19 replies to this topic

[Athena007]

Devin Zydel (aka: Qwerty) has very kindly written for you all here at CBn a 2 part article on Ian Fleming's Short Storys...

This week: For Your Eyes Only

Please read his article from CBn's Main Page ---> Saying it all about: "For Your Eyes Only"

[Qwerty]

Athena, a very big thank you to you and the rest of the staff for allowing me to write it! Quite fun!

[Johnboy007]

Ah, very nice, well done Qwerty.

[Qwerty]

Thanks Johnboy, I hope you enjoy it, this article was quite fun to write.

[zencat]

Great work, Qwery. Makes me want to go back and re-read these shorts stories. I look forward to part 2.

[Qwerty]

That's exactly what it did to me Zencat, made me appreciate how good the stories are, it was my favorite article on Bond I have written yet. The short stories really are a valueable part of the literary Bond, in my opinion.

[Athena007]

Now I might just have to find a moment to read these stories again myself.

[Genrewriter]

Excellent article, Qwerty.

[Donovan]

This was a good article, and I would encourage you to write a follow-up on the remaining short stories.

I would like to add that the short stories were "novelizations" (so-to-speak) of television episodes that were being considered in the late-50s. This is a "Thunderball"-like situation, where Fleming took the script of a failed project and turned it into a literary product.

Most Fleming aficionados consider the short story "For Your Eyes Only" to contain one of the greatest Bond/'M' scenes ever. Where the novel "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" gives you an inside look into 'M's lifestyle, "For Your Eyes Only" gives you a look into his head. I have cited in previous posts the fact the 'M' sends Bond on a mission of vengeance against the man who killed his friend (whom he was Best Man for) as going against the grain for the way 'M' reacted in "Licence To Kill". In other words, 'M' was out-of-character in "Licence To Kill."

Finally, short story adaptations from the books "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy" alternated between films. In 1981, "For Your Eyes Only" and "Risico" were adapted (brilliantly, IMHO). In 1983, "Octopussy" and "The Property of a Lady" were adapted (including the Berlin location from "The Living Daylights"). In 1985, "From A View To A Kill" was loosely adapted. In 1987, "The Living Daylights" was adapted. In 1989, "The Hildebrand Rarity" was adapted (including the use of a stingray tail whip). There was a rumor in 1990 that Dalton's third film had a working title of "Property of a Lady" or "Portrait of a Lady" (Henry James not-with-standing), which continued the trend.

[Qwerty]

Yep, I added in little section at the end of each story to which parts of them were adapted into the films.

A second article concentrating on the stories of the Octopussy collection will be going up eventually too.

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

[Xenobia]

Very well done Qwerty!

By the time you are done with this board, we will be a virtual encyclopedia for Bond!

-- Xenobia

[Qwerty]

Just adding in what ways I can.

[Athena007]

A second article concentrating on the stories of the Octopussy collection will be going up eventually too.

Yep... I'll be putting PART 2 up next week

[Donovan]

Yep, I added in little section at the end of each story to which parts of them were adapted into the films.

Yeah, I noticed that. I was trying to show the sort of trend the producers were following with the short story adaptations, and couldn't think of another way to write about it without basically repeating what you said in your article. Looking forward to the "Octopussy" article.

[SnakeEyes]

It's a great article for people who have never read the books. Hopefully it will encourage people to go out and read them (and what better place to start than the short stories, so you don't get bogged down in a novel).

The short stories are great, although I am glad they never made it to the screen 'as is'.

[Qwerty]

Yep, I added in little section at the end of each story to which parts of them were adapted into the films.

Yeah, I noticed that. I was trying to show the sort of trend the producers were following with the short story adaptations, and couldn't think of another way to write about it without basically repeating what you said in your article. Looking forward to the "Octopussy" article.

Ah, gotcha.

[jwheels]

Great article qwerty. made me wanna go back and read them all again. Can't wait for part 2. Will be 007 in New York be included?

[Qwerty]

Nope, I didn't include that because Zencat recently did an article on it.

[B007GLE]

Very nice article Qwerty,

It has made me want to go back to some of those stories. Quantum of Solace I haven't read in over 20 years. In fact whenever I think about the story I picutre my sophomore year college dorm room.

It's funny what you say about the Hildebrandt Rarity that Fleming leavdes it up to the reader who the killer is. I was so sure it was Liz Krest that I hadn't realized Fleming did not reveal the killer.

One thing on Donovan's comment re M: I don't think the Bond/M/Moneypenny any of them are the same people in the book as the film. They are two different universes.

I look forward to the second part of the article.

[Qwerty]

Yes, I love The Hildebrand Rarity for that very reason!

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I hope Part II lives up to the same expectations!