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The Duke (film)

Tokoloshe2Tokoloshe2 Northern Ireland
in General Movies & TV Posts: 1,175
"The Duke" is an upcoming British comedy heist about the famous theft of the Duke of Wellington painting by Goya, as referenced in Dr. No when Bond walks past the artwork in the villain's lair. It is scoring extremely highly in critic and audience reviews. I feel the obvious Bond connection means it merits its own thread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60413468

So it seems relatively little-known story that Bond fans have been familiar with for years is about to get a lot more coverage. The trailer indicates there is a scene with Mr Bunton (who stole the painting) and his wife in a cinema, possibly involving going to see Dr No and spotting the 'in-joke'.

Anyone seen the film already, or planning to see it?

Comments

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited February 2022 Posts: 16,411
    I haven't, but I have heard it's great like yourself. I feel like I need something uplifting.

    I read that the painting used in Dr No was painted by Ken Adam himself, and that was in fact also stolen. Is that right?
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,427
    Have heard a lot of good things about 'The Duke', and would be interested to see it. Its also the last film directed by Roger Michell, who died before it was released. Michell was asked to direct QOS by Barbara Broccoli, but turned it down, and I believe he was also in the running for CR!
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    edited February 2022 Posts: 2,529
    Ken Adam, the famous art and production designer, contacted the National Gallery in in London after the theft (in 1961) of Goya's Potrait of the Duke of Wellington (The Duke) to obtain a slide of the picture. This was so he could paint a copy over the weekend before filming commenced on the Monday for Doctor No (1962) in the scenes where James Bond stops in amazement in spotting the missing painting before he has dinner with Doctor Julius No, the in-joke being that Doctor No stole it. The actual painting was not recovered until 1965, the subject of The Duke movie (2021).

    A similar idea of a missing painting in a James Bond film is Modigilianis "Woman with a fan" in Skyfall (2012) and reappears briefly in Madeleine's room in Blofeld's hideaway in Spectre (2015), a painting stolen in 2010. Likewise with Picasso's "Le pigeon aux petits pois" seen in Bond's room at Blofeld's hideaway in Spectre (2015). Both these actual painting were stolen with 3 others from the Museum of Modern Art in Paris on 20 May 2010.

    Didn't know about this trivia ? from Skyfall and Spectre.

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11204094/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv
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