The Book They Tried To Ban - Review - Second Edition
bondaholic007
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-> The Bond Book That Must Never Be Read: Reviewed
The Battle For Bond tells of the 1963 court case that Ian Fleming fought in the High Court over the rights to Thunderball, writes Doug Cooper. It's a complicated case and this book, giving the details of it, reads like a thriller - it's riveting. Unfortunately, the Ian Fleming Will Trust took exception and, through their lawyers, had the book pulped last year. It's now been reprinted and revised.
Apparently, their bone of contention was the printing of nine innocuous documents - certainly nothing of revelatory importance to the narrative. Why did they choose such trivial matters to take the book to task? As Len Deighton, author of The Ipcress File among many others, says in the foreword of this new reprinting: "How Ian Fleming would have hated to know that this book had been censored."
"Ian hated censorship and, as an author, he would have deplored the steps that have been taken in his name," says Deighton in the forward. Perhaps there was another reason the Ian Fleming Will Trust and their lawyers had the book foolhardily banned. If, so, why not tell us? But it's out in shops again now - without the nine documents - and is certainly worth purchasing.
Author Robert Sellers gives a spellbinding account of the court case and paints a vivid picture of Fleming and his opponents, screenwriter Jack Whittingham and producer Kevin McClory. Fleming's first choice for Bond when a movie was mooted in 1959 was Richard Burton, and he also invited Alfred Hitchcock to direct. The book also covers McClory's ill-fated attempt to revive Bond with his own remake of Thunderball in the '70s, called Warhead.
Sean Connery was persuaded back and the book features never-before-seen photos of him at the Statue of Liberty, scene of a proposed major location. Alas, the film was never made, but it resurfaced in another guise as Never Say Never Again in 1983. The making of this movie is detailed too, being a loose-limbed remake of Thunderball that was very troubled. Screenwriters Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who gave an uncredited rewrite, are among those interviewed, and are very honest in criticising it.
[line]
-> 'Battle For Bond' - Robert Sellers. Play.com for £7.99
In 1963, Ian Fleming, the creator of the 20th century's greatest fictional character was in court, accused of plagiarism. The screen version of James Bond was not Fleming's creation. It was the creation of Jack Whittingham, who was employed by maverick producer Kevin McClory to adapt the character to the big screen. Had this screen character never been developed, James Bond might have been just another minor fictional spy character. "The Battle for Bond" is a tale of bitter recriminations, betrayal, multi-million dollar lawsuits and even death. It is the fabled story of Kevin McClory's 40 year legal battle over the rights to the screen version of James Bond, which he and Whittingham had created. The first edition of this book was banned by the Ian Fleming Will Trust. But the truth never dies! This second edition features a new foreword by Len Deighton.
Details
Author: Robert Sellers
Publisher: Tomahawk Press (United Kingdom)
Year: 2008
Format: Paperback - 251 Pages
Illustrations: 16 pages of b/w photos
In the top corner ^ - The Book They Tried To Ban
The Battle For Bond tells of the 1963 court case that Ian Fleming fought in the High Court over the rights to Thunderball, writes Doug Cooper. It's a complicated case and this book, giving the details of it, reads like a thriller - it's riveting. Unfortunately, the Ian Fleming Will Trust took exception and, through their lawyers, had the book pulped last year. It's now been reprinted and revised.
Apparently, their bone of contention was the printing of nine innocuous documents - certainly nothing of revelatory importance to the narrative. Why did they choose such trivial matters to take the book to task? As Len Deighton, author of The Ipcress File among many others, says in the foreword of this new reprinting: "How Ian Fleming would have hated to know that this book had been censored."
"Ian hated censorship and, as an author, he would have deplored the steps that have been taken in his name," says Deighton in the forward. Perhaps there was another reason the Ian Fleming Will Trust and their lawyers had the book foolhardily banned. If, so, why not tell us? But it's out in shops again now - without the nine documents - and is certainly worth purchasing.
Author Robert Sellers gives a spellbinding account of the court case and paints a vivid picture of Fleming and his opponents, screenwriter Jack Whittingham and producer Kevin McClory. Fleming's first choice for Bond when a movie was mooted in 1959 was Richard Burton, and he also invited Alfred Hitchcock to direct. The book also covers McClory's ill-fated attempt to revive Bond with his own remake of Thunderball in the '70s, called Warhead.
Sean Connery was persuaded back and the book features never-before-seen photos of him at the Statue of Liberty, scene of a proposed major location. Alas, the film was never made, but it resurfaced in another guise as Never Say Never Again in 1983. The making of this movie is detailed too, being a loose-limbed remake of Thunderball that was very troubled. Screenwriters Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who gave an uncredited rewrite, are among those interviewed, and are very honest in criticising it.
[line]
-> 'Battle For Bond' - Robert Sellers. Play.com for £7.99
In 1963, Ian Fleming, the creator of the 20th century's greatest fictional character was in court, accused of plagiarism. The screen version of James Bond was not Fleming's creation. It was the creation of Jack Whittingham, who was employed by maverick producer Kevin McClory to adapt the character to the big screen. Had this screen character never been developed, James Bond might have been just another minor fictional spy character. "The Battle for Bond" is a tale of bitter recriminations, betrayal, multi-million dollar lawsuits and even death. It is the fabled story of Kevin McClory's 40 year legal battle over the rights to the screen version of James Bond, which he and Whittingham had created. The first edition of this book was banned by the Ian Fleming Will Trust. But the truth never dies! This second edition features a new foreword by Len Deighton.
Details
Author: Robert Sellers
Publisher: Tomahawk Press (United Kingdom)
Year: 2008
Format: Paperback - 251 Pages
Illustrations: 16 pages of b/w photos
In the top corner ^ - The Book They Tried To Ban
Comments
DG
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.