TImothy Dalton and John Glen

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  • Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote:

    Definition of a Bond legend.

    It is a cool interview :D
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,195
    That was 2002? Wow, with a bit of help with the hair he could have played the part into the mid 2000's
  • Posts: 1,492
    If there is one autobiography i would buy it would be mr dalton. I love his other work as well especially his stagework.
  • Posts: 1,407
    All very interesting stuff. Dalton is a true legend.
  • Posts: 12,837
    actonsteve wrote:
    If there is one autobiography i would buy it would be mr dalton. I love his other work as well especially his stagework.

    Same here. Sadly he said in an interview that he didn't think he'd be writing one anytime soon because he didn't think there would be much intrest :(
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 11,189
    actonsteve wrote:
    If there is one autobiography i would buy it would be mr dalton. I love his other work as well especially his stagework.

    Same here. Sadly he said in an interview that he didn't think he'd be writing one anytime soon because he didn't think there would be much intrest :(

    Aww that's quite sad but I can (sort of) see his point. Lets face it as an actor he's just not as loved and cherished as someone like Roger Moore or even other well known stage actors like Ian McKellen or Anthony Hopkins. He doesn't really have the same sort of widespread appeal.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    We need to get this thread to Timothy somehow! That is my first thought about that.
    I'd love an autobiography from him.
  • edited April 2013 Posts: 11,189
    Personally I'd like to hear him narrate some of the Fleming stories.

    After watching North by Northwest last night and knowing Hitch's reputation with actors I wonder what it would have been like if he and Tim had ever worked together. I suspect that - despite Tim's praises - it would have been a verbal bloodbath that would make his spat with Glen seem tame.
  • Posts: 1,407
    I'm bumping this thread. I recently re-watched both of Dalton's films and here are my thoughts on John Glen

    -For TLD, several scenes are terrifically directed. The first shot of Dalton as Bond is one of my favorites of the series. However, it does feel at some points that he's trying to make a Roger Moore film with Dalton. The end result is a great film, but the potential for being so much better.

    - For LTK, I like that Glen seemed to embrace Dalton's darker side but some of the scenes are just missing that emotional punch that could have benefited from better direction. My biggest gripe is the final scene when Bond is on the phone with Felix. It just doesn't have the impact it should. Felix is acting all smily and happy (maybe he was doped up on painkillers?). It kills me every time I see it. And there are a few other examples.

    It just doesn't surprise me that Dalton didn't want to work with Glen again. And looking at Glen's other work outside of Bond, we're lucky that we had the films that we did. How would a 3rd Dalton film have been with a new director? That's one of the biggest "what ifs" in film history in my opinion.
  • Posts: 232
    First about COLUMBUS, then Dalton/Glen.

    When I heard about Dalton quitting the project, it was in the newspaper, and the stories there (at least two or three) all focused on script issues. Dalton signed on to do an accurate Columbus, with him being portrayed unflatteringly, pretty much as a driven type who didn't lose a lot of sleep over genocide. When the script started offering more of a 'hero' type, Dalton quit. It could be that was the cover story and these other bits are closer to the truth, but that's just gonna be speculation.

    The thing with Glen is he didn't give useful direction, so whatever he did offer was probably taken by Dalton with less than confident support in its wisdom. Telling Dalton that Bond couldn't put his hands in his pants because he was a naval commander is the craziest thing anybody ever said, I mean Connery LIVES with his hands in his suit pants! Hell, everybody does it, it looks good and it is comfortable. Be careful where you put your hands Tim, but don't worry about your hair, which everybody is going to be staring at in your closeups!

    I think Dalton really would have benefited from a more combative (assertive?) and determined director, somebody not as SETTLED as Glen had become, or a totally actor-centric one (though god knows Apted fouled up on TWINE with character stuff as bad as action, so maybe the latter is not a good idea.)

    There are so many tiny things that distract in these movies, and they just should't be there. The way Dalton holds his hands when jumping into the boat and hanging from the plane in LTK should just not have been in there, it looks wimpy. Then again I can never get over how Lazenby swings like a girl instead of throwing punches during the OHMSS PTS, and yet he gets high marks for action from most, so perhaps I'm picky about this stuff!
  • edited August 2015 Posts: 1,778
    trevanian wrote: »
    First about COLUMBUS, then Dalton/Glen.

    When I heard about Dalton quitting the project, it was in the newspaper, and the stories there (at least two or three) all focused on script issues. Dalton signed on to do an accurate Columbus, with him being portrayed unflatteringly, pretty much as a driven type who didn't lose a lot of sleep over genocide. When the script started offering more of a 'hero' type, Dalton quit. It could be that was the cover story and these other bits are closer to the truth, but that's just gonna be speculation.

    The thing with Glen is he didn't give useful direction, so whatever he did offer was probably taken by Dalton with less than confident support in its wisdom. Telling Dalton that Bond couldn't put his hands in his pants because he was a naval commander is the craziest thing anybody ever said, I mean Connery LIVES with his hands in his suit pants! Hell, everybody does it, it looks good and it is comfortable. Be careful where you put your hands Tim, but don't worry about your hair, which everybody is going to be staring at in your closeups!

    I think Dalton really would have benefited from a more combative (assertive?) and determined director, somebody not as SETTLED as Glen had become, or a totally actor-centric one (though god knows Apted fouled up on TWINE with character stuff as bad as action, so maybe the latter is not a good idea.)

    There are so many tiny things that distract in these movies, and they just should't be there. The way Dalton holds his hands when jumping into the boat and hanging from the plane in LTK should just not have been in there, it looks wimpy. Then again I can never get over how Lazenby swings like a girl instead of throwing punches during the OHMSS PTS, and yet he gets high marks for action from most, so perhaps I'm picky about this stuff!

    I'm happy that I'm not the only person who noticed this. Dalton's overall portrayal was great but as far a body language goes Dalton was easily the worst. On top of what you mentioned Dalton had a way of walking where he stiffened his arms and flailed them around. A far cry from the smooth panther-like movements of Sean Connery or Daniel Craig.

    By the way, great thread.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    edited August 2015 Posts: 2,138
    My wife came home will I was watching the everything or nothing DVD, (now I must start by saying my wife works in a theatre company) it came to the point of Dalton in LTK on the oil tanker and he does some roll. My wife who known nothing about Bond prior to Daniel Craig said "by any chance is he (Dalton) a theatre actor" Me "yes, how could you tell". She says "the way he just rolled about there, he over acted it, that's a give away of theatre actors they are over theatrical". My wife has now ruined the Dalton films for me, cause if you do watch his action scenes he is over theatrical with his movements lol.
  • Posts: 11,189
    The way he laughs has bothered me somewhat too. I've heard actors on stage laugh that way in a performance.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    edited August 2015 Posts: 2,138
    What annoys me is Dalton smoking, he smokes a cigarette like a women. I think its in the TLD when he is at MI6. Caroline Bliss as miss moneypenny was awful as well. Moneypenny was demure, sophisticated Bliss played her a dizzy, dopey stereotyped blonde. No harm to the girl but she was not attractive enough to have been cast in the role. But then again Lois Maxwell was always going to be irreplaceable she was drop dead gorgeous
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    Funny, I find Bliss the most attractive Moneypenny in the looks department. But then again, Moneypenny doesn't need to be so. Maxwell was attractive in a different way.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Maxwell was silver screen gorgeous elegant a real Holywood glamour type. When I se Bliss she remind me of the chesire cat from Alice in wonderland

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  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    But my point still stands, beauty, attractiveness is not intrinsic to the character of Moneypenny. Not Bond girl forms of attractiveness, anyway.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Hey did you know this fact - After Lois Maxwell's death, Roger Moore recalled that she would have liked to have become the new M after Moore's retirement. She had suggested herself for the role of M but had been turned down. "I think it was a great disappointment to her that she had not been promoted to play M. She would have been a wonderful M.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Vera Atkins who Fleming is said to have been based upon she was a secretary to Spy master Maurice Buckman who was Fleming's inspiration for M. She was supposed to be called Miss "Petty" Pettaval, who was a secretary to real-world MI6 Director, Stewart Menzies but the name was changed, thank goodness that would not have stood the test of time.

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  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Another MP fact - Samantha Bond was actually childhood friends with Caroline Bliss. When asked in an interview about being replaced by a friend of hers, Bliss responded, "I am just glad it has gone to someone I love and who needs the money!"
  • Posts: 1,970
    I just can't for the life of me why Cubby turned down Speilberg for glen. Cubby just got too comfortable. Glen over stayed his welcome after AVTAK IMO. I think a directer should do no more then 3 Bond films.

    FYEO was a success, had that been a failure I don't think cubby would have brought Glen back. Then Octopussy happened which was another success so Cubby once again was like "dam this guy is good. 2 successful films in row? Let's make it a 3rd." I liked AVTAK, but I know 90% of the audience and critics did not. After AVTAK cubby should have not used Glen again. But he did and Glen bounced back with TLD. He lucked out big time And since he rebound with TLD cubby gave him another film to do LTK and it was a failure. And since Tim did not like Glen and wanted him gone for his 3rd film after the failure that was LTK cubby finally had enough of Glen.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    At the moment, all of Glen's films are in my top ten, so that speaks for itself. Glen was the best director we had when it comes to action.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Yeah I remember a writer in Rolling Stone lamenting on Glen's return despite the casting of a new intriguing Bond (Dalton).

    Dalton like Brosnan deserved better.
  • ThomasCrown76ThomasCrown76 Augusta, ks
    Posts: 757
    No one directed red headed stuntmen better than Glen;)
  • edited August 2015 Posts: 11,189
    Bliss's MP was very much the standard 80s attractive but geeky secretary caricature.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    edited August 2015 Posts: 7,314
    I think Glen did a good job with the TLD, all things considered. You could make the argument that a new director was needed for a new Bond but I feel that he helped the transition go smoother as a result of his presence. A little familiarity was probably necessary to help audiences accept such a radical change in the character. By the time we got to LTK it should have been clear that Glen's style just wasn't going to cut it anymore. The story was going in a bold new direction and we really needed a fresh set of eyes to re-examine things.
  • Posts: 1,407
    One line that always bugged me in LTK was Dalton yelling "Della!" when finding her body. I don't know if that was just bad ADR or something but Glen should have caught it. I think it really ruins an emotionally important scene.
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    Posts: 1,756
    It's a horrible feeling knowing so much could have been done better.
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    I think it goes to show that Cubby could be a misguided as the criticism leveled at his daughter and step son.

    Dalton's tenure should have got a new director and not someone who's most memorable Bond work was second unit on OHMSS, the irony being Dalton could have been Bond on that entry as well.
  • Posts: 1,490
    The reality is John Glen is a very lucky man, charming and a strong leader, but not really a great talent, although very professional. In today's film world he would never ever rise to the heights of directing Bond, not a chance in hell. It's all about the time and the place. That's life.
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