It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
Regarding the rest of the casting, I had in mind Richard E. Grant for the part of Otto Winkhart (described as disbarred lawyer in his early 40s) and James Hong for the one of Quen Low, the Chinese Intelligence Chief.
Could be fun to also cast Dalton's other GoldenEye, based on Michael France's 1994 script (I say other since, according to Ruggiero, "GoldenEye" was already suggested as a title back in 1991 for Dalton's early potential third film).
Funny as Reed was exactly who I had in mind for Sir Denholm when I first read the treatment. I'd have loved to have seen him in a Bond film, and opposite Dalton would've been epic. Would they have gotten on though?
Would or could anyone have gotten on with Ollie?
Great actor, but hard work off screen if all is too be believed.
Peter O'Toole is an actor who should've been in a Bond film imo, and Oliver Reed could've been a good choice. On the right day of course.
Excellent choices. Lone, Chen and Lundgren are my two default choices for Ching, Mi Wai and Chen. As for Winkhart and Quen Low, I always select Stellan Skarsgard and Anthony Wong. But here’s my definitive cast for Property of a Lady:
Property of a Lady
James Bond - Timothy Dalton
Connie Webb - Elizabeth Hurley
Sir Henry Lee Ching - John Lone
Denholm Crisp - Ian Holm
Mi Wai - Joan Chen
Otto Winkhart - Stellan Skarsgard
Rodin - Dolph Lundgren
Quen Low - Anthony Wong
Nigel Yupland - Hugh Laurie
For those wondering why I’s gone with Ian Holm in the role of Crisp, I see Anthony Hopkins as Augustus Trevelyan in the Dalton version of GoldenEye.
For those looking for more details this was just published on the main site today:
https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond17-1990?id=05188
I think it’s because Hurley would have been 26 in 1991, so she would fit the age description for Connie Webb. But since the character is American, I’d probably select Lauren Holly or someone who can look good driving a Lamborghini.
As for the story itself, I’d change NAN from an android into a Triad assassin that has her strength augmented by a device created by Ching.
She would have been about 30, but I think she could have worked.
@thedove I will now post it here.....
Don't worry guys, I've already PM this to him. 😊
I'm wondering a rather unique and quite interesting What if.....
If you've seen my "I've never thought of that" thread, then this thought occured on me.
We all know that Caspar Fleming (Ian Fleming's son) killed himself by overdose, such a tragic story, but what if its changed? What if he hadn't killed himself? What if he lived? Would he continue his father's path in writing Bond novels? Would he be hands on in participating in the Bond filmmaking? Would still there be continuation authors or novels?
What do you guys think would he do with Bond? Where would he likely to take Bond if he followed his father's path?
Or would he would just take a different path from his father (in the sources stated, it's said that he had a thing for Egyptology), so would that be his line had he lived?
What if Caspar Fleming (Ian Fleming's son) had lived past 1975?
I think he would have had some part of his father’s legacy. He may have filled the gap between Colonel Sun and Licence Renewed. Or cut John Gardner’s run short. IFP seems to like authors from the 50s, so Caspar would have fit in there.
For the films, I think that Cubby and Barbara would have let him write a (original) screenplay. Richard Maibaum would probably criticize him for it. Or he could have been the modern day Purvis and Wade. Always coming back to write, or produce.
For sure, he’d write some forewords for books. I think this is one of the hardest What If’s we’ve had so far.
Casper have been 71 now, Michael G Wilson is 81. Mabey Casper have been producer on the movies too. Mabey in 1976 or for example in 1979 after Moonraker when there whant bring Bond back to earth. Because in 1977 have turned 25 if haven't died on age of 23. The year of Spy Who Loved Me , in 1976 Harry Saltsman left as producer because of money problem's.
Possible, but then, as also stated in the sources, he, at somehow, was also influenced by the Bond character, he became interested in some different types of weapons, he's also at some point involving himself in the gun blackmarket, with several firearms found in his dorm, and guess, he referred to his toy gun as "Bond pistol".
So, it's also, at some angle impossible to see him blame Bond, when at some point, he's also influenced by it.
It is 1962 and a small British film is a hit! Dr No bursts onto screens and causes a sensation. So much so that United Artists demands that Salzman and Broccoli film a follow up. They choose From Russia with Love in part because it has been revealed to be a favourite of President Kennedy. This means the United States market is aware of the book and it will add interest to the movie! The rest they say is history, FRWL is a bigger hit and begats GF!
But what if, President Kennedy's list didn't include a Fleming thriller? I have heard some say that the editors of the magazine where the list was to be featured were not pleased with all the non-fiction books and asked that a fiction book be on the list. The aides of the President chose FRWL almost at random. What if the aide had chosen a non-Fleming book? Would this have had any impact on the film series? What book might have EON chose if not FRWL?
Dear community members, what if President Kennedy's favourite books didn't include FRWL?
Honestly if they toned down the robot stuff I could see The Property of a lady going well for Bond if it was on fall of 91 it would of had little competition and honestly it would of been just a fantastic film
On the other hand I always felt Dalton is the only multi film bond actor who had no duds in his tenure. Like I honestly can’t choose between the living daylights and license to kill in terms of my favorite….
Where as Connery, Moore, Brosnan, and Craig all have one film that well yeah they can’t all be winners lol
I do wonder about that, what would they have chosen first. I would think DAF would be a solid choice given the limited settings required. It also has some colourful characters. Though would they choose GF next?
I heard someone say that they were choosing the strongest titles and plots first and then moving on to the weakest. Does DAF plot hold up and would it be a good enough follow up to DN?
Or done Moonraker, for that matter, perhaps from a budgetary POV. One suspects it would depend on Dr No’s box-office take in this timeline. I imagine it and whatever came out as the second film would still have done well.
Really? I thought they had the rights to all the books minus Casino Royale and Thunderball.
"We then talked about the series of films that are being planned and adapted from his books—the already made Dr. No, which will be followed by From Russia With Love, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Live And Let Die, Moonraker, and possibly, if it can be adapted for the screen, The Spy That Loved Me."
JFK is not assassinated in Texas, serves two successful terms as US president. Berlin wall comes down 1968. Vietnam Conflict ends shortly after, with an eventual (peaceful) reunification of north and south. The Korean peninsula also reunites. Cold War officially ends 1975. 1993 World Trade Center bombing triggers a short and targeted military reprisal by a Western coalition. Peace breaks out in the Middle East.
JFK's book list instead cites Casino Royale. A mysterious benefactor bankrolls Broccoli and Saltzman to pay an incredible amount for the film rights to Casino Royale, and later Thunderball (in that second case, avoiding legal the wrangling entirely).
The Eon film franchise begins with the release of Casino Royale. Then one film follows each year in book order--with a film for each short story title as well, adjusted order at times. Terence Young directs the early films, eventually transitioning to Peter Hunt. Sean Connery from the start is a full partner in the productions, and contributes significantly to the plots and the Bond character. The zenith of Bond Mania happens in 1968 with Goldfinger, Connery's final film playing Bond. Connery continues a role as producer.
Connery stars in:
Timothy Dalton is cast, and follows in Connery's footsteps to contribute in important ways. Films across the years approach but do not exceed the heights reached by Goldfinger. The satisfying and successful relationship making Bond films with the producers becomes Dalton's focus for many years.
Timothy Dalton comes on board in 1969 and stays the duration for:
The franchise stops making Bond films in 1981, and Eon holds the rights to prevent tarnishing its gilded history.
"The actor John Payne attempted to take up the option on the film rights to the book in 1955, but nothing came of the attempt. The Rank Organisation also came to an agreement to make a film, but this likewise fell through.[82]
The novel was not one of Fleming's stories acquired by Eon Productions in 1961; in 1969 the company acquired the rights and commissioned Gerry Anderson to produce and co-write a screenplay. Anderson and Tony Barwick prepared a 70-page treatment that was never filmed, but some elements were similar to the final screenplay of The Spy Who Loved Me."
From Russia With Love would be probably directed by Guy Hamilton, because Terrence Young wasn't available at the time, it's 1964, the year of original Goldfinger.
Fleming was also still alive in 1963, so the possible Bond Book to get filmed at the time is Live And Let Die, because it could be set in Jamaica just like Dr. No and not requiring of higher budget, it would also be the cheapest bond book to adapt.
Goldfinger would not be available until 1969, because of some circumstances, the same for OHMSS not happening until 1977.
Connery
* Live And Let Die (1963) - directed by Terrence Young
* From Russia With Love (1964) - directed by Guy Hamilton
* Thunderball (1965) due to McClory's demand - directed by Terrence Young
* You Only Live Twice (1967) due to Bond's popularity in Japan and Roald Dahl choosing the book - directed by Lewis Gilbert
Connery left the role because of his clash against the Producers
Lazenby
* Goldfinger (1969) - directed by Peter Hunt, starring Lazenby
* Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - directed by Peter Hunt, starring Lazenby
* The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) - directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Lazenby
* On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1977) - directed by Lewis Gilbert (screenplay by Christopher Wood), starring Lazenby, different from the book (they couldn't use Blofeld due to McClory's restrictions) and it's directed and wrote by a different director and writer (Gilbert and Wood), it's the year that TSWLM was released
Lets look at a casting decision next, or should I say a character decision! The Spy Who Loved Me went through many writers and drafts. Blofeld was in, Blofeld was out. A new terrorist group was in and a new terrorist group was out. In one draft or idea, there was talk of having the Russian in the movie be Tatiana Romanova. That's right the leading lady from FRWL would have returned and been the love interest in this movie. Assuming they kept the angle of her playing a Russian agent, what do you think of this? The presumably they would have cast Daniela Bianchi to return in the role, though she would appear opposite another Bond actor. I suppose they could have recast the character.
Given the history of the characters, would this have deepened the romance in the film? Would bringing back the character make the movie stronger?
What say you Mi6 community. What if the character of Tatiana Romanova had returned for TSWLM?
My issue with Anya Amasova was given she's a highly trained KGB (Military) agent, she did nothing in the film, and there's some situations where she needs to be saved or rescued, not believable as a trained and capable agent, she's not capable, I don't buy her training in Siberia given that we don't see it.
I don't buy her these sayings that she's the "first progressive Bond Girl", "she's Bond's equal", I just don't buy it, she's just another eye candy damsel in distress for me, given that she never did anything dumb, but she's passive, she's just Solitaire just turned a Military Agent (imagine that, and that's ultimately was Anya).
She's such a disappointment and frustration, because she's been given this premise that she would be Bond's equal with highly trained skills from the Military Intelligence, yet she did nothing.
Even her backstory about her killed boyfriend was underplayed and underutilized in the film, if not for me recognizing the guy that Bond killed in the PTS.
With Tatiana, the relationship would have been so much deeper because their relationship in FRWL was so complex and unusual, and here, it would have been so much deeper.
With Tatiana, those situations would have been so much believable, because she's not as highly trained as Amasova, if my memory serves, she's a ballerina or some ordinary civilian that just picked up by SPECTRE to seduce Bond, she's hired because of her beauty.
We don't expect her to be some sort of Military Officer who's highly trained, she's just a pawn, so if she ended up in those damsel in distress situations, it would have been so convincing, more believable because again, she's not as highly trained as Anya, she's not a fighter, she's just an ordinary Russian Beauty that's hired for intelligence purposes.
And that way she shot Rosa Klebb, it's a plus for me, and that makes her a bit better than Anya.
With her coming back, I would accept it with Open arms, why it didn't happened?