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+1 I liked that M respected him to do his job in TND. No arguing back and forth. She gave him the mission and moved on. Even as she’s battling her own demons. If P & W wrote the screenplay, their bantering would go on for at least 5 minutes. Enough with M and Bond bantering folks! Give him the mission, and if M has a subplot,(this is my controversial opinion), use TND as an example.
1. Lois Maxwell
2. Naomie Harris
3. Caroline Bliss
4. Samantha Bond
I agree, but ever since Batman Begins that was the in-thing to do and it paid off with audiences. For me, CR's biggest flaw is the Bond Begins angle. What I like about DN is that we get Bond fully formed from the get-go. After the PTS, it's mostly waiting for that train scene to Montenegro for me, bar that crane chase, which is pretty good.
Concerning Moneypenny, I've said it before but Caroline Bliss is my favourite. Just love her in all her scenes. I like Samantha Bond a lot too, but DAD didn't go well for her. That virtual love scene is one hell of a cringy moment.
It is not only about the quality of the action though. Elements as dramatic build up, emotional depth and whether I feel invested in the story is just as important. I would rather watch a lesser action scene where I really care about the characters than a great action scene where I am less bothered. (That being said, I think the action quality in SF's finale is good regardless.)
In TND, Moneypenny and M trading innuendo quips as Bond is being sent to ‘pump’ Paris Carver for information. It’s forced, unfunny and horrible. But not as horrible as Moneypenny and her virtual reality session in DAD
Sure agree. Craig's films, for the most part, are very engaging and gripping.
Agreed. Cringeworthy scene.
That is an awful. I like TND more than most, but that is an absolute eye roller of a scene, one of the cheesiest in Bond history.
But no one could ever come close to Lois Maxwell. The way she was able to maintain a consistent character, treading that fine line between playful flirtation, professionalism, respect , affection and dignity, whist striking up such great onscreen chemistry with three different Bond’s, is I think one of the key ingredients in the longevity of the series
I think the PTS for Skyfall is up there. Bike speeding across the rooftops and hand to hand fight atop the train
Me too. Only the DAD end scene bothered me. I loved her three other performances, she really did have amazing chemistry with Pierce.
Now that we're on the subject, I also loved Barbara Bouchet as Moneypenny.
Yes, that scene wasn't particularly good, but if I'm in the right mood I might get a chuckle from it. And yes, the chemistry with Pierce was very much there, IMO.
She was one of the highlights of CR67!
Moneypenny ranking:
1. LOIS MAXWELL
2. BARBARA BOUCHET
3. PAMELA SALEM
4. NAOMI HARRIS
5. CAROLINE BLISS
6. SAMANTHA BOND
1. Caroline Bliss
2. Barbara Bouchet
3. Lois Maxwell
4. Samantha Bond
5. Naomie Harris
6. Pamela Salem
Now that is controversial!
1. Lois Maxwell
2. Samantha Bond
3. Naomie Harris
4. Barbara Bouchet
5. Caroline Bliss
6. Pamela Salem
Lois Maxwell will always be my #1 Moneypenny. Doesn't matter how good whoever follows her are; she starred with three different Bonds, and had great chemistry with all of them. Samantha Bond is my second favourite, closely followed by Naomie Harris. I never liked the way they introduced her in SF. The field operative turned secretary felt more than a bit forced, the way they presented it on screen. Honourable mention for Barbara Bouchet at 4th. As for Caroline Bliss and Pamela Salem, I never had an issue with them, they just weren't really given any memorable moments.
1. Lois Maxwell
2. Barbara Bouchet
3. Caroline Bliss
4. Pamela Salem
5. Naomi Harris
6. Samantha Bond
Bliss was better than people give her credit for, i recall John Glen saying he regretted putting her in glasses! She worked well with Dalton.
Would have loved Barbara Bouchet to have been in an EON Bond film. Gorgeous!
Wholeheartedly agreed.
1. Lois Maxwell
2. Naomi Harris
3. Samantha Bond
4. Caroline Bliss
5. Barbara Bouchet
6. Pamela Salem
Samantha Bond is barely in third, I think she’s really good, but is severely hampered by the writers.
Nobody, I mean nobody will ever measure up to Maxwell.
While I don't like Barbara Bouchet's Moneypenny as much as you do, I really love Caroline Bliss and I would also tend to rank her at the top of the list. Definitely an underrated regular and I'm still saddened that she did not have more opportunities to shine in the role.
Glad to read I'm not alone on the Bliss appreciation :)
Concerning Bouchet, I might be a bit biased as a huge giallo fan, a genre in which she made many appearances, but I still consider her a very good Moneypenny who deserved to be in a better film.
Same here.I also think the VR scene at the end of DAD is absolutely hilarious.I well remember seeing the film back in the cinema back in the day and the whole audience burst out laughing when Cleese came in and interrupted her!
I think Harris is by FAR the worst Moneypenny.
It is kind of funny but I find it so disrespectful and undermining towards Moneypenny as a character that it’s a joke I could definitely do without
It’s also a prime example of the kind of Loaded 90’s lads mag humour vibe I sometimes get from
Brosnan Bond movies, which I’m not overly fond of. Overall I actually quite like DAD, much much more than TWINE let alone TND. But it’s a movie that is tainted for me (and plenty of others so not a controversial opinion as such) by a number of unfortunate elements. Moneypenny in the VR session and the ‘cgi stunt’ parasurfing in particular.
Also have no problem saying I like DAD better than TWINE. At least I had fun with DAD and not with the dour TWINE.
Brosnan gives a really great performance as Bond, maybe even better than GE. Like you always seem to get with Brosnan, there are personal stakes for Bond here, after being betrayed to the North Koreans and suffering so much for it, but this time it plays well and the stakes feel earned. The first half of the movie has a lot of the old school Bond flavour that I love so much but with a modern twist. I like Halle Berry in the movie and the fencing duel is ridiculous but in the right way.
It’s fair to say that thereafter the movie stumbles...