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Harry Saltzman appreciation thread.

GeorgeLazenbyGeorgeLazenby
edited March 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 295
Saltzman's influence on the franchise was subtle but definite-- Bond movies were never quite the same after 1974. The franchise lots a bit of its edge, its swagger, its cool when Saltzman walked out the door. He had some daft opinions-- notably his disdain for the <i>Goldfinger</i> theme, but on the whole I think he contributed a lot to the overall vibe and coolness of the earlier films and that his guiding presence has been missed. One of my favorite Saltzman moments is George Lazenby's story of how Saltzman looked at him and said "we're goin' wit you" after he famously knocked Yuri Boriyenko on his ass during an audition. Anyway, here's to the cool enigmatic presence of Harry Saltzman. B-)

Comments

  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    The reason we are having to wait so long for Bond 23 can be indirectly traced back to Harry's financial problems in the mid 70's, but he does indeed deserve some recognition for co-kick starting and helping to create the cinematic James Bond legend. It seems that when he wasn't upsetting everyone on set he did indeed get involved with the creative process and though many of his suggestions were deemed absolutely crazy, it has been said that one in every ten was sheer genius. I feel very sorry for Harry's children that they have been denied a heritance in EON due to their fathers recklessness and wish they were now equal partners in the company (who knows maybe they wouldn't of allowed DAD to happen).
    As far as Harry's contributions to the 'overall vibe' and 'coolness' of the earlier films, well I have my doubts but it would be great to see a decent biography done on this most interesting of characters, a man who worked in circuses, became a big Hollywood producer and then lost it all.
    For me I always think of Harry when I watch that funeral parade scene in LALD, the master of ceremonies looks like the spitting image of a 'blacked up' version of the producer.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    edited March 2011 Posts: 2,115
    Based on various things I've read (including Adrian Turner's book on Goldfinger), Saltzman was actively involved in script development. On at least a couple of occasions (Goldfinger and Thunderball), Richard Maibaum would do the early drafts, then Saltzman would bring in a Paul Dehn or John Hopkins to do the later ones. Maibaum's was Cubby's guy (going back to the Allen-Broccoli produced Warwick films), then Saltzman would bring in "his" guy.
  • PrinceKamalKhanPrinceKamalKhan Monsoon Palace, Udaipur
    edited March 2011 Posts: 3,262
    Quoting GeorgeLazenby:
    Saltzman's influence on the franchise was subtle but
    definite-- Bond movies were never quite the same after 1974. The franchise lots
    a bit of its edge, its swagger, its cool when Saltzman walked out the door. He
    had some daft opinions-- notably his disdain for the Goldfinger theme,
    but on the whole I think he contributed a lot to the overall vibe and coolness
    of the earlier films and that his guiding presence has been missed. One of my
    favorite Saltzman moments is George Lazenby's story of how Saltzman looked at
    him and said "we're goin' wit you" after he famously knocked Yuri Boriyenko on
    his ass during an audition. Anyway, here's to the cool enigmatic presence of
    Harry Saltzman. B-)
    Indeed. As fond as I am of many of the post-Saltzman films(especially TLD, MR, and OP), something was missing from the series after Saltzman left. He sounds like a very colorful character from all the stories I've heard about him. His quirks and contrasts with Cubby brought the series a creative energy it will never have again. I value his contributions as a producer to the Bond series a whole lot more than Babs'.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Saltzman liked the idea of death in Bond and every one of the first nine films contains that theme in the PTSs. I'd love for that to be brought back one day.
  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    Quoting Samuel001: Saltzman liked the idea of death in Bond and every one of the first nine films
    contains that theme in the PTSs. I'd love for that to be brought back one day.

    It has always been my understanding that the regular occurrence of the death motif often through the visual metaphors of coffins, corpses and undertakers in many of the earlier films was down to Cubby as they were an in-joke about his days as a coffin salesman in New York, hence even after Saltzman had left the series you still get them appearing, for example the funeral barge on the Venetian canals in MR.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    We certainly continue to see the theme of death in the PTS. Brosnan wiped out whole armies in his PTSs 8-X
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    Saltzman is a much, much better contributor to the franchise than Babs. His last film, TMWTGG, is my all-time favorite outing of the franchise.
  • connerybondconnerybond
    Posts: 163
    Whatever the story about Saltzman's quirky character, he must have had a sharp business instinct as he held the copyright to film fleming's novels albeit for a short time and thus contributed to bringing Bond on the screen. He was able to see how good the Len Deighton's Ipcress could be as a film. Agree, he brought an extra dimension to Bond films.
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