I don't really care if Moneypenny is missing for a Bond film or two, but writing her completely out of the series would be very wrong. I have suggested a new actress for the part: Honeysuckle Weeks. Reasons:
- She is cute and charming, but no supermodel in any way.
-She is a good actress
-She can be witty
-She remind me of Lois Maxwell, perhaps in the way she moves.
I don't really care if Moneypenny is missing for a Bond film or two, but writing her completely out of the series would be very wrong.
I agree, and I have a strong feeling she will be
"re-introduced" to the series before long, perhaps along with a new M, since the current M is probably very near retirement age.... God bless her.
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Diana Rigg's daughter -- can't recall her name, but she likes to run around naked a lot in her movies -- take a shot at the role. She's attractive (though not nearly so much as her mother is, pity) in a rather common Gen-X way but could be an interesting fit for the role. Her size and demeanor would match up with Craig well, I should think.
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Diana Rigg's daughter -- can't recall her name, but she likes to run around naked a lot in her movies -- take a shot at the role.
I believe you're talking about Rachael Stirling. I can't remember if you were with us at the time, Gassy Man, but she figured in a lot of the rumors about who'd been cast to play Vesper. I think you've got a good idea about her as Moneypenny--and thanks for the info about her prediliction for going au natural in her movies. Seems I'm due for a trip to my neighborhood video store. . .
Okay, so there is no Moneypenny in CR, but does that mean that M doesn't have a secretary?
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I think they might be able to do without Moneypenny or Q ever returning to be honest. One thing that I realized is that it wasn't necessarily those characters that I enjoyed seeing but Lois Maxwell and Desmond Llewellyn in particular.
The only time the Bond/Moneypenny flirtation worked was when it was in the early films between Sean Connery and Lois Maxwell (and to a certain extent with Lazenby in OHMSS). This flirtation was something that didn't exist between the two in Fleming's books, so it was a fun thing to add in the 1960s. Sexual mores had moved on by the 1990s and Brosnan's bantering with Samantha Bond rang thoroughly hollow.
The same is true of Q. The Bond/Q dynamic really got cemented in GF when Bond gets his Aston Martin DB5. The gadgets were a fine idea back then because in the 1960s everyone was interested in technology and the whole idea of it was new for a movie hero.
Here in 21st century... we're surrounded by high tech. Everyone today uses gadgets of some kind or another. So giving Bond gadgets ala the old days... is really boring. Much better to have Bond show off how cool he is by getting out of a jam with resourcefulness and sheer determination. That would reveal character and tell us more about him.
The main thing that has hobbled the Bond series over the years is a foolish adherence to <i>what used to work</i>. With CR it looks like they might finally be throwing out cliched elements of old movies in favor of creating some new things that might work for the time we live in and make Bond the coolest movie character going again.
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Diana Rigg's daughter -- can't recall her name, but she likes to run around naked a lot in her movies -- take a shot at the role.
I believe you're talking about Rachael Stirling. I can't remember if you were with us at the time, Gassy Man, but she figured in a lot of the rumors about who'd been cast to play Vesper. I think you've got a good idea about her as Moneypenny--and thanks for the info about her prediliction for going au natural in her movies. Seems I'm due for a trip to my neighborhood video store. . .
Ah, that's right -- thanks, Hardy. Yes, I can't recall the names of the films, but she's pretty much in the buff a good deal of the time.
I think they might be able to do without Moneypenny or Q ever returning to be honest. One thing that I realized is that it wasn't necessarily those characters that I enjoyed seeing but Lois Maxwell and Desmond Llewellyn in particular.
The only time the Bond/Moneypenny flirtation worked was when it was in the early films between Sean Connery and Lois Maxwell (and to a certain extent with Lazenby in OHMSS). This flirtation was something that didn't exist between the two in Fleming's books, so it was a fun thing to add in the 1960s. Sexual mores had moved on by the 1990s and Brosnan's bantering with Samantha Bond rang thoroughly hollow.
The same is true of Q. The Bond/Q dynamic really got cemented in GF when Bond gets his Aston Martin DB5. The gadgets were a fine idea
back then because in the 1960s everyone was interested in technology and the whole idea of it was new for a movie hero.
Here in 21st century... we're surrounded by high tech. Everyone today uses gadgets of some kind or another. So giving Bond gadgets ala the old days... is really boring. Much better to have Bond show off how cool he is by getting out of a jam with resourcefulness and sheer determination. That would reveal character and tell us more about him.
The main thing that has hobbled the Bond series over the years is a foolish adherence to <i>what used to work</i>. With CR it looks like
they might finally be throwing out clichede lements of old movies in favor of creating some new things that might work for the time we
live in and make Bond the coolest movie character going again.
I completely disagree. For one thing I didn't particularly like the Bond/Moneypenny flirtation in OHMSS but I loved the Bond/Moneypenny flirtation in TND. So IMO, Moneypenny is still a character which the producers can have alot of fun with. As for Q, well, I would hope that we still have gadgets (just because we are surrounded by high technology doesn't mean that the producers can't come up with some cool gadgets such as the X-ray gadgets in TWINE) and I don't think there is a better way to introduce these gadgets than through Q.
Personally, I love Q, as well as Moneypenny, and I would very much hope they return in Bond 22. I don't think there is any reason why they couldn't have been in CR and I would hate for them not to be used again in the future.
One last thing; you mention that "The main thing that has hobbled the Bond series over the years is a foolish adherance to <i>what used to work</i>." Well, IMO, the inclusion of Q and moneypenny has usually worked and what has hobbled some of the films have been disappointing screenplays. I would argue that it is still possible to utilise Q and Moneypenny but in a fresh and creative way.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
but will Bill Tanner, Leola Ponsonby and May the cherished Scottish housekeeper finally make an appearance?
Well obviosuly Tanner has popped up from time to time, but not the Bill from the books (PierceBond called him 'Tanner' (?)); and as for the others; well it would certainly be a nice change. Arguably Bond shouldn't really hang around at home for so long as for us to meet these, and I suppose Ponsonby could feel like a Moneypenny ripoff (with an even sillier forced 'English' name) but I'd be quite up for a bit of a different home personnel. As long as there's no Robinson I'm happy!
Comments
I stand corrected - he really was saying that. :S
My apologies . . .
- She is cute and charming, but no supermodel in any way.
-She is a good actress
-She can be witty
-She remind me of Lois Maxwell, perhaps in the way she moves.
I agree, and I have a strong feeling she will be
"re-introduced" to the series before long, perhaps along with a new M, since the current M is probably very near retirement age.... God bless her.
I believe you're talking about Rachael Stirling. I can't remember if you were with us at the time, Gassy Man, but she figured in a lot of the rumors about who'd been cast to play Vesper. I think you've got a good idea about her as Moneypenny--and thanks for the info about her prediliction for going au natural in her movies. Seems I'm due for a trip to my neighborhood video store. . .
The only time the Bond/Moneypenny flirtation worked was when it was in the early films between Sean Connery and Lois Maxwell (and to a certain extent with Lazenby in OHMSS). This flirtation was something that didn't exist between the two in Fleming's books, so it was a fun thing to add in the 1960s. Sexual mores had moved on by the 1990s and Brosnan's bantering with Samantha Bond rang thoroughly hollow.
The same is true of Q. The Bond/Q dynamic really got cemented in GF when Bond gets his Aston Martin DB5. The gadgets were a fine idea back then because in the 1960s everyone was interested in technology and the whole idea of it was new for a movie hero.
Here in 21st century... we're surrounded by high tech. Everyone today uses gadgets of some kind or another. So giving Bond gadgets ala the old days... is really boring. Much better to have Bond show off how cool he is by getting out of a jam with resourcefulness and sheer determination. That would reveal character and tell us more about him.
The main thing that has hobbled the Bond series over the years is a foolish adherence to <i>what used to work</i>. With CR it looks like they might finally be throwing out cliched elements of old movies in favor of creating some new things that might work for the time we live in and make Bond the coolest movie character going again.
Personally, I love Q, as well as Moneypenny, and I would very much hope they return in Bond 22. I don't think there is any reason why they couldn't have been in CR and I would hate for them not to be used again in the future.
One last thing; you mention that "The main thing that has hobbled the Bond series over the years is a foolish adherance to <i>what used to work</i>." Well, IMO, the inclusion of Q and moneypenny has usually worked and what has hobbled some of the films have been disappointing screenplays. I would argue that it is still possible to utilise Q and Moneypenny but in a fresh and creative way.
Well obviosuly Tanner has popped up from time to time, but not the Bill from the books (PierceBond called him 'Tanner' (?)); and as for the others; well it would certainly be a nice change. Arguably Bond shouldn't really hang around at home for so long as for us to meet these, and I suppose Ponsonby could feel like a Moneypenny ripoff (with an even sillier forced 'English' name) but I'd be quite up for a bit of a different home personnel. As long as there's no Robinson I'm happy!