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Sky's four-part serial Fleming


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#1 Simon

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 11:56 AM

Wondering if there should be a thread for this serial as information seems to flowing smoothly.

 

To be shown on Sky Atlantic later this year.

 

http://www.radiotime...-life-bond-girl

 

Lara Pulver to play Fleming's wife.

 

It will also feature Anna Chancellor as Lieutenant Monday in Naval Intelligence and Samuel West as Admiral John Godfrey, both thought to be models for Moneypenny and Bond's boss M. Rounding off the cast are Rupert Evans who will play Ian's brother Peter, a well-known travel writer and war hero, Annabelle Wallis as Muriel, a young girl who catches Fleming's eye, and Lesley Manville as his mother Eve.



#2 thecasinoroyale

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 01:00 PM

Well this certianly bodes a watch - thanks for the heads up Simon!



#3 x007AceOfSpades

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 02:52 PM

Shame I won't be able to watch it :(



#4 marktmurphy

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 11:49 AM

Does the world really need yet another Fleming biopic? It's only a year or two since the last one with Ben Daniels. And I know you don't have to be a perfect lookalike or anything, but Dominic Cooper seems fundamentally unlike Fleming. Tobias Menzies was a great fit for Fleming when he played him in Any Human Heart; and Charles Dance was very good too.

See how many of these we've had? And I haven't even mentioned the full list, either! :)



#5 Simon

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 12:29 PM

One of the aforenamed biopics though seems to be where Fleming pops in as a side character as opposed to being central, similarly to Age of Heroes.

 

How many have there been where Fleming is central?  Dance, Connery, Daniels.  Have there only been three?  And how many of these have been a success?  I haven't seen Goldeneye and vaguely remember Spymaker, but I wasn't sure of their dedication to source as they appeared to joke more around Bond aspects.

 

As for whether the world needs another one, does the world need another Bond film?



#6 lechero

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 12:50 PM

Sounds interesting, although Cooper seems utterly miscast.

 

What I am really looking forward to is the Duncan Jones Fleming film. But it's been really quiet on that front, I'm starting to doubt whether it will happen anytime soon.



#7 marktmurphy

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 01:07 PM

One of the aforenamed biopics though seems to be where Fleming pops in as a side character as opposed to being central, similarly to Age of Heroes.

 

How many have there been where Fleming is central?  Dance, Connery, Daniels.  Have there only been three?  And how many of these have been a success?  I haven't seen Goldeneye and vaguely remember Spymaker, but I wasn't sure of their dedication to source as they appeared to joke more around Bond aspects.

 

As for whether the world needs another one, does the world need another Bond film?

 

 

Four is quite a lot, yes. Especially as the last was only a couple of years ago. I didn't say that Human Heart was a biopic, I just liked Menzies in the role. Think how many famous writers or other personalities haven't had biopics. And Fleming's story often isn't all that interesting no matter how much they try to spice it up; it only ever gets told because of the book he wrote rather than his life being all that fascinating.

 

Does the world need another Bond film? No, but it wants one. Hence people like Sky trying to get in on the act with yet another drama playing on the Bond name via the backdoor: 'real life M, real life Moneypenny' etc.

 

 


 


 


Sounds interesting, although Cooper seems utterly miscast.

 

What I am really looking forward to is the Duncan Jones Fleming film. But it's been really quiet on that front, I'm starting to doubt whether it will happen anytime soon.

 

 

Great- another one! :)



#8 Simon

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 04:19 PM

Sounds interesting, although Cooper seems utterly miscast.

 

What I am really looking forward to is the Duncan Jones Fleming film. But it's been really quiet on that front, I'm starting to doubt whether it will happen anytime soon.

 

As has the Leonardo diCaprio Appian Way Productions film too - very quiet.



#9 Walecs

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 04:49 PM

I wish Sean Connery played Fleming.

 

Well, can't wait to watch it.



#10 quantumofsolace

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 10:04 AM

Rupert Evans enjoys Bond lifestyle belfasttelegraph 30 mar 2013http://www.belfastte...e-29164525.html

 

Rupert Evans has admitted he's been enjoying living a glamorous James Bond lifestyle while filming new TV series The Man Who Would Be Bond.

The actor stars with Dominic Cooper and Lara Pulver in the four-part drama for Sky about Bond creator Ian Fleming and his family, and has been filming on location at a ski resort in Budapest.

Rupert revealed: "I've been stuck out in lovely Budapest. I play Peter Fleming, his (Ian's) brother. So we've been being Bond-like or trying to be.

"It looks at his early life before he writes the books and it's a great drama.

"The Fleming family are extraordinary. But Peter and Ian's mother Evelyn Fleming was a very powerful woman, who knew Winston Churchill. And Pete Fleming, my character was a celebrated travel writer and journalist, and was married to a celebrity actress.

"So it's been a great thing to find drama from. And Ian's life was certainly varied. His night time activity with girls and stuff was something to be desired perhaps...

"So it's been really interesting to discover this new family and see how their lives came to Ian starting to write the novels."



#11 Major Tallon

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 11:26 AM

Sounds very promising.  I hope I get a chance to view this.



#12 Vauxhall

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Posted 01 April 2013 - 11:41 PM

Somehow I'd missed this announcement. Sounds great.

 

Lara Pulver's appearance in SHERLOCK certainly boosted her standing in my eyes...



#13 quantumofsolace

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Posted 01 July 2013 - 03:06 PM

http://www.radiotime...res-and-trailer

 

http://www.denofgeek...-creator-biopic

 

http://uk.movies.yah...-201200097.html



#14 Simon

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Posted 01 July 2013 - 03:14 PM

Four is quite a lot, yes. Especially as the last was only a couple of years ago. I didn't say that Human Heart was a biopic, I just liked Menzies in the role. Think how many famous writers or other personalities haven't had biopics. And Fleming's story often isn't all that interesting no matter how much they try to spice it up; it only ever gets told because of the book he wrote rather than his life being all that fascinating.

 

Does the world need another Bond film? No, but it wants one. Hence people like Sky trying to get in on the act with yet another drama playing on the Bond name via the backdoor: 'real life M, real life Moneypenny' etc.

 

Indeed, five, if we count the one man play, The Man with the Golden Pen with Mark Burgess as Fleming.

 

Not sure how wide an audience this gathered though.



#15 quantumofsolace

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Posted 18 September 2013 - 09:53 PM

http://www.entertain...Girl-In-Fleming



#16 quantumofsolace

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Posted 26 December 2013 - 02:51 PM

gloucestershireecho December 26 2013

THE NAME'S FLEMING

Before James Bond's thrilling adventures hit the page or screen, they were experienced first-hand by Ian Fleming. Sky Atlantic will show a four-part drama, starring Mamma Mia's Dominic Cooper as Fleming, based on his time as a naval intelligence officer. "Even if you're not a Bond fan, it's certainly compelling," says Cooper. "You see all those references and where the inspiration comes from." Fleming spent his formative years living in the shadow of his brother Peter (played by Rupert Evans) and under the disapproving eye of his mother (Lesley Manville), but everything changed when he was recruited in the fight against the Nazis. The series shows how his ability to spin a yarn made him a perfect fit for espionage, and in turn inspired him to create one of the most famous fictional heroes in history.



#17 Satorious

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Posted 27 December 2013 - 04:04 PM

Trailer here:

 

http://www.youtube.c...d&v=EKmSGsKJtww



#18 deth

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Posted 27 December 2013 - 11:57 PM

Frankly, it doesn't look good.

 

I mean, it looks like an entertaining time... but it doesn't look anything like what actually happened. Oh well.



#19 Satorious

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Posted 28 December 2013 - 07:19 PM

Indeed - it looks like it is trying to shoe-horn the style of the movies using the tiniest fragments of Fleming's past coupled with more than a little melodramatic licence. That said - it could still be quite fun. Will reserve judgement, but I will not be rushing out of my way to watch it...



#20 ggl

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Posted 28 December 2013 - 10:07 PM

Let´s all remember that gorgeous Lara Pulver is there! A reason (more) to see it!

https://www.google.e...iw=1024&bih=632



#21 Bill

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 05:04 PM

And for the record, Lara Pulver is awesome.  She was like a force of nature in the one Sherlock episode she did, and was terrific in Spooks.  She was the best part of Davinci's Demons, which I gave up on after two episodes.  I got to meet her briefly at Comic Con in New York in 2012 as she was there with the rest of the cast to promote Davinci's Demons.  (For the record, they were all very nice.)  Her autograph was free and she was very patient in posing for a photo with a friend and me, as we both took turns and I was having a hard time figuring out how to work my friend's camera.  She really is very sweet.



#22 ggl

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Posted 30 December 2013 - 07:03 PM

And for the record, Lara Pulver is awesome.  She was like a force of nature in the one Sherlock episode she did, and was terrific in Spooks.  She was the best part of Davinci's Demons, which I gave up on after two episodes.  I got to meet her briefly at Comic Con in New York in 2012 as she was there with the rest of the cast to promote Davinci's Demons.  (For the record, they were all very nice.)  Her autograph was free and she was very patient in posing for a photo with a friend and me, as we both took turns and I was having a hard time figuring out how to work my friend's camera.  She really is very sweet.

:ohmy: :ohmy:

Lucky man indeed!!



#23 Catching Bullets

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 01:37 PM

Did you know more men have played Ian Fleming onscreen than James Bond?

 

Catching FLEMING - BBC America & Sky Atlantic's new Bond genesis drama reviewed.

 

www.markoconnell.co.uk



#24 Revelator

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Posted 14 January 2014 - 10:05 PM

Did you know more men have played Ian Fleming onscreen than James Bond?

 

I certainly didn't--most surprising. Dance probably came the closest to Fleming, as far as looks go.

I appreciated the lengthy review, which makes me a little more optimistic about the serial, though I still don't know if I'll watch it.



#25 Simon

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Posted 20 January 2014 - 10:49 PM

And neither did I!

 

Thanks for that.

 

Nice review on your blog page Mark...



#26 Major Tallon

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Posted 31 January 2014 - 02:03 PM

It checked a lot of boxes.  Let's see:  a young man skiing in Kitzbuhel, world's worst stockbroker, envious of brother, unable to live up to memories of heroic father, disappointment to mother, unsuccessful at Sandhurst, collector of  first editions, passion for Ann and Mu, inventor of Vesper martini, recruitment by Admiral Godfrey, originator of Operation Mincemeat.  Yet, what ultimately emerged was a portrayal of an unlikeable, shallow man, too obsessed with sex and, to a lesser extent, drink to be successful at anything.  This did Fleming an injustice.  He certainly had a strong hedonistic streak, and he had numerous affairs, but he also was intelligent, strongly anti-Nazi, serious about his collection of first editions (and not, as the portrayed here, largely for their included pornographic prints), and possessed of great charm.  Moreover, Fleming's time with Reuters and his experiences in Moscow were extremely important in the development of his character, and these were ignored.

 

The show wasn't a failure by any means, but there was a great deal more to Fleming than Episode 1 suggested.  It'll be interesting to see what they do with the war years.



#27 clinkeroo

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Posted 31 January 2014 - 06:46 PM

Does anyone know if this is being edited for BBC America?  Just wondering if I should take the trouble to hunt down the BBC version.

 

Thanks.



#28 Major Tallon

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Posted 31 January 2014 - 11:14 PM

I hadn't thought of that, but it wouldn't surprise me.  I was already prepared to get the UK version, and now I think that's the best idea.



#29 Vauxhall

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Posted 04 February 2014 - 08:44 PM

Lots of advertising for FLEMING now in evidence on TV and billboards here. Really looking forward to this.

 

Good content on the Sky website: http://www.sky.com/tv/show/fleming

 

Plus first five minutes of the series have been officially uploaded on YouTube:

 



#30 The Incredible Suit

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Posted 05 February 2014 - 02:04 PM

The series is fine; neither a flawless triumph nor an embarrassing disaster. Here's my review.