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The James Bond Questions Thread

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  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 7,051
    Why didn't they slap a bald cap on Charles Gray and give him a scar?

    Were they just trying to get the film done on time so as not to pay Connery overtime?

    Or did they not just care about continuity whatsoever?
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited November 27 Posts: 6,438
    I suppose it’s a way of distinguishing Gray’s Blofeld from the previous ones. It seems that’s what they were going for. Plus the implication is Blofeld has had plastic surgery.
  • 007ClassicBondFan007ClassicBondFan
    Posts: 2,760
    echo wrote: »
    Why didn't they slap a bald cap on Charles Gray and give him a scar?

    Were they just trying to get the film done on time so as not to pay Connery overtime?

    Or did they not just care about continuity whatsoever?

    I’m not so sure if Diamonds is meant to be an immediate follow up to either YOLT or Majesty’s. I think anyway you take it - there’s supposed to be a gap of at least a few years in between.

    Though the real answer would be because Home Video wasn’t a thing back then and the producers didn’t expect people to be revisiting these films frequently and questioning the continuity errors.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 19,698
    I guess he is wearing the same outfit as the previous two, and has the cat, so it is a follow-up in that way- he's the same guy.
    It's just Gray isn't bald unlike the previous two actors, and might just have looked silly.

    I suppose one question is why Savalas didn't have the scar. Just not worth the effort considering his greater screentime? He was also a bit of a star, maybe they (or he) just didn't want his face concealed.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 6,438
    Maybe it was just seen as being far too ridiculous /campy to have Gray put on a bald cap ;)
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 16,274
    I think it was probably a functional decision: the scar was added to Pleasence so he could look more threatening, Savalas didn't need the scar as he looked menacing and nasty enough with his normal face, plus he was naturally bald. I guess they thought Charles Gray had the right aura of menace and gravitas, with his natural appearance too, with his white hair, especially for a lighter, parodic Bond film.

    Tragically, Gray did play suitably threatening villains in other movies.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 6,217
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I think it was probably a functional decision: the scar was added to Pleasence so he could look more threatening, Savalas didn't need the scar as he looked menacing and nasty enough with his normal face, plus he was naturally bald. I guess they thought Charles Gray had the right aura of menace and gravitas, with his natural appearance too, with his white hair, especially for a lighter, parodic Bond film.

    Tragically, Gray did play suitably threatening villains in other movies.

    Correct! Pleasance was parachuted in once the film was already filming. In fact you can still see the occasional glimpse of the head of Jan Wernich. But I digress, the scar was indeed given to him to make him more evil looking.

    Savalas was menacing enough without needing the scar.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 16,274
    thedove wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I think it was probably a functional decision: the scar was added to Pleasence so he could look more threatening, Savalas didn't need the scar as he looked menacing and nasty enough with his normal face, plus he was naturally bald. I guess they thought Charles Gray had the right aura of menace and gravitas, with his natural appearance too, with his white hair, especially for a lighter, parodic Bond film.

    Tragically, Gray did play suitably threatening villains in other movies.

    Correct! Pleasance was parachuted in once the film was already filming. In fact you can still see the occasional glimpse of the head of Jan Wernich. But I digress, the scar was indeed given to him to make him more evil looking.

    Savalas was menacing enough without needing the scar.

    I don't think Gray needed it, so that's why they ditched it for him too. He has quite a distinctive face, with strong features (Pleasence looks way softer and nondescript than his two successors). Such a shame they turned Blofeld into a buffoon.
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