Post #312907 by The Gnomon on Thu, Jun 14, 2007 12:27 PM

Although I, too, have a fondness for the Sean Connery Bond, I have an infinitely greater fondness for Ian Fleming. Around the time that You Only Live Twice was coming out, I had started reading the books. I read them all before most of the movies were made and, as is often the case with movies based on books, I preferred the book versions. I consider Octopussy to be a hybrid as Fleming died before he finished it. James Lawrence picked up where Fleming left off and completed the work.

Probably the main reason that I preferred the books in the case of Bond was that Fleming's tales were based to a considerable degree on his experience in British Naval Intelligence. So many of his fictional characters, places, and schemes were taken from real life characters, places, and schemes. As the Bond film productions became increasingly unrealistic, the Fleming connection within them faded.

As for Roger Moore, I both liked and disliked his portrayals, however, I do not really blame him for the shortcomings reflected on the silver screen. You see, when Fleming sold the movie rights to Harry Saltzman, he already knew who he wanted to play Bond. If I recall (from accounts in the 60s), Fleming had two luminaries in mind David Niven and Roger Moore.

I'm not sure which or the two was his first choice. He probably could have gone either way. Both were suave, debonair and had savoir-faire. Niven was a more widely known headliner at the time. Moore physically looked quite a bit like Fleming, who of course, was the real Bond.

But Saltzman and his co-producer Cubby Broccoli wanted, insisted upon, and got Sean Connery. By the time that Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger came out, I don't think the public had any clue that Connery was not the first choice. Can't blame Connery. Plus, I'm a big enough Connery fan (from Darby O'Gill and the Little People to Time Bandits to Entrapment...).

The fact that David Niven was one of Fleming's top choices to play Bond gives at least some redeeming quality (however miniscule) to the first Casino Royale. David Niven was one of the Bonds.

The fact that Roger Moore was corny, had ridiculous gadgets, and even more ridiculous storylines didn't make the transition from "household Bond" Connery to some guy that nobody knew actually looked like the real Bond (Fleming) and was one of Fleming's top choices. Moore came across very well in The Saint. It's the studio that we have to credit with the circus act that the Bond films became.

Well, those are my twopence.

[ Edited by: The Gnomon 2007-06-14 12:28 ]