There's always been a scene in OHMSS which pops up with Bond/Sir Hilary/Phidian which confused me - its the Bond goes after Phidian at the College of Arms. I know it was done because photos were taken..
Here it is i its entirety. Judge for yourself whether it should have been included.
It would only have made sense to include the scenes if they would have shot the whole
chase including the part in the underground mail system and the fake train crash. Since
this never has been shot the rest of the chase is a sequence without conclusion and
including it in the movie would not have made any sense. But I would love to see the
first part as a deleted scene.
A very interesting edit.
I'm surprised some of you think it would add to the film. While it certainly sounds like a good chase sequence but it wouldn't make any sense to the plot of OHMSS.
If Phidian has been listening in to all Bond's trysts with Bray, surely Blofeld would already know the ruse? It would be madness for Bond to visit him at Piz Gloria; he'd be ear marked from the moment he arrives.
As the film stands, the audience (and SPECTRE) assume Bond is Bray until he makes factual errors and social faux pas which expose him. This makes perfect sense and in fact allows the audience to witness Bond's vulnerability.
The deleted scene would make all of that unnecessary; Blofeld could just say straight away: 'Good evening, 007, Phidian told me you were coming, I'm going to send my omega virus to the United Nations and give everyone nightmares over Christmas'.
The fun with the girls, the death of Campbell, the cable car stunt would all be unnecessary.
Additionally all that extra stuff about the cover up being organised by MI6 would slow down the narrative to the same pace it is already and it'd involve a lot of explanation.
The film wouldn't get any more tense because of it; less so I should think as the audience would know what Blofeld knows and would be anticipating the reveal rather than praying it doesn't happen.
I'm most impressed that Eon reused the basic idea for Skyfall - they're very good at reinventing stuff they never used in the first place.
A very interesting edit.
I'm surprised some of you think it would add to the film. While it certainly sounds like a good chase sequence but it wouldn't make any sense to the plot of OHMSS.
If Phidian has been listening in to all Bond's trysts with Bray, surely Blofeld would already know the ruse? It would be madness for Bond to visit him at Piz Gloria; he'd be ear marked from the moment he arrives.
As the film stands, the audience (and SPECTRE) assume Bond is Bray until he makes factual errors and social faux pas which expose him. This makes perfect sense and in fact allows the audience to witness Bond's vulnerability.
The deleted scene would make all of that unnecessary; Blofeld could just say straight away: 'Good evening, 007, Phidian told me you were coming, I'm going to send my omega virus to the United Nations and give everyone nightmares over Christmas'.
The fun with the girls, the death of Campbell, the cable car stunt would all be unnecessary.
Additionally all that extra stuff about the cover up being organised by MI6 would slow down the narrative to the same pace it is already and it'd involve a lot of explanation.
The film wouldn't get any more tense because of it; less so I should think as the audience would know what Blofeld knows and would be anticipating the reveal rather than praying it doesn't happen.
I'm most impressed that Eon reused the basic idea for Skyfall - they're very good at reinventing stuff they never used in the first place.
If Phidian died in the chase, he couldn't possibly have warned Blofeld. That's the reason of the chase, Bond has to kill him. It would have been just a chase scene. I can't see any plot problems there.
If Phidian died in the chase, he couldn't possibly have warned Blofeld. That's the reason of the chase, Bond has to kill him. It would have been just a chase scene. I can't see any plot problems there.
If Phidian died in the chase, he couldn't possibly have warned Blofeld. That's the reason of the chase, Bond has to kill him. It would have been just a chase scene. I can't see any plot problems there.
Pacing problems old boy, sure you understand.
That I understand and it's probably OK left out. Not so with the plot problems that chrisno1 described. If the guy dies, Blofeld is still in the dark about Bond.
If Phidian died in the chase, he couldn't possibly have warned Blofeld. That's the reason of the chase, Bond has to kill him. It would have been just a chase scene. I can't see any plot problems there.
Pacing problems old boy, sure you understand.
That I understand and it's probably OK left out. Not so with the plot problems that chrisno1 described. If the guy dies, Blofeld is still in the dark about Bond.
Well possibly, Virgil. As I understood from viewing the edit, Bray says 'Phidian bought me that' when Bond inspects the statue. How long has it been there? One day? Forty days? Surely if Blofeld has approached the College about using Bray, he'd already have ensured Phidian is roped in as an accessory. Phidian must suspect something or he wouldn't have planted the statue in the first place. As a SPECTRE agent he'd be well aware of 007 !
Also the death of a SPECTRE agent in whatever circumstances would make Blofeld sit up and take notice - he'd be certain to be suspicious of Bond from the start.
I also like the idea that Bond is his own folly. Remember, as early as meeting Irma Bunt he mistakenly asks about her name [Bunt] and likens it to an English sailing term when she is quite clearly German - not a mistake Sir Hilary would make. I love the little scene about Augsburg too, how Bond tries to insert it into his plans, but Blofeld is already one step ahead of him. We sense as an audience that Bond's plan is unraveling. The whole curling scene is very well written and played. It's the first real sense the audience has that everything is not going to be fine.
The Phidian Incident would spoil all of that. These little nuances add much to the flavour and overall success of OHMSS. I'm not sure another chase scene to add to the 5 excellent ones we already have would add anything.
Comments
It would only have made sense to include the scenes if they would have shot the whole
chase including the part in the underground mail system and the fake train crash. Since
this never has been shot the rest of the chase is a sequence without conclusion and
including it in the movie would not have made any sense. But I would love to see the
first part as a deleted scene.
I'm surprised some of you think it would add to the film. While it certainly sounds like a good chase sequence but it wouldn't make any sense to the plot of OHMSS.
If Phidian has been listening in to all Bond's trysts with Bray, surely Blofeld would already know the ruse? It would be madness for Bond to visit him at Piz Gloria; he'd be ear marked from the moment he arrives.
As the film stands, the audience (and SPECTRE) assume Bond is Bray until he makes factual errors and social faux pas which expose him. This makes perfect sense and in fact allows the audience to witness Bond's vulnerability.
The deleted scene would make all of that unnecessary; Blofeld could just say straight away: 'Good evening, 007, Phidian told me you were coming, I'm going to send my omega virus to the United Nations and give everyone nightmares over Christmas'.
The fun with the girls, the death of Campbell, the cable car stunt would all be unnecessary.
Additionally all that extra stuff about the cover up being organised by MI6 would slow down the narrative to the same pace it is already and it'd involve a lot of explanation.
The film wouldn't get any more tense because of it; less so I should think as the audience would know what Blofeld knows and would be anticipating the reveal rather than praying it doesn't happen.
I'm most impressed that Eon reused the basic idea for Skyfall - they're very good at reinventing stuff they never used in the first place.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Did Phidian die in the chase?
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
That I understand and it's probably OK left out. Not so with the plot problems that chrisno1 described. If the guy dies, Blofeld is still in the dark about Bond.
Well possibly, Virgil. As I understood from viewing the edit, Bray says 'Phidian bought me that' when Bond inspects the statue. How long has it been there? One day? Forty days? Surely if Blofeld has approached the College about using Bray, he'd already have ensured Phidian is roped in as an accessory. Phidian must suspect something or he wouldn't have planted the statue in the first place. As a SPECTRE agent he'd be well aware of 007 !
Also the death of a SPECTRE agent in whatever circumstances would make Blofeld sit up and take notice - he'd be certain to be suspicious of Bond from the start.
I also like the idea that Bond is his own folly. Remember, as early as meeting Irma Bunt he mistakenly asks about her name [Bunt] and likens it to an English sailing term when she is quite clearly German - not a mistake Sir Hilary would make. I love the little scene about Augsburg too, how Bond tries to insert it into his plans, but Blofeld is already one step ahead of him. We sense as an audience that Bond's plan is unraveling. The whole curling scene is very well written and played. It's the first real sense the audience has that everything is not going to be fine.
The Phidian Incident would spoil all of that. These little nuances add much to the flavour and overall success of OHMSS. I'm not sure another chase scene to add to the 5 excellent ones we already have would add anything.
This bit from the original script from Writing Bond on Twitter/X reveals the build-up to the footmchase and why Bond becomes suspicious.....
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Good find, Napoleon, thanks for posting it!
I can't read that, it's too low res. When did he post it? Must've been a while ago if it was still Twitter!
I need my glasses on, but I can read it.
'You'll have to give me the name of your oculist!'
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Oh weird, it was too low res on my desktop but I can see it on my phone.