28 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

For years I've read various conflicting stories as to why Dalton and longtime director John Glen did not return to the Bond series after LICENCE TO KILL. Some commentators insist that both men were offered the chance to do BOND 17 (which became GOLDENEYE), others that they were flatly refused it.

It's become part of Bond lore that Dalton "got the boot" after LTK, but was that actually the case? I'd also be particularly interested to find out why John Glen did not make another Bond film after LTK.

The truth - does anyone know it?

[B5Erik2]

I've seen several interviews with Michael G Wilson where he stated that they were initially planning to do Goldeneye with Dalton, when Dalton resigned as 007.

Dalton has said the same thing on many occasions.

It actually slowed down pre-production on GE (just a bit) while they "searched" for a new Bond (actually, while they waited to see if Brosnan was still interested). If Brosnan hadn't been interested after all those years they would have been screwed. They didn't want to go into a new Bond film without either the established Bond (Dalton), or the guy that the public would readily accept as Bond (Brosnan).

As for John Glen - after FIVE consecutive Bond movies I think he was getting tired of it, and EON was looking for someone new. It was probably a mutual thing. I think if they asked him now Glen would like to do it, but not back in 1994 after a 10 year run of non-stop Bond filmmaking.

[zencat]

The official word is that Dalton elected not to do Bond 17. It was his choice. Now, I've heard the rumor (actually, it was in Premiere magazine) that MGM refused to greenlight Bond 17 with Dalton, and Broccoli held firm that Dalton was his man. Maybe Dalton resigned so they could move forward? If this was the case, then I think it was a very standup thing for Dalton to do. Good actor. Good person.

I don

[Double-0 Six]

I'm fairly sure that if John Glen was fired, he wouldn't have appeared on all those DVD documentaries and commentaries (I know I wouldn't).

[DLibrasnow]

Glen was fired, along with Maibaum following the dissapointing performance of LTK.

[Loomis]

And Dalton? Could you tell us more, DLibrasnow?

Maibaum being fired would tie in with the rumour that Michael G. Wilson was forbidden by MGM top brass to have a hand in any more Bond screenplays after LTK. But it sounds bizarre, a little like Fox telling Lucasfilm that Lucas mustn't be allowed to direct any more STAR WARS films.

[Loomis]

If it's true that Dalton, Glen and Maibaum were given the boot and Wilson was hit with a writing ban by MGM, why didn't Eon Productions tell MGM to get knotted? Why didn't they take Bond to another studio? What was Cubby Broccoli's position when all these heads were rolling? Apart from Dalton, these guys were "Bond family" veterans. Maibaum was one of the writers of DR. NO!

We all know that LTK was no box office blockbuster, but it wasn't as though it had gone straight to video. MGM's retribution (if indeed these people were fired) seems extremely harsh, if not vindictive, and one wonders whether there were those in positions of power over the Bond franchise who for some reason wanted to end it. A number of people on this site have pointed out that LTK's promotional campaign was poor. Did MGM deliberately under-market the film? And why did the studio release it in a summer of ferocious competition from the likes of BATMAN, GHOSTBUSTERS II, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, LETHAL WEAPON 2, etc.? They must have known that LTK wouldn't have stood a chance. Why not put it out in the autumn or winter of 1989?

Hmmm.... A fellow could spin a nice little conspiracy theory from this.

[zencat]

Originally posted by Loomis
Maibaum being fired would tie in with the rumour that Michael G. Wilson was forbidden by MGM top brass to have a hand in any more Bond screenplays after LTK.

Didn't Maibaum die before GE?

And I'm not sure MGM told Wilson he couldn't develop the scripts--because I believe he's still very hands on (and he co-authored the 1990 "robot" treatment). Maybe it was suggested that he not take screen credit, but this would be a guild thing, not a studio thing. But I'm not even sure that's true.

Maybe everyone just wised up and said "We need fresh blood all around for the next one." And they were right!

[B5Erik2]

GE was greenlighted BEFORE Dalton quit. So much for that theory. They were in the beginning stages of pre-production when Dalton decided not to continue as Bond.

There were several legal and financial battles that held up GE. MGM was pleased (very pleased) with how well TLD did, so they had no real problems with Dalton. They may have viewed LTK at the box office the way UA did TMWTGG, but in neither case did they refuse to greenlight the next movie because of the actor playing Bond. (Roger Moore was only two movies in to the role at that point - one hit and one miss at the box office, just like Dalton.)

I doubt that Glen was asked to do GE, nor do I think he would have been interested at that point. Five Bond films is enough for any director (although I'd love to see him get one more to get the series back to its roots). Glen does have a new book out about his years working on the Bond films, and I'd bet that some of the questions on this thread are answered there - I'm planning on picking it up pretty soon....

[Simon]

I think it is a bit harsh to assume that these Bond gods were fired, Glen and Maibaum delivered so much during their respective tenures. I am sure that they were just, "not asked back" for reasons of creativity and development of the whole Bond series.

Dalton was effectively let go but given the opportunity to publicly resign first, which I think was the perfect way to be - all things considered. It is no secret that Brosnan was always the first choice and once he became available again, it wasn't going to take much to go with him again.

[Loomis]

Surely not being asked back amounts to being fired, especially if one has for years enjoyed regular employment on the Bond series.

Anyway, following a link on another thread just now, I found some interesting information at http://www.007foreve.....'s_script.htm

[Dr Noah]

"Glen and Maibaum delivered so much during their respective tenures. I am sure that they were just, "not asked back" for reasons of creativity and development of the whole Bond series."

Well, Maibaum died around 1991, while the series was "on hold", so I guess the reason he wasn't asked back in '93/94 is a bit obvious.

MGM wasn't too keen on having Dalton back, as they felt that his Bond didn't "gell" with audiences, but EON did offer him it.

[Turn]

I also remember the Premiere article Zencat spoke of that lends credibility to the theory that MGM was pushing for Dalton's departure. Since he showed up at Bond events recently, there probably isn't the bitterness of being ousted, though.

As for Loomis's question about why LTK was released in the competitive summer season of '89, well, it's because from TSWLM onward to that point, new Bond films were always traditionally released in the summer. That particular season with all its competition was just part of the problem for LTK. In the wake of Die Hard and Lethal Weapons, Bond was being seen as a bit passe at that point.

We may never really know the truth on this matter.

[zencat]

One the best moves they ever made was moving Bond out of the Summer sweepstakes.

[Turn]

It was a good move. There are still a lot of high profile films coming out at holiday time, but few all-out action movies, which rule the summer season. Bond gives just the right blend at that time of year.

[General Koskov]

Were the Bond's before TSWLM all at Christmas? I know OHMSS and TMWTGG were, but I don't know about the rest.

[Loomis]

I've just flicked through Glen's autobiography For My Eyes Only in a bookshop. He claims that Cubby Broccoli telephoned him shortly after the release of LTK and told him that MGM bigwigs had decided a new director would be needed for the next Bond film, to inject the series with fresh blood. Glen, who had never had a multi-film contract on the franchise, makes no mention of acrimony or disappointment, and insists that he remained on the best of terms with Broccoli.

Glen notes that Maibaum, who abandoned work on the screenplay early on due to a writers' strike and left Wilson to finish it, publicly disparaged the finished film. Glen also gives the impression that he felt MGM did a very poor job of marketing LTK.

[zencat]

Nice find, Loomis. There we have it.

[ray t]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
Glen was fired, along with Maibaum following the dissapointing performance of LTK.

i guess they issued a termination warrent to maibaum a couple of years after his death....

your credability keeps hitting new lows...be a little less abbrasive...and a little more accurate...

[Turn]

Originally posted by General Koskov
Were the Bond's before TSWLM all at Christmas?  I know OHMSS and TMWTGG were, but I don't know about the rest.

Some were, others weren't. DAF and TB were released at Xmas time in the US and England and YOLT and LALD were released in the summer.

Release dates for the first three were staggered. Dr. No premiered in England in October of '62 and it didn't get to the states until the following May. FRWL came out in I believe October or November of '63 and in the states in the first half of '64. GF came out in about October of '64 in England and in December in the US.

Hope this helps.

[Loomis]

So I guess it's open to interpretation: you could say that you can't sack someone unless you've contracted them to ongoing employment (having directed all of the 1980s Bond films, no one could have expected Glen to be kept in the job forever); or you could say that Glen had tenure by virtue of his long service.

Repect to him for not washing any dirty laundry in print, though.

But what about Dalton? I know that this is where two schools of thought fight it out. Anyone believe that he walked away from Bond because he wanted to?

[Robinson]

Originally posted by Loomis
Maibaum being fired would tie in with the rumour that Michael G. Wilson was forbidden by MGM top brass to have a hand in any more Bond screenplays after LTK. But it sounds bizarre, a little like Fox telling Lucasfilm that Lucas mustn't be allowed to direct any more STAR WARS films.

Considering the pacing, poor quality of acting and all-around haphazardness- I think prohibiting Lucas from directing more Star Wars films isn't a bad thing...

[Dr Noah]

BTW wasn't TWINE based on a Maibaum storyline?, I think I've read that in several books.

[Felix's lighter]

"Anyone believe that he walked away from Bond because he wanted to?"

I read somewhere on this site that Dalton actually wanted out of the role and - when he saw a picture of Brosnan on a billboard advertising GoldenEye - he "felt free for the first time in 10 years."

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Felix's lighter
he "felt free for the first time in 10 years."

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?

[Felix's lighter]

Personally, I don't think Dalton really wanted to play James Bond in the first place. I'm sure he liked the money, and he did his homework by going back to Fleming (although I think is interpretation is quite off), but he never seemed to display much enthusiasm about it in interviews. I honestly wonder how many Bond movies Dalton had actually seen before he started playing the role. That's in marked contrast to Brosnan's almost-fanboy-style gushing about his enthusiasm for Bond and the series itself.

[ChrisMarvel2002]

Remember MGM doesn't own Bond EON does. Before they sued MGM over
the sale of bond films on television It was decieded to replace John Glenn
as director,and bring In a fresh writer to work with Michael Wilson(had they not caused Cubby Broccoli to sue them the first 90's Bond film was
going to be co written by Wilson) however EON wanted Timothy Dalton
back for a third film. In '93 after the case was settled MGM wanted to go
with eather Mel Gibson,or Liem Neeson. The Broccolis wanted Dalton. Michael France wrote the script for Goldeneye with Dalton In Mind. It was Dalton who choose to leave. MGM was glad he did. Dalton remains on good terms with the Broccolis as evented by showing up for Cubby's
memorial and the DAD premiere.

[ChandlerBing]

MGM knew Dalton didn't bring in the mass audiences like they wanted. The Broccollis liked Dalton and remained loyal to him. Despite my feelings on Dalton, you gotta admire the Broccollis for their loyalty.

[RITZ]

Yeah, true. I know that Micheal G Wilson regulary keeps in contact with messrs Dalton and Moore.