First Drafts of Bond Scripts

PDJamesBond

Hi everyone,

I hear a lot of mention on these forums about the “first draft” or “original draft” of several screenplays, but I can’t seem to find any of them except for Michael France’s first draft of GoldenEye (which is a hoot). I know that there are, for example, first drafts floating around somewhere for Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker, but I’m having no luck tracking them down.

Does anyone have any suggestions where I might find them? Are they somewhere obvious that I’m just not looking? Or does anyone have scans that they just want to shoot my way, simply because I’m such a nice guy? :007) Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Number24

Here is some information:

http://www.hmss.com/films/bondscripts/index.html

PDJamesBond

Thanks, Number24! I remember seeing that article a while back and it makes for a very interesting read - it's part of why I am so anxious to get a hold of the DAF and MR first drafts.

Number24

I actually know very little about Bond scripts and I would like to learn more too. There must be other members of this forum who knows more?

AlphaOmegaSin

DAF first had Goldfinger's Brother as the main Villain in the original Script and I'm not sure what the original Draft of MR contained -{

Thunderpussy

{[] Very interesting and entertaining reading.

PDJamesBond

Thunderpussy wrote:

{[] Very interesting and entertaining reading.

TP, are you referring to this forum or the scripts themselves?

Thunderpussy

Both {[] ( I'm very diplomatic ) especially anything by that
TP, bloke. Talented guy.

AlphaOmegaSin

especially anything by that
AOS, bloke. Talented guy.

PDJamesBond

Lots of talented blokes on this forum, I've noticed! (*Looks in the mirror*)

Barbel

There is a great amount of detail on the evolution of the GF script in the book "Adrian Turner on Goldfinger", published by Bloomsbury in 1998.

PDJamesBond

Barbel wrote:

There is a great amount of detail on the evolution of the GF script in the book "Adrian Turner on Goldfinger", published by Bloomsbury in 1998.

Barbel,
I didn't know that! Thank you very much for the info - I'll be sure to check it out!

Barbel

{[] no problem.

For details on the TB script, take a look at "The Battle For Bond" by Robert Sellers, published by Tomahawk Press in 2007 (my thanks to Pete for giving me a copy).

Barbel

For YOLT, there's a bit of controversy. Originally, a writer called Harold Jack Bloom (who retains a screen credit for additional story material) was involved, even going to Japan with the crew before being replaced by credited screenwriter Roald Dahl. Exactly who wrote what has been disputed.

In general, it has to be remembered that the Bond films have always had a degree of committee writing. The producer(s), director, screenwriter(s) etc all sit together and work out general ideas which the writer(s) then refine, and which may be altered by the director on set. This has led to various members of the team claiming credit for certain ideas, sometimes justified and sometimes not (IMHO directors are particularly prone to claiming credit for memorable ideas which are demonstrably not theirs!).

PDJamesBond

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks, Barbel!