33 replies to this topic

[RossMan]

I'd like to see Icebreaker made into Bond film, my favorite Gardner Bond novel.
Though Special Services would be better as an annivsary movie for Bond 20 since it brings back SPECTRE, Felix Lieter, and introdoces Blofeld's vengeful daughter.
I know it's very unlikely that any Gardners will be used for a future film since elements of his books have already been used throughout the EON series.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I get the impression that EON and Gildrose don't like each other, as none of the non-Fleming novels have been filmed.
I also get the impression that EON thinks that Gildrose are stepping on their toes every time a novel is published. EON feels very proprietorial to Bond

[scaramanga]

It'll never happen, but if it does I think that For Special Services is the most easily adaptable.
Plus, a return for many old school favs, such as SPECTRE, Felix Leiter, etc.
AND it has an excellent Fleming-inspired title!

[White Persian]

Gardner's personal and health problems might explain the variable quality of his Bond output.
Many of them read like unpolished preliminary drafts, much as Fleming's own TMWTGG does.

[scaramanga]

Also, I just remembered that SeaFire would be interesting as well. Pierce as always said that he would like to do a Bond film about the environment and the book concerns Sir Maxwell Tarn sinking an oil tanker off Puerto Rico and cleaning it up to promote his leadership in the resurgence of the Nazi party. Bond has never come against a knight of the British Empire yet in the movies and it would be a nice twist to things, he nearly did with Sir Elliot Harmsway in TND, but he was changed to the very boring Elliot Carver. The title would have to change though, maybe to AQUATOR, the rejected title of TND.

[RossMan]

I think that the Man From Barbarossa would make a fine spy movie, but not a Bond movie. It's a great post Cold War espionage thriller but fails in many places as a decent Bond story. Gardner should have wrote this one using his own characters rather than Bond M, etc., it probably would have been more successful then.

[Barebumundermakilt]

Sorry Rossman.....TMFB was utter pish....same as Brokenclaw!! I agree with the rest of the guys and gals on Icebreaker/Special Services and Nobody Lives Forever......but Licence Renewed is better.....imagine the possibilities, a lair in Scotland .....only a few hundred miles from the Secret Service's Scottish base????? then France.or even Milan Italy.......
Failing that what about using No Deals Mr Bond.......some good stuff in there aswell

[RossMan]

Barebumundermakilt (30 Sep, 2001 08:32 p.m.):
Failing that what about using No Deals Mr Bond.......some good stuff in there aswell

Yeah, I thought No Deals, Mr. Bond was pretty good too. It would be nice to see a Bond film in Ireland plus it could bring SMERSH into the series.

[White Persian]

RossMan (30 Sep, 2001 07:49 p.m.):
I think that the Man From Barbarossa would make a fine spy movie, but not a Bond movie. It's a great post Cold War espionage thriller but fails in many places as a decent Bond story.  Gardner should have wrote this one using his own characters rather than Bond M, etc., it probably would have been more successful then.

I've always wondered whether Gardner started this as a non-Bond novel, and then shoe-horned Bond in to meet Glidrose's deadline for the next 007 book.

[zencat]

I'd like to see ICEBREAKER as well. Eon should at least use this title. It's certainly the best title of the Gardner series -- in fact, it's probably the best post-Fleming title of them all (sorry Raymond).

FOR SPECIAL SERVICES and LICENSE RENEWED are both very adaptable. BROKENCLAW has a good villain and locations... And WIN, LOSE OR DIE has a great set-up (Bond returns to the Royal Navy). These could all work.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I have not read a Gardner book, but if it means keeping the franchise going...
ALL OF THEM!

[Tim007]

Personnaly I'd like to see Icebreaker, Nobody Lives Forever or No Deals, Mr Bond...

[Icephoenix]

ICEBREAKER.

[scaramanga]

White Persian (01 Oct, 2001 10:13 p.m.):

RossMan (30 Sep, 2001 07:49 p.m.):
I think that the Man From Barbarossa would make a fine spy movie, but not a Bond movie. It's a great post Cold War espionage thriller but fails in many places as a decent Bond story.  Gardner should have wrote this one using his own characters rather than Bond M, etc., it probably would have been more successful then.

I've always wondered whether Gardner started this as a non-Bond novel, and then shoe-horned Bond in to meet Glidrose's deadline for the next 007 book.

Thats an interesting theory, and one thats quite plausible. John Gardner has been in the wars on several occasions during the years. I remember reading an article about him not so long ago and it stated all the illnesses he has suffered and the numerous cancer scares. His wife died of cancer, and Glidrose used to hound him for his latest book, etc. Poor chap. He even stated that the Bond books were 'something he shouldn't have taken on'.

[RossMan]

I think they should do movies of Gardner's own little SPECTRE trilogy. Except, after introducing Nina Blofeld in Special Services she should return as the villain in Role of Honor and Nobody Lives FOrever instead of, like in the books, bringing in Colonel Tamil Rahani as the new SPECTRE head after Nina Blofeld.

If they ever did No Deals, Mr. Bond they would have to change the title. (James Bond in No Deals, Mr. Bond does not sound quite right.)

[M.]

I've read all Fleming, Gardner and Benson books.
My favorites is definitely Nobody lives forever (Gardner). Also a good title for a movie, but it's also a major popular game (No one lives forever). So they probably will never use that title.

[RossMan]

M. (24 Sep, 2001 03:24 p.m.):
I've read all Fleming, Gardner and Benson books.
My favorites is definitely Nobody lives forever (Gardner). Also a good title for a movie, but it's also a major popular game (No one lives forever). So they probably will never use that title.

If they did do a movie of Nobody Lives Forever, they could use Death is Forever (shudder...cringe...) for a title instead, they're pretty much alike.

On the subject of Nobody Lives Forever as a movie, I'm surprised Eon hasn't used that concept of a "headhunt" against Bond yet in the movies. That would make for a great movie!

[Qwerty]

For Special Services or Nobody Lives Forever.

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

seafire

[jwheels]

Never Send Flowers. I think the serial killer plot would make a great movie.

[DLibrasnow]

So many of them have already been made into movies. Just check out this thread:

http://debrief.comma...wtopic=323&st=0

[TheSaint]

License Renewed, For Special Services, or Icebreaker.

[spynovelfan]

I'd like to see ICEBREAKER as well. Eon should at least use this title. It's certainly the best title of the Gardner series -- in fact, it's probably the best post-Fleming title of them all (sorry Raymond).

It is a good title - I've always wondered if he took it from Victor Suvorov's controversial WWII 'history' of the same name. Gardner was certainly very familiar with Suvorov's Aquarium, which is the source for all his information on the GRU. I think it's in No Deals, Mr Bond that he quotes "It's a ruble to get in, but two to get out", which is how Aquarium opens, and has characters paraphrasing and even directly quoting that book when explaining the GRU's role, history and workings.

EDIT: Just looked this up, and Suvorov's book seems to have been published in English well after Gardner's Bond novel of the same name. So apologies for slurring John Gardner (but his use of Aquarium is still a little too bald for my liking).

Edited by spynovelfan, 24 January 2005 - 09:59 AM.

[Jim]

Nobody Lives Forever would be pretty cool; Icebreaker would be OK if they ditched about seven of the umpteen plot twist/traitor "developments". Some of the others are unfilmable (The Man from Barbarossa), repeats of each other (No Deals and Death is Forever are basically the same idea) or "nice title, shame about the story" (Brokenclaw, which heaves great chunks out of The Spy who Loved Me anyway). "John's just watched Top Gun" and "John's just watched The Silence of the Lambs" would be interesting, except insofar as nothing really happens in either.

[marktmurphy]

Win, Lose or Die has a decent title and I quite like the idea of Bond going back to the Navy. Nothing much else about it is worth keeping, but that's enough to build a film on it seems.

Most of them have pretty reasonable titles and I'd be happy with movies named after any of 'em (except the obvious exceptions of course).

[Snake]

I've only read one JG book, Scorpius. When I started to read it I thought of it being a film. What is Icebreaker like? I liked the name of that title.

[DLibrasnow]

ICEBREAKER is my favorite Gardner novel. Some people think there are too many double and triple crosses but I enjoyed it.

[Dr. Kananga]

I thin Seafire would be good, if you change the idea of Mr. Cutchbert being Cathy and Mr. Archibald Being Anna. Otherwise, it would be real good, and full of suspense, horror, adventure, and of course, cold hard killing.

[tdalton]

Either For Special Services or Icebreaker would make great Bond films. Win, Lose, or Die would also be good.

[Qwerty]

I've only read one JG book, Scorpius. When I started to read it I thought of it being a film. What is Icebreaker like? I liked the name of that title.

One of the better Gardner novels I'd say. An involved plot with alot of turns, it's hard to say much without spoiling it. Try it out!