9 replies to this topic

[INTREPID]

What was Fleming trying to do with the apparent death of 007 at the end of 'From Russia with Love'? Did he always intend to bring Bond back? Was he trying to accomplish a Reichenbach?

[Mister Asterix]

As I understand it, Fleming always planned to bring Bond back. I remember reading a quote from Fleming telling a friend who had just read the draft of From Russia, With Love not to worry that Bond would be back.

[Blofeld's Cat]

There you go then.

I thought Fleming got sick of Bond and decided to kill him off. After the book was published a close friend then told him that he should continue and Fleming took his advice.

That's how I thought it went, until now.

[Turn]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat
There you go then.

I thought Fleming got sick of Bond and decided to kill him off. After the book was published a close friend then told him that he should continue and Fleming took his advice.

That's how I thought it went, until now.

This is the version I'd always heard as well.

[zencat]

Originally posted by INTREPID
...Was he trying to accomplish a Reichenbach?

Ha! Perfect analogy, Intrepid. I'm a Holmes fan, too. (We seem to have several things in common, don

[DLibrasnow]

I always assumed it was Fleming taking a page out of Conan Doyle's book, but I think he probably had every intention of having Bond return.

It's a trick they have used more than once to pull the carpet out from under the audience in the Bond movies -- From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice and Never Say Never Again spring to mind.

[Blue Eyes]

It could also have been a very clever marketing ploy. Did you hear Bond dies end at the end the latest book? Better read it, it's the last one notion.

[DLibrasnow]

Fleming even kinda used it again in YOLT. Wasn't that the novel where 007's obit appears?

[Cesari]

I have often read that Fleming was sometimes bored by Bond.
I read somewhere he was bored by Bond at the end of FRWL. And so, he wanted to kill him. Bond came back because some friends and fans told hum not to do it.
I'm sure itis a bit like Simenon with Maigret and Conan Doyle with Holmes. Both wanted to kill their creature but the creature didn't let teir author kill them so easily.
And I think Fleming was ambivalent with James Bond. Wanting to kill him but coudn't do it.
But maybe it is part of the myth.

[ChandlerBing]

Books sales in the US were poor, and Fleming was sick of Bond, that is true. Supposedly, Raymond Chandler, a big Bond fan, convinced Fleming to give Bond another shot.