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The Spangled Mob for BOND 25 ?

barryt007barryt007
edited December 2016 in No Time To Die Posts: 19,339
Does anyone think that for the next Bond film they could bring The Spangled Mob into it from the novel DAF ? it would be interesting to see Bond dealing with the mob in the USA and other locations.

It would also give Felix a chance to have a bigger,more influential part,to help Bond tackle Jack and Seraffimo Spang.

This is genuine overlooked Fleming material that has not been used ,and i think it would be perfect for a Daniel Craig 007 film.

Comments ?
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Comments

  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    I think the problem with the Spangled Mob is that they're a bit dull. Just mafia style gangsters, surely the writers can come up with more interesting villains than that?

    I think if you're going to do a Fleming villain there are better choices. Blofeld still hasn't been done well for one thing.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    Posts: 2,483
    Honestly, the mob just never struck me as properly Bondian. Too parochial--not enough global menace--too prosaic, and at any rate rather yesterday's news. But that doesn't mean Fleming's DAF doesn't contain some quality unused material. Much of the Saratoga section is terrific and could be worked in. And I'm very much in favor of an expanded role for Leiter--at least for one film--if they find a proper Leiter. That means tall, lean, sandy-haired and hawk-faced. Think Jimmy Dean but with better acting chops.
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    Posts: 5,080
    I don't think it is feasible as The Spangled Mob do very little in the novel except to trade diamonds and cheat at racing. I think they are underwhelming villains and we hardly see both Jack and Seraffimo throughout the novel. Overall, the DAF novel is quite methodical and dragging and the plot is thin.

    And lets face it, with an name like Seraffimo Spang, I hardly think they will enter the Craig era.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,847
    I would love for them to be members of Quantum and I like the ide of 007 going after diamond smugglers.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I'd love for the Spangled Mob to be in a Bond film. It would be an entirely different toned Bond movie, Perfect for Mendes and Craig because Mendes made a pretty good mafia movie. Michael Madsen and Christian Bale would be my dream cast for the Spang brothers. Make it happen EoN!
  • Dragonpol2Dragonpol2 The Crazy World of Daniel Dragonpol
    edited January 2014 Posts: 145
    Yes, as I'm on a bit of a DAF kick at the moment, I wouldn't mind seeing this at all. It'd have to all be modernised of course, and the scope of the plot significantly widened, but it could certainly be done in the Craig era or beyond.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    This could work and be done well but I think, for now, other villains would mean more on film. They almost seem like a last resort type of adversary.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Perilagu_Khan wrote:
    Honestly, the mob just never struck me as properly Bondian. Too parochial--not enough global menace--too prosaic, and at any rate rather yesterday's news. But that doesn't mean Fleming's DAF doesn't contain some quality unused material. Much of the Saratoga section is terrific and could be worked in. And I'm very much in favor of an expanded role for Leiter--at least for one film--if they find a proper Leiter. That means tall, lean, sandy-haired and hawk-faced. Think Jimmy Dean but with better acting chops.

    I'm up for that. Jeffrey Wright is good n'all, but I've got a real hankering for some Fleming's Leiter, which we haven't had, yet.

    @Risico007 said the Mob should be members of Quantum. I'd go for that, especially if Quantum felt that the brothers, erm, "extra-curricular" activities were drawing unwanted attention...
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    Although I do not know a great deal about the Spangs? I have no issue with it, but I do want to see the return of Quantum above all else! Just give us the right storey to allow it?!!! [-O<
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Well, offhand I really don't want a mob connection, at least not the main villains or henchman, in a Bond film. It's been done far too much in films, and I want Bond to be different.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,122
    The Spangled Mob would need to be seriously beefed up and made relevant to be good material for a Bond movie. Like some people mentioned here, gangsters are yesterday's news and don't really work well for Bond.

    In the old forums, I suggested they should make the Spangs of Russian origins and smuggling something else than diamonds, like say WMD or something similar. There are still things in DAF that would be nice to see in a film: Spectreville, the train, heck even the introduction of Jack Spang and the sauce béarnaise.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Yep,DAF has a lot of material in the novel that hasnt been used,even the mud-bath room scene.

    Some potential there methinks.
  • Dragonpol2Dragonpol2 The Crazy World of Daniel Dragonpol
    Posts: 145
    Ludovico wrote:
    The Spangled Mob would need to be seriously beefed up and made relevant to be good material for a Bond movie. Like some people mentioned here, gangsters are yesterday's news and don't really work well for Bond.

    In the old forums, I suggested they should make the Spangs of Russian origins and smuggling something else than diamonds, like say WMD or something similar. There are still things in DAF that would be nice to see in a film: Spectreville, the train, heck even the introduction of Jack Spang and the sauce béarnaise.

    Some great suggestions there, @Ludovico.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,122
    Thanks. I gave it a lot of thought. DAF is not my favourite novel and the Spangs are not very developed, but this lack of development gives opportunities to modernize them and give them dimension.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    Posts: 2,483
    I consider the DAF novel a bit underrated. IMO, it's better than Gun, LALD, and GF, and is very much on the same level with DN.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Wow, you like both the book and film version of DAF, hey @Khanners? ;-)

    For me, the Spangs are underwhelming as villains, but other than that there is a lot to recommend DAF, full of Fleming's trademark "sweep" and prose.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I think the Spangs could be made into something awesome.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    Posts: 2,483
    royale65 wrote:
    Wow, you like both the book and film version of DAF, hey @Khanners? ;-)

    For me, the Spangs are underwhelming as villains, but other than that there is a lot to recommend DAF, full of Fleming's trademark "sweep" and prose.

    Yes, indeed, although the book and film are poles apart, tonally.

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Perilagu_Khan wrote:
    I consider the DAF novel a bit underrated. IMO, it's better than Gun, LALD, and GF, and is very much on the same level with DN.

    Well said Khanners ....totally agree with you,personally i think the book is great.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Perilagu_Khan wrote:
    I consider the DAF novel a bit underrated. IMO, it's better than Gun, LALD, and GF, and is very much on the same level with DN.

    I love both the novel and the film, also. They are totally some way apart, but they each have, to use a phrase I think you coined, the sense of the benign bizarre. DAF was the first Fleming I read and I always remember thinking, 'this is like nothing I've ever read in my life'. I do rate it.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    Posts: 2,483
    The film is the benignist bizarrist of them all. The beginning of the novel--scorpion and beetle under the thornbush--is also BB, and so is the Acme Mudbaths sequence. One could probably say the same for the Spectreville section as well.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited February 2014 Posts: 15,122
    I would love to see the Spangs in the movies, but revamped. And the introduction of Jack Spang in the novel is maybe one of the most original ones. Very early on, a simple conversation where he is barely polite, his whole attitude and one single mistake betraying his true identity. And Bond in disguise.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I still maintain the mudbaths scene could work very well,and even the steam loco...
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,122
    barryt007 wrote:
    I still maintain the mudbaths scene could work very well,and even the steam loco...

    Especially the steam locomotive.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    Birdleson wrote:
    Definitely the mud baths. Aside from that, I find it to be the least interesting an least cohesive of the novels.

    No, I submit that there's plenty of interest there - Las Vegas - the Sin City of the 1950s being not least amongst them.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    Birdleson wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Birdleson wrote:
    Definitely the mud baths. Aside from that, I find it to be the least interesting an least cohesive of the novels.

    No, I submit that there's plenty of interest there - Las Vegas - the Sin City of the 1950s being not least amongst them.

    In concept, but the book was an inferior Fleming.

    Yes, I agree it's not his finest book, and has a disappointing set of villains.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    Posts: 2,483
    Birdleson wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Birdleson wrote:
    Definitely the mud baths. Aside from that, I find it to be the least interesting an least cohesive of the novels.

    No, I submit that there's plenty of interest there - Las Vegas - the Sin City of the 1950s being not least amongst them.

    In concept, but the book was an inferior Fleming.

    I don't have a problem with the conception or the execution of the novel. I simply think the novel's primary weakness is that the villains are just too parochial, not "large" enough to be Bond villains. But outside of that, DAF is a very, very good thriller, one very few thriller-writers have ever been able to match.

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    It's still my favourite Fleming novel,i don't know why,i've just always enjoyed it !
    Which is why the film is bottom of my list,SO disappointing.
  • Perilagu_KhanPerilagu_Khan
    edited February 2014 Posts: 2,483
    To my mind, Fleming's undisputed heavyweight novels are Casino Royale, Moonraker, From Russia with Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Personally, I would add You Only Live Twice to that group, but I understand opinions are more mixed on that one. I also think Thunderball is terribly underrated.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,122
    Thunderball is criminally underrated.
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