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Did you like Barry Nelson's portrayal of James Bond?

Risico007Risico007
edited July 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 9,848
As far as I know the 54 adaption isn't talked about in much detail but despite being american I think Barry made a fine 007 and honestly wouldn't of minded seeing him in one big screen bond film.


What do you all think of the "first" James Bond?

Comments

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,187
    I didn't like the whole American cowboy Bond thing at all. What were they thinking? Clearly they didn't understand Fleming. They gave CR the same treatment that Troy gave the Iliad and the Aeneid. Which is not a good thing...
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    edited July 2011 Posts: 3,494
    I'm also American and all I have to say is that Bond should be played by a British actor at the very least. Now if it were an American with the right look who could pull it off with the accent and do it convincingly, why not?
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,187
    I'm also American and all I have to say is that Bond should be played by a British actor at the very least. Now if it were an American with the right look who could pull it off with the accent and do it convincingly, why not?
    That of course is an entirely different matter and I agree, the fact of an American actor by itself is not the issue. It is reasonably fair to say that if one such actor could be found, who can convincingly pull it off, accent and mannerism, he might as well be a good Bond. That said, Barry Nelson clearly wasn't that actor, or in the very least wasn't intended to be for this little project.
  • Agent005Agent005
    Posts: 562
    I've always wished that they had cast Michael Pate as Bond and Barry Nelson as Leiter instead of vice versa.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,138
    I watched CR'54 a couple of times, purely to see how it was. Whilst there is nothing very wrong with Nelson (other than being an American Bond) he does play the part as an American. More like a cop or FBI agent, than a British secret service agent.
    And who the heck is Jimmy Bond?
    Nope I'm sorry, it's a no from me. This is not James Bond.
  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    Just say no to Jimmy Bond. I preferred Woody Allen's Bond.
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    I didn't really care for it, mind you I don't think much was expected and thought about for this little TV adaptation.
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    edited July 2011 Posts: 4,813
    I watched it for the first time on Netflix the other night- he did just fine- as long as you understand from the beginning that he IS American. What was more impressive to me is that it was LIVE. That's pretty cool. Perhaps Casino Royale could be adapted into a play??? I'd totally see that

    The part that really shocked me was when I realized Barry Nelson was the guy from 'The Shining'- a movie that I had see dozens of times- I never knew that was the first James Bond right there
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    The part that really shocked me was when I realized Barry Nelson was the guy from 'The Shining'- a movie that I had see dozens of times- I never knew that was the first James Bond right there
    hot damn! - i didn't know that either... how funny... and i love The Shining...

    in terms of his portrayal of James - oops, i mean Jimmy Bond... i thought it was "okay" considering that they altered the character's nationality from English to American... it was a 1950's Live Television production, I really liked it just based on that alone - thats really hard to accomplish, imagine if one of them had screwed up?... on a show like SNL, you can just laugh it off - with serious material it's a little different...

    top marks to Peter Lorre though.. it's a shame he was never an official Bond villain..

  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    I love the Shinning too!! Anyway back to the topic at hand. I've not seen his 'Bond' performance as yet so I'll have to pass judgement.

    As mentioned by others on this thread to his status as Bond, I do not consider Barry Nelson to be the first James Bond anyway. Not becuase he was an american actor but becuase his character was a variation of Bond. Jimmy 'Card sense' Bond, american CIA agent is not James Bond!

  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    This is not james Bond because of the Americanization of the character but still its not a bad little show. Its a must-see curiosity for Bond fans.
    Bond's authentic screen debut came in 1962.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,848
    I think Nelson should of had a cameo in Casino Royale 1967
  • TheLazenbyTheLazenby
    Posts: 6
    Risico007 - at the time, "Casino Royale" '54 was thought to be lost. No fan knew that film existed. On the other hand, I thought for sure he should have cameo'd in CR'06, while he was still alive.

    But yes, I think he made a fantastic Bond. He wasn't "Jimmy Bond", he was JAMES Bond, and I despise people who insist on using the Americanized-name. :-P He introduces himself as James Bond, and is credited as such, even in the original televised credits.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,848
    and i thought i was the only one who liked Barry Nelson as 007
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    The TV special was a real bore, but Peter Lorre was pretty good in it.
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,409
    Barry Nelson is seriously miscast as Bond. So much hangs on the casting of Bond and it's a difficult role to get right. I think one of the reasons why 'Dr. No' works so well as a film is because of Sean Connery. Nelson lacks the physical prowess or the magnetic sex-appeal of a Connery or Craig type actor. Barry in the most part is a rather schlubby-looking everyman and a little too whitebread/all-American hero for my liking. There is a line in the film where Le Chiffre refers to how attractive Bond is and I couldn't help but roll my eyes - Barry Nelson is no James Bond.

    Barry%20Bond%20Nelson.jpg

    However, CR is no 'James Bond movie', at least not in the traditional sense. The TV film is mostly agreeable though I'd far from recommend it (it's something only die-hard Bond fans will ever possess a curiosity to watch). Nonetheless, from a film historian perspective there is a lot to get your teeth into with the 1954 film.

    The film possess the typical blend of high-culture, glamorous settings and danger that is inherent to the Bond brand but not much else. Interestingly, despite dropping the entire Vesper Lynd story (not to mention the character herself) the film adheres pretty closely to the book. In that sense the film makes for an interesting companion piece to Fleming's novel and even to some extents the later Daniel Craig film. one of my favourite parts of Fleming's story was how Bond hid the money behind the sign on his hotel door and it's nice to see that dramatically realised in some manner as it would likely have been slightly out of place in the 2006 adaption of the book.

    The main attraction here is Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre; Lorre is brilliant and has such an odd screen-presence. He's a macabre creepy looking little-man and he has such a delicate and menacing voice. I find it interesting that all three 'unofficial' Bond film (both CRs and NSNA) all nailed the villain roles and produced first-class baddies for Bond to do battle against; in this way these films most definitely exceed the 'official' series. All the other performers are pretty disposal aside from Lorre (I'm looking at you Linda Christian).

    Despite being a pretty dry telling of the CR story it's an interesting curate's egg for those more committed Bond fans.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Nope..watched it once and never have since.
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 1,997
    No.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Not really. He seemed more like a Gangster in CR. Yeah See!
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    I just found it odd how they switched the nationalities of Bond and Leiter?
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    It's odd but decent enough in my view.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    They got away with this in 1954 as practically nobody had heard of Bond. I wonder if there could be made some excuse for what they did in the 90s? Probably not.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    I watched it on Netflix a couple of years ago and was amused but that was it. Berry Nelson wasn't a good Bond but then again if you watch the film it doesn't feel like a Bond film.
  • Ed83Ed83
    Posts: 1,181
    I'm not a big fan of it. The opening scene has that ridiculous gun that is not even close being aimed properly. Plus, how do you miss a shot that close? I mean I can understand missing from across the street or over 15 feet, but that's a slam dunk. Bond is like 5 feet away. Anyways, I'm being over-critical of a film from that time period, but it was a real bore for me.
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