November 22, 2002

Miami University defeats Pittsburgh University, 28-21, to maintain undefeated 10-0 record; photos (M)

Pierce Brosnan may have arrived too late in the game to be the definitive James Bond, but he is by far the most sympathetic. His 007, in addition to the expected suavity and wit, also expresses fear, pain, indecision and longing. The credit sequence, in which Bond is beaten and tortured in a North Korean prison, is groundbreaking — one of the very few times the series has acknowledged its hero's vulnerability. And this makes his ultimate triumph, over a convoluted and sinister scheme involving diamonds, DNA and weather-altering satellites, all the more satisfying. Lee Tamahori is not a natural action director, especially in the large-scale chase and shootout sequences, and the climax, aboard a flaming jetliner, is more numbing than thrilling. Still, his intelligent approach to the characters makes this the best Bond picture in quite some time. — A. O. Scott

Interview with Japanese economy minister, Heizo Takenaka, on problems with Japan's banks; he softens statements he made months ago about need for major reforms, saying that banks are basically healthy, but need help to regain their vigor; he notes that stock market may be trading near 19-year low, but argues that financial catastrophe is nowhere in sight; government and investors continue to wrestle with quandary of how to overhaul banking system that is thickly enmeshed in fortunes of ruling party; photo (M)

National Hockey League games have been shortened due to implementation of rules limiting time in between plays; photo (M)

Article on how Madison Avenue, whose television ads have helped turn some prescription drugs into billion-dollar products, is expanding role in drug development; lastest example is pain drug Bextra, sales of which soared sixty percent in three months after American Dental Assn journal published study showing it offered relief after dental surgery; federal regulators had rejected that conclusion six months earlier, leaving Pharmacia and Pfizer hard-pressed to market drug until more positive report came out; problem is that report came from Scirex, little-known research firm owned partly by Omnicom, one of world's largest ad companies; Omnicom, Interpublic and WPP have invested tens of millions of dollars in companies that perform clinical drug trials; critics like Dr Arnold S Relman and Dr Thomas Bodenheimer say it becomes impossible to separate marketing from science, while ad executives say intention is to direct research toward potential big sellers; federal law bars promotion of drugs before FDA aproval, but published research and medical education are exempt, and doctors may prescribe drugs for any purpose; Linda Logdberg, Lenard I Lesser and other industry critics also comment; photos; graph on sharp rise in drug-promotion spending (L)