeny wears the jacket closed with a belt but leaves it unbuttoned except for buttoning down the revers. It would appear that the costume department could not source this jacket in his size, hence not being able to button it. The shoulders also look too narrow and the length looks too short. While it would have looked better had it fit him, the statement of this jacket was more important than it fitting him.
He wears a black leather utility belt around his waist, but it’s most likely not attached to the jacket. He wears it both to close his too-small jacket as well as to strap on his holster. The belt has a brass plaque buckle with a motif of a Soviet Star with a hammer and sickle. The character is not supposed to be Soviet, but like Klebb he is likely former Soviet military or KGB and may still use it as a cover.
Under the pea coat, Morzeny wears a thin black roll neck, probably in merino wool. It’s a practical garment that again shows he’s an active director and not someone who merely stands around giving order. His minions on SPECTRE Island wear similar shirts with a very short mock neck.
Like everyone else on SPECTRE Island, Morzeny wears black trousers. They are likely made out of cotton drill, a tough and substantial material.
He wears his trousers tucked into his approximately 8-inch black leather boots, which is another sign that he’s not afraid to get himself dirty. The boots slip on and have a rounded toe and a pull tab at the back. These boots are possibly the same ones with the retractable poison-tipped dagger that he wears later in the film to kill SPECTRE Agent Kronsteen.
Very menacing attire for a villain. Morzeny’s outfit would seem very uncomfortable on an island. However, this attire signifies his deadly side. Unlike Kronsten magnificent chess skill, Morzeny skills belong to killing.
As you stated Matt, this attire is a good costume. I would prefer if he could button the pea coat, instead of the belt.
I have a question regarding the boots. Do you know what the name of theses type boots would be considered?
LOL. So Craig wasn’t the only one with ill-fitting clothes in the franchise. I agree that Morzeny’s look is menacing enough, suitable for a villain. Later on, Gotell switched to trenchcoats as Gogol.
Very nice for the costume of a villian. I don’t have much of a problem with this outfit besides the belt being worn over the coat the that. I know that it is there to support the holster for his gun but I am just not a fan. I guess it is good for the character in the film.
I like this outfit although not the perfect fit as you mention. The overall impression of his menacing clothing is really great I think in one of the best Bond movies.
This actor didn’t had a very flattering physique and yet the outfit here is both doing the job -menacing- and flattering to him. Well done. It’s a case where a slightly too small peacoat can work and be flattering… contrary to Craig’s outfit in Skyfall (ok ahah I am pretty partial here it’s probably the outfit I dislike the most regarding Craig’s era) !
I completely agree with Tredstone as usual, although the QOS suits as well as the Brioni lounge suits in CR had the small and easily removable defect of being a bit too long.
But the TF shape and waist suppression worked perfectly for Craig’s physique. And the TF suit jackets had the perfect back length too.
Walter Gotell was the same height as Connery, yet they seemed to have trouble fitting him between this and the too-short duffle coat from later in the film! Of course, it helped Connery to have bespoke clothing.
They could only afford to dress one actor with Connery’s body type!
Is it true that men were generally shorter 60 years ago? That might have something to do with it. We’re still not quite there though. I have trouble finding off the rack clothing for some of my 6’4 and over customers.
I never realized this was General Gogol! I wonder why the Bond series has so many examples of bring back actors to play different characters (Walter Gotell, Charles Gray, Maud Adams, Joe Don Baker, ect.)
It seemed like there was a small and exclusive community of actors in England back then.
Yeah we’ve discussed before about The Saint. For a while they were showing re-runs on the MeTV channel here in America and I saw quite a few of them for the first time since I was a very young boy. Not only are many actors and actresses re used in different roles throughout the series, but there are many, many actors and actresses who appear in the Bond series.
Yeah T’is a pity some of my favorite actresses (Suzanne Lloyd, Sue Lloyd, Justine Lord, Jane Asher) from the Saint, the Prisoner and the Avengers never made it to the Bond Series. But on the other hand, Dame Diana Rigg, Shirley Eaton, Eunice Gayson and Honor Blackman did!
Alexandra Bastedo from The Champions – The best ‘Bond Girl’ that never was! I loved that show as a kid and any reruns have eluded me but I clearly remember Stewart Damon wearing a series of very cool sharkskin suits and that was long before I discovered my Mod leanings!
Alexandra Bastedo is fantastic! She makes a great guest appearance in the Counterfeit Countess episode of the Saint.
One of the best Bond movies, especially the first half. I wonder how many people actually dressed like that during the time. It’s obviously reminiscent of Nazi Germany, but doesn’t strike me as Soviet.
I recall some historical photos of NKVD officers wearing them. I could be wrong, though. The Bolsheviks dressed suspiciously like the Nazis, for what it’s worth.
I don’t think there’s much to analyze there. Authoritarian/far right/fascist government uniforms shared a lot in common during the 20th century.
With the jacket pulled out across his chest like that, plus the belt, I always thought it was single breasted. Like a Belstaff style trial jacket, but with an Ulster collar instead of the standing collar.