5 replies to this topic

[echo]

Is it Quantum of Solace?

[chrisno1]

According to John Pearson's 'Life of Ian Fleming' Fleming had been working in 1958 with CBS TV on a proposed James Bond television show. He had six script scenarios for the 30 minute show and in 1959 he adapted Risico, FYEO and FAVTAK as short stories. Pearson also suggests he wrote QOS and THR soon after he'd visited the Seychelles in '58 to research an article on buried treasure for The Sunday Times.
I'm not sure Pearson has got that last bit right - although his research for the book seems very thorough - I think Fleming probably wrote thsoe two stories at Goldeneye in 1959, but drew on the Seychelles for inspiration. QOS of course is set in the Bahamas, and Fleming was already very familiar with those islands.
Interesting to wonder what became of the other 3 scripts.
I thought I read that both the card and golf games in GF were supposed to have been from those scripts.

[Dustin]

I suppose the remaining scripts could also have been TV adaptions of earlier books, or parts thereof. Fleming wasn't above shaping his material to the medium and TV series call for a lot of stuff. I also wonder if Fleming was the only one to write for that project or if professional TV writers were also tasked.

[echo]

Wikipedia (I know) claims that four of the five FYEO stories were based on TV scripts. I wonder where those scripts are; they must be worth something these days.

The history of the short stories is interesting as well. Supposedly FAVTAK was originally part of Drax's back story.

[Revelator]

According to John Pearson's 'Life of Ian Fleming' Fleming had been working in 1958 with CBS TV on a proposed James Bond television show. He had six script scenarios for the 30 minute show and in 1959 he adapted Risico, FYEO and FAVTAK as short stories...Interesting to wonder what became of the other 3 scripts.

Indeed! They ought to have been published by now, along with the three other scenarios...and Fleming's script for what became Thunderball...and, if anyone ever finds it, Fleming's Moonraker script. And surely the interdict on Fleming's Kuwait book has lapsed--why hasn't that been published?
When you get down to it, lots of Fleming's works still await publishing, and still more might arise if a dedicated researcher is allowed to go through all the archives (that MR script for example--could a copy be buried wherever Rank keeps its archives? And surely Fleming must have made a copy for himself?).
Unfortunately, the powers-that-be--especially those operating under Fleming's family name--are more interested in publishing Bond-continuation novels. And when they do publish an occasional rare work by Fleming(Talk of the Devil), they make sure it's nearly impossible to obtain.

Edited by Revelator, 21 June 2012 - 06:17 PM.

[Major Tallon]

According to John Pearson's 'Life of Ian Fleming' Fleming had been working in 1958 with CBS TV on a proposed James Bond television show. He had six script scenarios for the 30 minute show and in 1959 he adapted Risico, FYEO and FAVTAK as short stories...Interesting to wonder what became of the other 3 scripts.

Indeed! They ought to have been published by now, along with the three other scenarios...and Fleming's script for what became Thunderball...and, if anyone ever finds it, Fleming's Moonraker script. And surely the interdict on Fleming's Kuwait book has lapsed--why hasn't that been published?
When you get down to it, lots of Fleming's works still await publishing, and still more might arise if a dedicated researcher is allowed to go through all the archives (that MR script for example--could a copy be buried wherever Rank keeps its archives? And surely Fleming must have made a copy for himself?).
Unfortunately, the powers-that-be--especially those operating under Fleming's family name--are more interested in publishing Bond-continuation novels. And when they do publish an occasional rare work by Fleming(Talk of the Devil), they make sure it's nearly impossible to obtain.

Well said, Revelator. I've been able to browse State of Excitement at the Lilly Library, but none of these other materials are there. They'd make fascinating reading.