16 replies to this topic

[JCRendle]

Neil Purvis and Robert Wade have been writing for the Bond films since The World is Not Enough, is it time to bring in someone new? (I know each film, except DAD, had them working with someone different).

Don't get the wrong impression, I'm not against them - I'm just putting the idea out there.

[Dustin]

I have to admit I'm missing the times of productions such as TSWLM, where numerous writers - many of them not even too familiar with writing for the screen - were approached to provide ideas and script versions. A lot of hit and miss back then (and certainly nothing the industry would risk with 200 million dollar productions any more), but also some fascinating stuff that made me really wonder.

We tend to regard the course the series has taken as a given, an unchangeable set-in-stone destiny. And do not realise how prone to chance and accident the whole mess really was. And how often things could have turned out drastically different. Much more different than just Lazenby staying on board, or Burt Reynolds instead of Moore. On some occasions the pressure to remain at the top apparently pulled all the stops from the whole Bond machinery. I'd like to see a bit of that spirit coming back, and the current regime seems like providing the best chances for this, if ever.

As said above, a return of the days of screenwriting 'virgins' like Dahl in his day will likely never happen again, not on this scale any more. And this needn't be a bad thing. A writer familiar with the art will have better chances to fully realise the potential of it. Still, from time to time one would like to see thinking outside the box coming back to Bond. If it can be said to ever have been part of the deal - not a given - so 'coming back' may be the wrong phrase.

It seems the industry has developed a certain MO leading to teams of writers/directors working closely together on several consecuitive productions, or even exclusively; Christopher Nolan and his brother spring to mind. While I doubt this kind of independence is granted to Bond personnel I'd be intrigued to see what results such a team would have with Bond.

[SecretAgentFan]

I miss the days of Richard Maibaum doing the main work. Purvis & Wade seem to be his successor by providing the main frame of a Bond script which is then doctored or re-written by more famous writers (Haggis, Logan).

[Dustin]

Rumour has it sometimes it's supposedly the other way round, with P&W providing only a Bond gilding for a story from another writer. Would be intriguing to learn one day who provided what, where the offensive parts and howlers really originate and so on. I was astonished to learn (in this fine book, the bible on OHMSS) about several OHMSS versions by Maibaum that were nothing like the film we've got and I would never have dreamt could come from him, of all people.

[Matt_13]

I still believe Purvis and Wade are composing entire scripts for these films (Mendes said quite plainly it was their script that helped entice him to come on board Skyfall), but it does seem that Michael and Barbara have become quite fond of signing on other, more versatile writers to polish their work. Say what you will about them, but when it comes to ideas, whether they be narrative concepts or potential action sequences, these guys are real good at what they do. I'd be fine if they stayed.

[SecretAgentFan]

The thing is: who knows what´s written by them or what isn´t?

But they must do something pretty well - otherwise EON wouldn´t have re-hired them again and again.

My suspicion is: they are much better than anybody gives them credit for. Even better than the "A-list" writers that are brought on by the directors to "punch" everything up. From my experience, directors are very hostile towards writers they don´t know personally - so they always go with their special friends, feeling more secure then.

[Jim]

They have come up with some highly distinctive ideas; execution is a bit iffy, but for creativity it's hard to fault them.

[echo]

I would like to see a return of someone like George Macdonald Fraser, who was brought in as a one-off to figure out the story, I believe.

Purvis and Wade are a double-edged sword. Clearly they understand the Bond world; they are always trying to bring elements of the novels to the scripts. But at what point do they get stale? Most writers don't have an infinite number of stories in them. Eon seems to be counterbalancing the old guard of Purvis and Wade with new blood in the form of script doctors like Haggis et al.

On the flip side, when Eon gives total script control to someone who doesn't really get how to construct a Bond story, they get the calorie-free simulacrum of TND.

[Bryce (003)]

Story wise and with fun ideas/notions the lads run strong. No doubt about it and with CR they had great source material. Lines and interplay seem to be the weak spot, hence some writers with a more acute sense seem to convey a better notion of "What would Bond say?" rather than "What would Bond do?" as with all the characters in a film. P&W can spin a great tale, but the words and dialogue are the main points in Bond.

[Napoleon Solo]

I miss the days of Richard Maibaum doing the main work. Purvis & Wade seem to be his successor by providing the main frame of a Bond script which is then doctored or re-written by more famous writers (Haggis, Logan).

Without all the drafts, you can't know definitively. But there are potential clues. There is a Casino Royale draft that some collectors have a copy of. It was dated Dec. 13, 2005 and on the title page says, "Screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, Second set of revisions by Paul Haggis."

Through most of the script, the part is listed as BOND (the traditional practice), but on some pages it's JAMES and will sometimes change back and forth over the course of several pages. Anyway, the title page suggests it definitely started out as a Purvis-Wade script with Haggis coming in as a script doctor.

[x007AceOfSpades]

I'd like to see Jonathan Nolan get involved with the writing. I'd also like to see William Monahan as well.

[S K Y F A L L]

I'm fine with P&W staying on board so long as they are working on Bond 24 right now.

[Royal Dalton]

The thing is: who knows what´s written by them or what isn´t?

But they must do something pretty well - otherwise EON wouldn´t have re-hired them again and again.

My suspicion is: they are much better than anybody gives them credit for. Even better than the "A-list" writers that are brought on by the directors to "punch" everything up. From my experience, directors are very hostile towards writers they don´t know personally - so they always go with their special friends, feeling more secure then.

Quoted for truth.

[The Shark]

I'd like to see Jonathan Nolan get involved with the writing.

Why? Dialogue and humour ain't exactly the strong point of Chris Nolan's films, to say the least.

[x007AceOfSpades]

I'd like to see Jonathan Nolan get involved with the writing.

Why? Dialogue and humour ain't exactly the strong point of Chris Nolan's films, to say the least.

Something different, shake things up a bit.

[Eric Stromberg]

I'd like to see Jonathan Nolan get involved with the writing.

Why? Dialogue and humour ain't exactly the strong point of Chris Nolan's films, to say the least.

Agree on the humor and dialogue. Solid observation. But the Nolans are great at creating high concepts. Let someone else polish the dialogue, humor and relationships.

[Single-O-Seven]

I'd like to see Jonathan Nolan get involved with the writing.

Why? Dialogue and humour ain't exactly the strong point of Chris Nolan's films, to say the least.

Agree on the humor and dialogue. Solid observation. But the Nolans are great at creating high concepts. Let someone else polish the dialogue, humor and relationships.

Indeed. I would love to see what this (dynamic?) duo could some up with. I think they deserve a shot. If it fails (and it won't) there are always more Bond films in the future.