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Edward Fox as 'M' in Never Say Never Again

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  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2014 Posts: 18,281
    Murdock wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    007InVT wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    It's shame he wasn't given better material. He was excellent in Day of the Jackal.


    Couldn't agree more. Fleming would have preferred Fox as Bond over Moore.

    I'd imagine so although ironically Roger Moore wanted to play The Jackal but either the director or the producer refused him.

    That would be very interesting. Considering Michael Lonsdale played the protagonist.
    Yes, Hugo Drax killing James Bond instead of M! :))
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    You might want to put that in a spoiler box for those who haven't seen the movie.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Murdock wrote: »
    You might want to put that in a spoiler box for those who haven't seen the movie.

    Never even thought! Good idea, friend. Done. :)
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    I did not know that. Not to say I did not like a young, tough Roger Moore before the Danjaq scriptwriters got hold of him.
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 1,996
    Fox has tended to chew the scenery in some of his roles. Often too stuffy and over the top. His turn in Nicholas Nickleby is a fine example of caricature rather than character.
    But, as has been noted, his Day of the Jackal along with Michael Lonsdale are great performances.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2014 Posts: 18,281
    007InVT wrote: »
    I did not know that. Not to say I did not like a young, tough Roger Moore before the Danjaq scriptwriters got hold of him.

    Yes, I've heard Roger Moore talking about it in interviews and no doubt it features in his biography My Word Is My Bond too. Interesting indeed - if he had starred as The Jackal things might have been very different when he took on the Bond role! Sadly (perhaps?) that was not to be and we'll never know...
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I really enjoyed Edward Fox as M in NSNA. Sadly did not like the film though.
  • doubleohdaddoubleohdad
    Posts: 1,146
    Fox was a different take, more of a jerk than Lee.

    lol, wonder what FLmeing would have really thought of ol' Rog as Bond.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I love it when Bond pushes the right buttons to really annoy ( E Fox) M.
    I don't know how much truth there is to it, but it's always said ( even in a recent BBC radio 4 interview ) the Fleming put Moore's name forward as a possible 007.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    edited November 2014 Posts: 5,080
    Can't really remember Fox as M in NSNA, much like the rest of the film. But I always did like Connery's scenes with M.
  • NapoleonPluralNapoleonPlural
    Posts: 512
    It is a comedy role thought up by comedy writers. All very well, but if you make the bigwigs figures fun, the film loses its authority and it puts Bond in charge too much - which sort of happened in the 80s, it felt like Bond was bigger than M, even with Robert Browne playing him against Rog or Tim.

    Fox isn't really a nuanced actor, sure he was great in the Jackal but there isn't much range and of course be it Fox or Moore, both would be a bit noticeable as an international hitman. Caine was also considered I believe, not sure if this was before or after Get Carter.

    The banter between Fox and Connery in NSNA anticpated (or was ripped off by) Dench and Brosnan in GE and so on, all that 'you're not worthy, sexist misogynist' stuff also the kind of soundbites used by Algy the Armourer, whose performance by Alec McCowan I enjoyed more.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    Edward Fox has the right to say what he said about Daniel Craig, but his comments were crass, stupid, arrogant. And it's not like he played in a brilliant Bond movie or like he was outstanding in it! He should have shown more respect for a fellow actor.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Edward Fox has the right to say what he said about Daniel Craig, but his comments were crass, stupid, arrogant. And it's not like he played in a brilliant Bond movie or like he was outstanding in it! He should have shown more respect for a fellow actor.

    As much as I admire and like Fox, I do agree with your opinion here. Perhaps it was a soundbite taken out of context - I would love to ask him again what he thinks about Craig in retrospect; if indeed he even cares.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I'd forgotten about Edward Fox's statement, had to look it
    Up again. Seems a bit cruel. Maybe he's changed his mind
    It was a long time ago.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    edited November 2014 Posts: 893
    Who do we think Fleming would have cast as Bond and M, from the current crop of actors today?

    I think Michael Gambon or Timothy West might be good choices. Charles Dance perhaps.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2014 Posts: 23,883
    I was troubled by his performance as M. Always came across like he had a pickle crammed up his rear....

    I agree that he also had the petulant headmaster thing going on. To some extent, that's what did in Judi Dench for me as well during the Craig era.

    I also think that he tends to ham it up a bit in most of his roles and chew the scenery. However, I absolutely loved him in Day of the Jackal. An oustanding, restrained performance in a fantastic movie. So much better than the semi-remake with Willis/Gere that should not have used the same name or premise.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    007InVT wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Edward Fox has the right to say what he said about Daniel Craig, but his comments were crass, stupid, arrogant. And it's not like he played in a brilliant Bond movie or like he was outstanding in it! He should have shown more respect for a fellow actor.

    As much as I admire and like Fox, I do agree with your opinion here. Perhaps it was a soundbite taken out of context - I would love to ask him again what he thinks about Craig in retrospect; if indeed he even cares.

    He was great in Day of the Jackal. I can't say he was outstanding in NSNA. Badly written role, but if he had such respect for Fleming whom he knew so much, according to him... Well, he should have played a better M, or not play in that travesty at all. And not make that crass comment about Craig.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    bondjames wrote: »
    I was troubled by his performance as M. Always came across like he had a pickle crammed up his rear....

    I agree that he also had the petulant headmaster thing going on. To some extent, that's what did in Judi Dench for me as well during the Craig era.

    I also think that he tends to ham it up a bit in most of his roles and chew the scenery. However, I absolutely loved him in Day of the Jackal. An oustanding, restrained performance in a fantastic movie. So much better than the semi-remake with Willis/Gere that should not have used the same name or premise.

    I think that's why the best characters he played, perhaps save for the Jackal, had an element of pomposity and theatrics. Take A Bridge Too Far or Edward and Mrs. Simpson.


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