Alternate Takes 11.15.08: Quantum of Solace

Posted by Shawn S. Lealos on 11.15.2008

On the heels of the second Daniel Craig Bond film, Alternate Takes looks at the five men who previously portrayed the super spy, from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan.




Hello and welcome to Week 29 of Alternate Takes. My name is Shawn S. Lealos.

I'm just going to get straight to the column this week. It's a long one, so grab some soda and popcorn and kick back...

And here .. we .. go ...


QUANTUM OF SOLACE



Directed by Marc Forster
Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Artertin

When Daniel Craig was signed to take over the role of James Bond, lots of people bitched and moaned about giving the role to a blonde. The website danielcraigisnotbond.com was opened and people had a place to go and complain about the newest casting for Agent 007. Well, Casino Royale came out, kicked all kinds of butt, and reinvigorated a franchise that had become a slight joke over the last couple of installments. Now, that is not to say that Die Another Day was a failure. It was one of the most successful James Bond movies ever made, but the movie was a bit too much and went to places that seemed more ridiculous than the campy Bond we all loved. However, Pierce Brosnan was not to blame and remains one of the best Bond's to take his martini shaken, not stirred. In this week's Alternate Takes, we are going to look at the five men to portray James Bond and a selected movie from each of these actors.





Five Alternate Takes

DR. NO (1962)

Directed by Terence Young
Cast: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, John Kitzmiller, Zena Marshall, Anthony Dawson

When searching for the first James Bond, a number of big name Hollywood actors were given the opportunity. The Bond series of novels were not that widely known and producers felt they needed a star to sell the film. Cary Grant was approached, only to turn the role down. James Mason, David Nivel and Richard Johnson were also offered the role but it finally went to a young 31-year old Scottish actor named Sean Connery. Connery would go on to star in six James Bond films (not including the unofficial adaptation Never Say Never Again). He would retire from the role and be replaced by George Lazenby, but then be enticed back for one more film before stating he was now rich enough to never have to play the role again.

While Dr. No is not the best James Bond film, and probably ranks third on fan's list of Connery's contributions to the franchise, I want to talk about it because it is the one that started it all. From the first time we see Bond at the poker table, we know he is a hero we will follow to the end. His first words, "Bond... James Bond" are a thing of legend and Connery's portrayal defined what the character should be from there out. It is because of his portrayal that George Lazenby never seemed charismatic enough, Roger Moore never seemed dangerous enough and Timothy Dalton never seemed like James Bond at all. Sean Connery took this movie and cemented the idea of what it meant to be James Bond.

Joseph Wiseman was cast as the evil Dr. No and the seeds of what it took to be a Bond villain were planted. While Blofeld would perfect the prototype for the over-zealous madman intent on taking over the world, Dr. No is where the ideal began. His hands, lost in a radiation incident years before, have been replaced by powerful prosthetic hands which can crush metal with ease. Such an idea would be copied with everything from the steel teeth of Jaws and a powerful metal pincer hand for Tee Hee. Finally, the sight of Honey Ryder (Ursula Andrews) walking out of the water is one of the most iconic scenes to come from a James Bond film.

The story is simple. Dr. No is a scientific genius intent on getting revenge against the Western world by disrupting rocket launches at Cape Canaveral. That is about all that is known about his plans and nothing seems that evil or damaging, but Dr. No works for the evil SPECTRE organization that Blofeld also belongs to leaving a lot left unsaid in this film. The plot is slow moving but displays much of what would come in later installments. What makes it work so well is Connery's handling of 007. The film is more a detective film than a 007 movie but it is a sharp story with the greatest Bond of them all. Sean Connery set a standard that has proven impossible for anyone following him to match.


"World domination. The same old dream. Our asylums are full of people who think they're Naploeon. Or God."


IN HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969)

Directed by Peter Hunt
Cast: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Ilse Steppat, Lois Maxwell, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Gabriele Ferzetti

Sean Connery opted out of continuing his portrayal of James Bond and Australian actor George Lazenby stepped in to the role. Much has been said about the controversy surrounding his only appearance as 007. His main claim to fame was as a male model, at the time the highest paid in the world. When he came aboard, the director decided to use a different actor to dub the lines when he is undercover as Sir Hilary Bray. It is said his agent advised him to refuse a seven-picture deal to play Bond and this would be his only opportunity as Connery would return for the next installment. I couldn't seem to get past the fact that Lazenby looks like the love child of Bruce Campbell and Steve Carell. Let's see if I can watch the Get Smart movie and not think of George Lazenby now.

The movie is very important in the Bond mythos and is mentioned in future films in the series. The reason for this is the movie is one of the most loyal to the source material. Almost everything that happens in Fleming's novel, which was written while Dr. No was being filmed, happens in the movie. The film begins with James Bond saving the beautiful Tracy Di Vicenzo (Rigg), the daughter of a wealthy criminal, from drowning. After saving her once again, he catches the eye of her father Draco and the two develop a relationship based on their hatred of Blofeld. When Bond is removed from the Blofeld case by Her Majesty's Secret Service, he gives his resignation and instead receives a leave of absence (thanks to Miss Moneypenny). While on leave, he teams with Draco and sets out to finally bring down Blofeld.

One thing that stood out to me was the editing on this movie. I felt the editing was choppy, disorganized and lacking. People who complained about the green screen work in Die Another Day need to see this movie. The only consolation is that a movie made in 2002 should not have the same problems as one made in 1969. The skiing scenes are just as bad, and sometimes worse in this movie than the surfing scenes in the later one. The rear projection out of the car's back window was horrible during car chases. I understand it is a movie that was made in 1969, but if you can't make it look good, find another way to shoot it.

Despite all the criticisms, there is a lot to like about this movie. Lazenby is not the worst choice to play Bond. He is a bit happier in this film than in others in the series but still maintains a hint of the danger that Connery displayed before him. I think he actually feels more like James Bond than Timothy Dalton did, although Dalton is clearly a better actor. The story is what makes this movie a worthwhile addition to the series. I have heard it suggested the movie would have been a perfect Bond film if Connery had played the role. On its own I still consider it a great 007 adventure. First, we have a great performance from Telly Savalis (Kojak) as Blofeld. We have a great Bond girl in Tracy. Finally, we have one of the best endings to a Bond movie I have ever seen. Maybe it's my preference to the Empire Strikes Back type ending over the Star Wars type ending, but the finale left me in awe. The final lines James Bond speaks sets up the character for the direction he should have gone from here out. The ending alone makes this a favorite and one of the bravest James Bond movies until Casino Royal.


"It's all right. It's quite all right, really. She's having a rest. We'll be going on soon. There's no hurry, you see. We have all the time in the world."


FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981)

Directed by John Glen
Cast: Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Topol, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Julian Glover, Cassandra Harris, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn

Roger Moore had made a living as the suave, yet aloof 007 since taking over in 1973's Live and Let Die. One need look no further than that film, with its supernatural slant, voodoo rituals and final shot of the voodoo priest sitting on the front of the train laughing into the camera to know what you were going to get with the new James Bond. Moore would carry the torch of James Bond longer than any other actor, matching Connery's seven films, but spanning twelve years. Moore never had Connery's dangerous gravitas but fit nicely into the campy attitude the series was taking. I never could see Sean Connery floating in a space station shooting laser pistols, but it seems to fit Roger Moore's character. However, after that outlandish over-the-top gadget filled installment of the 007 franchise, it was time to bring the entire world of Bond crashing back down to Earth.

Out were the crazy locals and outlandish weapons and in was a very dark, personal story. If you think that sounds like Casino Royale, following Die Another Day, you would be right. In a nice touch, the movie reminds viewers that Bond was once married, and the woman is now dead, as Bond visits her grave. This is followed by a strange sequence where Bond finally kills the man who murdered his wife, although thanks to an ongoing lawsuit, they were not allowed to use the name Blofeld and only showed his bald head and cat. The sequence would have nothing to do with the rest of the movie and in interviews with the producers was said to be a way to prove to everyone Blofeld was not needed to continue the franchise.

The movie is then set up to be nothing more than a series of chases as Bond is sent by M to recover an ATAC sunk into the sea after an explosion. He is hunted by rival government agents who also want the weapon for themselves. There are three Bond girls in this installment - the resourceful Melina Havelock (Bouquet), a high society Countess (played by Pierce Brosnan's late wife Cassandra Harris), and a young impressionable girl named Bibi Dahl (Johnson). The bad guy is not an evil tyrant like Blofeld or Dr. No but is instead a businessman with only thoughts of money in mind.

The movie is Roger Moore's darkest turn as Bond. There are still the head turns and double entendres, but there is also a new sense of danger that had not been seen since Sean Connery donned the 007 moniker. There is one scene in particular where one of the henchmen is trapped in a car on the side of a cliff and Bond shows no mercy, kicking the car off the cliff. It is a moment that changed the course of James Bond and was something Pierce Brosnan built on and Daniel Craig accepted wholeheartedly. It is, by far, the most mature Roger Moore Bond film and a great addition to the catalogue.


"Now put your clothes back on, and I'll buy you an ice cream."


LICENSE TO KILL (1989)

Directed by John Glen
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto, David Hedison, Wayne Newton, Benicio Del Toro, Frank McRae, Priscilla Barnes, Robert Brown, Desmond Llewelyn

Following Roger Moore's retirement, Timothy Dalton signed a three film contract (with an option for a fourth) to step into the shoes of 007. Dalton had made his film debut in the 1968 in The Lion in Winter. That same year, producer Albert Broccoli asked him if he would be interested in taking over for Sean Connery in the Bond franchise. He turned it down leading to the one shot appearance of George Lazenby. They also approached him in the late 70s but he rejected them based on his displeasure with the direction they were taking the character. In 1986 they once again offered him the role, this time as a replacement for Moore. He once again turned down the role because he was already committed to another movie. This led producers to screen test Sam Neil and Pierce Brosnan and by the time they had finished these tests, Dalton was available once again. He would only work in two of the movies he was signed for before a long legal battle postponed the third movie for almost six years. His contract had expired and he stepped down, ending his run as James Bond.

License to Kill is the second Dalton Bond movie and I never really got the feeling that he was James Bond. He lacked both the suave demeanor of Roger Moore and the dangerous underbelly of Sean Connery. Replacing him with Pierce Brosnan was a great move, in my opinion, because Brosnan exemplified what it meant to be James Bond. License to Kill was also the movie that felt least like a James Bond film. The reason is due to the fact that Bond left Her Majesty's Service and went rogue with only one goal: revenge. Sanchez (Davi) is a drug lord, a man who controls the very country he is based in and has remained almost untouchable to authorities for years. Early on he feeds James Bond's best friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter (Hedison) to the sharks. Leiter loses a leg to the sharks but, more horrifically, his new bride is shot and killed. When M (Brown) tells Bond he is not allowed to seek out vengeance against Sanchez, Bond quits. His fellow agents open fire on him and he escapes and sets out to find the man who destroyed his friend's life.

Leiter should be a familiar name to fans of the franchise. Jack Lord originally played him in the very first Bond film, Dr. No. He would go on to appear in eight Bond films, portrayed by eight different actors. Quantum of Solace will see him again, the first time he will have the same actor play him twice. To jog your memory, he is the character played by Jeffrey Wright, the American agent who helped Bond during the poker games in Casino Royale.

There are a few things in the movie that remind you it is a James Bond film. The biggest addition is the expanded role of Q (Llewelyn). While most kids today know Q as former Monty Python member John Cleese, the man who played him in this film is who should be remembered as Q. Nothing against the rather brilliant Cleese, Desmond Llewelyn portrayed Q in seventeen James Bond movies over a period of thirty-six years. It would be in this movie that he appears closest to 007. While in most movies he shows a distaste for the agent, produced mostly on the way Bond treats his gadgets, in this movie he was used as an accomplice who helped Bond and seemed more human than almost any movie up to this time. The gadgets were all solid, including a gun that has to recognize Bond's hand print to fire. The Bond girls are the usual fare. Carey Lowell is Pam Bouvier, an ex-CIA Agent and Talisa Soto is Lupe Lamora, Sanchez's lover who finds herself in the arms of 007.

This Bond installment is much more violent and less escapist fare than many Bond films at this time. Dalton was not accepted by many fans as James Bond because of this change in tone. However, there is much to like about this movie. The chase scene with the gasoline tankers was thrilling and the final confrontation between Bond and Sanchez was great. Both girls carried their weight and were very good Bond fatales and Q was at his best in this film. Sanchez was a perfect villain, portrayed as loyal and dangerous, and proved the perfect antagonist to our hero. There is also a fantastic performance by a very young, very thin Benicio Del Toro. He carried off the attitude of a young Marlon Brando and it was clear he would go on to great things. I also have to add a wonderfully creepy performance by Wayne Newton. The film is full of these great performances and it is carried by all the exciting scenes you would expect from a James Bond film. I feel if Bond had been played by Brosnan in this film, it would be held in a higher light than it is. It is a solid action film, even if it is not a perfect James Bond adventure.


"I'll do anything for a woman with a knife."


GOLDENEYE (1995)

Directed by Martin Campbell
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janseen, Joe Don Baker, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Cumming, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond

Pierce Brosnan was offered the role of James Bond while visiting the set of For Your Eyes Only. His late wife, Cassandra Harris was one of the Bond girls in the movie and when producer Albert Broccoli saw him he knew that Brosnan would be his next Bond. However, due to the contractual obligations to his hit television show Remington Steele, Brosnan was not able to accept the role and it went instead to Timothy Dalton. When Dalton was unwilling to wait through a legal dispute over the franchise, they turned to Brosnan, who stepped into the role which fit him like an old suit. He would become the best cast Bond since Sean Connery and would hold the role until the recent reboot of the franchise.

When Pierce Brosnan came aboard, it was obvious the producers were moving James Bond into the real world. It was even verbally stated when the new M (Judi Dench) called Bond a dinosaur and a former 006 Agent (Sean Bean) said they had no place in the post cold war world. However, there was a new sense of excitement as Brosnan returned the character to the dangerous, suave demeanor of Sean Connery and helped create a world where Bond once again was a character who acted proactively instead of the reacting to danger character Roger Moore perfected.

The movie also gives us everything you love about James Bond movies, from the car chases to a wonderful chase through Russia as Bond commandeers a tank. The gadgets are there (including a useful little exploding pen). The over-the-top stunts are there including a ridiculous scene where Bond leaps over a cliff to catch a falling plane. The Bond girls are hit and miss, with Izabella Scorupco a bit over bearing but Famke Janssen magnificent as the bad girl who can crush a man between her thighs. Her facial expressions while getting beat up are brilliant. She might be one of the best bad girls in a Bond film.

Pierce Brosnan might be remembered as the actor who drove Bond into the ground, but that is unfair. I believe he is the best Bond outside of Sean Connery (although Daniel Craig may soon eclipse that - maybe) and the problems with his later output is not the fault of Brosnan but an overzealous writing and directing team. Forget Die Another Day and remember Brosnan for GoldenEye, one of the best Bond movies in recent times. It has a great 007, a solid villain in Sean Bean and never really steps over the line, remaining cool and daring but never ridiculous. It was the last great Bond film before Casino Royale.


"What, no small-talk? No chit-chat? That's the trouble with the world today. No one takes the time to do a really sinister interrogation anymore. It's a lost art."