7 replies to this topic

[Panavision]

Moderator's note: Link removed
I'm guessing that Haggis polished the train dialogue, maybe bolstered the whole relationship between Vesper and Bond.

After reading World is not Enough, I was somewhat disappointed by Purvis and Wade's writing. I always stood up for them and felt that the producers meddled with their writing, but on reflection, I'm not so sure -- there's little wit in their work and it's there to see.

I do feel that Casino Royale was a marked improvement, but I don't know how much of their work was reorganised -- anyone know?

[stromberg]

No.

No links to YKMN versions, CR script, DVD screenshots or any of that copyrighted stuff, please.

[dinovelvet]

Moderator’s note: Don’t even ask.

[dodge]

Strictly speaking, the doorway to the answer to the tantalizing question (How much credit goes to Haggis and how much to Purvis and Wade?) remains locked. And it may be never be opened to us. To satisfy ourselves, we'd need to see two versions of the script: before and after Haggis.

Still, we can ask ourselves: Did P&W display many--even any--of the best things about CR in their three previous scripts? Wit, style, emotional depth, intricacy of structure, maturity of theme...?

And 22 may provide a way around the locked door: if no outside help's brought in and the screenplay barks to the heavens, the issue is pretty much settled ro me. And if it rocks without script doctoring, well, then I'd be more inclined to believe that they played a big part in CR. On the strength of the previous scripts, I think not.

[HildebrandRarity]

So, according to you CR is only about P&W and Haggis, then? Fleming had no involvement?

...And I only count two 'previous scripts' as TND had nothing to do with P&W.

Edited by HildebrandRarity, 26 March 2007 - 09:36 PM.

[dodge]

So, according to you CR is only about P&W and Haggis, then? Fleming had no involvement?

...And I only count two 'previous scripts' as TND had nothing to do with P&W.

Well, scrape me off your shoes and call me sticky.

As for the line above that, you'll do no such thing. I did not suggest,imply or hint that Fleming had no involvement. And that wasn't the line I was taking, as you'll see if you reread my post. In fact, you've strengthened my argument for me. I enjoyed TND well enough. If P&W had nothing to do with it, that leaves them with two of the worst Bonds, imo. And my two points remain: that there is nothing in these two substandard efforts to suggest the glories of CR...and that we can't know how much P&W brought to the table without having seen both the scripts, before and after Haggis. If they write the next one solo, and it smacks of their previous two, then Fleming and Haggis clearly deserve nearly all of the praise for CR.

How exactly does any of this detract from the lavish praise I've heaped elsewhere on Martin Campbell, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelson, Catarina Munro, the stunt men, the director of photography? And, once again, Ian Fleming.

The subject of the thread was the script. Not the book.

[HildebrandRarity]

If they write the next one solo...

I don't think they'll be allowed to, my dear friend.

[Panavision]

Still, we can ask ourselves: Did P&W display many--even any--of the best things about CR in their three previous scripts? Wit, style, emotional depth, intricacy of structure, maturity of theme...?

And 22 may provide a way around the locked door: if no outside help's brought in and the screenplay barks to the heavens, the issue is pretty much settled ro me. And if it rocks without script doctoring, well, then I'd be more inclined to believe that they played a big part in CR. On the strength of the previous scripts, I think not.

Based on World Not Enough, they showed very little wit, nothing like what Mankiewicz brought to the table, and before anyone says he's a hack, let's remember that Cubby wanted that type of Bond film in the 70s.

Writing is hard, so I'm not suggesting that they Purvis and Wade are hacks, they are not, but I was very disappointed by their previous writing. This leads me to wonder just how much of their work remains in CR, or were they inspired by the book to produce a wittier script?

It's very unlikely that their original version will appear anytime soon, but the final draft suggests that Haggis added the wit and some chemistry between Vesper and Bond. Who knows what Wilson brought to the table?