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Mike Connors and Bond

EmilioLargoEmilioLargo Dublin, Ireland
in Actors Posts: 15
Having finally caught up with the 1966 movie "Kiss the girls and make them die" I have to agree with previous reports of the similarities therein to the later Moonraker. The movie, which was an obvious cash-in on the Bond craze also parodied several ideas from previous Bond movies. What I found interesting was the the manner in which the star Mike Connors went about his role. At times the movie wandered into Matt Helm territory and Connors hammed it a bit in those scenes, but in general he cut a good secret agent type and was fairly physical in the role. I think when EON were searching for the new Bond a couple of years later they may have overlooked an opportunity with Connors. Groomed up a bit I think he might have had a good stab at the role of Bond. A couple of times in KTGAMTD he reminded me of how Connery approached Bond. Anybody have an opinion on this?

Comments

  • Since62Since62
    Posts: 1,650
    Mike Connors...American actor...star of TV show Mannix...really ? OK, OK, you got me...Next up let's please consider how suitable - in their primes, of course - would have been David Janssen and William Conrad. Apologies for my knee-jerk - or just Jerk, fair enough - reaction, especially since I've seen MANY 60s spy spoofs, but perhaps not this one.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,344
    I think that Cubby Broccoli's dictum that James Bond had to be British and played by a Brit actor still holds good.

    That's not to say that Americans like John Gavin (for DAF) and James Brolin (for OP) weren't very close to becoming Bond but thankfully we were spared that in the end. The fact that Bond is British is one of his main USPs and if you lose that I think you lose a large part of what makes the character unique, distinctive and original in a sea of all American heroes.

    I've not seen Kiss the Girls... so I can't comment on Mike Connors's performance as the lead there but I'd like to see it some time to see how similar it is plotwise to the later Moonraker.
  • Since62Since62
    Posts: 1,650
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I think that Cubby Broccoli's dictum that James Bond had to be British and played by a Brit actor still holds good.

    That's not to say that Americans like John Gavin (for DAF) and James Brolin (for OP) weren't very close to becoming Bond but thankfully we were spared that in the end. The fact that Bond is British is one of his main USPs and if you lose that I think you lose a large part of what makes the character unique, distinctive and original in a sea of all American heroes.

    I've not seen Kiss the Girls... so I can't comment on Mike Connors's performance as the lead there but I'd like to see it some time to see how similar it is plotwise to the later Moonraker.

    Is there already a thread on spy-craze films ? I liked some of them - the Derek Flint movies, the Matt Helm movies, more recently the Austin Powers movies (not really part of the craze, but inspired) come to mind...
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,344
    Since62 wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I think that Cubby Broccoli's dictum that James Bond had to be British and played by a Brit actor still holds good.

    That's not to say that Americans like John Gavin (for DAF) and James Brolin (for OP) weren't very close to becoming Bond but thankfully we were spared that in the end. The fact that Bond is British is one of his main USPs and if you lose that I think you lose a large part of what makes the character unique, distinctive and original in a sea of all American heroes.

    I've not seen Kiss the Girls... so I can't comment on Mike Connors's performance as the lead there but I'd like to see it some time to see how similar it is plotwise to the later Moonraker.

    Is there already a thread on spy-craze films ? I liked some of them - the Derek Flint movies, the Matt Helm movies, more recently the Austin Powers movies (not really part of the craze, but inspired) come to mind...

    After a Google search using the "mi6 community" method I found the following thread from 2015 which could be revived to discuss such films:

    https://www.mi6community.com/discussion/13045/best-bond-inspired-series-individual-copycats/p1
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,614
    Is that the one in Brazil with Terry-Thomas? I liked that one.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2022 Posts: 18,344
    mtm wrote: »
    Is that the one in Brazil with Terry-Thomas? I liked that one.

    Yes, that's the one. Come to think of it (and I believe someone mentioned it here before) Terry-Thomas would've made a cracking Bond villain, possibly as Sir Hugo Drax in a faithful film version of Moonraker. He had the snobbish cad down pat and could've easily played the affable side of the character of "Hugger" Drax that hid his dark interior. Brian Blessed would've been great in the role too, of course, especially for the bombastic and loudmouth aspects of the literary Drax.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,614
    That's a good shout, although I've not seen him do dramatic. He certainly looks like Drax.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2022 Posts: 18,344
    mtm wrote: »
    That's a good shout, although I've not seen him do dramatic. He certainly looks like Drax.

    Yes, I've not seen Terry-Thomas in that many things and he was more a comedic actor of course so maybe that typecasting would be against him playing a more serious character like Drax. Still, I'm sure he had the range to pull it off. I really must give Kiss the Girls... a watch ASAP. I think it's on YouTube.
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