335 replies to this topic

[M_Balje]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow


Thats how I understand it. Desmond played Major Boothroyd and Cleese plays someone completely different.
I think this is quite obvious. If the two (Desmond and Cleese) had not appeared in the same movie together then it might be feasible to say they both played Maj. Boothroyd. Many people seem to believe that both Bernard Lee and Robert Brown played Sir Miles for instance (even though I personally think Lee was Sir Miles and Robert Brown was Admiral Hargreaves promoted to the position of M).
But since Desmond and Cleese were in scenes together in TWINE, and Desmond had already in earlier movies been identified as Maj. Boothroyd then we must logically assume that Cleese plays a different character who is now head of Q section since the retirement of Maj. Boothroyd.

Agree

Desmond = Q = Boothroyd
John = Q = ......

But as Desmond don't die after Twine you see that he play R again in dad.

I start now a discussion for the name of The new Q for in Bond 21.
I don't now a name for him.
There don't must call him with his real name but only Q.

[DLibrasnow]

Well it is probably up to Raymond Benson to christen the new Q since he is the current Bond novel author.
You do raise an interesting question though.

[Blue Eyes]

There's already a discussion about his name. You're not going to find one.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
I stand by by assertion there is NO R in the world of James Bond.

Whenever there is an updated Bond compendium put on the market there will be an entry on R. To say there is no R is to say that John Cleese wasn't in The World is not Enough.

[DLibrasnow]

John Cleese didn't play R in TWINE. That was a joke that Pierce Brosnan made.
If Pierce had said "If you're Q does that make him Queen Elizabeth?" would that mean that John Cleese played Queen Elizabeth in TWINE??? Of course not.

[Felix_Leiter]

Sorry, didn't mean to start such a heated debate. Jk!

[DLibrasnow]

Debate is good....This thread addresses an issue that is important to the world of 007.

[Felix_Leiter]

Personally, I think they should have done a little bit more to explain the transition than just a single line about "My predecessor..."

[DLibrasnow]

I don't think it was needed, the transition was handled nicely in TWINE.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
John Cleese didn't play R in TWINE. That was a joke that Pierce Brosnan made.

Sorry DL, you're not getting my point.

Cleese must of played R in The World is not Enough because it says so in the credits. He was never known by any other name in that movie.

So in essence, R does exist, if in name only, and I think we all know that isn't the real name of his character.

Let's all hope we find out what Cleese's Q's character name is in Bond 21 to settle, solve (whatever) the confusion.

[DLibrasnow]

So if Cleese had been identified by Pierce Brosnan as "Queen Elizabeth" then he would have been Queen Elizabeth in TWINE??

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
So if Cleese had been identified by Pierce Brosnan as "Queen Elizabeth" then he would have been Queen Elizabeth in TWINE??

Most likely, if he was never referred to by another name. It would certainly that to be enclosed in speach marks, I would think, as there really is a Queen Elizabeth.

Put it this way, what would you call Cleese's character in the end-credits of The World is not Enough, DL?

[Jamie007]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
John Cleese didn't play R in TWINE. That was a joke that Pierce Brosnan made.
If Pierce had said "If you're Q does that make him Queen Elizabeth?" would that mean that John Cleese played Queen Elizabeth in TWINE??? Of course not.

We know that, you're totally missing the point. We are referring to him as "R" for the purposes of this thread to avoid confusion with Desmonds Q as we have nothing else to call him, and if "R" is good enough for the movie's credits its good enough for us. Its easier and simpler then typing "The character played by John Cleese in TWINE" everytime.
Jim

[DLibrasnow]

I would refer to him as "Q's Assistant"

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
I would refer to him as "Q's Assistant"

I

[Blue Eyes]

I'm extremely confused how you can say that R does exist in the world of Bond.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
I'm extremely confused how you can say that R does exist in the world of Bond.

Me too Daniel.....
There is no character with the actual title R....the fact that Bond made the "R" comment in one line as a throw-away joke does not mean that R exists.

Cleese's was never referred to as R in TWINE Bond merely said "If you're Q, does that make him R?" It seems obvious to me that there is no indication in this line that would indicate the characters title is R.

[DLibrasnow]

So following your logic, was Saunders R in the RM movies, and if so how come RM never referred to him as R??

[Blue Eyes]

There is no character with the actual title R....the fact that Bond made the "R" comment in one line as a throw-away joke does not mean that R exists.

Exactly. It's a throw-away line. Are we to assume that because Bond said he never grew up that he's Peter Pan? Of course not. It was a throw-away comment, that was used in the credits for simplicity and possibly union laws. That doesn't mean the character exists.

[Jamie007]

Blue Eyes and DLibrasnow you have both completely missed the point. Jeez, how many times do we need to go over this. We know his damn name isnt really R and it was just a joke by Bond, we are just referring to him as R for want of a better term. If you give us his real name, we will call him that. For the purposes of this message board we are calling him R, just like they did in the films credits.
I think I'll scream if I see one more "R isnt really his name" post...
Jim

[Blue Eyes]

Jeez, how about you read before telling people they've missed the point.

If you read the thing which I actually referred to, you'll find I was referring to Blofelds Cat post. So learn to read before you jump down peoples throats.

For the purposes of this message board we are calling him R

You'll find I'll call him what I like.

[Blofeld's Cat]

OK, let's all back away from the armageddon button, shall we?

In a sense, this thread proves the existance of R, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it all. As soon as the producers decided to label the character R in the credits "he" (who will be forever associated in The World is not Enough as R) came into existance.

[Blue Eyes]

Who says that the producers decided to label the character R?

If we were to follow that logic Brett, then it would seem that we have to characters called Jinx. Jinx Jordan and Jinx Johnson.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
So following your logic, was Saunders R in the RM movies, and if so how come RM never referred to him as R??

Moore's Bond never referred to Saunders as R because he wasn't called that. But Cleese's character in The World is not Enough was. Ergo, the character of R exists.

At least until someone decides to give him a christian, family, or another designated name, and have the credits changed.

Blue Eyes, you're right. The writers most likely called Q's assistant R. Need to confirm that by reading that script hat exists but doesn't exist due to copywrite.

[Blue Eyes]

Ergo, the character of R exists.

But why does it? If I'm jesting with you and say "does that make you [your dad's name here] JR." that doesn't mean your name is now that, or that a person/character by that name even exists.

At least until someone decides to have the credits changed.

And that just leads back to the Johnson/Jordan issue. It's quite obvious that the credits are not an accurate form of judging a characters name.

[freemo]

You know, just because Bond was joking when he suggested that "the character played by Cleese" was R, doesn't me he wasn't right. Very improbable, but not impossible. I don't remember "the character played by Cleese" totally denying the title (he probably does, I just don't remember it, I don't watch TWINE alot).

If Desmond had been in DAD, I wonder what "the character played by Cleese" would have been called. Most likely "R" I should think, or perhaps nothing at all.

PS. I know it's been said a number of times already, but I also think Cleese is playing the same character in TWINE and DAD. The character just got promoted from the title of "something other than R" in TWINE to the title of "Q" in DAD. Something most of us can agree on I'd imagine.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by freemo
PS. I know it's been said a number of times already, but I also think Cleese is playing the same character in TWINE and DAD.

No denying that. In one of the movies that character was only referred to as R and no other name.

The character  just got promoted from the title of "something other than R" in TWINE to the title of "Q" in DAD. Something most of us can agree on I'd imagine.

Also no denying that. Of course he would've had a "propper" name (christian & family name, and maybe a professional title too), but unless we are all allowed to just pull those names out of the ether and declare that as his character name (I'm not aware of any official back story for R in The World is not Enough movie), he should always be referred to as R.

I also agree that credits are not always correct (Jacques whats-is-name in the pre-credits to Thunderball for example), but I'm not aware of Cleese's character in The World is not Enough being confusingly called anything other than R. A bit hard to spell that wrong.

[Blue Eyes]

You know, just because Bond was joking when he suggested that "the character played by Cleese" was R, doesn't me he wasn't right. Very improbable, but not impossible. I don't remember "the character played by Cleese" totally denying the title (he probably does, I just don't remember it, I don't watch TWINE alot).

Well after the release of TWINE it was confirmed by someone official (I think it was Purvis and Wade, but it could have been MGW) that it was a joke that had been misinterpreted.

As for Q's Assistant in TWINE, he did deny it was his title. "Ah yes, the ledgendary 007 whit..." Even he noticed it was a joke. Sadly, it seems some of the audience has not.

but I'm not aware of Cleese's character in The World Is Not Enough being confusingly called anything other than R.

An assisant? A successor? What are Desmond's correct lines for that one? I can't remember. But again, just because the credits incorrectly refer to him as R does not mean "he should always be referred to as R", simply because he really is Q's Assistant. If people continue on with the laziness of calling him R, then in 5 years from now (or even tomorrow) we're going to be receiving questions like "Who is R now?" Well no one, because there never was none.

[Jamie007]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
Jeez, how about you read before telling people they've missed the point.

If you read the thing which I actually referred to, you'll find I was referring to Blofelds Cat post. So learn to read before you jump down peoples throats.

Then why did you quote DLibrasnow? And your response looked a lot like it was in response to DLibrasnow's post. I can read fine, maybe you should read your post again:

Quoted DLibrasnow: thereby There is no character with the actual title R....the fact that Bond made the "R" comment in one line as a throw-away joke does not mean that R exists. End quote.
Your reply:
Exactly. It's a throw-away line. Are we to assume that because Bond said he never grew up that he's Peter Pan? Of course not. It was a throw-away comment, that was used in the credits for simplicity and possibly union laws. That doesn't mean the character exists.

Where does Blofelds Cat come into it? And if you were replying to Blofelds cat, why did you quote DLibrasnow? Im confused...

Sorry, but this thread is really frustrating, people keep arguing that R isnt his real name. Well of course it bloody isnt, we all know that, why do people keep arguing it. We are just using it as a reference because we have nothing else to call him.
Jim

[DLibrasnow]

Blue Eyes quoted me because I was replying to a post by Blofelds Cat. If you go back in this thread you will see that the subject got skewered into this frightening alternate reality a while back.
My question for those that insist R exists is this. Q stands for Quartermaster, what does R stand for?? Also, if R is a real persons professional title, who plays R in DAD?