Dalton?

Paperbill · July 2011

I just watched LTK and I really don't like him as Bond...a bit to wimpy
Any others agree?

jamesm123 · July 2011

I disagree. I think he did most of his own stunts if you watch the DVD extras you will see. For me he is in the top 2 actors to play bond.

Thunderpussy · July 2011

I too, think Dalton was one of the Best. -{ pitty he never got a third outing.

DangerMouse · July 2011

Same here. My second favourite Bond after Connery.

Agent Sidewinder · July 2011

Of all the faults Dalton may or may not have had as Bond, being wimpy was definitely not one of them.

Sir Miles · July 2011

Paperbill wrote:

I just watched LTK and I really don't like him as Bond...a bit to wimpy
Any others agree?

Nope....thought Dalton was superb...and definately not wimpy at all...

hegottheboot · July 2011

Dalton is the 80's Cold War Bond. Perfect for that time period.

Mister Greene · July 2011

I think Dalton was great as Bond, he brought the darker Bond back and had a little SC way about him

GaddGeneGadd · July 2011

I have tried to figure out what it is about Dalton that I don't like ( I love all bonds but I think he is my least favorite and I really wanted to like him as Bond ). My favorite bonds are the more realistic ones like OHMSS and FRWL. So you would figure I would be a Dalton guy, but I have come to the conclusion that something is missing with him. The one thing Bond has is Charm, and I just don't think Dalton has it. Dalton seems like a bit of a weasel to me in his other non Bond roles. I almost think he would have made a better Bond villain. But I would have liked to have seen LTK with the same big budget that was put into the other ones. By the time of LTK MGM & UA were really in bad shape financially . Maybe just like Joe Don Baker made a better Bond side kick than bad guy, maybe Dalton would have been better as a Bond villain. Just one mans opinion.

matt brown 005 · July 2011

GaddGeneGadd wrote:

I have tried to figure out what it is about Dalton that I don't like ( I love all bonds but I think he is my least favorite and I really wanted to like him as Bond ). My favorite bonds are the more realistic ones like OHMSS and FRWL. So you would figure I would be a Dalton guy, but I have come to the conclusion that something is missing with him. The one thing Bond has is Charm, and I just don't think Dalton has it. Dalton seems like a bit of a weasel to me in his other non Bond roles. I almost think he would have made a better Bond villain. But I would have liked to have seen LTK with the same big budget that was put into the other ones. By the time of LTK MGM & UA were really in bad shape financially . Maybe just like Joe Don Baker made a better Bond side kick than bad guy, maybe Dalton would have been better as a Bond villain. Just one mans opinion.

He plays a good villain in the Rocketeer i saw that a few months back and it was quite good.

Blackleiter · July 2011

Wimpy? I don't see that at all. I thought Dalton brought a welcomed hard edge to the role. I agree with those who found him humorless and a bit lacking in charm, but I found him to be a credible, more human Bond. And speaking of "wimpy", I thought Dalton was far better than the man he replaced (Yes, I'm talking to you, Mr. Moore!)

Paperbill wrote:

I just watched LTK and I really don't like him as Bond...a bit to wimpy
Any others agree?

Kittlemeier · July 2011

As much as I like Craig, Dalton is still my favorite. I don't get the wimpy thing at all. Seems much tougher that his predecessor or replacement.

Sir_Miles_Messervy · July 2011

Ahh the Dalton debate!

I'm a big fan of his, but this a hotly debated topic.

It usually includes the following arguments:

Dalton was Fleming's Bond, not that campy Roger Moore ****. You'd know that if you read the books vs. I have read the books, and Dalton is NOT Fleming's Bond.

Dalton is a brooding Bond who really feels the loneliness of his profession and the pain of taking a life vs. Dalton's is just too dark.

TLD is a very solid Bond film. vs. The first half of TLD is a solid Bond film.

LTK was one of the best vs. LTK was like any cheesy 80's action movie and doesn't feel like a Bond film.

In the end, no one budges, but we all just agree he was better than Lazenby and grab a martini.

Napoleon Plural · July 2011

Dalton needed more of an overhaul, a Christopher Nolan type direction and darker, deeper material to make his approach more in context.

Wimpy? He didn't get his shirt off much and when he did it wasn't impressive.

Higgins · July 2011

I totally aggree with the OP.

Dalton= Weepy and wimpy. Look at his tears in TLD and LK and ask, if you see a flemingesque Bond?

Le Samourai · July 2011

Bondtoys wrote:

I totally aggree with the OP.

Dalton= Weepy and wimpy. Look at his tears in TLD and LK and ask, if you see a flemingesque Bond?

When did Dalton show tears in either film?

And Fleming's Bond did cry... look at the ending of the novel LALD.

Lastly, since when does crying equal wimpy?

Higgins · July 2011

I can't bring myself to watch the movies with TD again, so, I'll do that from memory:

TLD: Saunder's death, Everytime, when he sees Kara
LTK: Entering the chapel, Gift from Della & Felix, Finding Della & Felix, License revoked

to name some

Crying = wimpy and in these scenes, Fleming's Bond would not have cried

Le Samourai · July 2011

Bondtoys wrote:

I can't bring myself to watch the movies with TD again, so, I'll do that from memory:

TLD: Saunder's death, Everytime, when he sees Kara
LTK: Entering the chapel, Gift from Della & Felix, Finding Della & Felix, License revoked

to name some

Crying = wimpy and in these scenes, Fleming's Bond would not have cried

Sorry... Dalton didn't shed a tear in any of these scenes. I've watched both of these films many, many times. And, incidentally, I would have had no problem with Dalton shedding tears on finding Della and Felix. Bond isn't supposed to be an unfeeling sociopath.

blueman · July 2011

What hurt Dalton was the films he was in. Had they been character-driven thrillers (think the cinematic equivalent of Fleming's YOLT, or really any Fleming novel) he would've fit the role like a glove. But the series just isn't like the books and Dalton had to suffer through horrid winky bits, 80s rom-com scenes, and completely ridiculous stunts - and it really does look like he's suffering through those sections, giving it his best but sooooo not suited to the material.

When I read the novels, he may be the actor who comes closest in my mind's eye to what Fleming writes. But he was dreadfully sabotaged onscreen, real pity he didn't take over in '81, might have had better films to be in had the series stopped eating its own tail (but doubtful as Cubby was still running scared from OHMSS/the Laz experience).

As much as I want to, I can't call the films he was in, or his performances in those films, good.

Hardyboy · July 2011

I agree entirely with Le Samourai, and I'll also add this:

Bondtoys wrote:

TLD: Saunder's death. . .

Wrong. Not only does Dalton's Bond NOT cry, he shows RAGE. This was one of the scenes that completely sold me on Dalton's Bond--though he didn't personally like Saunders, he respected him as an ally and desired to see him avenged. It's good acting in a good moment.

pyrat · July 2011

Dalton's contribution to the Bond character was to try and make him more human, and to let the character show more emotion. Compare his response to Leiter being attacked by the shark and the death of Leiter's spouse to Craig's response to the death of Vesper. Both characters had an emotional attachment to the victims, but Dalton's response was very different than Craig's emotional shutdown. While Dalton is about fourth on my list I think he did a presentable job as Bond, but I don't think he really connected with the majority of the Bond audience which seems to be supported by the attendance to the Dalton films.

blueman · July 2011

Hardyboy wrote:

I agree entirely with Le Samourai, and I'll also add this:

Bondtoys wrote:

TLD: Saunder's death. . .

Wrong. Not only does Dalton's Bond NOT cry, he shows RAGE. This was one of the scenes that completely sold me on Dalton's Bond--though he didn't personally like Saunders, he respected him as an ally and desired to see him avenged. It's good acting in a good moment.

That entire sequence was so ludicrous, I laughed out loud. The balloon, oh the balloon. 8-)

Le Samourai · July 2011

Hardyboy wrote:

I agree entirely with Le Samourai, and I'll also add this:

Bondtoys wrote:

TLD: Saunder's death. . .

Wrong. Not only does Dalton's Bond NOT cry, he shows RAGE. This was one of the scenes that completely sold me on Dalton's Bond--though he didn't personally like Saunders, he respected him as an ally and desired to see him avenged. It's good acting in a good moment.

Very good point, and very true. I actually thought the way the relationship between Bond and Saunders slightly changed over the course of the film was one of the unsung great things about TLD.

Higgins · July 2011

Sorry guys!

In all mentioned scenes, he has tears in his eyes!
It's his method to show rage, thank god, that he did not lower himself to let the tears running down his face

All the other actors have not limited themselfs to that - exception GL at the end of OHMSS ONCE and he had good reason.

And it's the same, everytime that he sees Kara.

To me, TD is the S-R-K- Bond, never liked him

Higgins · July 2011

blueman wrote:

That entire sequence was so ludicrous, I laughed out loud. The balloon, oh the balloon. 8-)

It does not happen often, but here I agree with you! -{

I'd like to add something to the "rage thing":

Roger Moore is always blamed having been "clownish". I partly agree, but he was hell of an actor, too.

Just compare the visible "rage" in Dalton's face with these Roger Bond scenes:

TMWGG: At the end of the conversation with Scaramanga
TSWLM: When Anja mentions that he's been previously married
FYEO: When he's visiting Teresa's grave, saying goodbye to Lisl

All these scenes have been handled with grace and dignity and convinced me far more than anything, that I can see from Dalton.

General remark: I'd be grateful, if we could continue to discuss our personal perception and opinions and not shut down opposing views with killerphrases

Sir Miles · July 2011

Bondtoys wrote:

Sorry guys!

In all mentioned scenes, he has tears in his eyes!
It's his method to show rage, thank god, that he did not lower himself to let the tears running down his face

All the other actors have not limited themselfs to that - exception GL at the end of OHMSS ONCE and he had good reason.

And it's the same, everytime that he sees Kara.

To me, TD is the S-R-K- Bond, never liked him

Markus, you don't like Dalton...thats fine....but I've never seen him cry in a Bond film...so on that front, you're dead wrong

Perhaps you need to upgrade your tv or discs to bluray ?

) Or just pop down to your occulist and have them give you the once over..?..

You say the other actors haven't shown tears/rage....try watching Craig when he drags Vesper's body from the water....that's pretty close...

You can't convince me....I won't convince you....that's life -{

Higgins · July 2011

Sir Miles, I am more than happy to disagree with you -{

Well as you admitted - TD had tears in his eyes multiple times - I don't have to upgrade my 60'' HD TV and my Blu-Ray Player works also fine -{
Re. DC I know what you mean. But it's (in my eyes) lightyears better than any "rage" from the other guy. It's like acting compared to Bollywood :v (I'll generously leave out the women's football to real football comparison here :v ).
Just because Dalton said, that he wanted to play his Bond along the novels it does not necessarily have to be so.

I don't want to convince anyone and I don't have to. Everyone else to be his own judge. My mission is just to put some counterweight into the Dalton-hype here on AJB - which I never understood. I was quietly embarrassed at the time when he was presented as Bond - not an easy time to out yourself as a Bond fan then -{

What I don't like are phrases like "wrong". It's all a matter of perception and I'd be glad, if that could be respected not only by me.

And let me add: Now, that I have planted my thoughts into your brain, I am sure, that you'll recall my words the next time that you see his puppy eyes, when he sees Kara.
Sometimes, it takes time like to realize that certain men's jewellery is crap and maybe I'll get an email one day from you, that I have been right

I know, I am

Napoleon Plural · July 2011

Yeah, that scene where he's watching her play the cello, it is horrible.

(NP ponders making a 'plucking that thing between her legs' type joke)

Alex · July 2011

Dalton was a seasoned actor when he took the role and he made Bond more flesh and blood. I really thought he was bitchin' and I'm wild about LTK. (the villains in TLD annoy me however)

Napoleon Plural · July 2011

Alex wrote:

Dalton was a seasoned actor...

What, plenty of salt and pepper on that ham?

)

Alex · July 2011

Well, he wasn't John Carradine or The Shat. But I remember discussing this same topic with MBE, (remember her?) and she did mention his puppy eyes during the amusement ride.

But I'll still take Dalton over Craig any time. Daniel's Red Grant, not James Bond.

Dalton?

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