11 replies to this topic

[coco1997]

Having seen SKYFALL this weekend, I came to think of the aforementioned topic as I considered the paradox of Judi Dench's M dying in SKYFALL, even though she appeared in the four Brosnan films--and despite the fact that the series was officially rebooted with Craig in 2006. Don't get me wrong--I loved the Craig/Dench relationship and was moved to tears when M passed away, but I couldn't help but think there might have been more weight to M dying in an older Brosnan-Bond's arms after getting to know and care for him over the course of five whole films, as opposed to Craig's three.

There's also a pervasive theme of Craig's James Bond being a bit too old and played out as a Double-0 agent, almost as if he's been doing this job for too long, despite the fact that the film ends as somewhat of a semi-reboot in itself, bringing back Q, Moneypenny, etc. It's a bit strange, especially when you consider that Craig, at the time of SKYFALL, is only slightly older than Pierce Brosnan was in GOLDENEYE and younger still than Roger Moore was in LALD. The notion of Bond faking his own death as a way out would seem a lot more fitting if it were a Bond whom we could believe had been doing this job for years and years, possibly even decades--and Brosnan would obviously fit that bill more so than Craig, who, in SKYFALL, is only one film removed from being unpolished, 'blunt instrument'-status 007. I imagine Brosnan's SKYFALL would end with the implication that he's retiring, and Moneypenny could be a male agent in this version--perhaps Bond's heir apparent. (I'm suggesting that Brosnan's SKYFALL would be the direct follow-up to DAD.)

I must reiterate--With SKYFALL, I believe Daniel Craig has given us the finest singular performance as Bond since Connery's heyday. But the question must be asked: Could Pierce Brosnan have handled SKYFALL? How different would the film have been, and in what ways?

[Turn]

I must reiterate--With SKYFALL, I believe Daniel Craig has given us the finest singular performance as Bond since Connery's heyday. But the question must be asked: Could Pierce Brosnan have handled SKYFALL? How different would the film have been, and in what ways?

I would imagine along the lines of TWINE. In my view, that means not nearly as interesting as with Craig, who I find much more watchable and intriguing.

[coco1997]

I would imagine along the lines of TWINE. In my view, that means not nearly as interesting as with Craig, who I find much more watchable and intriguing.

You're right in that the one inherent flaw in my proposal is that the plots of TWINE and SKYFALL are a bit too similar. Then again, so were the plots of TSWLM and MR.

[JimmyBond]

For one thing I don't think Bond's reaction to the komodo dragon would be nearly as humorous with Brosnan in the role. That scene works precisely because in the past Craig's Bond has been really serious, and we really don't expect that kind of reaction from him.

[Iceskater101]

Yeah that's how I feel. ^ I mean I get what you mean, but I feel like Craig and M went through a lot together. I mean I feel like it was more of a mother son relationship, I mean she knew how Bond felt over Vesper even if Bond couldn't see it. I feel like M and Brosnan had less of that.

[Double-0-Seven]

The M/Craig-Bond relationship is better than Brosnan-Bond. She was literally a mother figure to Craig's Bond, very influential and even a mentor. She was one of the few people he could trust and vice versa. They established the relationship wonderfully in the first two Craig movies. So, to answer the question, I don't think this film would have worked with Brosnan. Craig is a better actor too in my opinion, so he has that going for him as far as the emotional scenes go. I can handle Craig-Bond crying because I believe it. I don't think I'd want to see Brosnan cry.

In GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies M doesn't do much aside from give Bond his mission. She admits he's the best she's got in The World is Not Enough but even then I find in the context of the film its more about M's relationship with Elektra than Bond. Die Another Day sees the most development in their relationship but even so not nearly to the extent of the Craig films.

[JimmyBond]

I think the "mentor" type relationship that M and Bond shared could only have worked with the reboot. Since Bond was brought in to the double-O section by M, he's essentially her child that she shapes into the man he is.

I lost the Casino Royale script when my computer crashed, so I can't remember it perfectly. But in M's final scene the stage direction basically comments on the fact that M is a bit troubled by the fact that she essentially "broke" this man, turning him into the agent that she needs, and the one that James Bond was in the books.

If someone does have the script onhand, I'd love to have that elaborated on.

Edited by JimmyBond, 12 November 2012 - 02:04 AM.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

[JimmyBond]

I love it! Excellent work Nick.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Thanx! Btw i think i still got the cr script. Will send it to you if I find it

Thanx! Btw i think i still got the cr script. Will send it to you if I find it

[Shaun Forever]

I can imagine Brosnan in Skyfall actually.


See, a lot of the time with his films, it just wasn't his fault, the scripts were not always up to scratch.


Feel a bit sorry for Brosnan, he was excellent in Goldeneye.

[SecretAgentFan]

I love Brosnan´s Bond.

But he would not have been convincing in any Craig-Bond film, including SKYFALL.

Brosnan has a larger than life persona IMO. His extremely good looks draw attention to him and limit his range, even though he is an excellent actor. But it´s the same with Cary Grant or Roger Moore, for example. They just cannot escape their charisma. They are brilliant at what they do, and actually making their screen persona seem effortless in a "non-acting"-kind of way is extremely difficult. Few can pull that off.

But just as Brosnan could not have conveyed the absolute hurt and demoralisation of Bond in SKYFALL, Craig is not able to do the kind of Roger Moore-nonchalance that made MOONRAKER work.

Everybody has his/her virtues. And that´s the way it should be.

Edited by SecretAgentFan, 12 November 2012 - 09:18 AM.