20 replies to this topic

[Mr Twilight]

What if Connery had agreed to make Casino Royale back in 1966-67. If his demand haven't been so high or if Feldman had given him what he asked for. Can't stop thinking on how that had looked like. It's a pity that McClory beat Feldman and approched Saltzman/Broccoli about Thunderball before. If he hadn't done that, we might have seen Casino Royale back in the 60s.

Ok, maybe we had sit here today and wonder the same thing, but with the titles vice versa. Maybe Thunderball never would have been made. Well, back then in the 60s anyway.

Here something I made the other day...just for fun!

Connery's Casino Royale

[Skudor]

Not sure about the Feldman movie, but I think he'd have been perfect in the modern one when he was younger (say, 1962).

[Dell Deaton]

Interesting question, of course.

The problem in my mind is that it requires so much suspension of reality. Choreography and censorship were so much different in the 1960s versus today, so "our" Casino Royale could not have been done then. And, of course, the Connery of then does not exist today.

It's also hard for me to separate an incremental Sir Connery from his body of work. Even today when I re-watch Dr. No, my take on his performance is invariably instructed to some degree or another by the sum total of his James Bond portrayals.

I guess I wonder how the actors would have handled the Internet, the popular media of today, and all that to which Mr. Craig was subjected in trying to get out of the gate, himself, as 007.

[dodge]

If's a fun game to play...but when I think of Connery I never think If only...

Time: 1962?
Script: The same CR we have, polished by Paul Haggis?
Position in the series: First?
Connery then: in his physical prime but still fairly green as an actor, while a force of nature as a movie star.

I find myself breaking it down to three groups:
1) Scenes he could have scored in: the stairwell fight scene...the game of cards...the train scene...the casino scenes...
2) Scenes he might have scored in: the Mollaka chase scene...anger at Vesper's betrayal...etc.
3) Scenes he could not have done half as complexly as Craig: the bollock whacking scene with DC's awesome blend of pain, rage and almost demented defiance...the simply lovely little scene where DC becomes aware that Vesper's aware of him preening in the tux she bought him--once again, a half-dozen emotions fleet across his face...

Connery's was the invincible Bond. Craig's the vulnerable Bond who triumphs after taking his lumps on the way.

And all this would be for 1962 or so. By 1966-67, Con had already passed peak condition. And his features looked, frankly, jaded.
Craig's scattered boyish touches and poignant vulnerability would have beyond Sean's Bond.

Edited by dodge, 08 February 2007 - 06:24 PM.

[Andrew]

Here something I made the other day...just for fun!

Connery's Casino Royale

Wow! That's fantastic!

[Dell Deaton]

If's a fun game to play....

Very nice contribution to this Thread! Thanks.

[Fro]

Feldman could have easily made a great CR that would have surpassed EON's efforts. Connery would have did it for a mere million (a bargin compared to the boxoffice he was doing). Lee and Maxwell showed up in "OK Connery", so I'm sure they'd be willing to do this. "The Look of Love" is as good of a Bond song as there is.

Orson Welles would be an incredible LeChiffre.

Either John Huston (Treasure of Sierre Madre/Maltese Falcon) or Welles could have written/directed something truly amazing.

[DanMan]

That's very impressive. Did you draw it yourself?

[Agent Carter]

Here something I made the other day...just for fun!

Connery's Casino Royale

Wow! That's fantastic!

Agreed. Very cool.

[Mr Twilight]

Cast and crew is build on some theorys of mine. I think Orson Welles who played Le Chiffre in the final film would have made a great performance as a serious Le Chiffre too. Raquel Welch was hot back then and was one name mentioned for Thunderball so why not! Charles Gray was in YOLT the same year. Lewis Gilbert made YOLT same years and Roald Dahl wrote the script for Yolt so...

I did just make a little modification of an original poster/artwork for another film. So I don't really can take too much credit for it... but thanks anyway. Do someone recognize which film it is?

[RazorBlade]

I haven't figured out the poster yet, but Sean's hairline is receded too much.

He could have made 2006 CR but the studios weren't ready to make a film like this in the 60's.

[Mark_Hazard]

I haven't figured out the poster yet, but Sean's hairline is receded too much.

I think you'll find (that the main body of) the poster is from The Anderson Tapes.

[Mr Twilight]

I think you'll find (that the main body of) the poster is from The Anderson Tapes.

...and we have a winner! Yes It's from the Anderson Tapes.

[Gothamite]

I think given a different, crueler direction, Connery would work in Casino Royale. So much of Craig's performance impressed me because of his emphasis on the sinister, menacing side of Bond. Connery, although often embodying these elements, was also quite 'nice'.

[LadySylvia]

Not sure about the Feldman movie, but I think he'd have been perfect in the modern one when he was younger (say, 1962).

It depends on whether Connery could have handled the story's serious romance between Bond and Vesper. Looking at some of his films from the 60s, I never got the impression that Connery was that great doing romantic scenes. Sex scenes? Sure. But a serious romance? I don't. He didn't quite achieve that mark in FRWL. And in MARNIE, he seemed more like Tippi Hedren's psychoanalyst than her love interest.

This is true, also DC portrays that vain competative side of Bond that is in the books but doesn't to have appeared in other Bond films so much. The earlier Bonds portray a character that is driven by duty, honour and the common good whereas I had the impression from DC that 'winning' was personal to his ego.

Trust me, Bond's ego and vanity came into play quite often in the early Bond movies.

Edited by LadySylvia, 02 March 2007 - 05:34 PM.

[Mr Twilight]

btw is this Anderson tapes any good?

[RazorBlade]

btw is this Anderson tapes any good?

It's been so long since I've seen THE ANDERSON TAPES I forgot if it's any good or not. I seem to remember that it was highly regarded.

As for Sean playing the romance scenes, I've heard film makers talk about working with actors before. They say that if you give an actor a great script that tells a great story and the director knows what he's talking about, you can get outstanding performances out of them.

Edited by RazorBlade, 10 July 2007 - 09:19 AM.

[dinovelvet]

btw is this Anderson tapes any good?

Yeah its pretty cool, though dated. Christopher Walken plays Connery's sidekick, called "The Kid", now you know you want to watch that, dontcha? Its actually the kind of movie that's crying out for a badass hi-tech remake, especially in the wake of other recent heist remakes like Oceans 11 and The Thomas Crown affair.

[iexpectu2die]

I'm so glad it didn't happen. I can imagine a Connery CR (assuming it was made later on in his reign) having become the DAF of the series.

That is: Connery sitting in a white tuxedo, wearing an awful wig, making crude innuendos towards a very camp Le Chiffre (if he hadn't already been replaced by Blofeld),and then going home for some sexy time with Vesper Shaghead, who, of course, doesn't die.

I'll take Craig's CR, thanks

[MHazard]

Those who have read my other posts know how I'm gonna come down on this, but here I go. Connery could have been very good in a Terrance Young directed CR (okay this is fantasy, so I'm allowed this) with Peter Lorre reprising his role as LeChiffre and a script that stuck to the novel. I've always thought Lorre was the perfect actor to play LeChiffre both physically and in his acting talents and if memory serves was pretty good in the otherwise not so good Hitchcock version.

But, unlike my musings on Sean having the lead in OHMSS, I don't engage in wishful thinking because Craig's performance was magnificant. Sean would've brought some things to the role that Craig didn't but Craig also brought some things to the role that Sean didn't. In my view, you're talking about the two best Bonds, head and shoulders over the rest.

But, assuming that you have a Sean CR, who would/should have played Vesper?

[Mr Twilight]

Raquel Welch? Wasn't she mentioned as a candidate Bond girl about that time?

As for Le Chiffre I think Orson Welles would have been great. I think he was one of few highlights in the parody-Casino.

Edited by Mr Twilight, 10 July 2007 - 04:00 PM.