The Brosnan era was actually more fun for Bond fans

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  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    Daniel316 wrote: »
    Joe Don Baker imo is what saves the Whitaker character, also yes it's an excellent final duel. Though I think Wade is a much better character than Whitaker

    Wade doesn't serve a clear purpose and his "Jimbo" shtic is quite annoying.

  • Posts: 2,896
    I have always wondered why Wade was used instead of Felix Leiter.
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    Revelator wrote: »
    I have always wondered why Wade was used instead of Felix Leiter.

    For teh lulz pop refz
  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    Probably because Felix had his legs bitten off by a shark and thus wasn't medically cleared to be on field work again or he retired afterwards? That's my guess
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,985
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    I think they're both quite memorable. Plausible characters rather than pure pantomime villains

    Have to say I like Whitaker too, certainly Joe Don Baker comes across better than that horribly irritating Jack Wade character! Also love Bonds final shootout with Whitaker, nicely staged!

    Agreed. Jack Wade is seriously annoying.

    I like Joe Don Baker as an actor though.
  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    I think he's fine in GE, but I don't like him in TND, he overstayed his welcome in that movie
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,028
    I liked Wade in GE, but it was TND where I think they were laying thick on his role as a comic relief. He felt pretty tacked on, and ultimately only appeared for like three minutes.
  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    Agreed, I don't think he was needed in TND, he kinda just was there
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    He wasn't needed in both movies, but in GE he is more or less "tolerable".

  • Agent_47Agent_47 Canada
    Posts: 330
    No issues with Jack Wade, he is a bit of fun. If he was overused I'd be able to see the issue, but that is not the case.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Daniel316 wrote: »
    Probably because Felix had his legs bitten off by a shark and thus wasn't medically cleared to be on field work again or he retired afterwards? That's my guess

    The producers should have recast Felix and brought him back with the injuries....just like the novels. Wade was awful.
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Daniel316 wrote: »
    Probably because Felix had his legs bitten off by a shark and thus wasn't medically cleared to be on field work again or he retired afterwards? That's my guess

    The producers should have recast Felix and brought him back with the injuries....just like the novels. Wade was awful.

    This.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,028
    John Terry!
  • Agent_47Agent_47 Canada
    Posts: 330
    John Terry!

    Please no.

    TLD has not only the worst Felix, but also the worst Moneypenny.

    "And listen to my... Barry Manilow collection"

    Shudders... ugh.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    John Terry!

    Maybe not John Terry though.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,028
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited February 2020 Posts: 5,131
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.

    I regard Jack Lord and Rick Van Nutter as the best Leiters. Still not close to the novels mind....Frank Sinatra would have been perfect.

    Terry was just a tad bland.
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    For me, the best Leiters will always be David Hedison & Jeffrey Wright.
  • Posts: 1,885
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.

    I agree. Was he really in it long enough to make that bad of an impression? Cec Linder was in far more of GF and is more of a distraction for me.

    Jack Wade and even Zukovsky are characters I could do without. Wade because he's just a loud American who's more distraction than relevant and I can't buy Zukovsky as ever being a dangerous gangster, and his appearance in TWINE is more comic than relevant.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,028
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.

    I regard Jack Lord and Rick Van Nutter as the best Leiters. Still not close to the novels mind....Frank Sinatra would have been perfect.

    Terry was just a tad bland.

    I could never understand liking Rik Van Nutter. He doesn’t do anything notable besides driving boats and helicopters for Bond. If his name wasn’t Felix, I don’t think fans would give much thought of him.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,046
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.

    I regard Jack Lord and Rick Van Nutter as the best Leiters. Still not close to the novels mind....Frank Sinatra would have been perfect.

    Terry was just a tad bland.

    I could never understand liking Rik Van Nutter. He doesn’t do anything notable besides driving boats and helicopters for Bond. If his name wasn’t Felix, I don’t think fans would give much thought of him.

    He's certainly not as good as Jack Lord. I'd put Hedison and Wright above him, too.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Hedison and Wright have a screen presence. The others are mainly forgettable. Jack Lord is believable as a CIA agent though.
  • Posts: 3,279
    JamesCraig wrote: »
    For me, the best Leiters will always be David Hedison & Jeffrey Wright.

    +1
  • Posts: 6,677
    Woody Harrelson or Greg Kinnear would have been brilliant Leiters for the Brosnan era, btw.

    Jeffrey Wright is just right for this era. Can't wait to see him in NTTD.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,046
    Viggo Mortensen would have been a great Felix Leiter, I always thought.

    Him and Craig are friends too, I believe.

    I do love Wright in the part, though.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    suavejmf wrote: »
    I do think John Terry gets unfairly maligned by fans. That's not to say I think he was a good Felix, because ultimately he barely was in the film at all.

    I regard Jack Lord and Rick Van Nutter as the best Leiters. Still not close to the novels mind....Frank Sinatra would have been perfect.

    Terry was just a tad bland.

    I could never understand liking Rik Van Nutter. He doesn’t do anything notable besides driving boats and helicopters for Bond. If his name wasn’t Felix, I don’t think fans would give much thought of him.

    Looks wise....he was the closest to Fleming’s creation.
  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    Hedison was the best Felix by far. Jack Lord was alright as was Jeffrey Wright but I don't care for the others as they feel either just there as a background character or are absolutely horrible and a mockery of the character (John Terry). Wade is perfectly fine but I never viewed him as a Felix replacement. He felt like his own character.
  • Posts: 12,284
    My Felix ranking:

    1. Jeffrey Wright (CR, QOS, NTTD)
    2. David Hedison (LALD, LTK)
    3. Jack Lord (DN)
    4. Rik Van Nutter (TB)
    5. Cec Linder (GF)
    6. Norman Burton (DAF)
    7. John Terry (TLD)

    Love the Top 3, like 4 and 5, meh on 6 and 7.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Daniel316 wrote: »
    Hedison was the best Felix by far. Jack Lord was alright as was Jeffrey Wright but I don't care for the others as they feel either just there as a background character or are absolutely horrible and a mockery of the character (John Terry). Wade is perfectly fine but I never viewed him as a Felix replacement. He felt like his own character.

    Wade was obviously a Leiter replacement.
    FoxRox wrote: »
    My Felix ranking:

    1. Jeffrey Wright (CR, QOS, NTTD)
    2. David Hedison (LALD, LTK)
    3. Jack Lord (DN)
    4. Rik Van Nutter (TB)
    5. Cec Linder (GF)
    6. Norman Burton (DAF)
    7. John Terry (TLD)

    Love the Top 3, like 4 and 5, meh on 6 and 7.

    It's crazy how many actors have played Leiter.
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,533
    1. Jeffrey Wright
    2. Jack Lord
    3. David Hedison
    4. Rik Van Nutter
    GAP
    5. Cec Linder
    6. Norman Burton
    7. John Terry
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