36 replies to this topic

[Bondpurist]

After Casino Royale, Fleming's Bond was pretty much a misogynist. Dalton did that well in LTK but was pretty soft with Kara. I don't care; I liked both. The other Bonds did neither - at least Dalton had some chemistry with the girls.

[IrishCrown]

Lazenby and Rigg had no chemistry....riiiiight.
Connery and Blackman no chemistry....okay.
Roger and Melina Havelock in For Your Eyes Only?
Pierce and Sophie Marceau in TWINE?

Sorry, fella, these guys and their girls had chemistry.

IrishCrown--the man who still believes that Bondpurist is really Timothy Dalton's lovechild.

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Yeah a complete misogynist (def: hatred of women) in the books. I guess Bond didn't fall for, like and/or respect Gala in Moonraker, or Tiffany Case in DAF, or Tania in FRWL or Domino in TB or Tracy in OHMSS. Yep, nothing but contempt and hatred for them all.

As for chemistry with leading ladies on screen, yes other Bonds have had it, as noted in the above list. As for Bond and Kara, well sorry to say but I find Kara to be annoying simp hardly worthy of Dalton's Bond's googly eyes and mushy kissy poo faces which I find stomach churning. Yes Bond falls for women, all the time, books and screen, yes at heart he's a conflicted and thwarted romantic, but he is not GOOEY. He does not wear all his emotions on his sleeve. That's my main problem with Dalton's Bond, he wears too many emotions on his sleeve, be they seething over the top anger or "love".

Yes Bond feels these things but no he shouldn't go around erupting seething and panting in anger most of the time and he doesn't get sappy, at least not where anyone else could see. Not in the films and no not in the books either. The character has a surface cool and restraint where small eruptions might occassionally break the surface be they anger, fear, tenderness or love, but they should be rare occurances deriving from extremely heightened circumstances. Dalton is always seething and stewing like a disgruntled civil servant, it's on the whole rather unpleasant, and no I don't find the book Bond to be nasty and/or unpleasant. No, Fleming's Bond is not as charming, witty or stylish as the cinematic Bond but he is not without charm or humor.

So not only don't I think Dalton was the only romantic Bond, or the only hard Bond I don't think he was Fleming's literary Bond either. He gave interesting performance but they weren't particualarly IMO effective or cohesive performances. I don't think Bond was his best work. He was far more appealing and effective in The Rocketeer, heck even in Flash Gordon. I find it interesting that his work as a villian has more charm and appeal than his work as Bond.

MBE

[Bondpurist]

James Bond could be romantic in the novels, or at least seem to be, if only to get, shall we say, closer to the girl in question. Dalton had a great chemistry with the Bond girls - he was harsh at times on Kara - for instance when she doesn't want to go to the Khyber pass or when he told her to get into the jeep. Anyway, his romanticism towards Kara was a plot device. He had to do that do get close to Kara and thus Koskov. If he had been a raving misogynist he would never of gained her trust. In LTK he is quite nasty to Pam and keeps telling her to go home because he doesn't need her. Dalton plays the literary 007 perfectly as well as adding his own unique style to the role. He manipulates Kara at first before falling for her and acts exactly as Bond would in the novels with Pam. I hardly find Dalton 'gooey' anyway - he is charming and nice to Kara. MBE definately exaggerates - he never says anything that bad, even if he does look at her romantically, which I found to be a great example of Tim's acting ability. I don't find Kara an annoying simp - she is sweet and innocent but still quite brave - she persuades Kamran shah to attack the soviets and bravely rides ahead. Then she helps Bond out in the fight despite being told to stay behind by Kamran. James Bond is emotional and Tim reflected this well - in Licence To Kill he has a right to be a bit annoyed -Felix was fed to the sharks and Della killed. In TLD he does indifference quite well and isn't always emotional. I think Tim's emotional acting was the best part - the literary 007 was equally emotional, whether it be love, hate or anger, and Tim captured it quite sublimely. The other Bonds were too laid back and cool about everything - the literary Bond was serious, often apprehensive and always quite worrisome. He hates killing and Tim's seriousness and lack of being laid back added considerably to his portrayal of 007. I think Tim is best as the good guy, and being a bad guy would be a waste on him. He has the talent to pull off an often complicated, strong, good protagonist and being a bad guy would waste his talents. And no Irishcrown, I am not Tim's secret lovechild.

[IrishCrown]

Are you at least a long lost relative? Anyone who takes this much trouble to defend someone they've never met or who gets this upset over something like this...I was just wondering.

[Bondpurist]

Not to my knowledge. But I am the biggest fan of Tim's time as 007 I would imagine possible.

[IrishCrown]

I don't know about that one, Bondpurist, because to be honest...there was this girl in Philadelphia...