"Never let them see you bleed."
#1
Posted 14 March 2004 - 01:02 PM
"I've always tried to teach you two things:"
Has he? In the 36 years between FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and TWINE, I'm not sure we've seen Q "try" to "teach" Bond anything apart from the importance of treating his equipment with respect.
"Never let them see you bleed...."
Okay, what does that actually mean? Does it translate as: "Don't let the enemy see that you're wounded"? Is that advice not rather, well, obvious? A little like: "Don't forget to keep breathing air, 007, otherwise you'll die"? After nearly four decades, this is one of Q's two big grains of wisdom????
"....and always have an escape route."
Now, this is just getting silly. Since when has it been Q's business to teach Bond about escape routes? He's a gadget-meister, full stop.
Is Q not actually on the point of retirement in TWINE, but on the point of being fired for senile dementia?
#2
Posted 14 March 2004 - 02:13 PM
#3
Posted 14 March 2004 - 03:00 PM
#4
Posted 14 March 2004 - 03:02 PM
#5
Posted 14 March 2004 - 03:24 PM
#6
Posted 14 March 2004 - 04:19 PM
#7
Posted 14 March 2004 - 04:54 PM
"Never let them see you bleed" could again be attached to the use of gadgets, the enemy should never think that Bond has lost or believe their superiority to 007, and Q's gadgets give Bond that upper hand to ensure his enemies never see the man 'bleed.'
#8
Posted 14 March 2004 - 04:56 PM
"R" was terribbly unfunny in his introduction into this franchise, as well. He made up for it in DAD, though.
I know the "never let them see you bleed" scene wasn't necessarily intended as Desmond's "official" sign off to the series, but it sure felt that way. Personally, I felt Fierstein did a much, much better job handling Q's retirement and his replacement (smithers) in his original draft of TND. It was a fun dignified exit..not all sappy and deppressing like in TWINE.
Besides, we even got to see Q's granddaughters. How cool was that?
From Fierstein's TND the 1st draft.....
The next morning Bond and Wade prepare to look for the Indomitable when they climb aboard this sleek search vessel. Out pop`s Q from his retirment and immediately proceeds to arm Bond with plenty of gadgets. Q is surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women...
BOND: I must say, Q, you seem to be doing rather well in your retirement.
Q: Don`t even think about it, 007. They`re my granddaughters!
good stuff
#9
Posted 14 March 2004 - 05:10 PM
#10
Posted 14 March 2004 - 06:22 PM
"Always have an escape plan" In other words, plan ahead as much as possible so that you can get out of a dangerous situation quicker than you get into it.
An agent of Bond's experience doesn't need to be told these things. Why did Q choose that particular moment? He really must have felt that he would never see Bond again, for whatever reason, retirement, death etc, otherwise the scene makes little sense.
#11
Posted 14 March 2004 - 06:49 PM
And note that he doesn't. Why is Q absent at the end of the film, with everyone else gathered round? Presumably, he retires while Bond is off on assignment hunting Renard and trying to stop whatever may be about to happen involving Elektra.He really must have felt that he would never see Bond again
#12
Posted 14 March 2004 - 06:53 PM
#13
Posted 14 March 2004 - 08:42 PM
remember....?
#14
Posted 15 March 2004 - 01:52 AM
At the time yes, but as a result of his death later it's now become terribly poignant now. To me at least. Now, the soulful look on Desmond's face as he sinks slowly into inmortality almost brings tears to my eyes.As much as I love Desmond, I thought his "goodbye" scene was pretty lame.
Q wasn't seen at the end of the movie for two reasons:
1) He was too busy trying to fix his "retirement boat."
and
2) He knew that "R" was going to say that truly lame "millenium bug" quip.
#15
Posted 15 March 2004 - 02:21 AM
The film was, but the Q scene was written by Bruce Fierstien.The line refers to Bond never sucumbing to defeat/dispair, even if a hail mary is the only option? Who knows? The film was written by Niel Purvis and Robert Wade!
#16
Posted 15 March 2004 - 03:48 AM
I've always felt Fierstein's strength isn't in plot but rather with witty, smart dialogue. That's why he makes the perfect script doctor. He polishes up every crap line and manages to turn it into gold.
I'd like to think Fierstein would come up with something more clever than that.
Kinda dissapointing if that's the best BF came up with.
Oh well.
#17
Posted 15 March 2004 - 06:35 PM
#18
Posted 16 March 2004 - 10:17 AM
I agree with BC that the look Desmond gives adds a whole dimension to the scene as he sinks into the floor.
#19
Posted 16 March 2004 - 10:43 AM
I always took the 'never let them see u bleed line' as a reference to Bond starting to show a little emotion over Q leaving. By saying that Q was telling him 'i dont want a scene, keep your emotions in check'.
However why they wrote such a perfect farewell scene I dont understand. Nobody knew that Desmond wouldnt be back for the next one, so its inclusion is quite odd.
We're quite lucky that Q as a character did get a send off, as Desmond's death was so unexpected.
#20
Posted 16 March 2004 - 11:03 AM
#21
Posted 16 March 2004 - 12:02 PM
He often said that he was there "so long as the producers wanted me, and The Almighty didn't".Rumour had it that Desomond would have returned for Bond20, had he not unfortunatly passed away.
I, too, love this scene. Perfect send-off for Q. Quite emotional. Perhaps the only Q scene to end on a downer [more so when we cut to the next scene, and David Arnold's heartfelt music kicks in].
Edited by [dark], 16 March 2004 - 12:03 PM.
#22
Posted 16 March 2004 - 12:21 PM
#23
Posted 17 March 2004 - 01:31 AM
#24
Posted 17 March 2004 - 08:24 AM
#25
Posted 17 March 2004 - 12:27 PM
"Never let them see you bleed"The film was, but the Q scene was written by Bruce Fierstien.The line refers to Bond never sucumbing to defeat/dispair, even if a hail mary is the only option? Who knows? The film was written by Niel Purvis and Robert Wade!
I did a 'net search of this phrase and while virtually all of the results were Bond related, about three or four produced results on a different subject.
This webpage lists the following...
Never make excuses, never let them see you bleed, and never get separated from your baggage.
-- Wesley Price, "Three Rules of Professional Comportment for Writers" (Saturday Evening Post)
I did a free search on the Saturday Evening Post's site, but there were no results going back to January 1992. A paid search probably goes back much further.
Fierstein could've lifted the phrase from this article. Conjecture, of course.
#26
Posted 17 March 2004 - 03:10 PM
"I felt very strongly that Q, after 17 films, one of the most beloved characters in history had better go out right. I kind of lobbied everyone with one sentence, 'look, this is Merlin saying goodbye to Arthur.' Pierce got it immediately. Merlin says goodbye to Arthur and Arthur says goodbye to Merlin, this has got to be a moment. The original line was going to be, 'just remember Bond, I've always tried to teach you two things. First, never comfort the enemy. Second, always have an escape plan.' Michael and I went back and forth on it, back and forth and Apted remembered something about 'never let them see you bleed,' and I said, 'let's do it.'"
#27
Posted 17 March 2004 - 03:52 PM
One for Private Eye's Pseuds Corner."I felt very strongly that Q, after 17 films, one of the most beloved characters in history had better go out right. I kind of lobbied everyone with one sentence, 'look, this is Merlin saying goodbye to Arthur.' Pierce got it immediately. Merlin says goodbye to Arthur and Arthur says goodbye to Merlin, this has got to be a moment. The original line was going to be, 'just remember Bond, I've always tried to teach you two things. First, never comfort the enemy. Second, always have an escape plan.' Michael and I went back and forth on it, back and forth and Apted remembered something about 'never let them see you bleed,' and I said, 'let's do it.'"
#28
Posted 17 March 2004 - 04:47 PM
Oh, good grief"I felt very strongly that Q, after 17 films, one of the most beloved characters in history had better go out right. I kind of lobbied everyone with one sentence, 'look, this is Merlin saying goodbye to Arthur.' Pierce got it immediately. Merlin says goodbye to Arthur and Arthur says goodbye to Merlin, this has got to be a moment."
I hear the sound of resplendent vomiting a-ringing out.
#29
Posted 17 March 2004 - 05:30 PM
#30
Posted 17 March 2004 - 07:01 PM