18 replies to this topic

[Tanger]

I was thinking about this the other day; how great it would have been if the '67 version of Casino Royale had been played straight instead of as a spoof. It then got me wondering, if i was Charles K. Feldman, what would I have done?

So, I put this question to you - it's 1967. You're Charles K. Feldman. You have the rights to adapt the novel Casino Royale. What do you do?


I for one would have played the film as straight as possible, made something that the true Bond fans would have enjoyed, rather than something that would attempt to destroy Bond. Whilst not being entirely faithful, it would certainly be more in the spirit of the novel.

I like the idea of having Bond in retirement so I would keep that. The story would open with M going to see Bond and trying to coax him into returning for one last mission. Bond declines but as M is leaving Bond's home, an attempt is made on Bond's life and M is assassinated. Bond manages to kill the assassin.

At this point Bond then becomes the head of the SIS, effectively the new M. Knowing that he is too old to take on the mission, he recrutes a younger agent to take on SMERSH and Le Chiffre. This agent is given the codename James Bond 007 - and is played by Terence Cooper naturally.

The rest of the film would have played out pretty much like the book with a few of the ideas that were eventually in the 67 film. Evelyn Tremble I probably would have left in, although with a different name perhaps, and he could be used to train the new Bond in Baccarrat.

Bond then heads to Royale Les Eaux and meets up with Vesper Lynd (who is not a double agent) and Felix Leiter who will assist him in the mission. He meets Le Chiffre across the table and the card games play out as they do in the novel. Bond wins and then decides to celebrate with Vesper.

As in the novel, she is called away and kidnapped by Le Chiffre and his goons who Bond then tails, crashing the Bentley, loaned to him by the original Bond for the mission. He is captured by Le Chiffre.

Now, obviously the torture sequence couldn't have played out as it was in the novel. What I would probably do here, like they did do in the '67 film, is reference the scene by having the carpet beater present, but perhaps make it seem that this is to come later. So, there are effectively levels of torture. Bond could perhaps have his toes pliered, a reference to the '54 version, be beaten, etc.. but before Le Chiffre can use the carpet beater, he is assassinated by a SMERSH agent. Bond is then scarred on the hand and his ties loosened by the agent so that he can escape.

Bond and Vesper then enjoy a much needed holiday.


The reason I probably wouldn't have used the novel ending is that, although I wanted to remain faithful to the spirit of the novel, it would probably feel too dark at that time, when compared with the official Bond movies. That's why I'd probably go for the cliched ending that everyone knows.

[Pussfeller]

If I had been in charge, I would have created a very faithful adaptation. I'd try to "outbond" the official franchise, who were in the campy throes of Bondmania. I'd create a low-FX, character-centered drama.

[tdalton]

If I had been in charge, I would have created a very faithful adaptation. I'd try to "outbond" the official franchise, who were in the campy throes of Bondmania. I'd create a low-FX, character-centered drama.

That's what I would have done. Tried to completely out-perform the official franchise in every way possible by creating a very faithful version of CR, while still expanding the storyline enough to rival what EON was doing with Bond at the time.

[TheSaint]

I doubt Feldman could've outdone Eon but, if I were him, I would try to, at least, match what they were doing. I wouldn't do a retired Bond, though. If the filming of CR '67 coincided with his break from filming The Saint, I would ask Roger if he were interested. Not sure if his doing my Bond film would screw his future opportunity.

If I did do retired Bond, I'd cast Cary Grant.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I would do a faithful adaptation of the novel but make it Bond's first double-oh mission. (Since it is not affiliated with EON, I could afford to have a somewhat inexperienced 007 and have a tagline along the lines of "See how Bond became 007.")

I would have tried to cast Sean Connery or Roger Moore as Bond, but seeing as how they likely either wouldn't do it or couldn't do it, I probably would have went after Christopher Plummer or Rod Taylor next. For Le Chiffre, I probably would have tried to cast Orson Welles or maybe even Anthony Quinn. And for Vesper Lynd, I would have tried to get Catherine Deneuve with Julie Christie being a possible second choice.

[Tinfinger]

I would have got Elvis Presley, Ursula Andress, and Frankie Avalon and made a full fledged musical

[krypt]

I would have had made sure Peter Sellers had many more scenes ... !

And more celebrity cameos!

Edited by krypt, 18 April 2006 - 12:09 AM.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I would have had made sure Peter Sellers had many more scenes ... !

As he called in "sick" during production I can't see that happening in any way.

EDIT: Unless Orson Wells wasn't in it.

[Gabriel]

I'd have kept it as a very straightforward adaptation. I'd have given Connery the money to play the role, as his name would pretty much guarantee the megabucks. I'd start the film with Bond out on a mission, working undercover and not include any appearances by M, Q, Moneypenny etc. I would have written in Bill Tanner as his field contact with London and cast Jack Lord as Felix, whom Bond would already know.

Imagine, with the ending of Casino Royale being kept intact in 1967, Eon's plans for OHMSS would have been in chaos. Joe Public wouldn't be particularly aware of who Eon were and would be thinking of Casino Royale as the most recent film. Bond would have been utterly screwed up at the end of CR, played by the regular actor, so OHMSS would end up looking like a copy!

[Mister Asterix]

I would have Sold the rights to Danjaq.

[Fro]

I'd cough up the big bucks to get this together. Surely this wouldn't run over what the budget was for the spoof mess and would make a lot of money since Connery would be Bond.

Casino Royale:
Starring Sean Connery - James Bond ($1 million is peanuts considering how much "Thunderball" grossed)
Orson Welles - LeChiffre
Diana Rigg - Vesper Lynd
Jack Lord - Felix Leiter
Some Good French Actor - Rene Mathis

Screenplay adapted by Ernest Lehman
Composed by Bernard Herrmann
Theme Song - "The Look of Love" (Bacharach/David) performed by Dusty Springfield
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock brings his regular crew of folks to work the film

I'd try to get Bernard Lee as M if that was possible, otherwise M would just be referenced in the script. No Moneypenny or Q.

Fairly serious adaptation of the novel, with a bit of action/storyline expansion (a big setpiece at some point). But you wouldn't need a lot since the writing/direction are so solid here.

[TheSaint]

Some Good French Actor - Rene Mathis

How about Jean Paul Belmondo?

[Live&LetDie007]

I had actually reedited the original CR on my computer to make it a more comprehensible film, and related to the EON films, complete with gunbarrel, and James Bond music. Most of the more idiotic scenes were completely deleted, parts were rearranged, and it had a pretitle sequence. Unfortunately, it was deleted from my PC...



BTW, in retrospect, Peter Sellers looks more like Bond than Daniel Craig.

Edited by Live&LetDie007, 05 May 2006 - 03:29 AM.

[mtonline]

i dunno if this has been mentioned yet, but they wanted Connery to play bond, but when EON declined, they realised that they couldnt compete with a str8 bond, so they made a spoof.

M_T

[JimmyBond]

i dunno if this has been mentioned yet, but they wanted Connery to play bond, but when EON declined, they realised that they couldnt compete with a str8 bond, so they made a spoof.

M_T

Hasnt been mentioned in this thread, but I think any Bond fan worth their salt knows this bit of info

[Fro]

Apparently Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell did "OK Connery" in Italy in 1967, so they certainly would have been available to be in Casino Royale if they were willing to appear in that garbage.

So add them to my cast list above. No Q since he doesn't appear in the book.

[DLibrasnow]

I was thinking about this the other day; how great it would have been if the '67 version of Casino Royale had been played straight instead of as a spoof. It then got me wondering, if i was Charles K. Feldman, what would I have done?

So, I put this question to you - it's 1967. You're Charles K. Feldman. You have the rights to adapt the novel Casino Royale. What do you do?

I would have done what he did do.
The 1967 movie of CASINO ROYALE would have been a great movie, a truly funny comedy if Peter Sellars had not walked out in the middle of it.
As we all know Sellars felt cheated when he saw the dailies from his scenes with Orson Welles and refused to finish the movie.
That left the producers with a bit of a quandry, what to do with less than half a movie in the can. The solution they came up with was a disasterous one.

[Hitchcock Bond]

It would have been difficult to return to a more straightforward spy thriller after the success of GF and TB. CR would have to be made on a large scale involving more locations than just Britain and France. I also would change some of the characters. I would make Mathis a woman (similarly to the 1954 TV show). Also I wouldn

[Jimmy Bond 83]

I'd cough up the big bucks to get this together. Surely this wouldn't run over what the budget was for the spoof mess and would make a lot of money since Connery would be Bond.

Casino Royale:
Starring Sean Connery - James Bond ($1 million is peanuts considering how much "Thunderball" grossed)
Orson Welles - LeChiffre
Diana Rigg - Vesper Lynd
Jack Lord - Felix Leiter
Some Good French Actor - Rene Mathis

Screenplay adapted by Ernest Lehman
Composed by Bernard Herrmann
Theme Song - "The Look of Love" (Bacharach/David) performed by Dusty Springfield
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock brings his regular crew of folks to work the film

I'd try to get Bernard Lee as M if that was possible, otherwise M would just be referenced in the script. No Moneypenny or Q.

Fairly serious adaptation of the novel, with a bit of action/storyline expansion (a big setpiece at some point). But you wouldn't need a lot since the writing/direction are so solid here.

Excellent Fro! I see this film happening, very much.

However, I'd have Trevor Howard as M. And he would not be the same M as Bernard Lee's M. He'd be like the book's, although a little more tough. And Diana Rigg... No. I'd say, Briggitte Bardot for Vesper. She'd be very sexy, indeed...

The film would be made in 1967, and released in 1968. It'd come right after YOLT, Connery's fifth Bond with EON. Feldman pay him the million, and on with the above cast/crew. The film would be a straight adaptation as much as possible. Connery himself would add script changes to match his characteristics to the story. The film would play with a rookie Bond. Despite Connery's obvious older looks in YOLT, he'd purposely loose weight and be more fit and do the film, nonetheless, as a Bond who, like the novel, was just made into a 00'.

Since this ain't an EON Bond, no gunbarell and title sequences. However, if filmed as proposed by Fro and me, the film would serve as a prequel to the EON Bonds, since Bonds a rookie, the EON characteristics wouldn't appear until DR. NO, and DR. NO would serve as a nice continuation and re-introduction of the character.

CR forces EON to make OHMSS the way it is made, with Lazenby. Its exactly the same, really. OHMSS fails anyway, and producers ask for Connery back for his seventh role as Bond. Its DAF, as its first hour as is, an enjoyable camp take on Bond. Once Blofeld re-appears (and its Telly Savalas this time), the tone of the film becomes darker. Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd kill Tiffany Case, angering Bond (not knowing its Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd). Just as Bond and Blofeld meet, Bond escapes and seeks Draco's help to catch Blofeld and expose his Willard Whyte scheme. Draco is unsympathetic to Bond, whom he blames for Tracy's death. Finally, Draco pulls his resources, while Bond fools around with Draco's niece, who works for WW. In the end, the diamonds Blofeld gathered are used for the same reason they're used for the film, and the finale doesn't happen in an oil rigg. It happens in Paris, in Eiffel Tower, which Blofeld "bought" with the remains of SPECTRE's bank account. MI6 actually supports Bond to avenge Blofeld, despite objections with Her Majesty's government. Bond and Draco and his men ambush Blofeld. Draco and Blofeld face off, and Blofeld kills Draco. A huge finale happens in Eiffel Tower and Blofeld escapes in a similar way May Day escaped in AVTAK. However, as it begins to rain, Bond chases Blofeld atop a horse and finally catches Blofeld in a dead end. Blofeld can't escape and Bond holds his gun and is ready to kill Blofeld. Blofeld says he can't kill an unarmed man. Bond says "I'm a professional. And I have a licence to kill," and shoots Blofeld on the stomach, his hands, his legs and his head, finally. "For Tracy..." he says.

The end is exactly like DAF's, except Bond is more moody. He thinks of Tracy and Draco and his overall attitude to the whole affair. Still, Draco's niece has the line that says "How the hell are we gonna get those diamonds down here?"

And so, ends Connery's tenure as Bond. He declines any involvement in McClory's Warhead, because he's quite satisfied by his performances as Bond and doesn't wish to "screw em" up.

Wow, I got away from CR a bit, didn't I? But my point is, seeing how Connery wanted a more serious Bond and his performance as Bond to be more challenging, the producers would've had as such with DAF, which would be quite darker than before.

Imagine this: DR. NO, FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT, CR-that-fits-as-a-prequel, and a darker DAF. Wouldn't it be perfect?