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Comments
Yeah, we did that joke. A few times.
Canada is in North America, yes.
Sure we did ;)
Interesting; I'd not really considered him, but yeah, I could see that working.
I like imagining these sort of could-have-been universes. I used to think Sam Neill was obviously wrong for it, but I think he could have given a very interesting Bond.
Oh, there's yet another non-Brit with a convincing accent for you @suavejmf: Sam Neill.
Same here. For many obvious reasons, not now, but then? Might have been cool for sure.
Yeah I think weirdly we're maybe stuck a little bit in the old style of Hollywood thinking, maybe because Cubby picked Brosnan and kind of postponed that for a while. But heroes now aren't just the square-jawed Rock Hudson types: they can be more interesting than that. Look at most of the Marvel superheroes for confirmation. In fact superheroes cottoned onto this way before Bond: look at Keaton as Batman 30 years ago. 'Too short'? Rubbish. Cubby didn't want Burt Reynolds because he was too short. Who thinks of Burt Reynolds as short?
Technically, he is a Brit. But I agree with you, I would have loved to have seen him as Bond. I've seen a lot of people react negatively to his screen test (all fifteen seconds of it, at least), but I thought it was as good as any other we ever got.
Just watched it, seemed fine to me.
Interesting, I didn't know that. Not sure he'd say he is of course!
Yeah I've been watching some of Reilly Ace of Spies on Talking Pictures TV, and I can see why they tested him. He would have easily carried the film as well as Dalton did.
Haha! A fair point. He's been very much indoctrinated!
I think so, too. I've never actually seen Reilly: Ace Of Spies, but there are plenty of examples him executing broad Bond traits in his filmography, too. There's a lot of dry wit as Alan Grant, cold-blooded killing in his performance as Damien in Omen III (or Event Horizon if you prefer!), and then some likeable charm as the plucky, headstrong, romantic hero in Deep Calm.
Alas, not to be!
Same here. Screen tests tend to be awkward anyway.
Although weirdly Reilly wasn't English!
I'd really love to see some of the tests of the actors who actually got it, just to see how different it is. I think Connery and Moore are the only ones who didn't test..?
Apparently that documentary will have a bit of Craig's test in it, which will be a first.
I know what you mean: he's not horrendous, but his weird slightly lazy style has a sort of disconnect with the audience. Anyone who says Roger Moore isn't good or talented always needs to watch stuff like that I think: he's clearly got a knack and a charm that very few stars did.
How is Phoenix out there laddy? Obviously he won't be Bond as he has aged out of the role. But a 35 year old Phoenix would physically resemble the role as well as anyone. And we all know his prodigious acting talent.
Ooooh no. I’m not having that one. Sam Neill’s faux English accent was very contrived (trying so hard to be overtly posh) along with his ‘limp wristed’ Bond audition. I can see why Cubby said ‘no’. It’s not the worst accent attempt, but not great either. Albeit, I admit it isn’t a long clip.
It may be convincing to you, fair enough, which I accept. But not to me as an Englishman.
Saying that, Sam Neill’s audition was brilliant, when compared with James Brolin’s, who actually played Bond with an American accent. “Figs and Yo-Gutttt”. Truly horrifying. Now that truly is the other end of the spectrum. An American actor who made absolutely no effort to attempt an English accent as Bond.
5ft 7 apparently and American so that would seem to count him out?
Very short and American. Agreed. Not really suitable for Bond at all in my opinion, so very much ‘out there.’
Great actor in general though.
What I meant is that it's a completely different assessment. I'd have no objection for a Canadian playing Bond, providing he can give a flawless British accent and can "get" British culture and his familiar to it.
Canada is part of the commonwealth so if there was someone from there who hit every other requirement then they would just squeeze into being acceptable I think.
Does that go for all 52 countries?
Not to me. The Commonwealth means nothing now, it’s ‘token tradition’. The Countries within are so culturally diverse and have nothing to do with the UK really.
Exactly. How can it.
If you haven't watched Reilly Ace of Spies I don't think you can judge. As an Englishman (actually from the bit of the world he was doing the accent of, unlike Harrogate) I can tell you he did a great job.
I’ve seen his Bond Audition and I thought it was poor. I can judge as I see fit. But you can tell me in ‘your opinion’ that he did a good job. Sure.
What’s Harrogate got to do with anything? Random and irrelevant. But I have family and friends from across the UK if that’s what you mean.
It’s accent ‘from’, not ‘of’ by the way. Pedantic, I know. But we are discussing the subject of recognising the Queens ‘English’ after all.
You're from Harrogate, @suavejmf? You lucky sod. It's supposed to be lovely there. I've only seen pictures and I know of the spa scene, with all the mineral springs. Very lovely place. One of Britain's happiest towns, right? Hope everything is good and well there, and with you and your family. Good call on the "from", btw ;)
When those actors were considered, there weren't that many previously established Bonds to compare to: Connery-Scottish, and Lazenby- Australian. An American Bond actor at that time probably wasn't as out of the realm of possibility as now.
I really do feel if Eon were to sell Bond and another producer get the rights, an American actor could be cast.
I tend to think the role might go to either a current popular actor, or a high profile Oscar winner, regardless of their arguable Bondian qualities.
Somebody popular the way Val Kilmer was prolific in the '80's and '90's.
Perhaps a non conventional casting akin to Nicholas Cage's lost Superman project?
A Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Travolta, or Robert Downey Jr equivalent for the 2030's or whenever that would happen.
Personally I think after say, a 20 year gap, audiences might embrace a Tom Hanks type Bond they way Downey was popular as Holmes, providing that actor had been in recently successful films.
I don't think I'd be as excited, though.