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James Brolin in Octopussy vs Never Say Never Again in 1983

barryt007barryt007
edited September 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 19,339
If Sir Roger had hung up his holster and Brolin had taken over the role,how do you think OP would have performed against Connery's return in NSNA ?

Personally i think it would have been a disaster,and OP would have been a big flop with Brolin,and not only because it was up against NSNA.

It was a good call by EON to keep Sir Roger in the role as was eventually proven with the takings and the great film that OP is (#6 on my list at the moment.)

What's your opinions peeps ?

http://www.alternative007.co.uk/Brolin.jpg
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Comments

  • barryt007barryt007
    edited September 2011 Posts: 19,339
    Double post again - ignore.
  • PanchitoPistolesPanchitoPistoles 2.0
    Posts: 4,619
    Not even Orson Welles could have saved Octopussy. :)
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    edited September 2011 Posts: 7,570
    Tough one. It's a long time ago, so its dificult to assess where the Bonds were at. Would OP have succeeded without Moore? I think it probably would. The power of Cubby's franchise could never be underestimated. A new Bond actor would have been promoted to the hilt. Eon would, I suspect, still have come out on top.

    Whether Brolin would have been a success in the long run, or a one hit wonder is something we will never know.

    Keeping Moore, as Barry says, was a good call. He was guaranteed box office at a time when a guarantee could not be underestimated.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    One thing i did notice is that ,even in his screen test,Brolin couldn't hold a British accent and kept slipping,which for me would be a big worry after the Britishness of Roger Moore.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,770
    It's a tiough one an american 007 vs connery.....


    as much as I am curious about the idea of a known american playing 007 I do feel in 83 it would of been a mistake not that brolin was bad i loved his screen tests and wish someone would make a trailer using them but I don't think he could of gone up against Connery Moore could and won because he's Roger Moore
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,690
    I cannot imagine Octopussy without Roger Moore. They come hand in hand.
  • 007manny007manny
    Posts: 100
    to me a new bond would of seriously been squashed by connery, i mean why else would he have been doing a rival bond movie, to me its because he didnt wanna be working for the eon anymore and wanted to hurt them meanwhile moore kept coming back even though he was at the end of his contract
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Agreed,keeping Moore was massively important and he gave a fantastic performance in OP which blew Connery away IMO.
    Sir Roger has always been quite protective of Bond as he really enjoyed playing the role so he put in 150% for OP.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    I think it would have worked at least for that film. We won't know what would have happened in the long run though. I think Octopussy would have beaten Never Say Never Again for all the reasons it did, not least because it's the far better film.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited September 2011 Posts: 15,690
    But what would have happened if NSNA had beaten, and I mean smashed OP at the box office ? Would Connery return in an official outing in 1985 ? Would Moore be given the boot ?
  • 007manny007manny
    Posts: 100
    i doubt it would of because even though sean was it in it and u had a couple of pretty ladies involved, the ideas were used a bit in seans time as bond so they have been used before octopussy was new and fresh and much better in general
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    Moore would have left with a new Bond actor in '85 is my guess. Connery would have never returned. He just needed and did Never Say Never Again to revive his career and spit on Cubby and EON.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,570
    Yes, Connery was only in it for the one film to thumb his nose at Cubby. The fact that the experience was an unpleasant one for Sean is quite satisfying.

  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    edited September 2011 Posts: 2,782
    two fold sales strategy. i think the success of both films was because of both films. Roger upped his game (lol), SC got what he wanted a bit of a career kick and some money. Both films were a success and both films kept the Bond brand going.

    James Brolin was a a tall pile of beef tutty based on these testings :







    :-S
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    edited September 2011 Posts: 1,497
    Moore would have left with a new Bond actor in '85 is my guess. Connery would have never returned. He just needed and did Never Say Never Again to revive his career and spit on Cubby and EON.
    What's all this business about Sean spitting on Cubby and EON? I understand he felt underpaid during DN through YOLT, but he came back for DAF and was handsomely paid. What happened since 1971 that changed for Sean or was it always a tumultous relationship? I've just never seen this documented where Sean is openly disdainful towards Cubby. He didn't attend Cubby's funeral, but that's not necessarily a snub, he's afterall a very busy man. Is there anything on record to attest to this? I always thought NSNA was a one-off, just-for-fun, what the heck, why not? kind of moment for Sean and nothing more.

  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    Having an american play Bond, at least back in 1983 would of proved unsavory. This idea may see the light of day sometime in the near future as 'anything goes' but at the time of Octopussy production I feel a British actor was really the only outcome

    Moore should of quit the role after Moonraker many say, I feel he was adequate for another shot but after For Your Eyes Only it all seemed to turn a bit farcical.

    Thank the lord for the introduction of Dalton some time after to inject some much needed realism to the character and some gritty determination
  • SJK91SJK91
    Posts: 1,310
    I personally think Brolin didn't do a bad job in his screen tests....

    However...

    I don't think the series would've maintained its longevity had an American had taken over. It was a smart financial choice to keep Moore as Bond in Octopussy; for without his box office draw, I feel it would've been blown out of the water by Connery and Never Say Never Again.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    Connerys NSNA actually took nearly as much as the box office as Octopussy did when the films were released

    I guess I was a little surprised

    Bond fans had a double treat that year in any event.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    From those screen test shots (and i hadnt seen the fight scene one so thanks for that) he just seems to slimy and suave,i couldnt have watched that after a while,it would annoy me.
  • BennyBenny In the shadowsAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 14,872
    I have to agree with you Bazza, (nice to see ya matey. How's the family?) whilst Brolin comes across as a very nice man, and he obviously enjoyed his glimpse into Bond courtesy of the legendary Cubby Broccoli. He just doesn't quite have the Bondesque quality.
    Had he played OO7 in OP then I think the film would've suffered. Similar to having a far to young Brosnan play Bond in TLD, I think that film benefits hugely from Daltons performance. OP is aided greatly by Moores performance, and imo is one of his best as Bond. It's hard to tell how Brolin would've faired as James Bond. Would he have gone on to make three, four films? Would he continue into the 80's and early 90's? Or would OP have been a lone adventure for him? Facing a rival picture with Connery would've been a hard task for a rookie Bond actor, but the film would not have been a flop for EON with Brolin, merely a hard debut film, for a wrongly hired actor. I think they made the right decision to keep Moore.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Hi Benster, i'm fine and we are nearly back on our feet after all the cancer malarky.I hope all is well with you and yours too ?
    By the way don't you feel Brolin was too suave ,even during the fight scene he didnt convince me when he was being strangled by the phone cord etc.
    Everything seemed to be a wink at the camera IMO.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,570
    I think the fight scene was obviously under choriographed. It was a test to see how he moved etc. I do agree however that he just didn't cut it
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
    Yep under done, but i think he was trying to ape SC too much, not enough of himself. But then again, how much pressure was he under. An American taking over...I always thought how well Clint Eastwood would have done if he took up the offer. He really does have the style and charisma to have handled the role. See Coogan's Bluff on what a cool looking 60s dude he was.

    http://uptowncollective.com/2010/06/14/clint-coogans-whats-the-connection/
  • thelordflasheartthelordflasheart
    Posts: 1,370
    Agreed with those above who say that he didn't cut it. He comes off as more of a "TV actor" in those scenes. Certainly charming and good-looking but just doesn't have the presence and certainly doesn't have the moves for the fight scene. As much as some have said that Brosnan was a TV actor over his head in big budget films I think he's miles ahead of Brolin.

    However, it is interesting to see how Brolin compares to Roger Moore at the time. So much more youthful and energetic - and manly. That would have helped him in his first film tremendously, IMHO, but by his second film people would judge him on his performance and not by a comparison to Moore - to his detriment (again, IMHO).
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I've bumped this as Brolin is being discussed a lot lately...any new views,maybe from new members ?
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    barryt007 wrote:
    If Sir Roger had hung up his holster and Brolin had taken over the role,how do you think OP would have performed against Connery's return in NSNA ?

    Personally i think it would have been a disaster,and OP would have been a big flop with Brolin,and not only because it was up against NSNA.

    It was a good call by EON to keep Sir Roger in the role as was eventually proven with the takings and the great film that OP is (#6 on my list at the moment.)

    What's your opinions peeps ?

    http://www.alternative007.co.uk/Brolin.jpg

    I agree with you! Full stop. Brolin was a disaster ready to ruin the franchise!
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I'm wondering also why they chose Brolin....im trying to think of a film he did prior to the audition that made them decide to try him out.... :-?
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    He was best know for The Amityville Horror! That's what he would've turned OP into.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Grumpy old member but extremely glad Brolin didn't get it. Would have been embarrassing for Bond, Brolin, and America.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I will have a look at his filmology on WIKI,see if anything jumps out at me...but I cant see The Amityville Horror or Westworld convincing Broccoli to try him out for Bond.
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