Who should/could be a Bond actor?

11621631651671681193

Comments

  • Posts: 3,333
    Ultimately the people who object to Bond being non-white will be judged by history the same as those who objected to a Scottish milkman playing Bond.
    Nobody objected to Connery and labelled him a "Scottish milkman". You're making that up. Nobody knew he'd even been a milkman at this point. One exec and Fleming refered to him as a "lorry driver" due to his role in Hell Drivers as he played a ... shock horror... a lorry driver in that film. This was before he'd even been signed. There was no reference to his real life jobs, only his movie role.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Bond must have a "cool" factor. Nearly all the Bond actors so far had that, although it is undefinable.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    Bond must have a "cool" factor. Nearly all the Bond actors so far had that, although it is undefinable.

    Dalton nailed it.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 7,986
    Just to enhance the discussion, here's Aiden twice:
    93285.jpg

    93288.jpg

    The first to me doesn't look Bondian at all, the second, in a way, does. But I think he lacks charisma. "thrausos"
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,114
    Just to enhance the discussion, here's Aiden twice:
    93285.jpg

    93288.jpg

    The first to me doesn't look Bondian at all, the second, in a way, does. But I think he lacks charisma. "thrausos"

    God, these pictures really tell us the story of why Aidan Turner should be the next Bond, it is true. Great stuff.

    You can't tell me you don't see Dalton in there.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I just can t see it, but what do I know? I couldn t see it in Brosnan, either.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited May 2016 Posts: 15,423
    In the second picture, he reminds me of John Saxon, who was Sean Connery's fill-in for Enter The Dragon, a loose remake of Dr. No.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Just to enhance the discussion, here's Aiden twice:
    93285.jpg

    93288.jpg

    The first to me doesn't look Bondian at all, the second, in a way, does. But I think he lacks charisma. "thrausos"

    God, these pictures really tell us the story of why Aidan Turner should be the next Bond, it is true. Great stuff.

    You can't tell me you don't see Dalton in there.

    Maybe if Bond was a picture book but Turner doesn't exude the charisma or the acting chops for me. Just my take.

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    This guy just has that Dalton look about him. Look at him.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    This guy just has that Dalton look about him. Look at him.

    As above, if we were making a Bond picture book of Moonraker he would be great.

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    RC7 wrote: »
    This guy just has that Dalton look about him. Look at him.

    As above, if we were making a Bond picture book of Moonraker he would be great.

    The novel?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Hiddleston or Turner, both great choices in my opinion. :)
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    RC7 wrote: »
    This guy just has that Dalton look about him. Look at him.

    As above, if we were making a Bond picture book of Moonraker he would be great.

    The novel?

    Yeah.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    RC7 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    This guy just has that Dalton look about him. Look at him.

    As above, if we were making a Bond picture book of Moonraker he would be great.

    The novel?

    Yeah.
    What about the novelization? ;)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    That would be a novel idea.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited May 2016 Posts: 5,131
    It is relevant to his character and the way the character has always been.

    Bond is circa 35-40, so let's say he was born in 1976 (an Etonian, from the Scottish Highlands and a high ranking navel officer). His father will have been say 30 when he was born. He was therefore a middle class man born in 1946. Likelihood of even a 'modern Bond' being black.....er no and just PC for PC's sake.

    I am not suggesting 'white washing' a character at all, I am simply pointing out that 007 was written as a white man and there is no point in changing this tradition.

    Like it or not Black people are the lowest paid demographic in the UK. As such it is more unlikely that an Etonian, from the Scottish Highlands and a high ranking navel officer such as Bond (being from an upper middle class public school background) would be black.

    As for the Scottish milkman point. Connery was a good enough actor to pull off the 'upper class aspect'. BUT he didn't need to 'pull off' looking like Fleming's character or act half Scottish did he.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited May 2016 Posts: 5,131
    Agreed. But my point was that he didn't need to 'pull off' looking like Fleming's character or act half Scottish did he. He 'looks' like the character which is just as important as the acting. Yes, DC was a slight diversion from the 'looks'. But he isn't a pointless one (i.e. he is still white, English and over 5ft 10 in). PS. I wouldn't accept a ginger or baldy in the role!
  • Posts: 4,325
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Agreed. But my point was that he didn't need to 'pull off' looking like Fleming's character or act half Scottish did he. He 'looks' like the character which is just as important as the acting. Yes, DC was a slight diversion from the 'looks'. But he isn't a pointless one (i.e. he is still white, English and over 5ft 10 in). PS. I wouldn't accept a ginger or baldy in the role!

    I maybe even more conservative about it than you. I was a bit iffy initially when I first found out/saw a photo of a long-haired and bearded Bond in Die Another Day.
  • RC7RC7
    edited May 2016 Posts: 10,512
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,114
    Sean Connery and Roger Moore, the twin peaks if you listen to the man on the street, were no great thespians. They were both average actors who looked the part and only became Bond through the process of working closely with the producers. That's how its always worked. I think perhaps people are treating this role with a tad more reverence than it deserves. Let's not forget these are action adventure thrillers, not Shakespeare.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.

    Indefinable, eh? That's awfully convenient.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Some people have star quality, some become icons. Connery has "IT" ^:)^
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    Some people have star quality, some become icons. Connery has "IT" ^:)^

    Did he though, or was it the pairing of the actor with the role and the right creative guidance. Do you get the same "IT" factor from watching Connery in Zardoz?
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Some people have star quality, some become icons. Connery has "IT" ^:)^

    Did he though, or was it the pairing of the actor with the role and the right creative guidance. Do you get the same "IT" factor from watching Connery in Zardoz?
    I always wonder why the hell Connery did that film.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.

    Indefinable, eh? That's awfully convenient.

    Not really it's 'Star Quality', or 'The X Factor'. When you're attracted to someone it's a feeling, an emotional reaction that's hard to quantify. This is a similar notion. Unless you're a robot, of course.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    RC7 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.

    Indefinable, eh? That's awfully convenient.

    Not really it's 'Star Quality', or 'The X Factor'. When you're attracted to someone it's a feeling, an emotional reaction that's hard to quantify. This is a similar notion. Unless you're a robot, of course.

    And that 'Star Quality' carried over into Zardoz, where Connery walked around in an orange mankini. It was so indefinable it's almost as if it wasn't there at all...
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    RC7 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.

    Indefinable, eh? That's awfully convenient.

    Not really it's 'Star Quality', or 'The X Factor'. When you're attracted to someone it's a feeling, an emotional reaction that's hard to quantify. This is a similar notion. Unless you're a robot, of course.

    And that 'Star Quality' carried over into Zardoz, where Connery walked around in an orange mankini. It was so indefinable it's almost as if it wasn't there at all...

    He's still got presence, even in a film as batshit as that.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,114
    RC7 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    Sean Connery was no acting heavyweight. He was cultivated into the role during the course of production. Look how that turned out.

    But as has been pointed out numerous times before, he had that indefinable quality that separates bona fide film stars from mere actors. Even when you watch Darby O'Gill you can feel the magnetism and charisma. Connery is a one off, but there are others who bring their own electricity to the screen. I don't find this with Turner, so however much work you put into him I'd still have reservations. I don't by any means think he's an awful candidate, far from it, but as you say he's got a Dalton vibe. But it's half-baked Dalton and I don't want half-baked anything.

    Indefinable, eh? That's awfully convenient.

    Not really it's 'Star Quality', or 'The X Factor'. When you're attracted to someone it's a feeling, an emotional reaction that's hard to quantify. This is a similar notion. Unless you're a robot, of course.

    And that 'Star Quality' carried over into Zardoz, where Connery walked around in an orange mankini. It was so indefinable it's almost as if it wasn't there at all...

    He's still got presence, even in a film as batshit as that.

    Ok, So which is it. Is Turner not a good enough actor for Bond, or does he simply lack 'presence'. Because from how you describe it, one seems to be learned and the other is innate. I have always looked at it that Bond actors (besides Craig and Dalton) are fairly average actors who are cultivated into the role. That's certainly how it was with Connery. This 'presence' that you speak of, seems more evident in FRWL or GF than it does in Darby O'Gil or Zardoz, wouldn't you say? I mean, you wouldn't watch Zardoz and see a clear Bond actor in that surely?

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,114
    -
Sign In or Register to comment.