Fleming's Bond is Roger Moore?

LeiterStromberg

Reading YOLT and TB i have realized that Moore is actually the closest to Fleming's Bond. Some of Bond's lines in the books, in fact most of them, are in a tone that could only be used by Moore. The other Bonds are still James Bond, but i can't imagine any of them saying some of the literary Bond's lines. Does anyone else feel this way?

JWESTBROOK

No.

doubleoego

LeiterStromberg wrote:

Reading YOLT and TB i have realized that Moore is actually the closest to Fleming's Bond. Some of Bond's lines in the books, in fact most of them, are in a tone that could only be used by Moore. The other Bonds are still James Bond, but i can't imagine any of them saying some of the literary Bond's lines. Does anyone else feel this way?

You. Have. Lost. Mind.

DRush76

None of the actors have come close to Fleming's Bond. And honestly? I consider this a good thing.

thelordflasheart

LeiterStromberg wrote:

Reading YOLT and TB i have realized that Moore is actually the closest to Fleming's Bond. Some of Bond's lines in the books, in fact most of them, are in a tone that could only be used by Moore. The other Bonds are still James Bond, but i can't imagine any of them saying some of the literary Bond's lines. Does anyone else feel this way?

No.

I would consider Moore's Bond very far from Fleming's. Something that struck me when re-reading the books was just how...casual Bond was, both in words and actions. I remember when I was a kid there was a book about the Bond films in our school library and the author said that Moore was the "best" Bond because out of the three (at the time) actors he was the closest to the "Etonian gentleman" of the books. I didn't know any better at the time but later came to realize that this was just one of many unofficial books and the author was stating his opinions, not fact.

The Bond of the books was not a punning, eye-brow raising know-it-all who seemed to live like a millionaire and could seduce any woman by simply looking at them with a cocked head. Fleming's Bond wore clothes that were beginning to get frayed, carried luggage that was battered and seen better days, didn't always get the girl, and was not an expert in everything (in fact, he feels anger at having to memorize facts and trivia - such as different types of poisons - as part of his job).

He's a bit of a romantic and can be very philosophical. I can't imagine Moore's Bond reading a trashy novel as Bond did in the story of The Living Daylights. I can't imagine him taking his jacket off in the office and just dropping it on the floor instead of hanging it up. And I certainly can't imagine him having the casual exchange that Bond does with the officer at the gun range in the novel MR (?).

While none of the actors have really played Fleming's Bond in a complete way I'd say that (very early) Connery, Craig, and especially Dalton gave us *glimpses* of the character. But Moore? Out of the films of his that I've seen (I've seen every Bond film except MR and AVTAK, even when I was 13 I found Moore's films too juvenile) I'd say no way.

MrBrown

thelordflasheart wrote:

While none of the actors have really played Fleming's Bond in a complete way I'd say that (very early) Connery, Craig, and especially Dalton gave us *glimpses* of the character.

Agreed. Dalton especially.

I'd say Moore's Fleming-esque outings were THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. His other Bond performances seem to represent the cinematic Bond more than the literary Bond.

DarthDimi

This isn't news.
And we already have discussed this:
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/3142/who-is-more-fleming-esque-moore-v.-brosnan/p1
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1997/who-do-you-picture-when-reading-bond-novels/p1