25 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Roger Moore & Tony Curtis Condemn Smoking

Roger Moore and Tony Curtis urged movie fans to give up smoking during their appearance at last night's British Empire film awards. Former James Bond actor star Moore insists he owes his life to Curtis, who encouraged him to follow his example and kick the deadly habit in the 1970s.

Moore, 78, says, "When we began shooting Tony gave me a book on how to stop smoking. I didn't read it. I just looked at the picture on the back of an X-ray of a lung with a red spot on it. The red spot was cancer. The next day I coughed up blood while smoking a cigarette, and I haven't smoked since."

Curtis adds, "That was 35 years ago, and we wouldn't be here now if one of us was a smoker."

http://commanderbond...item&item=29700

[K1Bond007]

That's pretty much how my Mom got me to never smoke. Showed me an X-ray of a smoker's lung etc. Never wanted to after seeing that. She's a nurse...

[krypt]

Good for Moore and Curtis! I respect those gentlemen very much indeed.

[stamper]

Well I disagree, I'm all for Bond wearing a smoking and tuxedo, it not, it's not Bond.

[krypt]

Well I disagree, I'm all for Bond wearing a smoking and tuxedo, it not, it's not Bond.

Question: did you think Moore was Bond?

[DLibrasnow]

As James Bond said in Tomorrow Never Dies:

"Filthy habit"

Thankfully smoking is banned in all public places in this county (and most of the surrounding ones).

[addyb]

I'm sortof "on the fence" with this topic. I'm a smoker, I thorougly enjoy it and I don't really mind what it will probably do to my lungs because everyone dies eventually.

But for James Bond, I feel that he MUST be a smoker, it's part of his image. Timothy Dalton expelling smoke through his teeth in the Bladen Safe House is pure Fleming, the way the character should be.

It's sortof ironic if one takes the time to think about it: It's perfectly acceptable for James Bond to carry a weapon and kill people, it's perfectly acceptable for him to have probably un-protected sex with numerous women in the films, but when it comes to tobacco "Oh no, he can't do that, it presents a bad image to young children." Remember the huge issue over Brosnan lighting a cigar in DAD?

Mind you, I'm sure a lot of you will disagree with this issue, but for me, James Bond SHOULD be a smoker. It is the way that Ian Fleming intented him to be.

Adam

[DLibrasnow]

Mind you, I'm sure a lot of you will disagree with this issue, but for me, James Bond SHOULD be a smoker. It is the way that Ian Fleming intented him to be.

Ian Flemings James Bond was also a chauvanist and, some would argue, a racist - does this also mean that he should still be one in the 21st Century? There are some things that were acceptable in 1953 that are today considered unacceptable - smoking is one of them.

[addyb]

Yes, yes you do have a point. Smoking isn't particularly socialy acceptable these days and that's probably why James Bond doesn't do it anymore.

But you know what? I miss the days of the sexist, rascist, 70 cigarette a day man who comes out of a mission bruised, battered but with a smile upon his face having saved the world from some sick, sadistic villian.

I just feel that with Bond not being a smoker, it sortof takes away from the true spirit of it all. But as John Gardner wrote in defense of his novels "A character has to grow." And that's what James Bond has done.

Cheers,

Adam

[killkenny kid]

addyb, do you mean what you just said?

[addyb]

About the smoking or about Bond having to grow? For tobacco, yeah, I miss the days of Bond blowing clouds of smoke through his teeth, I miss Sean Connery lighting one and up giving the world famous "Bond, James Bond" line, and I miss Timothy Dalton chain smoking while having breakfast with Sanchez. But Libra is right, it's not exactly a popular social activity today and that's probably why Bond doesn't do it anymore. (But that doesn't mean I can't wish that he did)

As for the character growing, I'm not even going to touch on that rather sensitive topic. I don't want to bring a heated debate to something that's been ongoing for...well...a long time.

Adam

[Turn]

What's interesting here and not been addressed is that Roger continued, and may still continue, smoking cigars, although that may be what got him off cigarettes, even bringing the habit to his version of Bond.

The smoking thing can go either way for me. Connery having a cigarette while he announces his name in DN only adds to a great moment. But if you think about it, he really doesn't light up that much in the rest of his films. I may be wrong, but the only other time I can think of offhand is in YOLT when he merely lit a cigarette to use the rocket (maybe another time or two in DN).

I can't say not seeing him smoke in any of the Brosnan films hurt it really. What I don't like about Bond not smoking is if the reason being pressure from some silly group out there picketing the film or labling it dangerous and trying to slap it with an R rating for this habit. People still smoke. I am personally a staunch anti-smoker, but I don't go to movies to necessarily see reality and if it means James Bond can smoke, then so be it.

[TheSaint]

Roger quit smoking cigars sometime after AVTAK.

[Captain Grimes]

I'm a nonsmoker, and I think smoking should be banned in all public places, but I don't buy the argument that it's irresponsible to show Bond smoking. It's just a movie. It's just fiction. The purpose of this sort of fiction is to entertain the audience, not to provide moral instruction.

Of course, showing Bond smoking might lead some kids to take up smoking, but the physical wellbeing of young people is not the responsibility of filmmakers or film actors. Parents who are really concerned about this sort of thing shouldn't allow their kids to watch films about nymphomaniacal alcoholic assassins in the first place.

(Sorry, end of rant )

Edited by Captain Grimes, 17 March 2006 - 04:36 PM.

[Dalton's Wendy]

I'm a nonsmoker, and I think smoking should be banned in all public places, but I don't buy the argument that it's irresponsible to show Bond smoking. It's just a movie. It's just fiction. The purpose of this sort of fiction is to entertain the audience, not to provide moral instruction.

Of course, showing Bond smoking might lead some kids to take up smoking, but the physical wellbeing of young people is not the responsibility of filmmakers or film actors. Parents who are really concerned about this sort of thing shouldn't allow their kids to watch films about nymphomaniacal alcoholic assassins in the first place.

(Sorry, end of rant )

Do not apologize, Captain Grimes -- you happen to be 100% correct, particularly in the final lines of each of your paragraphs!

I find it interesting that movies which exhibit -- no, glorify -- excessive intake of alochol, along with casual sex with multiple partners, not to mention rampant destruction of public and private property, and, hey, let's not forget murder, can be so self-righteous and hypocritical as to mount a moral high horse and say that they are providing children with a moral lesson.

As to Tony Curtis having helped Sir Roger quit smoking back in the Seventies: having been acquainted with Mr. Curtis for many years, I can tell you that he himself smoked, snorted, and ingested things which were a heck of lot more harmful to his health than a pack of Winstons!

[Moore Not Less]

As to Tony Curtis having helped Sir Roger quit smoking back in the Seventies: having been acquainted with Mr. Curtis for many years, I can tell you that he himself smoked, snorted, and ingested things which were a heck of lot more harmful to his health than a pack of Winstons!

When Tony Curtis arrived in England to begin filming The Persuaders he was stopped and searched by customs officials at Heathrow Airport. He was found to be in possession of cannabis and was taken to West Drayton police station and charged.

Curtis recalled the incident years later.

It was nothing. I had enough makings for one or two marijuana cigarettes and when I wen't to court I just stood up and said, 'I'm a stranger in a strange country. I don't drink, occasionally I smoke some marijuana and if that is an offence I apologize, I am certainly not loaded with drugs, as you can see.'

The magistrates went out and huddled together. They came back and said 'Fifty pounds.' I said, 'Well, I don't have any money on me,' and everyone laughed. I hadn't made any currency change yet. So my barrister stood up and said, 'I will take care of Mr Curtis's obligation.' So that is where the newspapers got the headline 'BROKE AND BUSTED'. It was inoffensive, there was nothing obscene or nerve-racking about it. It had nothing to do with the future or the past. In fact it helped us because it made you aware we were doing the show called The Persuaders with Roger.

[007Travis]

I'm a nonsmoker, and I think smoking should be banned in all public places, but I don't buy the argument that it's irresponsible to show Bond smoking. It's just a movie. It's just fiction. The purpose of this sort of fiction is to entertain the audience, not to provide moral instruction.

Of course, showing Bond smoking might lead some kids to take up smoking, but the physical wellbeing of young people is not the responsibility of filmmakers or film actors. Parents who are really concerned about this sort of thing shouldn't allow their kids to watch films about nymphomaniacal alcoholic assassins in the first place.

(Sorry, end of rant )

I agree with you 100% on all points on this. My thoughts exactly.

[killkenny kid]

My good Docter. I stopped May 10, 1996, and gain 30 pounds, That I'm still fighting to get off. The older you are, the more you have to fight.

[Scrambled Eggs]

My good Docter. I stopped May 10, 1996, and gain 30 pounds, That I'm still fighting to get off. The older you are, the more you have to fight.

Tell me about it. If Bond quit smoking Q branch would have to invent a liposuction device for him with weeks. Quitting smoking should come with a health warning.

[Turn]

My good Docter. I stopped May 10, 1996, and gain 30 pounds, That I'm still fighting to get off. The older you are, the more you have to fight.

Tell me about it. If Bond quit smoking Q branch would have to invent a liposuction device for him with weeks. Quitting smoking should come with a health warning.

But he's Bond. If he quit smoking, he'd kick it and probably get more fit. Either that or his sex drive would make up for it.

[Bryce (003)]

I smoke, but it's my choice.

BTW - Roger seems to be skipping a step...or doing his math wrong as to when he quit. Check out both the FYEO and OP "Inside" docs on the DVD's. Roger (in some footage) is clearly smoking a cig between takes at the monastery shoot while explaining why the monks were protesting and in some of the India PR footage he also has a cigar in a few shots. Wasn't part of his "gentlemen's agreement" with Cubby that he got good cigars and got to keep his wardrobe?

To use a great non-Bond quote:

"There are two types of people in the world. Non-smokers and smokers. People who say they're trying to quit are basically just pussies who can't commit. Decide which one you are, and be THAT." - Robin Williams - Dead Again 1991.

Filthy habit, yes. Don't start. Part of Bond's character? Yeah. Ernest Cuneo once joked "Ian created Bond so there would be someone who smoked more than he did."

A different time, a different place.

Lastly, to quote Alfred Dunhill : "A cigarette or cigar or a pipe give the wise man a moment to collect his thoughts and the fool yet another device by which to kill himself."

I've always thought of myself as the "wise man".

Well, that's how I think. For the record - was never more than a 4-7 a day man. I'm talking cigs, not packs.

[Publius]

Good for them. I choose to abstain from smoking myself.

But, it must also be said that I can't stand those folks who are constantly clamoring to "ban" the practice. It's that kind of politically correct, authoritarian nonsense that our society should be fighting against. Sure, smoking isn't good for you, but beyond warning people that it can kill (then again, what doesn't these days?), why can't we just leave smokers be? We sure as hell don't need militant soccer/security moms and borderline fascist feminists scaring us into running every "vice" out of popular entertainment until all that's left is bland, mindless sludge in line with their propaganda.

Bond is a smoker. That's an aspect of his persona. Big deal. Yes, he can be "updated" easily, and in this case it might not be that great a loss. But what's next on the agenda? His zest for sex? His violent side? His overall love of the high life? We need to be vigilant that certain things aren't stripped of Bond's character. Not always because we promote or even condone it, but simply because it's part of who he is: human and imperfect. Being a pop icon does not translate to role model status. Granted, it shouldn't be done only for the sake of "being cool" or for the shock factor, but neither should nothing be dropped for mostly PC reasons.

And I'm saying all this as a non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler, who firmly believes in monogamy, yet thoroughly enjoys watching a chain-smoking, vodka-sipping, card-playing, womanizing James Bond on the big screen.

I apologize for the off-topicness...

Edited by Publius, 21 March 2006 - 04:54 AM.

[ACE]

And I'm saying all this as a non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler,

What's your name? Vargas?!!!

[Bryce (003)]

And I'm saying all this as a non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler,

What's your name? Vargas?!!!

Now disrespect Publius, but ACE....Dead on target! That was real good.

Man...my sides literally hurt after that one.

[Publius]

And I'm saying all this as a non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler,

What's your name? Vargas?!!!

Every man has his passion.

Mine is women.

[Bryce (003)]

What's your name? Vargas?!!!

Every man has his passion.

Mine is women.

GOOD ANSWER!