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What if Roger Moore DID do TLD?


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#31 Triton

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Posted 13 September 2003 - 07:25 PM

Originally posted by Pussfeller
Just imagine if Roger had gotten the role in 1962 and played all the way from Dr. No to The Living Daylights. Pretty far-fetched, I know, but it's cool to imagine how different the Bond franchise would be today.


Hmmm... I wonder how the film-makers would have explained a new actor in the role in Licence to Kill. Some sort of gene renewal therapy that would extend his life and change his appearance? Or would Licence to Kill have occured in the early 1970s? Or perhaps Roger Moore would have been promoted to M and a new character with a different name would have been created?

Maybe the disruption that was caused in the mid-1960s with the exit of Sean Connery from the role was a good thing in the scheme of things. It really extended the life of the films series and allowed it to continue for over forty years.

#32 Pussfeller

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Posted 14 September 2003 - 06:22 PM

It would have been a strange situation. If Moore had gotten the role from the start, I doubt the series would have lasted more than six films.

#33 goldengun

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Posted 17 September 2003 - 07:47 PM

Originally posted by Triton


Maybe the disruption that was caused in the mid-1960s with the exit of Sean Connery from the role was a good thing in the scheme of things. It really extended the life of the films series and allowed it to continue for over forty years.



From reading many of the posts here from various histoy experts, I have come to understand that BOnd became a character to make fun of by the time of Connery's 4th or 5th film. Movies came out that parodied Bond, he became known as a sort of cartoon-action-hero.

SO yeah, maybe the disruption caused by Connery, and the antics of Lazenby and then the casting of world-famous Moore forced people to "stay tuned" to Bond when it seemed to be dis-integrating.

However, the other side of casting Moore as Bond in 1962? He could have played every Bond role from Dr. No to AVTAK.

20 years of Moore - fancy that...

#34 hrabb04

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Posted 18 January 2005 - 03:56 PM

Sitting here listening to the commentary track on The Living Daylights DVD, and I got to imagine if Cubby did offer Roger The Living Daylights. You can just hear the conversation..

"Ok, Roger," Cubby says, "we start out with you jumping out of a plane..."
"You mean my stunt man...don't you, Cubby?" Roger asks dryly, raising an eyebrow.
Cubby freezes before nodding quickly, "Yes, yes, yes, of course! Anyway, we pick up later with you jumping on top of a jeep--"
"Cubby..."
"C'mon, Roger, give it a try!"
"Cubby..."
"I know, I know...you would probably break your hip..." Cubby rubs his eyes, trying to think. "Maybe it's time we finally called that Winchester Steele guy."

#35 Mr. Somerset

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Posted 18 January 2005 - 05:03 PM

I remember when Roger hosted "Happy Anniversary, OO7" a couple months before the release of TLD. The special had him in Bondian attire discussing the life of a secret agent and so on. He looked really good. His hair cut was tighter than it had been in the previous few films, he looked to be trimmer (especially more so than he was in OP), and his clothes looked great. He even wore the ski outfit from FYEO shortly before seguing into a clip from that film. Although he was 59, I think he possibly could've done one more. I remember reading that the Pushkin encounter was to have them discussing Koskov over champagne, and it was written with Moore in mind.
However, I'm slightly hesitant to believe it after reading the Cubby book, When The Snow Melts, when he describes meeting with Roger to end his era as Bond. Wilson has said numerous times that TLD was written as a middle of the road Bond, not too light, not too heavy. I'm of the opinion that maybe it WAS scripted with Brosnan as the most probable successor to Moore. Also, early treatments of Bond 15 dealt with OO7's naval past before Cubby vetoed the idea.
Still, it's fun to speculate what certain scenes would've been like with Roger. I don't think Bond would've taken those 2 good whacks by the jailer, and the carpet scene probably would've been left in. I also don't picture Roger using the Aston Martin. He would've had his Lotus back, and would've done his trademark smirk to the police as they drive side by side (a'la FYEO).

#36 DLibrasnow

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Posted 18 January 2005 - 05:13 PM

I remember when Roger hosted "Happy Anniversary, OO7" a couple months before the release of TLD. The special had him in Bondian attire discussing the life of a secret agent and so on. He looked really good. His hair cut was tighter than it had been in the previous few films, he looked to be trimmer (especially more so than he was in OP), and his clothes looked great. He even wore the ski outfit from FYEO shortly before seguing into a clip from that film.  Although he was 59, I think he possibly could've done one more. 

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I also remember watching this show back in 1987.
Yes Roger did look pretty good, but it was time for him to move on. I remember in much of the coverage for The Living Daylights many film fans were upset that Moore had been replaced, but he had a good run of seven films, so it was time.

#37 hrabb04

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Posted 18 January 2005 - 05:17 PM

There is no way he would have chased down that jeep at the beginning of the movie. We still would have had a Moneypenny old enough to be the Bond girl's grandmother. The Bond girl would look up to Roger as if he were her father.

#38 Donovan

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 03:44 AM

I think, all things being equal, the transition between "A View To A Kill" and "The Living Daylights" is the most striking of the series. One of AVTAK's problems is how incredibly obvious it is that Moore heavily relies on a double. I think I mentioned in another post that a critic said with the new Bond Moore won't be doubling for any stuntmen.

Then you have "The Living Daylights" and, at the time, Bond fans were amazed by the athleticism of Dalton from the get-go. And, again, for those who loved the Fleming description of Bond, as Raymond Benson said in his "Bedside" book, Dalton was "too good to be true."

#39 Qwerty

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 03:47 AM

Sitting here listening to the commentary track on The Living Daylights DVD, and I got to imagine if Cubby did offer Roger The Living Daylights.  You can just hear the conversation..

"Ok, Roger," Cubby says, "we start out with you jumping out of a plane..."
"You mean my stunt man...don't you, Cubby?" Roger asks dryly, raising an eyebrow.
Cubby freezes before nodding quickly, "Yes, yes, yes, of course!  Anyway, we pick up later with you jumping on top of a jeep--"
"Cubby..."
"C'mon, Roger, give it a try!"
"Cubby..."
"I know, I know...you would probably break your hip..."  Cubby rubs his eyes, trying to think.  "Maybe it's time we finally called that Winchester Steele guy."

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Aw, come on now. :) Remember the scene when Cubby came on set of Licence To Kill I believe it was, with Dalton (?) doing too dangerous of a stunt.

Dalton simply liked to do more of the stunts.

#40 hrabb04

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 03:51 AM

Roger needed a stuntmen just to go up the stairs.

#41 Qwerty

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 04:07 AM

I think it'd be a weak film.  Doesn't fit in with the style of Roger's films, its a little dark for his portrayl of the character.  I like TLD as is!

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Pretty much. The Living Daylights is one of the better James Bond films, it feels refreshed and new with Dalton in it, which works to it's benefit.

#42 Brett Sinclair

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 04:41 AM

IMO it would have still been a good film and given the A view to a kill haters something else to talk about.

Dalton gave the series a new breath of life but Roger could have still pulled it off.

Having said all of that i like the series the way it is,nuff said!

#43 Triton

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Posted 01 February 2005 - 05:25 AM

I believe that the James Bond action comedies, or the "James Bond romps" to use Tom Mankiewicz's phrase, had run their course. Movie audiences had grown tired of the silliness of A View to a Kill and another type of action/adventure film that was grittier,more realistic, and violent became fashionable in the late 1980's. Roger Moore's James Bond persona just no longer worked and I think that most audiences had grown tired of Roger Moore as other tastes became fashionable in the post-Rambo: First Blood Part 2era. I don't believe that the reason was entirely that Roger Moore was too long in the tooth.

I also wonder if Roger Moore would have been unhappy with a middle of the road script and improve comedic elements or would want the script re-written?

Perhaps the pendulum has swung back and we need a good old fashioned James Bond romp for Bond XXI? :)

I can also understand why many fans were disappointed with Roger Moore's departure after being James Bond for over twelve years.

Roger Moore is certainly a man of wit and intelligence. It's a joy to see him him the promo spots for Encore and his recollections of the James Bond films.

#44 JackLordIsFelix

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Posted 02 February 2005 - 07:15 PM

I agree with the last post. Sylvester Stallone was THE action star of the mid-Eighties and Bond movies were beginning to be seen as kids' stuff. The problem is that those kids still represented a substantial box office cadre -- one that was turned off by the more realistic Dalton style. However, I was a little older when TLD came out (14) and I thought it was a breath of fresh air. Come to think of it, I still do. It had the right mix of everything: the action scenes were top-notch, the funny scenes were legitimately funny, it actually acknowledged current world events and had the just the right level of grittiness without being excessively violent. It was a class act from start to finish and deserved greater North American box office recognition than it received. Instead, it was trumped at the box office by -- of all the forgettable movies -- Stakeout, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez. Man, sometimes the Eighties could really suck.

#45 trs007

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Posted 02 February 2005 - 07:38 PM

Roger would be rolling down the Rock of Gibralter in his wheelchair.

#46 Agent 76

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Posted 02 February 2005 - 09:51 PM

Roger would be rolling down the Rock of Gibralter in his wheelchair.

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priceless... :) :) :) :)

#47 ComplimentsOfSharky

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Posted 02 February 2005 - 11:31 PM

Yeah, he'd have definitely broken a hip.

Nothing against Roger, but I think Tim did a better job as Bond. I'm more for the Tim in AVTAK than Roger in TLD.

#48 DavidSomerset

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 04:55 AM

Roger would have done a good job in TLD as he did in all his 007 flicks. If this would have happened, the gritty (rather Over the top seriousness ) of LTK would have been dampened a bit for Timmy who was to take over from Roger. Timmy did a good job in TLD though but the extreme seriousness of his Actor routine in LTK bugs me. LTK was not a Bond movie, it was a routine revenge drama which Seagal and other 80's guys used to make.
Pierce would have been cool in TLD though and would have probably done a better than job than both Roger(he was getting 2222 old) and Timmy (too serious). Then we would have had 6 films with Pierce as 007!!!

BTW vote for the next Bond at http://www.misterpol.../990731647.html
Already lots of people have voted with Hugh winning...(Not Grant)
But better Timmy and ole Roger than Wooden Lazenby. He would have sucked royally as he did in his other royal outing.

#49 Bondian

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 05:16 AM

Although ,I love Roger Moore as James Bond. I've always felt that he should of "called it quit's" after Octopussy. ( one of my favourite Moore's ).

Although A View to a Kill is a good movie, we have an ageing Bond up against a younger villain. This alone made the whole film rather too extreme and dire. Not for one moment did I really believe that Stacey actually liked Bond.

I think Dalton 'came-in' just in time. In fact, it would of been interesting to see what he would of make of A View to a Kill.

I like both of Dalton's entries, but not at the time. Then, I just wanted Roger Moore back. But, after the years have gone by, I find myself appreciating these two films much more.

Cheers,


Ian

#50 [dark]

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 07:39 AM

Roger would be rolling down the Rock of Gibralter in his wheelchair.

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As a staunch defender of Roger and "the older Bond", I must say that imagery is classic. I needed the laugh.

#51 DavidSomerset

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 07:53 AM

Roger should have done OHMSS. He would have been perfect for that and George Hamilton had not yet injected slapstick humor in the series. So he would have done a much better job than Wooden George. God knows why Cubby thought the Wooden puppet will do a better job than Roger in OHMSS?

#52 right idea, wrong pussy

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Posted 27 February 2005 - 03:25 AM

I have to agree with those on this thread who have said that Roger Moore would have done well in TLD, but that the movie is better as it is with Dalton. As he showed in LALD, TMTGG and FYEO, Moore could do quite well playing a darker Bond (don't for a minute think Roger is lightweight in his first two films. He slaps women around and threatens to kill one of them in cold blood.). In fact, many of Roger's best performances came when he was forced to move out of his humorous "comfort zone", even against his own wishes. His own bad performance as Bond (in MR) is due, I think, in no small part to the fact that he was never forced out of that comfort zone. He never flicks his tie to send people to their death, or shoots bad guys three or four times, as he does to Stromberg. So there is no reason to think that a Moore TLD would have been a rediculous laugh-fest. If anything, it would have been similar in tone to OP, a film with a well-done plot and some moments of real tension and suspense.

As other's have mentioned, however, there would not have been scenes such as Bond threatening to shoot Pushkin, or Bond saying that he'd thank M for sacking him. Those scenes add immensely to the film. Also, the film does have a real sense of freshness about it that would be entirely lacking if Moore had done the film.

Just the same, I am glad that the film was written for a middle of the road Bond, and not for Dalton. It had enough humor and traditional Bond elements in it that it did not become a tedious action/revenge flick, as LTK was. I wish Dalton had had another crack at Bond after the ghastly mess that was LTK, but I often wonder if he'd have done any better if he'd had a say in the script. He simply pushed things too far into the emotionless action hero direction. TLD is good (and Dalton is so good in it) because it isn't tailor-made for him.

#53 hrabb04

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Posted 27 February 2005 - 04:27 AM

Ok, another one...

If Roger Moore had done TLD, all Necros would have had to do was push Bond down and break his hip, and his mission would have been accomplished. End of movie. That is why they brought in a younger guy.

#54 DLibrasnow

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Posted 27 February 2005 - 05:09 AM

As he showed in LALD, TMTGG and FYEO, Moore could do quite well playing a darker Bond (don't for a minute think Roger is lightweight in his first two films. He slaps women around and threatens to kill one of them in cold blood.). In fact, many of Roger's best performances came when he was forced to move out of his humorous "comfort zone

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If Roger had gotten the role in 1962 then he probably would have played the character much like he played The Saint. I think anyone who doesn't think Roger can do ruthless and cold blooded need to check him out in episodes of the Saint.

When Roger took on the role of 007 they intentionally tried to move his characterization away from the way Connery had played 007 (to avoid direct comparisons), but also away from the way Moore had played Simon Templar for the same reason.

#55 Gobi-1

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Posted 28 February 2016 - 02:18 AM

Just imagine if Roger had gotten the role in 1962 and played all the way from Dr. No to The Living Daylights. Pretty far-fetched, I know, but it's cool to imagine how different the Bond franchise would be today.

 

Or if George Lazenby stayed in the role from OHMSS until he was 58 like Roger. He would have been Bond until The World Is Not Enough thirty years later!



#56 sharpshooter

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Posted 28 February 2016 - 06:04 AM

Just imagine if Roger had gotten the role in 1962 and played all the way from Dr. No to The Living Daylights. Pretty far-fetched, I know, but it's cool to imagine how different the Bond franchise would be today.

 

Or if George Lazenby stayed in the role from OHMSS until he was 58 like Roger. He would have been Bond until The World Is Not Enough thirty years later!
That's an insane thought!

#57 glidrose

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Posted 29 February 2016 - 06:50 PM

He would have been perfect for that and George Hamilton had not yet injected slapstick humor in the series.


George Hamilton played Bond? No way! I gotta track down those films. Do you remember their titles?

#58 hoagy

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Posted 29 February 2016 - 09:31 PM

It would have had more attempts to be funny.   They'd have needed an older leading leading lady.  It would have had some jokes with barely-making-sense sexual double meanings that would have been groaners.   He'd not have suggested HMSS would be doing him a favor to terminate his employment because he chose to shoot the rifle and not the lady.

When the bad guy falls from the plane he'd have said something like "Watch out for that first step !  it's a doozy !"  Upon entering the cockpit he'd have said something, to explain his return and the other fellow's absence, like "He needed to be dropped off."