Favorite "M"

laoghaire

Who did you like best as the role of "M"- Bernard Lee, Robert Brown or Judi Dench? I personally liked Bernard the most, I thought there was something about him that made him perfect for the role. -{

Loeffelholz

Bernard Lee, by a mile. He perfectly embodied Ian Fleming's literary 'M,' IMO. Never to be equalled.

Barbel

Yup, Bernard Lee by a mile- whether tearing a strip off 007 for stealing the villain's girlfriend, or murmuring a fatherly "Well done, James", he embodied the character.

OlgaLover

Judi Dench.

Barbel

Tentatively trying not to trespass on Dan Same's territory, Dame Judi would be my second favourite.

Napoleon Plural

toutbrun

Judi Dench. Like, from a mile.

Krassno Granitski

Sorry to say but no contest. Bernard Lee

Napoleon Plural

Lexi

Dame Judi for me too - I really like the relationship that is forming between her and Craig. It seems a lot more 'developmental and psycological' than when she was with Brosnan, but then we are dealing with a completley different tenure of films.

Barbel

Napoleon Plural wrote:

) ) A pity Willi Krebs never made it out from the MR novel- he made a good Le Chiffre, though!

Thunderbird 2

I liked / like all of them for different reasons.

Its like the actors who play Bond - they are all good for different reasons and all bring different things to their version of the character.

Steve27752

Has to be Bernard Lee.

Sir Miles

Napoleon Plural wrote:

That's a great film, NP -{

It's Bernard Lee for me too.

Dmitri Mishkin

What about John Huston?
)

ghost1

Bernard Lee by 2 miles.

Barbel

Dmitri Mishkin wrote:

What about John Huston?
)

He can only be regarded as a... heirloom? ;%

Willie Garvin

Te.

Napoleon Plural

Dmitri Mishkin wrote:

What about John Huston?
)

Excellent... as Mr Huston might have said of La Dench: "Ugly buildings, politicians and whores all become respectable if they last long enough." And if they have received pronunciation too... :v

toutbrun

ghost1 wrote:

Bernard Lee by 2 miles.

Judi by a half-marathon. Her relation with Bond is way more complex and interesting.

AND I am still waiting to see why her name is M. Bond was about to tell us be she made him shut the f*** up.

Mathis

BERNARD LEE FTW!!
He's the definitive M.

Judi Dench as a close second... I liked her relationship with Brosnan
and want to see how it develops for Daniel Craig.

Loeffelholz

toutbrun wrote:

Judi by a half-marathon. Her relation with Bond is way more complex and interesting.

AND I am still waiting to see why her name is M. Bond was about to tell us be she made him shut the f*** up.

That's as close as you'll likely every get...

DaltonFan1

Bernard Lee wins this easily for defining the role. I thought Dench was very poor in the Brosnana films but good in Craig's outings as if she is playing a female version of Lee's M in those two, but a much less sophisticated character opposite Brosnan's Bond. I don't find Robert Brown's M particularly memorable and feel he lacked any great relationship with Bond.

Thunderbird 2

DaltonFan1 wrote:

I thought Dench was very poor in the Brosnana films but good in Craig's outings as if she is playing a female version of Lee's M in those two, but a much less sophisticated character opposite Brosnan's Bond.

In a sense I agree, I didn't think she was poor, but in all of Brosnan's films M seems to have to prove her worth as a woman doing a mans job to those around her at some point except for TWINE. However, in that plot she is vulnerable as there is a personal connection between her and Electra. (That slap had to hurt!!)
By contrast, the moment we see M in CR, its clear she IS MI6, and her authority is automatic. Its interesting when Bond turns up at her home, and she subtly threatens him at the end of the scene, he has no smart remark or humour in the tone of his acknowledgement. - it subtly conveys that he has genuine respect for his boss and the authority she carries, and probably has carried, for years.

Paperbill

Benard Lee, with Judith a far second

j.blades

Paperbill wrote:

Benard Lee, with Judith a far second

i suppose i dont have to say i agree, for me bernard lee is the closest we'll ever get to the literary ''m'', obviously. -{

Ask Dr No

Judy Dench. To me she is the only M. Even when I'm reading Bond novels, the parts with M, Judy Dench sometimes slips into my mind when M speaks.

Alex

No contest here. That wonderful chemistry brought forth by the late Bernard Lee will be eternally difficult to overcome.

I hold Lois Maxwell & Desmond Llewelyn in the same light.

ghost1

I agree there

hegottheboot

Bernard Lee so embodies the character for me that I can never think of anyone else in the role. One can really believe that he is Sir Miles, tough old navy man. Judi Dench annoys me as M. M should be a strong and willful character. Robert Brown wasn't very effective with RM, but got much better when Dalton started arguing back (some of my favorite moments in the series, especially when Bond bursts: No.....sir). FYEO has effectively no one in charge, as Tanner is a complete fool.
What the heck was up with Freddie Gray?
John Huston's performance (and red wig) belongs in the Batman TV series.

fire and ice

bernard lee to me is M.