29 Apr 2014

Bratislava Safe House

Just before the concert interval in The Living Daylights, Bond and Saunders leave and head across the street to an apartment. Saunders has been informed that a sniper has been assigned to watch over General Koskov and Bond is brought in to make sure that the general's defection over to the west will be safe. They hide behind the hammer and sickle on the balcony on the third floor.


The Mi6 safe house is located just opposite the Volksoper on Währinger Strasse in central Vienna, doubling for Bratislava in the film. The corner shop where Bond and Saunders enter is in reality a candy shop run by an old lady which is well worth a visit. Bond and Saunders are entering the place which has been closed with metal shutters in the film. The red "Bonbons" sign is the same as in the film.
            "-You want the soft nosed ones I expect? 
-No, steel tipped. KGB snipers usually wears body armour."
                             -Saunders and Bond-



In the film, the sign above the door reads 'KSS Agitačné Stredisko'. The KSS was the Communist Party of Slovakia, which was a branch of the state Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) at the time. 'Agitačné Stredisko' means ''Agitation Center''. Apparently Mi6 has disguised their safe house as one of the Slovakian Communist Party headquarters. Furthermore, the street is called 'Ulica Cervenej' which appropriately means "Red Street" in Slovak.


From the balcony Bond and Saunders have a clear view over the conservatoire. Saunders observes the general coming out through the window in the bathroom. In reality this window is located in the cloakroom.


Kara is positioned on the third floor as well, aiming her rifle at Koskov when Bond shoots the rifle out of her hands.

                            "Fire Bond, fire!"

The view from Kara's window. 


Today the candy shop has a few pictures of Dalton on display in the window, of which two were taken of Dalton inside the shop during filming.







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