was Moore a little fortunate to survive after two films?
Andy007
Posts: 100MI6 Agent
Now this is not a Moore bashing at all, and in hindsight I'm delighted he carried on in the role, but I do feel his first two films must've cast a little doubt as to whether he could take Bond into proper successful movies. Both LALD and TMWTGG both had a very average feel about them. Both had many silly elements involved and despite Moore fitting into the 70's style of these films, I don't believe we see Bond anywhere near his best in his first two outings. I prefer Moore's performance in TMWTGG, a bit tougher and definitely an improvement but both films seemed somewhat lacking. They continued the lighter style of DAF in some respects. The two-and-half year gap before Spy who loved Me was much needed don't you think? Would the producers have even considered a new Bond for the next one?
Ultimately they kept faith with Moore and it paid off, but when you consider the slagging Dalton got after his two films from large casual opinions, I feel that Roger was let off the hook a little, because people forget the lack of inpact his first two movies had in the series. I honestly think Dalton for instance contributed far more to the Bond series in his two films than Roger did in LALD and TMWTGG. Were TLD and LTK much better films than Moore's first two - YES they were imo. I'm glad Moore succeeded in the role but big question marks were there before The Spy who loved Me I think.
Ultimately they kept faith with Moore and it paid off, but when you consider the slagging Dalton got after his two films from large casual opinions, I feel that Roger was let off the hook a little, because people forget the lack of inpact his first two movies had in the series. I honestly think Dalton for instance contributed far more to the Bond series in his two films than Roger did in LALD and TMWTGG. Were TLD and LTK much better films than Moore's first two - YES they were imo. I'm glad Moore succeeded in the role but big question marks were there before The Spy who loved Me I think.
Comments
He also got along much better with producers, after learning from their mistakes with Lazenby and Moore was a much smoother operator and far easier to work with than either of them.
I think that these were all factors to keep Moore on board.
Dalton would have done a third but financial legal type problems delayed it by six years. My understanding is they asked him to do Goldeneye, but as a condition he would have to commit to a brand new multi-film contract. Which makes sense if they're trying to successfully revive a series, but its not as if he got fired. More like he turned them down.
EON has only spurned one actor that I’m aware of, and that’s Pierce Brosnan. Usually they are a risk-averse group that would rather go to the well until it’s run dry. The casting of Daniel Craig in Bond 25 - when a change would have been ripe - is consistent with the longstanding approach that saw Moore reprise the role so many times.
Considered another actor.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
That's what would've kept him around...and the contract.
"Better make that two."
Though I appreciate the op isn't bashing Sir Roger, I would just say that imho it just fuels that " Moore -the comedy bond" or the tired creepy old man and too old sentiment that is rife. Sir Roger roundly whipped big Sean in the box office when op went up against NSNA. He made good money for the franchise, has some major bond iconic moments and put in a varied and versatile performance throughout his tenure, and he managed it all with a twinkle in his eye. No one knows better than Sir Roger how lucky he was to get the role but he made it his own and is the epitome of movie Bond for many.
Sean at 41 lacked the energy and young looks that Roger had at 46.
At the risk of being accused of foolish consistency, that should be ". . . by Sir Roger and Sir Christopher's performances . . ."
Also, they didn't know how long the Bond thing would go on for - maybe two more movies? So why bother to recast when there might be only two films left in the tank.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Alas neither are knights of the realm now...
I'm keen to defend Moore as much as the next person but I do think this is a fair question considering the fact Bond was a little lost after TWTGG. Yes they both made a good haul at the BO - but Bond was a bit rudderless at the time.
Lucky the machine that produced TSWLM solidified Moore as Bond - was there talk at the time of TSWLM me having someone other than Moore in it?
"Better make that two."
Dear old Roger's turn ? Usual it starts with a few questions such as this then slowly gets added
To, snowballing eventually to almost outright hostility.
I predict after Daniel leaves, he too will then get similar questions asked, was he lucky to have been
Kept, after the poor showing of QOS ? Or after the mess of Spectre
Like Bibi, some Bond Fans? Are Fickle.
+1
and it's not the first time that the op tries that!
As far as I remember, there was not a shadow of a doubt that Roger Moore will do the next Bond after TMWTGG - I am recently reading a lot of rubbish from people that have no clue about how it has been in the 70s.
They forget that those movies have been made for the cinemas back then and not for some pop-up Fan-Nerds who haven't anything better to do to dissect those gorgeous pieces of movie history on their computer screens and voice their immature opinions as facts X-(
Yes I know that I sound grumpy - but that‘s the way I feel when I am reading those posts particularly in this section.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Not that I can recall, either.
Or has the Mandela effect spread even further.
Not that I really wish to agree with our green-trainer wearing friend
Yep he has a valid agreeing with me
Higgins may well use that post of yours on his Christmas cards this year
I fear you may be right
And Stollen!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
We do OK for stollen, we have one of those luxury German delicatessen not too far away called aldi.
Aldi is just selling you the Stollen that is especially made for you floks for punishment for leaving the EU
And even that you won‘t get anymore once that you are out
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I wonder if there is a discernable strategy in the attempts to establish Moore with audiences if judging with the directors brought in? Going by past successes with Connery, yes, it was Terence Young who established the instantly popular Bond persona. But it was Guy Hamilton who pushed Bond to higher pop-culture levels.
Maybe immediately in the post-Connery era, they wanted to skip Bond 101 and annoint Roger Moore as the cool and suave Bond from GF, except they lacked the larger-than-life coolness of the DB5 the other bombastic elements that earlier caused Bond to graduate to superspy status beyond the 1st two “conventional” entries. But because this did not work for Moore, IMO, resulting in the lukewarm LALD and TMWTGG, it was fortunate that Guy Hamilton didn’t stick around for TSWLM that led to having Lewis Gilbert brought back in, who then pushed Moore even further over-the-top with his own version of YOLT.
In hindsight, with the fun and lightness of Moore, a movie like YOLT was indeed more appropriate for him, versus the relative grittiness of the first 4 Connery movies.