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Anyone miss Sir Miles Messervy's office?

saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
edited April 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 987
I've always loved the wood paneled set used for M's office from DN through to TLD, despite slight variations in the wood staining, furniture and contents, the general layout has always been the same with the leather studded double doors, wood carved fireplace, heavy desk and dark green curtains. It's always had an air of an old gentleman's club and seemed a perfect environment for Fleming's character's. This all changed with the arrival of a new female M in GE, and though the line about 'Your predecessor keeping some good brandy in there.' would imply it's meant to be the same room it's clearly a different shaped room and the opening location shot establishes that the MI6/7 building is now located in Vauxhall rather than Whitehall.
For me the original room gave a sense of continuity to the series (along with the regular gunbarrel opening, and enough said about that the better!) and the fact that it was used by Bernard Lee, Robert Brown, Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton, it was almost a piece of living history. Now I fully appreciate that a new 'M' would want to stamp her own feminine mark on her workplace, but why not just stick a vase with a bunch of daffodils on the windowsill or something. There wasn't any need to throw away 24 years of movie history.
Maybe it could be argued that the original set was old and out of date with the modern world, but then again aren't the characters of M and James Bond also firmly entrenched in that past.
As for the the office in QOS, well it's just horrible in my view, but what do you chaps think, should M's office return to the past or should we just embrace this new modern world at the cost of Bond's heritage?

Comments

  • gt007gt007 Station G
    edited April 2011 Posts: 1,182
    I do love that set. Not sure if I want it back though. Too many changes, you know. Too much back and forth. I think it belongs in the past. The GE-CR office is the modern days equivalent of Sir Miles' office. That one should be back. I certainly don't want to see the one from QOS again...
  • H007MERH007MER
    Posts: 136
    I would love to see the return of the traditional office but with Bond now established as an MI6 agent (rather than MI7 as mentioned in Dr No?) and with Vauxhall Cross also part of the continuity it's unlikely to return. With Deaver moving his Bond out of MI6 maybe we will see (well, read) a more traditional base for M. The new book may even have Bond working out of the Universal Exports offices overlooking Regents Park.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited April 2011 Posts: 15,718
    I would love to see it back. The recent M offices are way too bland, IMO. The traditional M office was great, it almost was a personality of it's own. like a facet of M. The red telephone, the full library behind him, with many artifacts... And of course the great thick door !! One of the best M scene takes place in this set - in TMWTGG. And of course the desk that can't hold anymore stuff without everything falling on the floor. I really felt all cozy when watching the M briefing in that office. I always have a glass in my hand and a cigarette in the other while watching the scenes in M's office, and I felt right in a gentlemen's club !! And, if only M could smoke the pipe once more... Ah the memories... and the hope of a return of such Bond elements !!
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    Posts: 5,767
    Quoting saunders: For me the original room gave a sense of continuity to the series
    Even more than that it had the ambience of a save haven, in a physical and also in an emotional sense. Dench´s office may have the former, it certainly hasn´t got the latter. It clearly reflects part of her bean counter mentality.
    Quoting saunders: Now I fully appreciate that a new 'M' would want to stamp her own feminine mark on her workplace, but why not just stick a vase with a bunch of daffodils on the windowsill or something.
    While the old office strongly exuded something of a men´s club, the new office doesn´t feel female at all to me. I think that´s the major idea behind the drastic change: Not to show that the new M is a female, but to show a certain emotional restriction. Hence M said in GE that she won´t hesitate to send 007 to die.
    Quoting saunders: Maybe it could be argued that the original set was old and out of date with the modern world
    Definitely no. It was timeless.
    Quoting DaltonCraig007: The traditional M office was great, it almost was a personality of it's own. like a facet of M.
    I think the same is the case with the new office. It´s a facet of M. And as such, the whole package of M and her office is justified. I bet when M changes the next time, we will get a new office ;-).
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    As long as we get a series of office scenes in the future films, then I'll be OK. Some kind of set needs to return though and be reused for the foreseeable future.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited April 2011 Posts: 11,189
    I too love that old set and agree that it has a v fleming-esque feel to it, but let's be honest...it's very outdated by today's standards.

    I'm not asking for something as flashy and gimmicky as the office in Quantum, just something that reflects the times we live in. An environment that feels up to date and believable.
  • lalala2004lalala2004
    Posts: 162
    Maybe not the old office, it really isn't the least bit fitting in this century. What I would love to see is a red door. A different office, but the same door. That would put a smile on my face.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    edited April 2011 Posts: 1,497
    Thanks Saunders for pointing this out! When I talk about the "feel" of the earlier James Bond films, a few pivotal elements come to mind: the Ted Moore Cinematography, the Ken Adam sets, the Richard Maibaum scripts and the John Barry scores. I also believe that the classic M office has always been an integral part of this feel. Sadly the set and the standard M briefing are no more. There's is something very war-era; very British about the design. Realistically I don't see the old office coming back, but yes, something like the red door or even some very subtle ornate details like the green curtains would be a nice familiar nod to the legacy that was the old office.

    Surely we can do better than this:

    http://www.design-eu.com/blogs/blog_img/108_1265.jpg
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    edited April 2011 Posts: 5,767
    Quoting JBFan626: Surely we can do better than this:

    http://www.design-eu.com/blogs/blog_img/108_1265.jpg
    Still a lot better than M´s office in NSNA.
  • PrinceKamalKhanPrinceKamalKhan Monsoon Palace, Udaipur
    Posts: 3,262
    Yes. And Admiral Sir Miles Messervy even more.
  • oo7oo7
    edited October 2012 Posts: 1,068
    not any more

    Mod edit: can we please be mindful of spoilers?
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    edited October 2012 Posts: 12,526
    So glad to see that office return! Been far too long!

    Mod edit: can we please be mindful of spoilers?
  • db5007db5007
    edited October 2012 Posts: 61
    Loved the sight of the leather padded door with Tanner emerging....

    Mod edit: can we please be mindful of spoilers?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,124
    Just discovered this old thread. Who would have thought it was going to be prophetic?
  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    Ludovico wrote:
    Just discovered this old thread. Who would have thought it was going to be prophetic?

    I like to think that Babs and MGW take a deep interest in my every suggestion posted and act accordingly. ;)
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    Posts: 3,494
    I thought it was very possible with all the previous homage work being done. The entire office scene put a huge smile on my face. I hope the setup remains the same and remain cautiously optimistic that it will, but if they return to the old MI6 building rather than remain in some more nondescript and fitting location then I have some cause for concern that it was no more than the usual homage. These people have made me look like a fool here a few times now and so I'm a lot more cautious in my conjecture on their future direction other than what they want us to know :(
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Old office: Check.

    Q's concrete lab with glass display rooms? Pending. ;)
  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    Murdock wrote:
    Old office: Check.

    Q's concrete lab with glass display rooms? Pending. ;)

    I like your thinking. B-)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    saunders wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    Just discovered this old thread. Who would have thought it was going to be prophetic?

    I like to think that Babs and MGW take a deep interest in my every suggestion posted and act accordingly. ;)

    In that case, would you please be a gentleman and create a thread calling for 5 more Bond films from Daniel Craig to see if EON catch on? I know 5 is a bit of a low number, but best to test the waters first instead of asking for a number like 10 right off the bat. ;)
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