Dench's M Must Die...!

Loeffelholz · March 2008

...Mind you, not the actress herself, whom I adore and wish an extremely long, healthy and happy life

And, truth be told, I've always liked her M---especially this 'new,' Craig-Era M, whom I'm convinced is not the same M who was always trying to push a drink into Brozzer's hand before sending him off on a mission...

But I really think that her M should be assassinated---and it should happen during Daniel Craig's 'arc' as Bond. Perhaps in #23, by which time the noose will be closing around the neck of this nebulous "organization's" head. What better way for the bad guys to strike back, in a huge and meaningful way, against Bond and his allies?

It would certainly serve her right for insisting upon doing every mission briefing out in the field, rather than back in her very nice office where she belongs... :v [See: "Dench's M: In The Field Again (!)": http://www.ajb007.co.uk/index.php?topic=29443 ]

I keep coming back to M in the TMWTGG novel, who---after surving a brainwashed Bond's assassination attempt, looked at his own chair and said, "My predecessor died in that chair..."

Make it so B-)

Napoleon Plural · March 2008

This would have been good for CR, imo. That like the film Arlington Road

she dies in some massive car bombing/suicide bomb by Vesper at her HQ

in the finale. It would certainly justify Bond's 'callous' pay off line regarding Vesper.

RogueAgent · March 2008

Well, I certainly wouldn't mind. Dench is a fine actress but her role as the Ice Queen is wearing thin with me.

An assasination like that would certainly jar things up a bit considering the bold direction the franchise has gone in with re-shaping the hero...

However, it might be considered cruel by many fans to have the actress go out in that manner.

Loeffelholz · March 2008

RogueAgent wrote:

However, it might be considered cruel by many fans to have the actress go out in that manner.

True...rather like a knotted rope to the testicles

Killing M is akin to touching that forbidden 'third rail;' IMO it would be an historic landmark in the franchise...and would create an additional, sublime layer of suspense across the future of the series: If it happened once, it can happen again. Right now, such a thing seems unthinkable---which is a strong argument for having it happen :v

I just think that the Craig Era, which has already established itself as the 'rule-breaking' era of the franchise, is a perfect time and place in which to push the envelope.

Dame Judi's what, 72 now? Better for her to go out in a highly dramatic fashion---befitting an Oscar winner (imagine that "last breath" command to Bond, her Knight Errant! :007) )---than to simply grow too old and retire.

7289 · March 2008

I agree with Loeffelholz, I like the new Dench "M", and agree that "killing" that charecter (or having her dismissed) would be a great twist for the "rebooted" series.

Just as long as Michael Gambon replaces her.

cbdouble07 · March 2008

I must agree with the consensus. I too consider Dench's M in CR to be a different M than the one from the Brosnan films, and I like her much better. That said, I am quite intrigued by the thought of her assassination. If done correctly it would give Dench an opportunity to exit the series with a bang and provide a huge jolt to the film. Just imagine what the response would be if it was actually a brainwashed Bond that did away with her.

youknowmyname · March 2008

I too think that Judi Dench's M would be the perfect M to knock off. A great rule to break, and you know I love tying back into novels (e.g. TMWTGG mentioned by Loef) and the slippery little nuances included within.

As far as replacements goes...

DUMBLEDORE??? No way. Couldn't handle that. Could barely handle his character in the Good Shepherd let alone M. I would start to look at JB as HP and get all confused

and start to think that instead of a scar down his cheek JB has a lightning shaped scar on the forehead and is battline Voldemort instead of Blofeld.

No thanks on the Michael Gambon option.

Some replacement suggestions:

Warren Clarke (a stretch I know, but just a thought)

A stretch in a few years: Daniel Day Lewis

Tom Wilkinson

Maybe an older Robert Lindsay?

And for a female replacement: Helen Mirren

These are not the best options...I know. I had a rough time thinking of actors to play the role of M, that is hard stuff. Any other ideas? Anyone think my ideas are better than I think they are?

cbdouble07 · March 2008

I would welcome the return of an M in the mold of the character from the books. Bernard Lee always reminded me of this M and was IMO the best M of the series. It is truly a shame he isn't still alive and young today to continue playing the role. I think that the chemistry between him and Craig would have been fantastic. That being said I have no idea who could play M that would bring to mind Bernard Lee and Fleming's M.

Post 100! Still quite a bit to go to get up to the number that some folks here have.

Georgiboy · March 2008

I agree, kill her. :v Never hire a woman to do a man's job.

walther p99 · March 2008

One thing i got fed up with is how M kinda reminded me of the CTU staff of 24 and how they always were against what Bauer was doing, always like "Bonds up to no good!, what the hell is he doing?" as if by now after saving the world like over 20 times they would cherish his input, but i guess it wouldnt be as interesting then

Napoleon Plural · March 2008

Okay... we've all decided she must die.

Now, how?

Loeffelholz · March 2008

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Okay... we've all decided she must die.

Now, how?

Excellent question! {[]

This is gonna take some serious thought... :v

Georgiboy · March 2008

Loeffelholz wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Okay... we've all decided she must die.

Now, how?

Excellent question! {[]

This is gonna take some serious thought... :v

How about death by strangulation? :v

Mr Martini · March 2008

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Okay... we've all decided she must die.

Now, how?

Poison in her Tea?

7289 · March 2008

In the novel TMWTGG, M mentions that his predecessor was killed in his office, evidently by a disgruntled officer.

I would suggest the same scenario, only done "off camera" - prehaps a large bomb - while Bond is out on assignment. It should appear at first that the killing is unrelated to Bond's assignment, but a link is later proven.

emtiem · March 2008

It would be quite a nice shock. I wouldn't want to see her go as she's great, but it would be a great moment. Sort of like what they tried in LTK (but failed because no-one actually cares about Felix on account of his having a different face every week!).

As for how; take away her whiskey. She must be entirely dependent on it by now.

cbdouble07 · March 2008

Make her stay in her office for once. She likes to travel around out in the field. Maybe she'll die of boredom.

In all seriousness, would it be too farfetched to have Bond assassinate her? In TMWTGG novel Bond is brainwashed and attempts an assassination on M's life. Luckily, he fails. But what if Bond was brainwashed and kills M? That probably wouldn't fly since I'm guessing he'd be kicked out of MI6 if he killed her.

Napoleon Plural · March 2008

Yes, they might hold that against him... 8-)

)

Dan Same · March 2008

cbdouble07 wrote:

But what if Bond was brainwashed and kills M? That probably wouldn't fly since I'm guessing he'd be kicked out of MI6 if he killed her.

If Bond (or anyone else) killed the head of the secret service in cold blood, I would hope that he goes to prison, let alone loses his job.

I've been a little reluctant to post on this topic since I don't want to be a grinch; but, hey, someone's got to do it.

I can't stand Judy Dench's M (I do love the actress though; it's the character I hate) and so I would love for her to be killed. Plus I don't think she should ever have been cast in CR in the first place, so seeing her get killed off (and replaced by a male M perhaps) would really make my day. {[]

Loeffelholz · March 2008

With regard to how to do it... :v

I must say, I'm a big proponent of having her be shot---that would allow the 'dying words' scenario to which I alluded earlier.

An alternative would be the afore-mentioned car bomb; the 'dying words' dialogue would then be a final conversation M has with Bond just before getting into the car, and... BANG! {[]

Perhaps we might finally find some work for those Two Men In Straw Hats...and have them actually get the job done

taity · March 2008

I think the villian should have the honour of killing her, not some low level henchmen. How much more evil would that make the villian seem.

Additionally, theyd need to keep it secret - like how no one knew Dumbeldore died in HP6

darenhat · March 2008

I'd like to see her fall down the elevator shaft in her flat.

Loeffelholz · March 2008

darenhat wrote:

I'd like to see her fall down the elevator shaft in her flat.

)

That happened once on L.A. Law to a bitchy character (played by Diana Muldaur, if I remember correctly); only it was an elevator at the law firm. Great television

emtiem · March 2008

taity wrote:

Additionally, theyd need to keep it secret - like how no one knew Dumbeldore died in HP6

They do now!

taity · March 2008

emtiem wrote:

taity wrote:

Additionally, theyd need to keep it secret - like how no one knew Dumbeldore died in HP6

They do now!

Thats now. No one really knew when the book was released that it would happen. And wow, it was a suprise.

However, we all knew Vesper was going to die in Casino and we all were waiting for it to happen, we werent suprised when it did.

scaramangasgoldengun · March 2008

no way judi is fantastic as M shes brilliant.

Willie Garvin · March 2008

A sniper's bullet between the eyes,or a fast-acting poison would do the trick for me.Either of these things might happen while out in the field(a place the head of the British Secret Service should very rarely be).

While I've enjoyed Dame Judi,I don't think her "M" belongs in the rebooted Daniel Craig series.I realize that Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli chose to keep Judi's familiar face in the supporting cast of the otherwise entirely revamped 6th 007's movies,and that's unfortunate.

With Eon's new direction, the Craig Bond films really don't exist in the same universe as those of the Brosnan Bond.Eon should have reintroduced Admiral Messervey as "M" with Casino Royale and left the Dench "M" behind.Such a move would have prevented any confusion regarding Dame Judi's "M" , and further underscored Eon's statement that with the Craig films the James Bond series was-for all intents and purposes- starting over again.

emtiem · March 2008

Willie Garvin wrote:

A sniper's bullet between the eyes,or a fast-acting poison would do the trick for me.Either of these things might happen while out in the field(a place the head of the British Secret Service should very rarely be).

Why not? M is taking care of very large business so it's natural that she should be hands-on. Does the Prime Minister stay in the office all day? She doesn't even leave London, let alone the UK in her first two films; and M has always appeared on location in the series- we hear about him being in Tokyo in only the second film; it's nothing new.

Willie Garvin wrote:

With Eon's new direction, the Craig Bond films really don't exist in the same universe as those of the Brosnan Bond.Eon should have reintroduced Admiral Messervey as "M" with Casino Royale and left the Dench "M" behind.Such a move would have prevented any confusion regarding Dame Judi's "M" , and further underscored Eon's statement that with the Craig films the James Bond series was-for all intents and purposes- starting over again.

I know what you mean and I don't disagree in concept, but it wasn't very confusing in the event, was it? Certainly what you may lose in clarity (which wasn't a lot) was more than made up for in performance; and Judi was better as M than she's ever been in CR, I'd say.

Loeffelholz · March 2008

Willie Garvin wrote:

A sniper's bullet between the eyes,or a fast-acting poison would do the trick for me.Either of these things might happen while out in the field(a place the head of the British Secret Service should very rarely be).

I'm with you on that, Mr. Garvin. M in the field always chafed me a bit---even in the 'old days;' although Admiral Messervy on a sub (YOLT) didn't bother me, it got to be a bit much when he and Gogol began to debrief their agents whist abroad (TSWLM), etc. It seems this is 'one of those things,' like the Beach Boys playing over the snow-surfing: great for some, not so much for me...

Willie Garvin wrote:

With Eon's new direction, the Craig Bond films really don't exist in the same universe as those of the Brosnan Bond.Eon should have reintroduced Admiral Messervey as "M" with Casino Royale and left the Dench "M" behind.Such a move would have prevented any confusion regarding Dame Judi's "M" , and further underscored Eon's statement that with the Craig films the James Bond series was-for all intents and purposes- starting over again.

emtiem wrote:

I know what you mean and I don't disagree in concept, but it wasn't very confusing in the event, was it? Certainly what you may lose in clarity (which wasn't a lot) was more than made up for in performance; and Judi was better as M than she's ever been in CR, I'd say.

For my own part, my desire for Dench's M's demise isn't rooted in concerns over the same actress being brought back for the reboot, as I really don't think she's portraying the same person (at least, not in my own fevered mind

)...but I'll concede it would have been simpler for the masses if they'd recast the part. By the same token, I'd agree with em that CR is the best Bond work Dame Judi's turned in thus far.

I just want to bestow a bit of chaos upon the franchise... :v

Kill her :v

Jarvio · March 2008

It would be an excellent twist if M died - it would shock the audience. Would also be interesting to see Bond's reaction.

I think though it would spark controversy - I could see some hardcore M fans complaining about it.

I'm of two minds on it - although I think it would be a brilliant twist, I'm not sure that I'm ready to lose M.

emtiem · March 2008

Loeffelholz wrote:

For my own part, my desire for Dench's M's demise isn't rooted in concerns over the same actress being brought back for the reboot, as I really don't think she's portraying the same person (at least, not in my own fevered mind )

Yeah, I'm with you on that- she seems different, certainly. Even dresses differently; much vampier now.

Dench's M Must Die...!

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