39 replies to this topic

[hrabb04]

I think Dalton had to be talked into taking Bond more than Brosnan did. Brosnan had to look at things from a point of view of destiny; Dalton was looking at it more conditionally, more reluctantly. He wanted the tone changed, he wanted this, he wanted that. Dalton got in over his head with the fame and publicity and when he could, he got out.

[Lady Rose]

Dalton got in over his head with the fame and publicity and when he could, he got out.

You make a very fair point there. I have always thought he enjoyed making Bond but never enjoyed what went with it.I have noticed his interviews these days always seem far more relaxed and warmer compared to some he gave through his Bond tenure.Maybe he is more relaxed or mellowed as he has gotten older.

I think this is quite a good interview though and he speaks warmly of Bond,his friendship with the Broccolis and even his fellow Bonds.

[Turn]

I wonder if Dalton had gone on, and if they had changed the tone of the films a bit following the somewhat chillier box office of LTK, how he'd have reacted. Would he have become more relaxed having been through the media cycle with his previous two films or would the shaking up of the tone made him more resentful that the more serious approach was taking a lesser role to the formula?

It's an interesting thing to ponder.

[Donovan]

Dalton got in over his head with the fame and publicity and when he could, he got out.

Don't kid yourself. Timothy Dalton very much wanted to make more than two Bond films. To this day he has a grudge against MGM and their position to let him go in the mid-90s. Although he didn't like doing things such as the press interviews, where he'd be asked for the billionth time how his Bond differs from Sean Connery's and Roger Moore's, and he says to have had a sense of relief when it was over and Pierce was cast. Still, he had a vision on how to play the character, and he embarked on a journey to literally flesh out what was written by Ian Fleming. He just wasn't permitted to finish that journey. And he has a monkey on his back regarding the un-informed view among the greater public that his tenure wasn't successful.

[cofalco]

Dalton, while a brave choice as Bond, was the wrong type of personality to have as James Bond.  He did not deal well with the media, and he did not exactly endear himself to them.

I like Dalton, and I wish he had done more Bond movies in the 90's. I actually think he was better than Brosnan, whose performances are not very enduring or memorable IMO.

But in retrospect, it's probably easy to see that Dalton was not going to be for long in the Bond role. He simply lacked the charisma and charm necessary to play the role successfully. And that's precisely what an actor has to have, no matter how he decides to play Bond.

Still, it was the first step on the road to what James Bond should really be, and it was an important step.

[Stephen Spotswood]

One thing I like about Dalton, is he's not afraid to tackle a role made famous by someone else, whether it's James Bond, an Erroyl Flyn like Prince Barin in "Flash Gordon," and Flynn like villain in "The Rocketeer," or even Clark Gable in that excrable "Gone With the Wind" sequel. So here's another potential part for him, Count Dracula. Anything has to be better than that Oldman version.

[Byron]

One thing I like about Dalton, is he's not afraid to tackle a role made famous by someone else, whether it's James Bond, an Erroyl Flyn like Prince Barin in "Flash Gordon," and Flynn like villain in "The Rocketeer," or even Clark Gable in that excrable "Gone With the Wind" sequel.  So here's another potential part for him, Count Dracula.  Anything has to be better than that Oldman version.

He would make an excellent Dracula, also the main protagonist in Richard Matheson's "I am Legend" if it ever gets filmed properly. Prior 2 versions were so-so and not truthful to the novel.

[Dalton's Wendy]

I have just been listening to a tape of some radio interviews which Timothy Dalton did in 2002, at the time of the premi

[Byron]

[quote name='Dalton's Wendy' date='20 November 2005 - 20:29']I have just been listening to a tape of some radio interviews which Timothy Dalton did in 2002, at the time of the premi

[Dalton's Wendy]

Thank you for this interesting info Ms Wendy.

From a producers point of view it would have been strange to have Dalton back after 6 years only to do 1 film and then resign to make way for Brozza. Dalton was in a very difficult position.

Ofcourse it would have been great to see TD in Goldeneye!

My great pleasure, Byron, my friend, and I am pleased that you found it as interesting as did I.

As you so correctly say, Dalton was in a very difficult position, but, nevertheless, he handled the situation with the greatest dignity. Never have I heard of anyone who had in their favour the benefit of a legal contract walk away from a situation with neither rancour, unpleasantry, nor tasteless comments.

But maybe that's just one more reason that you, Byron, and I, admire him as much as we do!