53 replies to this topic

[Harmsway]

I always thought that the guy who played Admiral Roebuck might do a good job, had he not taken that role in TND. But come to think of it, M's are in short supply these days. We need someone definately British, and we also need someone who can handle the role and look like they fit. I don't think Michael Caine is a good choice, nor any of the ones we've mentioned. Hopefully they can find someone we haven't suggested when Judi Dench decides to depart (all my bets are that she'll leave with Brosnan).

~Harmsway

[Xenobia]

Jim (27 May, 2002 05:41 p.m.):
Give the job to Timothy Dalton and let everyone's head spin off

Let's watch your head spin off:

I think Dalton would be perfect as M. I'd pay money to see Brosnan take orders from him.

-- Xenobia

[ray t]

the suggestion that TANNER be promoted to M is a bad one.

Tanner is a fleming character and, in the books, is Bonds closest friend in the security services.

its as bad as having monypenny becoming a field operative, or bond becoming a "captain" (a la Gardner).

M and Q are titles...whereas Bond, Moneypenny and Tanner are Fleming characters of a specific age range and should always remain so.

[General Koskov]

Anthony Hopkins! Watched the tv spot for...uh the film about the bloke who's twin brother was in the CIA, and they hire him? ???

Anyway, Hopkins is the head of the CIA or something and one of his lines has that 'snort' sound that Lee had--know what I mean? And he looks the part: old man.

But Dame Judi is excellent, and after Lee, another man is just not as interesting. Not that Brown was bad.

[Jim]

Xenobia (28 May, 2002 12:18 a.m.):

Jim (27 May, 2002 05:41 p.m.):
Give the job to Timothy Dalton and let everyone's head spin off

Let's watch your head spin off:

I think Dalton would be perfect as M. I'd pay money to see Brosnan take orders from him.

-- Xenobia

(sound of head spinning off and hitting keyboard)

ierfhkgkkjge93mnge ilh 6eam

[Hardyboy]

General Koskov (28 May, 2002 04:42 a.m.):
Anthony Hopkins! Watched the tv spot for...uh the film about the bloke who's twin brother was in the CIA, and they hire him? ???

Anyway, Hopkins is the head of the CIA or something and one of his lines has that 'snort' sound that Lee had--know what I mean? And he looks the part: old man.

But Dame Judi is excellent, and after Lee, another man is just not as interesting. Not that Brown was bad.

Hmmm. . .I think Anthony Hopkins might be a little out of EON's price range. He's also still starring in movies or at least appearing in hefty supporting roles, so I doubt he'd be interested in spending two or three minutes as M--and all the Tony Hopkins fans out there (there are plenty of 'em) might be disappointed by his small part. They might have to turn M into a major character if they got Hopkins for the part.

BTW, General, the movie you're thinking of is Bad Company. Has anyone else noticed the blatant ripoff of Thunderball that appears in BC's trailer and TV commercial? A beautiful woman is emerging from the shower and she asks Chris Rock to hand her something to cover herself with. Chris responds by holding up a tiny hand towel. Markedly similar to the scene where Bond finds Fiona in his bath and when she asks for something to put on he tosses her a pair of shoes. And who says Hollywood is out of fresh ideas?

[Tedley King]

I had a thought, although there is no need to get rid of Dench from the role she has now made her own, if something, God help it, should happen to her, they might consider drafting in Michael Caine! He's a good actor.

[Xenobia]

Jim (28 May, 2002 06:09 a.m.):

Xenobia (28 May, 2002 12:18 a.m.):

Jim (27 May, 2002 05:41 p.m.):
Give the job to Timothy Dalton and let everyone's head spin off

Let's watch your head spin off:

I think Dalton would be perfect as M. I'd pay money to see Brosnan take orders from him.

-- Xenobia

(sound of head spinning off and hitting keyboard)

ierfhkgkkjge93mnge ilh 6eam

::Jumps up and pumps fist in the air:: YES! Mission accomplished!

::pauses:: Oh wait...who will help with the baby? Oops! :-)

-- Xenobia

[General Koskov]

Hardyboy (28 May, 2002 06:54 a.m.):
And who says Hollywood is out of fresh ideas?

I do! I hated that bit, I mean it was funny, but the fact that Bond did it just ruined the whole thing.

-Does it play DVDs?
-Yes Chris, the Thunderball DVD is in there right no. Care to steal some more sequences?

If Bond wasn't so famous, I'd say the writer might not have known of that scene (though how it would have got past the producers, directors, actors, I've no clue). I once wrote a PTS where Bond blows up a train by lighting a trail of petrol from a leaking tanker car--didn't realise Die Hard 2 had this!

[Mister Asterix]

No. I say keep Dame Judi until she's well in to her 70s or dies.

[Hardyboy]

When Dame Judi was interviewed on "60 Minutes" a couple of months ago, she said it was a great thrill to be known by every 11-year-old boy in the world; she gave every indication that she loves playing M and has no intention of giving up the role. Her "retirement," by the way, is a short break to help her cope with the death of her husband.

Anyway. . .I've been mulling this over, and I think I need to step outside the box. When I made some suggestions for a potential new M, I was really thinking of an M on the lines of Bernard Lee or Robert Brown, forgetting that Judi Dench changed everything. The fact she's become M means that the original has retired (as in the current series of novels) or died, so I guess ANYONE could be a potential M. . .Tanner, Robinson, it's all up in the air. But, still, why call the head of the SIS M now? M was never a general title--it's the initial of Admiral Sir Miles Messervy and his use of the initial dates to the Cold War era, when the identity of the SIS head was supposed to be such a closely guarded secret not even his own agents knew who he was. The Secret Service today is far more open--the head can use his or her own name.

[Carver]

Ok, ok, Micheal Caine was tough in Get Carter but the majority of his films are comedys, people just would'nt take him seriously. But I do agree with David Suchet, he would make a good M. I also like the promotion idea for Micheal Kitchens Tanner, if he is available that is. However, don't write Judi Dench off yet, she is the female vesion of Bernard Lee's M. I don't like what Mr* said about 'keeping her until she dies'. That is just sick. She will retire when she wants to. If she feels she is too old, then she will stop acting all together.

[DavidFries]

If James' rumor is true, I can understand the logic. Dame Judi commands alot of money these days, and I don't know how much longer she'd want the role, especially if Pierce leaves. I think having a new Bond, new Moneypenny, and new M all at once would be an awful lot to swallow, especially since won't have been ages since the last one, as was the case for GE. Why not get a new M now, get him comfortable in the role, and he brings in the new Bond when that day comes.

Plus, it gives Pierce more juicy acting to do. The M that he's finally begun to accept and respect, even though she's a woman and all that, is snatched away, possibly before his eyes. Maybe it'll even be his fault; that'd be good. Who knows, but I don't mind the idea.

[SeanValen]

The M role shouldn't be too big, so any unknown can do the job, and make the role their own, brief appearances, keep the stories about Bond, more screen time for Bond etc.

But Dame Judi Dench's M has been refreshing, adding a unigue element to the series, and continuity with Bronsnan's Bond. But when she goes, I just hope the M role is not focused too seriously upon, M should be less visable, villians and Bond should always stand out, Renard for example in TWINE could of done with more scenes of menace rather then extending M's role a bit.

[john007]

james, are you serious about judi dench not playing M after this movie??? i think it would be a tradjedy to loose her, she is an excellent M!! please james, say it isn't so!!

[Hardyboy]

To chip in on the Michael Caine debate, he's still playing more than just comedy. He put in a fantastic performance as an aging gangster in "Blood and Wine"--a performance that rivals "Get Carter"--and he was also pretty serious as the compassionate abortionist in "The Cider House Rules." Also, even in "Little Voice," a comedy, he managed to fill his character with pathos, anger, and desperation--he's more than just a comedian. Still, I don't think Caine's quite right for M. "'Ere, 007, I got an assoignment fer ya, luv." Just don't see it.

[General Koskov]

Okay, regarding posts above my last one (that's on page one--and how did I miss them before??): I think when you reply to a spoiler, try to use the same colour or whatever conceals the 'spoil' of the original spoiler. And James Page, try to cover that last line about M. possibly not being in Bond 21 because of the spoiler. Come on! Are we now supposed to not think that she'll be killed (or something, obviously I'm ignoring the posts below, just going on what I glanced at) at the end of Die Another Day?

This is like someone in May of '69 saying:

Spoiler

...

And that's why Tracy might not be in Diamonds Are Forever.

Now I know you said it might be a rumour, but still...I'd rather not know [cuss] about Die Another Day!

PS. No offense, I just hate thinking I'm reading a 'spoiler-safe' thread and then getting a huge lead on the plot.

[Blofeld's Cat]

General Koskov (20 May, 2002 06:37 a.m.):
Now I know you said it might be a rumour, but still...I'd rather not know [cuss] about Die Another Day!

PS. No offense, I just hate thinking I'm reading a 'spoiler-safe' thread and then getting a huge lead on the plot.

Sorry about that, GK.

We staff members try to keep on top of unsuspecting spoilers suddenly appearing, but the old couple may fall through the cracks.

Everyone just needs to be mindful of others when posting any information that they read previously in a thread that had a spoiler warning attached.

[General Koskov]

Maybe if such a time should come as when Bond is too old--like when the films have been going one hundred years and people start to say: 'Say, that Bond chap ages awfully slowly, eh?'--maybe Bond should become M.

[Hardyboy]

I agree that Robert Hardy (no relation) would make a pretty good M. I also think that two of the three "great Ians"--Holm and Richardson--would be superb at conveying M's brittle, officious, and exasperated sides. (The third great Ian, McKellan, would be a better Bond villain than an M.)

[Simon]

At the risk of going against the grain, I have to say that Judi Dench hasn't been too effective in the M role - she just doesn't command a presence demanded by the position. Getting captured in TWINE and scripting in TND that she said she wasn't happy with aren't her fault, I'm afraid I find her....irritating!

Brian Cox is an interesting choice, one I hadn't thought of.

Edward Woodwood is just too smarmy and all-knowing smiles. He was the chief in the New Professionals a few years ago and I just wished one of his agents would take a pop at him all the way through.

I don't know how he looks these days but Robert Hardy is Bernard Lee-ish in approach. He was in All Creatures Great and Small.

[White Persian]

Simon (20 May, 2002 10:07 a.m.):
I don't know how he looks these days but Robert Hardy is Bernard Lee-ish in approach. He was in All Creatures Great and Small.

Simon, this is exactly what i've been trawling through this topic to say!

Hardy had a cameo in the recent bbc version of The Lost World, and hasn't changed greatly since All Creatures Great and Small all those years ago.
I think he'd be a wonderful crusty no- nonsense M, just as Bernard Lee was in Dr No and FRWL.

[Joyce Carrington]

Is Judi Dench really quitting the role?
Please tell me that's not true...

[Blue Eyes]

No Joyce, she's not We're just discussing what would happen if she did.