Cary Grant

DevilMayCare007

I know before they cast Sean Connery in Dr.No, they wanted Cary Grant to be Bond, y'all think he would be good in a bond film even if he was younger ?

Thunderpussy

For many, just watch North by Northwest and you'll get an idea
of how a Cary Grant Bond would have looked. :007)

AlphaOmegaSin

I saw myself as the first Blond Bond, but someone else already got that Role.....

Thunderpussy

Sadly I always thought my drop dead gorgeous, stunning good looks held me
Back from getting the role.

AlphaOmegaSin

....Many Years ago 8-)

Thunderpussy

No, No I still think it. )

AlphaOmegaSin

)

Sir Miles

Cary Grant said he'd only do one Bond film, and that clearly wasn't going to work for the longevity of the series...I think Grant was closer to what Fleming envisaged but I doubt we'd still have Bond today if he had done it...

Silhouette Man

Thunderpussy wrote:

For many, just watch North by Northwest and you'll get an idea
of how a Cary Grant Bond would have looked. :007)

Yes, I see it as an honorary Bond film though I gather Fleming wasn't very impressed with it after seeing it in the cinema. Dear knows what he'd have made of the Roger Moore era of Bond films!!! )

Thunderpussy

He'd be off for a walk round Shatterhand's garden of death. )

Silhouette Man

Thunderpussy wrote:

He'd be off for a walk round Shatterhand's garden of death. )

Brilliant! I think you are right you know! God knows some times I feel like joining him there...strictly for a chat... )

Thunderpussy

Although sometimes the author is not the best judge on who should play
The character he created. After all Fleming also didn't like Connery at first.
Thankfully he changed his mind. )

Gassy Man

He would have been too old for 1962, but his portrayal of the spy in Notorious is, to me, the closest anyone got to the literary Bond.

Silhouette Man

Gassy Man wrote:

He would have been too old for 1962, but his portrayal of the spy in Notorious is, to me, the closest anyone got to the literary Bond.

That's one I need to buy then! -{

Barbel

Hm, I don't know re Grant being too old in 62.... too old for a long series perhaps but not for a one-off- which would not have suited Broccoli & Saltzman, of course!

Silhouette Man

Barbel wrote:

Hm, I don't know re Grant being too old in 62.... too old for a long series perhaps but not for a one-off- which would not have suited Broccoli & Saltzman, of course!

I think he would only do one or two films at most and his asking fee would have taken care of the budget quite easily, never mind actually making the film. Of course this was not what the producers wanted at all, although interestingly Cary Grant was the best man at Cubby's wedding to Dana.

Barbel

Grant would have agreed to one film as Bond (and you're right re the budget!). James Mason would have agreed to two. S&B had a series in mind, of course.

7289

Gassy Man wrote:

He would have been too old for 1962, but his portrayal of the spy in Notorious is, to me, the closest anyone got to the literary Bond.

Good observation!

The character of Devlin in "Notorious" is very much like Craig's "Casino Royale" Bond. If Fleming was ever interested in Cary Grant as Bond I suspect it would have been because of his "star power" and prestige. I did read he would have liked Hitchcock to direct a Bond film, but Hitch had no interest.

Given Bond's womanizing in "Dr. No", I suspect "big name" film directors in 1961 would have toned that down.

AlphaOmegaSin

Talking of Hitchcock, he said that The 39 Steps was his Take on a Bond Film -{

chrisisall

Charade is my favourite almost-a-Bond film. B-)

DevilMayCare007

chrisisall wrote:

Charade is my favourite almost-a-Bond film. B-)

Charade was amazing

Barbel

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

Talking of Hitchcock, he said that The 39 Steps was his Take on a Bond Film -{

I think you mean North by Northwest- Hitch's 39 Steps was in 1935.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026029/

AlphaOmegaSin

Ah, I stand corrected -{

Thunderpussy

Oh, I love !!!!!! A bit of Correction ! )

( too much pain, not enough discipline ! ) - High Anxiety

AlphaOmegaSin

My Hitchcock Knowledge is sadly lacking

Thunderpussy

Funnily enough, High Anxiety pokes fun at many Hitchcock films. )
( worth a watch, if you get the chance -{ )

Barbel

Fleming gives North By Northwest a mention in TB, perhaps a hint that he would have liked Hitchcock to direct the film of that book.

Virgil37

I read somewhere that Fleming had actually Cary Grant from Notorius in mind to create Bond. The timing is definitely right, as the movie was released in 1946, and most likely Fleming was already toying with ideas for his character.
Also Notorious and Casino Royale share a key element: the spy falling in love with a double agent. I don't think that's a coincidence.

Grant was in his early 40s in Notorious, and would have been perfect for Bond. In 1962 he was way too old (as Roger Moore in AVTAK no less!).

Does anyone else think that OHMSS Lazenby looks remarkably like young Cary Grant?

CmdrAtticus

Cary would have made a good Bond. He is one of my favorite actors. His performances in NBNW and Charade proved to me he could do a Bond film - handling the serious as well as the witty scenes with such panache. Speaking of Charade, I think Stanley Donen would have made a good Bond film director and Henry Mancini would have provided a great score.

DevilMayCare007

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Cary would have made a good Bond. He is one of my favorite actors. His performances in NBNW and Charade proved to me he could do a Bond film - handling the serious as well as the witty scenes with such panache. Speaking of Charade, I think Stanley Donen would have made a good Bond film director and Henry Mancini would have provided a great score.

100% agree! Charade was a comedy/thriller type of film. Idk at the time if Connery would have done a bond film like that but it would have been great to see it and Audrey Hepburn as a bond girl imo