79 replies to this topic

[tim partridge]

Whoa,

My jaw has dropped:

CODENAME WILDGEESE


COMMANDO LEOPARD
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

THE COMMANDER
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related



These films predated the Brosnan era by a good ten years!

[Safari Suit]

These films predated the Brosnan era by a good ten years!

So did all films made or released in or around 1985

Seriously, are you joking or is there some kind of a BrozzaBond connection I'm missing. These look like fun Rambo cash-ins to me.

[tim partridge]

Collins' name was associated with 007 twice in the 80s (FYEO and TLD, I believe).

I think the Brozza era was more about dodging machine gun fire than spying. plus, I think Collins and Brosnan are pretty interchangable actors (I prefer 80s era Collins).

GoldenEye feels very Lewis Collins to me. Ian Sharp and Phil Meheux both worked on The Professionals and Who Dares Wins/The Final Option, plus Brosnan's hairdo in GE is pure 80s Collins.

BTW, I think the score to Who Dares Wins is ACE

[Safari Suit]

I don't care how dodgy the politics are, everything about Who Dares Wins is ace!

[tim partridge]

It really was the best film made in 1982 filmed in the corridors of Pinewood studios.

[dee-bee-five]

I don't care how dodgy the politics are, everything about Who Dares Wins is ace!

It's a bonkers film, but a guilty pleasure.

[Jim]

Whoa,

My jaw has dropped:

CODENAME WILDGEESE


COMMANDO LEOPARD
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

THE COMMANDER
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Special.

As in "needs".

[Loomis]

Back in the '80s, I always thought Collins would make a good Bond.

Phil Collins, that is.

[DLibrasnow]

I don't care how dodgy the politics are, everything about Who Dares Wins is ace!

It's a bonkers film, but a guilty pleasure.

Yes. It's a guilty pleasure of mine too.

I always wondered why they chose to title it The Final Option in the United States. I almost missed its high def showing on MGM-HD last year because I forgot the title was different in the U.S.

[Loomis]

I'm amazed it even got a Stateside release.

[dee-bee-five]

Back in the '80s, I always thought Collins would make a good Bond.

Phil Collins, that is.

Bless, Lewis Collins really did believe he was in with a chance, didn't he? Even when it was obvious to the rest of us that Christopher Biggins was more suitable.

[marktmurphy]

Why have they all got Lee Van Cleef in them?

[tim partridge]

On an imdb forum somebody mentioned that Broccoli's interviewed Collins about Bond, both Albert R and Barbara. I'd love to believe it was true.

I don't care how dodgy the politics are, everything about Who Dares Wins is ace!

It's a bonkers film, but a guilty pleasure.

Yes. It's a guilty pleasure of mine too.

I always wondered why they chose to title it The Final Option in the United States. I almost missed its high def showing on MGM-HD last year because I forgot the title was different in the U.S.

I would be interested to see how it holds up in HD. It's quite a grainy but wonderfully gritty looking movie. The grad filter shots are quite inspired.


I'd love to see a new movie done in this cluelessly right wing, tastelessly political vein.

[Safari Suit]

I'm amazed it even got a Stateside release.

I've heard that Reagan loved the film, even calling it his favourite film of the year. Haven't come across a substantial source for this, but it seems plausible enough given his love for First Blood Part II and Sudden Impact among others.

Who Dares Wins was a legitimate hit in the UK at the time by the way, it was the tenth biggest ticket seller in the UK that year. To put this in perspective films lower down in the Top 20 were Mad Max 2, Poltergeist, Death Wish 2, Star Trek II, An American Werewolf in London and The Wall. Although, to put it in a different kind of perspective, this was a year in which Condorman was the fifth biggest ticket seller of the year.

[Zorin Industries]

I was always led to believe that - ALLEGEDLY - Lewis Collins is hard to work with... which sort of precludes him from the Bond camp.

[marktmurphy]

On an imdb forum somebody mentioned that Broccoli's interviewed Collins about Bond, both Albert R and Barbara. I'd love to believe it was true.

Yeah, true and quite well documented. I've heard that there are even photos of him in costume as Bond out there somewhere, but I don't know if that's true.
Apparently it all went a bit wrong when he didn't pull a kick when doing a fight scene with Bob Simmons on Who Dares Wins: Simmons was quoted in a paper as saying that Collins broke three of his ribs and warned him "It's a good job you've got some time left to do on this picture, sonny boy, or your features would be re-arranged!". Obviously Simmons didn't speak of him too highly; perhaps to Cubby, even. There's also talk that he didn't dress properly for interviews with Cubby, and called him 'The Godfather' (although it's not clear if that was him or not).
Collins said in the papers that he was in Cubby's office for about five minutes.

[Safari Suit]

I was always led to believe that - ALLEGEDLY - Lewis Collins is hard to work with... which sort of precludes him from the Bond camp.

I've been led to believe that, equally allegedly I assure you, one or two of the actors who have been Bond are prone to being a little bit "difficult" now and then themselves.

[Bond Bombshell]

Lewis Collins as Bond is a topic I never get tired of revisiting as I was a big Professionals and Who Dares Wins fan as a youngster and still am. In 2006 Who Dares Wins director Euan Lloyd did a series of interviews for Cinema Retro. I thought that forum members might be interested in what he had to say about Lewis Collins as he addresses some of the points raised in this thread. The following is a few excerpts from one of the interviews -


Q: You reportedly considered two other Englishmen (residing in the US) and an Australian for the lead role. Can you tell us who these gentlemen were?

I am afraid you are misinformed. Well before the planning of Who Dares Wins, I was impressed by Lewis Collins in The Professionals. He had the rugged qualities of a star and successfully matched the more experienced actor Martin Shaw in the series. He went into my mental computer. During the development of WDW Collins was always in my mind. It was impossible to engage an established star in an enigmatic role like Peter Skellen. I was following the regiment's strict role of anonymity. But I was determined to emulate my friend Terence Young who turned Sean Connery from a rough character in real life to the well-groomed, charismatic James Bond on the silver screen. So I took Collins to the same tailor and barber and the result is what you see.

Q: Could you give us more details about taking Lewis Collins through the same grooming process for Who Dares Wins as Sean Connery experienced for Dr. No?

Turning Lewis from rough-neck Bodie into a clean-cut operative in the SAS was, I thought, a difficult task but a necessary one. Terence Young had told me on several occasions that he rejected Sean as 007 in the first place, although he did not have a veto over Broccoli-Saltzman, but that when the producers made the final decision, he (Terence), a man of immaculate appearance himself, turned Sean into a near-mirror-image of himself: the hair style, the suits with flare, impeccable manners, the perfect gent. When conceiving the idea of Who Dares Wins I met many serving and ex-serving SAS operatives. Although it is true that many appear dishevelled in their work, some were stylish. I went for the latter. I'm not sure if Lewis Collins resented the change but he suffered the change silently and, I think, it worked perfectly, hence the Broccoli family's interest in his performance!!

Q: Did you know he was being considered for the role of James Bond at the time?

Sorry, more misinformation. When Barbara Broccoli saw my finished film she suggested her father should meet him. Naturally I was not present at that meeting but I understand Lewis made the fatal mistake of appearing in dress closer to Bodie than to Peter Skellen. Possibly it was over confidence on Lewis's part. Whatever, I was very sorry for I am sure he would have made an excellent Bond.

Q: The Ministry of Defence evidently said that advisors on the movie, many of them former SAS, could be in danger of breaching the Official Secrets Act. At the time, you denied there were any such advisors. Why was the goverment so concerned?

This is the true picture. Having worked on many military movies, I knew that any film based on the SAS could not expect an iota of co-operation from the MOD. I told the MOD I did not expect help but that I would tell them everything I was planning and would show them the script and any changes made. They had been badly burned by the BBC in the past and I was determined to show them I had every intention of honouring the Regiment. Ian Sharp and I knew many ex-SAS men and they with others ensured authenticity. Secrecy is the watchword of the SAS - those that break the code are ostracised forever. So, it was only towards the end of shooting that I discovered that Lewis Collins had been trained and accepted for internship in the SAS, but had finally been rejected because his face was known through The Professionals. But Lewis, true to the colours, had never revealed this to me. His total commitment to the role with his flawless millitary training showing in his every move, exemplified the behaviour of the perfect SAS operative. The MOD will never acknowledge if they like or dislike Who Dares Wins, but my own spies tell me that officers and men alike do approve to this day.

Q: During filming, stuntman Bob Simmons suffered three broken ribs and actor Bob Sherman received a broken nose at the hands of Lewis Collins. Do you recall these incidents?

It would be surprising on an action film such as this if someone did not get seriously wounded. For Bob Simmons cracked ribs go with the job. His steady hand on the action choreography never wavered - we must have made a dozen films together and for him a broken rib was like a headache to another person. Bob Sherman's injury was another story. In the interrogation scene atop a Welsh mountain, Sherman (the novice in training) was being coerced into giving forbidden information. Lewis Collins was overly enthusiastic in his method of questioning and let fly with a right uppercut. Despite Bob Simmons's supervision, the well-rehearsed blow missed the mark and Sherman was out for the count with a broken nose. It was a rare accident, Lewis apologised profusely and Bob graciously accepted.

Q: A three-movie deal with each to star Lewis Collins was announced shortly before the release of Who Dares Wins - Wild Geese 2, Macau and Task Force South were to be completed over five years. Of the three, only WILD GEESE 2 was made and with Scott Glenn in the role planned for Collins. What happened?

When a producer is on a roll and feels confident with a new film in the can, he is wise to plan ahead to keep up the momentum. I was convinced that Lewis would become a major star and I did develop three ideas for him. But things change quickly in film-making, especially for an independent who has to raise funds for development. Wild Geese 2 was in the distant future, Macau, based on another novel by Daniel Carney, became an impossible expensive subject and had to be abandoned. Task Force South was intended to be a tribute to the men who fought in the Falklands but television announced ambitious plans around the same time and I did not wish to be outflanked. As much as I admired Lewis's commitment to WDW, an appearance in WG2 would have been distracting so soon after the SAS picture. I had Richard Burton (lost on the tenth day of shooting) and Scott Glenn promised some appeal to American audiences. On reflection Lewis could have played that role but no, it wasn't in the cards.

Q: Collins supposedly made negative comments about Who Dares Wins following completion, which he later denies. Did this affect your deal for future films?

Over the years I have discovered that actors and actresses often bite the hands that fed them. Presumably they agree to film a script because they like it; the money, they say (ha!) is unimportant. Then, for whatever reason, they rebel, mostly in answer to leading questions by journalists looking for some controversial remark. Lewis may or may not be guilty, maybe in the past but certainly not now.

Edited by Bond Bombshell, 04 June 2009 - 12:07 PM.

[dee-bee-five]

I was always led to believe that - ALLEGEDLY - Lewis Collins is hard to work with... which sort of precludes him from the Bond camp.

Given Martin Shaw's, ahem, "perfectionism" on a set, it explains why Gordon "Many a Muckle" Jackson always looked p*ssed off in The Professionals.

I'm amazed it even got a Stateside release.

I've heard that Reagan loved the film

Cue jokes about Reagan's Alzheimer's kicking in much sooner than we all suspected...

[Harry Fawkes]

Collins' name was associated with 007 twice in the 80s (FYEO and TLD, I believe).

I think the Brozza era was more about dodging machine gun fire than spying. plus, I think Collins and Brosnan are pretty interchangable actors (I prefer 80s era Collins).

GoldenEye feels very Lewis Collins to me. Ian Sharp and Phil Meheux both worked on The Professionals and Who Dares Wins/The Final Option, plus Brosnan's hairdo in GE is pure 80s Collins.

BTW, I think the score to Who Dares Wins is ACE

I'm sure you know that the director of Goldeneye, Mr Martin Campel himself, was also a director on the Profesionals.

[Harry Fawkes]

Lewis Collins would have been the best Bond since Sean Connery and that is a fact! And if good old cubby couldn't see that in him then I don't know... Who Dares Wins is fantastc and Peter Skellen is James Bond and no less.

[Zorin Industries]

Peter Skellern is James Bond?!!

Lewis Collins was (allegedly) a complete to work with - and word of that gets round the industry quicker than a case of crabs....allegedly.

[draxingtonstanley]

Lewis Collins as an SAS Officer I buy.

But as a Commander in the Royal Navy seconded to MI6? Nope. A close run thing,but for reason's I can't quite put my finger on,a miss was as good as a mile.

He did sterling work in C15 though. Loved the Professionals.

I'm with Cubby on that one.

[Harry Fawkes]

Peter Skellern is James Bond?!!

Yeah, every time I watch that film I see Skellon as Bond. It's obvious (in my humble opinion that is) that Collins is immitating Bond somewhat. I don't know, maybe I'm mad, but that's what I see. Specially when he meets Frankie in the bar.

'I'd like to take you to bed!'

Cool as Bond!

[dee-bee-five]

Lewis Collins would have been the best Bond since Sean Connery and that is a fact! And if good old cubby couldn't see that in him then I don't know... Who Dares Wins is fantastc.

Bless you. I've had a rotten day and you've just cheered me up enormously with that post.

I mean, you did have your tongue wedged in your cheek when you wrote it. Didn't you? Please tell me you did...

Peter Skellern is James Bond?!!

Lewis Collins was (allegedly) a complete to work with - and word of that gets round the industry quicker than a case of crabs....allegedly.

And I'm sure that has no connection with the fact that Lewis Collins' career has vanished. Cubby was a wise old bird.

[Zorin Industries]

Peter Skellern is James Bond?!!

Yeah, every time I watch that film I see Skellon as Bond. It's obvious (in my humble opinion that is) that Collins is immitating Bond somewhat. I don't know, maybe I'm mad, but that's what I see. Specially when he meets Frankie in the bar.

'I'd like to take you to bed!'

Cool as Bond!

Sorry - isn't Peter Skellern a Yorkshire piano singer of a whimsical and Northern nature?

[dee-bee-five]

Peter Skellern is James Bond?!!

Yeah, every time I watch that film I see Skellon as Bond. It's obvious (in my humble opinion that is) that Collins is immitating Bond somewhat. I don't know, maybe I'm mad, but that's what I see. Specially when he meets Frankie in the bar.

'I'd like to take you to bed!'

Cool as Bond!

Sorry - isn't Peter Skellern a Yorkshire piano singer of a whimsical and Northern nature?

Indeed, he is. Although, to be fair, he'd probably have made a better Bond than Lewis Collins.

[Bond Bombshell]

Collins was a cocky sod who tried his best to live up to his hard man image. What success he'd had, had gone to his head, but I hardly think that puts him in the top league of British actors who are difficult to work with. There's no record of him being a consistent pain on the set of The Professionals, although he did break his leg doing a parachute jump that was forbidden by his contract and subsequently delayed filming. That was typical Collins. As for Who Dares Wins, I think the Bob Simmons incident is getting overplayed. Euan Lloyd doesn't make a big deal out of it in his interview. I suspect Cubby thought that he'd got another Lazenby on his hands. For his part, Collins admitted that he put on a few airs and graces during his Bond interview, but claims it was a defence mechanism because he felt intimidated. Cubby probably thought he was disrespectful.

I think Collins' main problem was that he was so heavily typecast as a macho tough guy. In Britain in the 80s, after Brian Clemens stopped making action TV series and Euan Lloyd stopped making films, there was nowhere for him to go. His association with Who Dares Wins and his friendship with real members of the SAS would have also put off many in the British TV and film industry which tends to be generally leftist.

In 1988 Collins did manage to secure a decent role opposite Michael Caine in the TV mini-series Jack The Ripper. IMO Collins does his best acting work in this. There was a danger that Caine could have acted him off the screen but it didn't happen. Collins seems to have got on alright with Caine. Caine took him out to dinner, gave him some advice about a move to LA, and was helpful in securing him a US agent.

Collins moved to LA with lofty ambitions to direct. He threw himself into various directing courses and claims to have qualifications in the subject, but doesn't appear to have actually directed anything, unless it's local theatre. A return to Britain would have probably been best for his acting career, but he and his wife and kids liked the LA lifestyle and so he decided to stay and bugger acting. In 1999 he turned down the chance to reprise his Professionals role by playing the boss in CI5: The New Professionals because he did not want to be separated from his family. These days he spends his time running a successful computer company and indulging in his flying hobby.

[I never miss]

Very interesting. Collins could possibly have made a half-decent Bond, he has a threatening air about him that Roger certainly didn't have. My only real reservation is that he was a bit 'blue-collar' for Bond (granted, Sean Connery was an ex-truck driver, but Collins is not as good an actor as Sean).

Still, circa 1982 I'd rather Collins was playing Bond in OP than James Brolin.

[Bond Bombshell]

In his interview with Cinema Retro, Euan Lloyd mentions how he tried to smooth Collins' rough edges by taking him to the same tailor and barber as Terence Young had taken Sean Connery. Here's a couple of the publicity photos that were taken after that visit.