Was Roger Moore really THAT old in AVTAK??

Halcon · February 2013

I don't think so.
I think he looked great, mature, but great.
Anyways, its great to see a guy that age still kicking butt, and with such class and style as 'ol Rog did it here.

Plus, there are plenty of women who prefer older(richer

) ) guys with a little more experience on their side. So watching this Bond in scenes with May Day and Stacey are not that strange, they are realistic even.

What's not to cheer for here?
-{

LastRatStanding · February 2013

He definitely looked pretty old. I mean he aged quite a lot physically between Octopussy and AVTAK (think he had some sort of face lift too, but I'm not sure). So he did look different and not in a good way. As for being TOO old, I think not. For his age at the time he actually gave a good performance. Acting wise as always he was fine and the small amount of action that wasnt stunt doubles is fine too. Nothing unwatchable that's for sure! Its a FUN film! If the stunt doubling had more effort put into it to actually cover up the fact it was stunt doubles then it wouldnt get as much stick as it does. The lazy editing and stunt doubling is the problem, not Moore!

ZorinIndustries · February 2013

Of course Roger looks older, but anyone would at the end of their run! Look at Connery in DAF!

But this is no distraction, as AVTAK is one of my favorite Bonds! It's great to see an older Bond. Following RM throughout his run at Bond is pretty cool. It's interesting watching him age throughout. AVTAK happens to show RM at the very end and I think it's cool that he did this film at an older age.

Jarvio · February 2013

He looked old, but not nearly as bad as many people on here make out. And even so, AVTAK is brilliant, and the age thing doesn't really bother me.

Halcon · February 2013

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Of course Roger looks older, but anyone would at the end of their run! Look at Connery in DAF!

But this is no distraction, as AVTAK is one of my favorite Bonds! It's great to see an older Bond. Following RM throughout his run at Bond is pretty cool. It's interesting watching him age throughout. AVTAK happens to show RM at the very end and I think it's cool that he did this film at an older age.

-{

Mr Beech · February 2013

A bit leathery.

Blackleiter · February 2013

In a word - yes!

Napoleon Plural · February 2013

I thought he looked miles better than Connery in NSNA, and his hair was his own too.

In some scenes he looked better than in OP I thought, the ones set in Paris for instance. He looked lighter. The women he was up against were too young though, so they showed him up a bit. I thought he had more of a David Niven way about him, rather than the heavy William Shatner look of OP.

Silhouette Man · February 2013

Yes, he looked older, as if he'd had surgery or something that had gone wrong - especially seen in the scene where he looks out of the lift at Stacey meeting Howe, I think. He does however look very breezy in the garden party scenes! He had aged greatly since Octopussy, but as others have said it's another mode of reading the filmic James Bond and it doesn't really bother me at all - just look at Sean Connery in NSNA. The age of the agent was an issue in both NSNA and AVTAK, although this theme was dealt with differently in either film respectively. Age becamev a theme in the John Gardner Jamkes Bond Contuinuation Novels of the time, also. A revieew of John Gardner's Licence Renewed (1981) that was published in the New Statesman was titled 'Bond at 70' even though the agent was in his 50s only as written by Gardner - he's "greying at the temples" so we're told!

See Andrew McNess' book on AVTAK - it goes into great deatil on Moore's age etc. and his performance in the film and it is most recommended for the James Bond fan! Age was also a theme in Skyfall and Daniel Craig plays Bond at just 44 - what would Mallory have said to a Bond who was 57? The mind really does boggle. It's all part of our obsession with youth and celebrity - surely a social evil if ever there was one!

L Jones · February 2013

Halcon wrote:

I don't think so.
I think he looked great, mature, but great.
Anyways, its great to see a guy that age still kicking butt, and with such class and style as 'ol Rog did it here.

Plus, there are plenty of women who prefer older(richer ) ) guys with a little more experience on their side. So watching this Bond in scenes with May Day and Stacey are not that strange, they are realistic even.

What's not to cheer for here?
-{

What is this big hangup over Moore's age in AVTAK? He was about 57 years old during production. And he was suffering from a cold at the time.

Barbel · February 2013

I don't have a problem with 50+ year old actors playing Bond, as long as they started when they were younger and have aged with the part. I wouldn't have minded another film or two with Brosnan (who's obviously too old now since he's just turning 60), and didn't mind Connery in NSNA or Moore in his last couple of Bond movies.
50 is too old to start being Bond, but not too old to continue. Having said that, Moore in his late 50s was pushing it to the limit- but he coped (though as others have said, the use of doubles could have been better handled).

Blackleiter · February 2013

It wasn't just that he was old. The biggest problem is that because of his age it was even harder than usual for Moore to look convincing in the action/fight scenes. Roger Moore was never particularly adept in such scenes to begin with, and in AVTAK his fight scenes were distractingly weak. I just saw the film recently and I literally cringed watching Moore during the fight scene at Stacy's house. I'm sure Moore's age made the use of stunt doubles even more essential, and as others have mentioned it was really poorly done. Sorry Moore/AVTAK fans, but the age thing really did make a difference.

Firemass · February 2013

An aging hero from a bygone era. Sean had the benefit of being "cool" in the contemporary, whereas the Bond character in the 70's and 80's seemed to be increasingly out of vogue. (or so i've read....I was born in the 80's)

I like the theme "how old-school IS this guy" that is becoming more popular these days with Machete , Gran Torino and the upcoming Die Hard

Machete don't text. Neither does Roger Moore.

PS- I still think he looks better and more fit than FYEO and OP. (looked a bit too crusty)

Ever notice how FYEO, OP, and AVTAK make up the John Glen 80's Roger Moore trilogy ?
and TSWLM and MR are the Lewis Gilbert mega-blockbuster set.
and LALD and TMWTGG are the Guy Hamilton low-budget campy and cool set.

Jarvio · February 2013

What I will never understand is how people single out Roger's age in AVTAK, but not OP and FYEO. AVTAK was 2 years after OP people, not 20!

Thunderpussy · February 2013

I find it amusing that the same people who bring up Sir Roger looking
old and a bit lived in for AVTAK are the same People who sing D Craig's
praises for looking " old and lived in " for Skyfall.

)
One guy gets hammered for it while the other gets loads of praise for
his great acting. :007)

Blackleiter · February 2013

Apples and oranges my friend. You will note that my criticism of Moore's age centered on how unconvincing he appeared in the action/fight scenes. Say what you will about Craig's appearance in Skyfall, but to be fair he certainly is better than Ole Rog when it comes to the physical stuff, right?

Thunderpussy wrote:

I find it amusing that the same people who bring up Sir Roger looking
old and a bit lived in for AVTAK are the same People who sing D Craig's
praises for looking " old and lived in " for Skyfall. )
One guy gets hammered for it while the other gets loads of praise for
his great acting. :007)

Firemass · February 2013

keep in mind Daniel Craig (44) isn't even as old as Roger (46) was in Live and Let Die.

I agree it makes the fight/action scenes less believable but it doesn't bother me too much. I love the bit in AVTAK where he decks the miner from behind the truck and lays him out cold, but then it shows Bond shaking out his hand in pain.

Spice World shows that Rog could have kept playing Bond til 1998.

Thunderpussy · February 2013

I regard AVTAK as an adventure with an Older Bond. I don't
bother with time lines etc, In the same way CR is Bond's first
OO mission.
So I'm happy with whatever Bond we get, Young, Old, Clean
shaven or with a Beard.
It's all Good.

)
I've always been happy with the fight scenes in the Bonds, even Old guys
know a few tricks in the fighting department

Although I do agree I couldn't see Old Roger slamming that young beauty
against the wall the way Craig did in Skyfall.

)

Moore Than · February 2013

I do not have a problem with Roger Moore's age in A View To A Kill. I do however wish the script had been more tailored to an ageing Bond. A more mature leading lady (as in Octopussy) would also have helped.

AlphaOmegaSin · February 2013

I always think they should of have done this - Ended AVTAK with Bond retiring from the Service. Then have the Dalton Films as Reboots. Doing that would explain the aged look of Moore.

osris · February 2013

It didn’t bother me that Moore was too old. I was able to overlook it because at the time I saw his films I hadn’t read the books and so the age factor wasn’t an issue for me. Even now, it wouldn’t bother me for a Bond actor to be in his fifties, as long as he was in shape and looked as if he could handle himself. Connery in NSNA was in his fifties and fitted that bill.

Halcon · February 2013

Thunderpussy wrote:

Although I do agree I couldn't see Old Roger slamming that young beauty
against the wall the way Craig did in Skyfall. )

never underestimate Mr. Moore!!

)

Blackleiter · February 2013

You made the point I was trying to make. An older Connery still looks like he can handle himself in NSNA; Moore doesn't in AVTAK.

osris wrote:

It didn’t bother me that Moore was too old. I was able to overlook it because at the time I saw his films I hadn’t read the books and so the age factor wasn’t an issue for me. Even now, it wouldn’t bother me for a Bond actor to be in his fifties, as long as he was in shape and looked as if he could handle himself. Connery in NSNA was in his fifties and fitted that bill.

Theundeadkennedy · February 2013

Yes he was pretty old. That being said I think he was a better Bond when he was older than in his first couple outings when he was youngish. Was he a believable super spy? Not to me, but I think he exuded more confidence in his older years which added to his Bondness.

Loeffelholz · February 2013

Well, he's not as old as he used to be...

When I was in my mid-twenties and AVTAK was in its initial release, I thought he was very old. Now that I'm 50 (Sir Rog's age in TSWLM), it doesn't seem so old at all. But of course, it's too to be doing what his stuntman was doing...

osris · February 2013

I’m 50 this year, too. And 50 is the new 30—or so they say

In real life, I think there should be no age limit on who can be a spy. In fact I don’t think there are any. Most of the spies captured or who defected during the Cold War were in their 40s upwards—some even in their 60s. In fact the older you are the better for spying, as elderly people tend to be trusted more.

zaphod · February 2013

Thunderpussy wrote:

I find it amusing that the same people who bring up Sir Roger looking
old and a bit lived in for AVTAK are the same People who sing D Craig's
praises for looking " old and lived in " for Skyfall. )
One guy gets hammered for it while the other gets loads of praise for
his great acting. :007)

True Dat .

Napoleon Plural · February 2013

In a way I disagree Loeffs, because now he seems older cos leading men seem so much younger these days. I mean, look at Cruise at 50! So Moore seems older to younger fans, and of course they're not superimposing the young Moore they know and love onto his face.

Firemass · February 2013

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I always think they should of have done this - Ended AVTAK with Bond retiring from the Service. Then have the Dalton Films as Reboots. Doing that would explain the aged look of Moore.

Interesting idea. However, that is also precisely why they didn't tailor the script to an aging Bond like Never Say Never Again. The 007 series has to continue without a hitch. It woudn't make sense for Bond to be retiring and then suddenly Dalton appears.

FelixLeiter ♀ · February 2013

I notice Moore's age from FYEO onwards. In FYEO it doesn't bother me, except when Bibi is flirting with him. I'm all for older men but she looks so young it is just too bizarre. But otherwise, yeah I've noticed his age but Moore still handles himself well.

Weirdly, I always thought he looked better in OP than FYEO. A mature leading lady helps here, as does a mature villain.

Things just are not on Moore's side for AVTAK. Bond and Stacey is terrible; she's way too young for him. Next to Christopher Walken, Moore's age shows even more, although I think the Golden Gate Bridge scene holds up. The rest of the action scenes really don't though. The fight at Stacey's house is too fantastical for words and Moore was never much cop in physical action anyway.
I think Moore was THAT old in AVTAK. If the actor can still do it all well, then I'm happy for up to mid-50s as Bond (and if they are Daniel Craig they should not be sporting grey stubble). But Moore was past that, looked it and couldn't hold up the action.

Dutchfinger · February 2013

Having only watched A View To A Kill again today, and having watched Roger Moore's face on blu ray quality, I can pretty much say: Yes, Roger was too old at this point... Although the plastic surgery might be a big reason why he looks out of place... I didn't have a lot of problems with his age at all in all of his other movies...

His age feels the most out of place in all of the scènes were he kisses women... And of course AVTAK has about a record of the most women bedded in one movie... =_=

I did turn on Roger Moore's commentary at some points of watching the movie, just to hear his oppinion on some scene's.. The funny thing was, he actually said at the credits: "Seeing this again made me realise I was about as old as I thought I was..."

)

Was Roger Moore really THAT old in AVTAK??

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