57 replies to this topic

[MovieManOO7]

And don't forget Moneypenny! She hasn't aged either. While Q and M have aged and passed on, we still have an ageless Moneypenny and Felix Leiter (or should I say we had a Felix - they should bring him back!). The matter of age also plays more games on the account of Felix. For instance, in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, Felix appears to be very young yet in LICENCE TO KILL he seems to have aged 20 years and works for the DEA instead of the CIA (which dispels theories of "name rank" on his part).

One of my friends suggested once that Bond has plastic surgery every once in a while to remain undercover thus explaining the different "faces." As for me, I don't buy into that theory. I tend to think that the actors are representations of the same man.

For some reason, if I imagine other agents taking the "rank" of James Bond, the series loses much of its flavor. It takes the little depth Bond has out of the character!

Bond just doesn't age and if we begin acknowledging that he does we may have another NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN disaster! They're Bond films for God's sake - they're not supposed to be taken literally!

[MovieManOO7]

For some reason, it posted my original post twice and the site's not letting me delete this post - only edit it! Very strange. Anyone know why it won't let me delete this? I just keep getting a screen saying that it's forbidden.

[AlwaysanAston]

Without beating this horse any further, I have always wondered why Blofeld doesn't recognize Bond in OHMSS. Did Bond not come face to face with Blofeld in YOLT? Perhaps this was an effort by Cubby and Saltzman to "test the water" with fans. However, Bond does go through his desk drawer in OHMSS and pull out several items from previous movies? What does this say?

[DLibrasnow]

Pierce Brosnan said on Yahoo that he thinks the next actor to play Bond should be Colin Salmon....
That would be interesting as then we could not say he is the same character because instead of being a caucasian guy of mixed UK heritage, the actor Salmon has a slightly darker complexion...

[ray t]

Originally posted by AlwaysanAston
Without beating this horse any further, I have always wondered why Blofeld doesn't recognize Bond in OHMSS.  Did Bond not come face to face with Blofeld in YOLT?  

THIS IS EASY:

two years earlier, bond went under plastic surgery to become JAPANESE...ie darker skin, different hair and eyebrows.

by OHMSS, bond is ONCE AGAIN in disguise as Sir Hilary Bray Baronnet. ie he wears spectacles, is caucasion (not the "oriental looking" chap on the AMA ISLAND) and has an upper crust english accent with no interest in, *AHEM*, "physical" activities.

so when blofeld "meets" bond in YOLT and then in OHMSS, bond does not look like bond's 'natural' self in EITHER instant. (he is "IN DISGUISE" in both cases)

EASY or what?:cool:

[brendan007]

Originally posted by ray t


THIS IS EASY:

two years earlier, bond went under plastic surgery to become JAPANESE...ie darker skin, different hair and eyebrows.  

by OHMSS, bond is ONCE AGAIN in disguise as Sir Hilary Bray Baronnet. ie he wears spectacles, is caucasion (not the "oriental looking" chap on the AMA ISLAND) and has an upper crust english accent with no interest in, *AHEM*, "physical" activities.

so when blofeld "meets" bond in YOLT and then in OHMSS, bond does not look like bond's 'natural' self in EITHER instant. (he is "IN DISGUISE" in both cases)

EASY or what?:cool:

that is the best explanation i have ever heard. well done!

[ray t]

chee...thanks

happy to help:cool:

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by MovieManOO7
One of my friends suggested once that Bond has plastic surgery every once in a while to remain undercover thus explaining the different "faces."  

This actually was discussed after Connery first left the role in the late 1960s in the early stages of production on OHMSS as a way to explain George Lazenby taking on the role.

[B5Erik2]

No explanation is needed. Bond is Bond - he is always living/working in the present day, and he is an experienced/veteran agent.

Anything more than that is too much, and can become silly (or downright stupid).

[ray t]

agreed...

bond lives and works in the here-and-now...

he is a man of style who enjoys the finer things in life...he is a killer...a womanizer who takes love were he can find it...

he is a man of honour who destroys evil...he is someone with a professional past with a great loyalty to queen and country...

...and he is a man with a personal past who has lost his loved ones (wife, parents)

these traits are common to all the bonds (even connery in DAF pre/post titles)

these traits will remain common to future bonds

[White Persian]

Originally posted by ray t


THIS IS EASY:

two years earlier, bond went under plastic surgery to become JAPANESE...ie darker skin, different hair and eyebrows.  

by OHMSS, bond is ONCE AGAIN in disguise as Sir Hilary Bray Baronnet. ie he wears spectacles, is caucasion (not the "oriental looking" chap on the AMA ISLAND) and has an upper crust english accent with no interest in, *AHEM*, "physical" activities.

so when blofeld "meets" bond in YOLT and then in OHMSS, bond does not look like bond's 'natural' self in EITHER instant. (he is "IN DISGUISE" in both cases)

EASY or what?:cool:

I'll add my congratulations. A credible explanation, to which can be added the point that in YOLT Bond and Blofeld were only face to face for a matter of seconds - just long enough for Ernst to introduce himself, say "They told me you were assassinated. You only live twice Mr Bond..."
and then all hell broke loose and Blofeld scarpered.

[Xenobia]

OK...picture this:

Andrew Bond is the original 007 (as has been hinted at in the faux Bond 20 script), and dies in Switzerland. A new 007 is needed. In steps a well qualifed Scotsman. He is asked to take Andrew Bond as a cover name. He hates the name Andrew, and suggests James or John instead. Forgetting the name of Andrew's now orphaned son, James is selected.

Connery's Bond performs several missions with distinction. After "dying" in the line of duty, Connery's Bond retires to Japan to marry and have a family. Again, a new 007 is needed.

This new Bond is younger, but is still very skilled. He however has the unfortunate luck to marry and loose his wife on the same day. He suffers a nervous breakdown and is not permitted to continue in the Mi6.

A third new 007 is selected, who also keeps the code name James Bond. His first act is to "kill" Blofeld, his last act is to dump Blofeld into a steam pipe.

Lo and behold, somewhere in the late seventies, the real James Bond has completed his studies and his serving in the Royal Navy. He makes a name for himself, and given his pedigree joins the MI6. He is briefed on the past, and in spite of that, decides to remain himself, James Bond.

While never married, Bond did lose a fiancee, a fellow MI6 agent. Three years later, another love in his life, is murdered by her husband.

Is this hard to believe folks????

-- Xenobia

[DLibrasnow]

I love that whole concept Xen

[DLibrasnow]

I agree with Pierce Brosnan --- I think Colin Salmon should replace Pierce as the next 007 (when PB steps down of course)

[B5Erik2]

There can be only one.

Bond, James Bond. 007.

You've just had many actors playing the same guy. Just like different actors play the same historical figures. Don't try to make it any more complicated than that. Bond is always around 40, and always in the present day - it's called artistic license.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by B5Erik2
There can be only one.

Bond, James Bond.  007.  

You've just had many actors playing the same guy.  Just like different actors play the same historical figures.  Don't try to make it any more complicated than that.  Bond is always around 40, and always in the present day - it's called artistic license.

It's fun to play around with the concept they are different people. After all, there was an African-American actor playing Felix Leiter in NSNA...I personally hope Pierce Brosnan is right and Colin Salmon gets the nod as 007 after PB retires.

[B5Erik2]

Colin Salmon will NEVER be Bond. Bond will NEVER be black - any more than I will. Bond is a white man from England (or Scotland, depending). You can't just change that mid stream, any more than you could say he's suddenly German or Austrian or Dutch.

Bond has a well documented history, and you can't just change that.

Colin Salmon would never be accepted by the public as Bond.

I WOULD love to see him in an LTK/FYEO type thriller, though, as the same character he plays now - just put out in the field due to necessity or something. Make it a $40 million production, and have Bond make a cameo appearance. THAT would work.

But Bond is Bond. Who he is, what he looks like, what he acts like - these things were established almost 50 years ago, and supported by countless books and movies. You can't change that history - it would ruin the series (and possibly kill it - for a while).

Like I said - there can be only one.

And we know who he is.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by B5Erik2
Colin Salmon will NEVER be Bond.  Bond will NEVER be black - any more than I will.  Bond is a white man from England (or Scotland, depending).  You can't just change that mid stream, any more than you could say he's suddenly German or Austrian or Dutch.

Bond has a well documented history, and you can't just change that.

Colin Salmon would never be accepted by the public as Bond.

I WOULD love to see him in an LTK/FYEO type thriller, though, as the same character he plays now - just put out in the field due to necessity or something.  Make it a $40 million production, and have Bond make a cameo appearance.  THAT would work.

But Bond is Bond.  Who he is, what he looks like, what he acts like - these things were established almost 50 years ago, and supported by countless books and movies.  You can't change that history - it would ruin the series (and possibly kill it - for a while).

Like I said - there can be only one.

And we know who he is.

Are you saying Barbara Broccoli and Micheal Wilson are racists???

[B5Erik2]

Don't be stupid. They aren't "racists" any more than I am, and it's pretty pathetic of you to even bring it up.

I'm saying that Bond is the character that we've been reading about for 50 years. I'm saying Bond is the character that we've seen on screen for 40 years.

You can't change that history. Period.

To try just diminishes the series. Bond has a VERY rich history, and it should NEVER be discarded.

Colin Salmon is a FANTASTIC actor, and has great screen presence. Unfortunatley, he couldn't be Bond any more than I could. Sure, I could fake the accent, but at only 5' 7" I'm about 5 inches too short to be Bond, nevermind that I'm an American.

Like I said, I'd love to see them spin HIM off into his own movie - THAT would be great! I'd go see that movie in a heartbeat.

But he can't be Bond. Bond is a 6 foot tall (roughly) white man from Great Britain. If Bond had NEVER been onscreen before, and had no theatrical history, then they might have been able to get away with it, but not after 40 years and 5 actors (who all have a similar look).

[DLibrasnow]

Well I personally want to see Colin Salmon take on the 007 role and with Pierce Brosnan backing the idea publicly, Broccoli and Wilson will have to consider him for the role.
Don't be surprised if charges of racism do emerge if they dismiss the idea too offhand...We all know how activist Johnny Cochran and Jesse Jackson are when it comes to all white male clubs...

[Xenobia]

I have a thought....and I realize I might get shot for this...but let's play with it. We all know that James Bond's mother was Swiss and his father was Scottishbut whoever said that they were both WHITE.

Why couldn't his parents (or his grandparents for that matter), been immigrants, and of a darker complexion. It is totally possible, and could explain Colin's looks if and when he takes over.

Colin Salmon is the first person I can really see taking over after Pierce.

-- Xenobia

[DLibrasnow]

I agree totally with you Xenobia...I think Colin Salmon should get the job of 007.

[B5Erik2]

It will never happen. You can't break continuity like that. Plus the public at large will NEVER accept a black James Bond. You're a lot more likely to see another LTK than a black James Bond, so give it up.

Colin Salmon IS great, no question. But Bond is white, that has been established for 50 years now (remember, Fleming said he looked a bit like Hoagy Charmichael - a VERY white guy). You can't have a black man play Bond any more than you could have a white man play O.J. Simpson. It is just an absurd idea. Besides, Salmon's already well established in the Bond films as Robinson, so it would not only be absurd to have him as Bond, but confusing to Joe Public.

What's wrong with the idea of keeping Salmon in the role he's in now, and giving him his own movie? That stays within continuity, and could make for one hell of a movie.

[Sir James]

See here is what i love saying:

"ITS ONLY A MOVIE!!!"

James Bond is ageless, the 007 of 40 years ago is the same 007 now. The films dont point at Bonds age becuase its not an issue, you are supposed to be looking at the character, not the guy who plays him.

[MovieManOO7]

Colin Salmon might be an interesting Bond but it really is in poor taste to break continuity like that. What will that do to LIVE AND LET DIE and Bond getting caught up in Harlem because he is white?

Ironically, Pierce is only the second Bond actor to back up a black actor for the role of Bond - remember Roger Moore recommending Cuba Gooding, Jr.?

[Robinson]

Originally posted by brendan007


that is the best explanation i have ever heard. well done!

Not forgetting that the OHMSS novel was published before YOLT.

Anyway, IMHO, the "multilpe Bond" theory would be plausible in the "Mission Impossible" series- and would've endeared Tom Cruise to M:I fans.

Having the Ethan Hunt character to assume the "Jim Phelps" mantle after the character's death, would've satisfied the faithful who found the first film downright blasphemous and would've added some mysticism to the series. Making the leap from Peter Grave's Jim Phelps to Jon Voight's Jim Phelps to potentially Tom Cruise's "Ethan Hunt/Jim Phelps" would add credibility to to the fact that most IMF operatives were of a "deep cover" variety.

But I digress. Think of James Bond like you would any comic book or literary character: Spider-Man/Peter Parker has 12 monthly issues. However, none of it is in real time. Sure, he graduates from college, marries Mary Jane but it could take him 12 months/issues to foil the plot of Dr. Octopus!

I think the only "error" the folks @ EON could've made was in FYEO when they place birth & death dates on Tracy's head stone. That could date the Bond character for various nitpickers out there.

I'm going to stop now, there's no need to go any deeper than I just have.

[DLibrasnow]

I never realized there were racists in this forum (just kidding)

[The Girl With The Golden Gun]

Originally posted by mi6spy005
I absolutely hate that theory.  It feels like an affront to my intellectual capacity-that I need everything explained and spoonfed to me.  I can accept and not be bothered by the impossibility of the fact that it's the same guy that's been a secret agent for 40 years.  The character and basic formula are timeless.  That's all I need to know.

thankyou! although it is fun to speculate this point, it must be remembered that Bond, certainly an important part of our culture, is not real! (well, he is technically, since he's an American ornithologist, but thats beside the point). Obviously, if he were real, yes he would be about 70 odd, an old man running around seducing all these girls young enough to be his daughter (urgh!). perhaps it is useful to analyse the different ways in which 007 has been portrayed over the years in order to make sense of this character, but i believe that in the end, it is just variations on a theme. as Mi6spy says, Bond and the formula is, although adaptable to the times, timless, hence its popularity.