Daniel Craig simply oozes charisma
Dr J No
Posts: 12MI6 Agent
Daniel Craig simply oozes charisma. I don't think that any other Bond actor can claim to have as much onscreen charisma as Daniel Craig. Every time I see CR I am always surprised at just how much charisma he has.
I think that this is the essence of playing the character of James Bond. And this is why DC did such a magnificent job.
I guess you could compare DC's harder, more ruthless Bond to Timothy Dalton's Bond, however Dalton is not in the same league as DC when it comes to the charisma stakes.
All of the Bonds have had on screen charisma, however DC just has more.
I think that this is the essence of playing the character of James Bond. And this is why DC did such a magnificent job.
I guess you could compare DC's harder, more ruthless Bond to Timothy Dalton's Bond, however Dalton is not in the same league as DC when it comes to the charisma stakes.
All of the Bonds have had on screen charisma, however DC just has more.
Comments
...But you'd better be ready to take the arrows which, even now, are arcing across the night sky in your direction
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
(You may fire at will).
After seeing Craig, yeah, I think i may be
Who has more of this star quality, I don't know. It may not be quantifiable, but something someone either has or doesn't have, like the "Right Stuff" described by Tom Wolfe.
I may have told this story before on this site somewhere, but discussions of movie star charisma always remind of Frank Capra describing the first time he worked with Gary Cooper, in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. First day on the set, Capra was despondent, figuring the movie would flop and his career was over. Cooper was awful. Couldn't act. He was wooden. But he was stuck with him, because for reasons that seemed incomprehensible to Capra, Cooper was a big star, maybe the biggest of his era.
Then that same evening he watched the rushes. Cooper just sucked the air out of the screening room. On-camera, this tall Montana cowboy (Oxford eductated) just dripped charisma. He was perfect. Capra couldn't take his eyes off him. And of course, the movie went on to become a classic. It even survived an assault by Adam Sandler.
I'll throw a bone at the pro-Craigsters.
As it happens Craig surpassed my expectations in just about all areas. As for simply oozing charisma? No, but he's got it alright.
His attitude, the way he walks, looks, etc, is pure rock and roll.
You are spot-on about the indefinable quality of charisma. But how about bringing it closer to home?
Its no secret that Bond movie history really begins when Cubby and Harry meet the rough-diamond Connery and are startled by his animal magnetism. Ian Fleming and United Artists were appalled at the choice...but Cubby and Harry trusted their gut instincts: this guy had charisma...AND he looked like he could cause some serious bodily damage to henchmen.
The result?.....You tell me.
As for Craig, I am shocked that Barbara B. has not been given 100% credit on her gutsy choice. Think about it, the only person on planet Earth who thought Craig could be 007 was...Barbara B.
Talk about gut instincts. Like father, like daughter.
Why did she choose him? Who knows? Make no mistake, though, that she responded to Craig as a producer AND as a woman. And that is something that is over-looked.
Can you remember the last time a new 007 made the ladies murmur with excitement? (I will let the ladies of the forum confirm or deny this).
What a coup for Babs! Her first 007 since Cubby, a smash hit despite negative buzz, respect from the critics, Bond-fans are happy again...the guys think Craig is cool...and...(who would have guessed?) a growing base of female Bond-fans.
Who could ask for anything more?
And all this is due to the fact that Barbara B. saw Craig...felt his dangerous charisma...and stuck to her guns when people told her she was crazy.
Cubby (and Dana) would be proud.
The success of her selection of Craig confirms the fact that we are now...officially... in the Barbara B. era of Bond. (Pierce was Cubby's Bond) And, oh, what a joy it is to know Bond is still in good hands for decades to come.
"World domination. Same old dream."
Barbara Broccoli has certainly earned my full respect. As far as I was concerned, a FYEO style Bond film with Pierce Brosnan as 007 was the way to go after DAD. A film like that would most likely have been reasonably profitable and generally well received, but I really doubt it would have been as profitable and as generally well received as CR has been.
Barbara (along with Michael G) sensed something more radical was required. And Barbara certainly stuck to her guns regarding Craig, even when Sony insisted on screentesting other actors. She put her reputation on the line and has been proven right about Craig, the re-boot and all. She deserves all the credit she gets.
Let's just hope that Barbara, Michael G and everyone involved in Bond 22 make sure they keep the momentum going from CR and don't sit on their laurels.
There's been a lot of comparison between Sean Connery and Daniel Craig. I can't really see them myself, except for the similarity in the way that they walk. Craig definitely has that "Connery swagger".