Question about attitudes towards Michael G. Wilson

PDJamesBond

Hi all,

First, let me apologize if I didn’t post this in the right forum. I wasn’t exactly sure where to put it, but I’m sure the mods will let me know if it’s in the wrong place =)

I just have a question to all Bond fans, especially those who follow the “behind-the-scenes action,” as it were. When reading through the posts on this site and other Bond fan sites, I see a lot of harsh words directed towards Michael G. Wilson...and I’m just wondering why. Has he said or done anything in particular that has earned the fans’ backlash, or was it perhaps a string of things over many years?

Please note that I am not a Michael Wilson defender – I know next to nothing about him, in fact. Nor am I trying to incite controversy or argument. I’m just curious about it, because the MGW hate seems to be very prevalent around here.

Thanks!

--Scott

BondWillReturn

I think Barbara gets a lot more backlash than Michael. Most people kinda like Michael, like his cameo's, like the contribution he made to some of the earlier scripts.
Barbara sometimes gets credited as the 'one that ruined the franchise.'
I do agree with people that say that Wilson isn't the best public speaker (nothing wrong with his pronounciation or anything, just the things he says, the way he words them, sometimes don't have much heart to it. Barbara is better at it)

Anyway: both that a little sh*t because they couldn't recreate what Cubby did, or what Cubby and Harry did together.

LeChiffre

I like the guy personally but if he ever ditches Dan as Bond prematurely then my feelings may change!

forgotmyusername

some of us bitch and moan about Babs and MG - for good reasons and for when it's fashionable to do so.

They have good or bad kept bringing us Bond - so mucho respect for this.

Personally, I think he spends his days in cut out leather chaps at the blue oyster club whipping out punishment to young men who have been bad to daddy.

Can you spot MG at about 3.45 with his assistant producers?

VeryBond

Let me repeat what Carey Lowell said to me - when, admittedly, I was asking her a pointed question about MGW and his work on the films - she said, "He's an accountant who thinks he's a writer". Even though he thankfully stopped writing them officially, he still oversees the scripts closely and has been known to insert his own scenes. I would argue, with I think excellent evidence, that his taking over the franchise coincides with a sharp nosedive in quality.

He has no qualification except having the right stepfather.

I'm hoping the next generation either is more talented or sells the franchise to real film makers.

wildboonjive

I had the chance to meet both Barbara and Michael Wilson. I can testify that Barbara is extremely good with people. Not only is she friendly and conversational, but she has a real sass about her that makes her endearing.

Michael is the exact opposite. Though I wouldn't go so far as to saying he is rude, he is however, extremely curt and not necessarily friendly. Standoffish is truly the best way to describe him. I also met his son David, and I got the impression that he takes up after his father.

I for one don't care for MGW's cameos. I think they're overdone and tired at this point. I agree with some of his decisions and value some of his contributions, but I just as easily go against some of the others. I'm somewhat neutral on him from a professional standpoint, but give Barbara much more kudos with regards to personality and public relations.

PDJamesBond

Very interesting responses, guys. I appreciate you all chiming in on this. It’s true that Barbara has always had MUCH better social skills than Michael, who always seems awkward around people. I’ve heard it said that he comes off as rude or standoffish not because he’s an unfriendly guy but just because he has no frickin’ clue how to act around people.

Some have you have also confirmed my suspicion that they didn’t like MGW (or Babs) because of what they perceived to be a nosedive in quality since they took the reigns. I thought that might be the case.

But hey, I have to give both MGW and BB credit and respect for keeping the franchise running as long as they have, with no signs of slowing down.

I had never heard that Michael had a son. Do we know whether his son plans to take over the franchise as well?

SharkBait

David G Wilson 0:58

He also had a small cameo in the game. Just like his dear old man in the movies.

And he's executive producer at EON productions. I'm fairly confident he'll follow in his father's footsteps.

wildboonjive

Exactly. There is currently a strong belief that David Wilson will in fact take over his father. It's only logical.

I don't buy that whole theory of MGW not knowing how to act with people. The man has a law degree for heaven's sake. In that profession (even if he didn't fully practice it), it's usually some sort of requirement.

thelivingroyale

Which Bond films did MGW write/co-write? I'm curious.

I think Babara and MGW get hate on these forums. There's been some bad attitudes to MGW especially over the last day or so because there was a thread about Craig leaving at his peak (where a quote from him was taken out of line), which pissed off some of the big Craig fans.

Broccoli also gets hate because there are people who say she's too feminist and will ruin the series.

I think both of them have problems. MGW doesn't seem that great with words and publicity stuff (can't judge how good his writing was because I don't know which films were his), and if we believe some of the comments on this thread isn't very friendly.

And Babs is a bit too obsessed with Craig and some of her feminist stuff can turn out bad (I hated the whole Bond in drag ad).

But both of them keep bringing us Bond films and we can't forget that.

Sandy

SharkBait said:
David G Wilson 0:58

He also had a small cameo in the game. Just like his dear old man in the movies.

And he's executive producer at EON productions. I'm fairly confident he'll follow in his father's footsteps.

I had never seen David, looks a lot like his father now that I think about it. But what about Gregg? He was executive producer in both CR and QoS so he appeared to be more into the family business than David. I wonder how is he like.

wildboonjive

thelivingroyale said:
Which Bond films do MGW write/co-write? I'm curious.

I think Babara and MGW get hate on these forums. There's been some bad attitudes to MGW especially over the last day or so because there was a thread about Craig leaving at his peak (where a quote from him was taken out of line), which pissed off some of the big Craig fans.

Broccoli also gets hate because there are people who say she's too feminist and will ruin the series.

I think both of them have problems. MGW doesn't seem that great with words and publicity stuff (can't judge how good his writing was because I don't know which films were his), and Babs is a bit too obsessed with Craig and some of her feminist stuff can turn out bad (I hated the whole Bond in drag ad).

But both of them keep bringing us Bond films and we can't forget that.

He co-wrote all of the John Glen ones. (FYEO - LTK). In fact, LTK was mainly his cause Maibum had less of a contribution to it then the others, so I would consider that Wilson's high point. But can't necessarily say that about all of them.

myworldisenough

The producers have done more right than wrong and I feel they want to keep up with the traditions, love and protection of Bond that was so wonderfully nurtured by their predecessor 'Cubby'

VeryBond

He then wrote a script all alone which Cubby rejected. Despite the whole lawsuit thing, this script and Cubby's fear of ruining the brand and/or his relationship with his stepson played a big part in the large LTK-GE gap. Wilson never took an official writing credit again.

Germanlady

@ royale - doing the drats was DC's idea, so you might as well slash him for it. I think, it was a great idea and was well received by the general public and did, what it was supposed to do - get attention.

Your writing speaks of someone very young but i applause you now for trying to keep a balance. Some of the much older don't make that effort. Sometimes including me...

thelivingroyale

Well if he helped write the Dalton films, I can't really complain about his writing, they're my favourites. I like all the 80s films except AVTAK, so I think he did a good job there.

@VeryBond Was the script that got rejected the one with robots? I can sort of see why it was rejected then, but from what I've read about it there was some good stuff in there.

@Germanlady Thanks, I did try to keep it balanced because like I said, I have problems with both, but still like them for bringing out Bond films.

I heard Barbara produced the ad so I just thought it was her idea, but yeah if it was Craig then I suppose I should be blaming him for it. I know it was well recieved and got attention, and don't get me wrong it could've been worse. I just don't like the idea of Bond in drag.

And I'm not really sure what you meant when you said I sounded young, but I'm 29, so not that young ;)

wildboonjive

MGW's biggest contribution in my opinion was the act of rebooting Bond, an idea he had as far back at The Living Daylights, which Cubby did not go for. But it was clear that the thought never left him and he finally got the chance to do it when the time was probably better.

For all the things I knock him for, I will certainly praise him for that.

Grinderman

wildboonjive said:

I don't buy that whole theory of MGW not knowing how to act with people. The man has a law degree for heaven's sake. In that profession (even if he didn't fully practice it), it's usually some sort of requirement.

As someone who has made a career in the legal profession, I can tell you that is patently not true. Social skills are not a requirement for success in the legal world. In fact, most of the rudest, harshest and most difficult people I've ever had to deal with have been lawyers.

I would even say the ego-inflating process that comes with going to law school and being insanely over-paid for doling out your "expert" opinion on everything on a daily basis can turn an otherwise likeable human being into a complete jerk.

(Man, I sure hope my boss doesn't frequent this site......)

wildboonjive

Grinderman said:

wildboonjive said:

I don't buy that whole theory of MGW not knowing how to act with people. The man has a law degree for heaven's sake. In that profession (even if he didn't fully practice it), it's usually some sort of requirement.

As someone who has made a career in the legal profession, I can tell you that is patently not true. Social skills are not a requirement for success in the legal world. In fact, most of the rudest, harshest and most difficult people I've ever had to deal with have been lawyers.

I would even say the ego-inflating process that comes with going to law school and being insanely over-paid for doling out your "expert" opinion on everything on a daily basis can turn an otherwise likeable human being into a complete jerk.

(Man, I sure hope my boss doesn't frequent this site......)

If that is the case @Grinderman, then I stand corrected. I am certainly speaking as a lay person, as that is most certainly not my field. Furthermore, I find your comments quite insightful.

VeryBond

WBJ -

I think that's a pretty ridiculous presumption when he co-wrote OP, AVTAK, and fully oversaw the Brosnan films including DAD. Besides being an absolutely awful writer of dialogue, his biggest problem has been a complete lack of consistency - he has never stuck by one vision of Bond, but just flaps in the wind. It's that insecurity that is at the heart of any problems the series has had. He goes too far one way, then the other. There's no overriding VISION.

Obviously, I can't agree with you, TLR, on the Dalton-era scripts, but there's nothing "young" (read:naive) about your writing - don't be patronized.

And NOBODY likes the idea of Bond in drag.

BondWillReturn

VeryBond said:

And NOBODY likes the idea of Bond in drag.

Except Daniel Craig apparently.

AlexanderWaverly

A few observations about MGW:

1) He, at times, has done an about-face in a fairly short time in his public pronouncements.

In December, he's saying he wants Craig to do five more Bond films and break Roger Moore's record. Now, while perhaps speaking hypothetically about how they could make a change after Skyfall, the latest remarks are a much different tone and it has been less than nine months.

Of course, he has turned on a dime even quicker than that. In November, he said Skyfall would be the same direction as Casino and Quantum. No deviation. Six weeks later, he's invoking Goldfinger ("magical Goldfinger feel" or something like that) and talking "classic" Bond. That, at least, implies a somewhat more escapist tone.

Also, in November, he (and other Skyfall principals) say no basis in any Ian Fleming story. Come the spring at the Instanbul press conference, everybody's yakking about how true Skyfall is to Fleming. Maybe they were trying to not let too much out of the bag, but he definitely doesn't feel the need to be consistent in what he says.

I said this in another thread. It's like trying to fact check P.T. Barnum. You have to have a health skepticism about his remarks. But you can't take it super seriously because it'll drive you crazy.

2) At times, he gives the impression that he finds making Bond movies a chore. Since Tomorrow Never Dies, after each movie, quotes pop up from him about how exhausting it is to make Bond movies. He comes across as if he just got off a chain gang. His stepfather lived for making Bond movies.

Now, MGW is his own person and shouldn't be expected to be a Cubby clone. At the same time, if it's such agony, why hold on?

007RogerMoore

I like both Babs and MGW, because they bring us Bond movies and Michael was heavily involved (I think) in some of my favorite Bond films. They only thing I don't like about them is the premature (no pun intended) sacking of Brosnan and the reboot.

wildboonjive

At times, he gives the impression that he finds making Bond movies a chore. Since Tomorrow Never Dies, after each movie, quotes pop up from him about how exhausting it is to make Bond movies. He comes across as if he just got off a chain gang. His stepfather lived for making Bond movies.

Now, MGW is his own person and shouldn't be expected to be a Cubby clone. At the same time, if it's such agony, why hold on?

Well said. This spells it out perfectly. I, for one, never get that impression from Barbara.

PDJamesBond

wildboonjive said:
At times, he gives the impression that he finds making Bond movies a chore. Since Tomorrow Never Dies, after each movie, quotes pop up from him about how exhausting it is to make Bond movies. He comes across as if he just got off a chain gang. His stepfather lived for making Bond movies.

Now, MGW is his own person and shouldn't be expected to be a Cubby clone. At the same time, if it's such agony, why hold on?

Well said. This spells it out perfectly. I, for one, never get that impression from Barbara.

YES! I don’t know much about MGW and therefore can’t really praise OR criticize him, but I will say that I have often had that impression from him – that making these films is a chore and it wears him out. I imagine the process is more exhausting than any of us realize, but c’mon...it’s not like the guy is down at the bottom of a mine shaft for 16 hours a day, looking for coal. It does become frustrating to hear him bit** and moan about the filmmaking process, since it’s probably a fantasy job to many of us. And maybe the reality of it isn’t as glamorous as the fantasy, but still, can’t he just fake it? As wildboonjive said, Barbara at least seems to enjoy it and doesn’t complain.

tqb

We should ask marketto. He met him!

wildboonjive

I'll share with all of you another telling bit...

In 2002, one of my friends attended the Royal Premiere of DAD. A few days later he went to see it again at the cinema and ran into MGW who was on the premises. He felt compelled to tell him that he had already seen it at the premiere and was back to see it again. To which MGW replied, "You must be a glutton for punishment."

Even then, I thought the comment was very telling, and especially more so now in hindsight. For starters, it doesn't seem like the nicest thing to say to a fan. But furthermore, it sounded like he was admitting to having made a dud, and if that't the case, doesn't that say a lot about him?

I guess one can read a lot into that comment as I most certainly have. Still, it always struck me as thoroughly peculiar.

actonsteve

wildboonjive said:
I'll share with all of you another telling bit...

In 2002, one of my friends attended the Royal Premiere of DAD. A few days later he went to see it again at the cinema and ran into MGW who was on the premises. He felt compelled to tell him that he had already seen it at the premiere and was back to see it again. To which MGW replied, "You must be a glutton for punishment."

Even then, I thought the comment was very telling, and especially more so now in hindsight. For starters, it doesn't seem like the nicest thing to say to a fan. But furthermore, it sounded like he was admitting to having made a dud, and if that't the case, doesn't that say a lot about him?

I guess one can read a lot into that comment as I most certainly have. Still, it always struck me as thoroughly peculiar.

Christ! If even one of the producers thought DAD was shit that truly is an endictment.

I have always had a soft spot for MGW because he loves Bond and that really comes across on the MR and Spy commentaries. He also had a hand in writing my favourite Bonds of the eighties with the brilliant Richard Maibaum. He can write - LTK proved that. I like the way the Bonds became a little more serious, a little more plot driven in the eighties.

He does have one fault however and that seems to be his inconsistent choice of directors. That may not be just him. It might be Babs as well. But I do remember him saying "we like to mix it up abit" which may be why we got Apted, Tamahori and Forster (although I like what the latter did). There is consistency in his treatment of the Bonds. Each Bond segues around the actors personality and that is going back to the Roger Moore days. But I dont trust his judgement in directors. His "experimentation" causes problems.

But as I said, that may be Barbara as well.

Barbara assures me more. She still dips into the novels. Knows the character very well. But to be fair after Cubby died we might have had true Hollywood interference ie Bond American, every film shot in Los Angeles and him played by Tom Hanks.

The Broccolis may have their faults but I trust them more then the others...

4EverBonded

BondWillReturn said:

VeryBond said:

And NOBODY likes the idea of Bond in drag.

Except Daniel Craig apparently.

Ah, it got attention - and that was the point, everyone. To bring attention to that subject. We are still talking about that ad. Bond in drag is polarizing and gets attention for sure.

And (hands up in horror: an American Hollywood-ized Bond!) - I agree with ActonSteve here: Barbara assures me more. She still dips into the novels. Knows the character very well. But to be fair after Cubby died we might have had true Hollywood interference ie Bond American, every film shot in Los Angeles and him played by Tom Hanks.

The Broccolis may have their faults but I trust them more then the others...

=bg=

all I know is, wouldn't you like to take a look at MGWs memorabilia collection? staggering I am sure.

timmer

AlexanderWaverly said:
A few observations about MGW:

1) He, at times, has done an about-face in a fairly short time in his public pronouncements.

In December, he's saying he wants Craig to do five more Bond films and break Roger Moore's record. Now, while perhaps speaking hypothetically about how they could make a change after Skyfall, the latest remarks are a much different tone and it has been less than nine months.

Of course, he has turned on a dime even quicker than that. In November, he said Skyfall would be the same direction as Casino and Quantum. No deviation. Six weeks later, he's invoking Goldfinger ("magical Goldfinger feel" or something like that) and talking "classic" Bond. That, at least, implies a somewhat more escapist tone.

Also, in November, he (and other Skyfall principals) say no basis in any Ian Fleming story. Come the spring at the Instanbul press conference, everybody's yakking about how true Skyfall is to Fleming. Maybe they were trying to not let too much out of the bag, but he definitely doesn't feel the need to be consistent in what he says.

I said this in another thread. It's like trying to fact check P.T. Barnum. You have to have a health skepticism about his remarks. But you can't take it super seriously because it'll drive you crazy.

2) At times, he gives the impression that he finds making Bond movies a chore. Since Tomorrow Never Dies, after each movie, quotes pop up from him about how exhausting it is to make Bond movies. He comes across as if he just got off a chain gang. His stepfather lived for making Bond movies.

Now, MGW is his own person and shouldn't be expected to be a Cubby clone. At the same time, if it's such agony, why hold on?

He's never really had any control over the franchise. He worked under Cubby's thumb, as everyone did, right up to LTK, and since then he's been partnered with Babs, who does seem more like the heir apparent than he does. Mikey has a voice but I do think Babs is driving this bus moreso than he is. The New York Times article that you posted in another thread makes it clear that Babs, and not Mikey, had hand-picked Craig as the new Bond as early as April 2005.

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