Monday
I must admit that the stuff about the Russian poisoning story is reminding me of when the Cold War was pretty chilly. It is also, its perverse sort of way, a reminder of what the world was like when a former naval officer, journalist and stockbroker began to churn out thrillers at his Jamaican holiday home back in 1953. Casino Royale, the first and one of the best James Bond adventures has been turned into a film that yours truly will be seeing on Thursday night. I admit that when Daniel Craig was first cast in the role, I had my doubts, but the reviews so far have been mostly favourable. Craig, even though he looks like a well-groomed football hooligan, seems to have conveyed the darker side of Fleming's creation, showing that Bond is a bit more than a dude in a suit, as well as keep most of the bits that cinema viewers have come to expect, such as amazing stunts, special effects and the odd witty one-liner.
tdh, David Niven is an acting hero of mine - his memoirs are wonderful. But I don't see how he could have been much good as Bond. He was too nice, a bit too jolly, the sort of chap one might meet in the bar or a golf course. 007 was a harder nut.
Bring on the Empty Horses is one of the funniest books I have ever read.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at November 20, 2006 10:22 PM
Flemings For Your Eyes Only is an odd addition to his bibliography. Unlike the movie made from the title, it is a collection of short stories, not all of which have to do with espionage. One, Quantum of Solace, is a very good anecdote being told to Bond at a party in Jamaica, about a good Africa hand who eventually goes native, with difficult results for his unfaithful spouse. Like all good short stories, it is exactly as long as the plot will support, not a word more. Fleming had unexpected depths.
Posted by Petronius at November 20, 2006 10:45 PM
I was always under the impression that Ian Fleming actually wrote Bond with David Niven in mind to play the character. He knew Niven rather well, sharing the same club as him and serving in various intelligence arms at the same time (WW2) as Niven did.
Of course the original models for James Bond have always been reputed to be either William Stephenson, a.k.a "Intrepid", or the famous commando and Naval Intelligence officer Patrick Dalzel-Job.
Posted by Julian Taylor at November 20, 2006 11:57 PM
Its very good, Bond actually has some depth to him in this one. Prepare to wince lads, theres a sequence with a knotted rope and a seatless chair that'll make your eyes water.
Posted by mandrill at November 21, 2006 12:15 AM
Hello Julian, Amazing as Patrick Dalzel-Job was, to my knowledge Sir Fitzroy Hew Royle MacLean of Dunconnel, 1st Baronet of Strachur and Glensluain, best matches the character.
Posted by Wenley at November 21, 2006 12:52 AM
I liked it too.
Bond is back to being the hardass he was in the books. There is an early chase scene (not exactly a spoiler) that is the best I've seen in a Bond movie.
I was pleasently surprised. The scene with the rope was intense.
Posted by trainer at November 21, 2006 04:06 AM
Yes one of my heros too.
Niven did play Bond, but only in the rather naff comedy version of Casino Royale along with Woody Allen.
There were a lot of naff British comedies around at the time. What's new Pussycat springs to mind.
Posted by RAB at November 21, 2006 01:54 PM
The plot of the film is rubbish (although, I admit, Bond fans do not tend to care about plot) the usual Hollywood crap about a cartel of rich businessmen. At least in some of the older Bond films there was one businessman as bad guy - which meant (if he was played well) the film was at least entertaining.
The movie industry was normally too "progressive" to make communists the bad guys in the Cold War (in one of the last Bond films there was even a fluffy and patriotic North Korean general - it was just his greedy businessman son who was bad), and now it is too "progressive" to make Muslims the bad guys.
"But Muslims were not the bad guys at the time Casino Royale is set" - fine, in which case there should not be a "strong women" character in charge of an intelligence agency either.
Posted by Paul Marks at November 21, 2006 07:40 PM
