What if EON proceeded with Lazenby despite OHMSS's lack of success?
IcePak
Perth, Western AustraliaPosts: 170MI6 Agent
This topic had been on my mind recently and I wanted to see what other AJB members thought about it.
What if Lazenby hadn't said he wasn't going to make another Bond film at the end of filming OHMSS? What if they went forward expecting to make another film but then the reception of OHMSS wasn't so good, as it actually happened? Do you think the producers would have proceeded with Lazenby in another film anyway? After all, they were under contractual obligation. Do you think the film/s would have followed in similar style of OHMSS (ie close to Fleming's original) or do you think they would have gone the Goldfinger/Diamonds Are Forever route (ie larger than life)? How many films do you think Lazneby would have done if they proceeded with him?
One thing to consider is that both Dr No and From Russia With Love were fairly quiet films - the producers made their money back and audiences enjoyed them, but they weren't BIG films. It wasn't until Goldfinger that Bond became the phenomenon it was in the late 60s. Do you think the producers would have had the patience to build up Lazenby in the role?
Personally I would have liked to have seen this, and a back-to-basics approach, but I know the film industry is a money-driven business, and feel that MGM would have convinced Saltzman and Broccoli to head down the larger than life route.
What if Lazenby hadn't said he wasn't going to make another Bond film at the end of filming OHMSS? What if they went forward expecting to make another film but then the reception of OHMSS wasn't so good, as it actually happened? Do you think the producers would have proceeded with Lazenby in another film anyway? After all, they were under contractual obligation. Do you think the film/s would have followed in similar style of OHMSS (ie close to Fleming's original) or do you think they would have gone the Goldfinger/Diamonds Are Forever route (ie larger than life)? How many films do you think Lazneby would have done if they proceeded with him?
One thing to consider is that both Dr No and From Russia With Love were fairly quiet films - the producers made their money back and audiences enjoyed them, but they weren't BIG films. It wasn't until Goldfinger that Bond became the phenomenon it was in the late 60s. Do you think the producers would have had the patience to build up Lazenby in the role?
Personally I would have liked to have seen this, and a back-to-basics approach, but I know the film industry is a money-driven business, and feel that MGM would have convinced Saltzman and Broccoli to head down the larger than life route.
1. CR 2. OHMSS 3. GE 4. OP 5. FYEO 6. TLD 7. FRwL
8. TSWLM 9. TMwtGG 10. AVtaK 11. SF 12. TND 13. LtK 14. NTtD
15. MR 16. LaLD 17. YOLT 18. GF 19. DN 20. SP 21. TWiNE
22. TB 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
8. TSWLM 9. TMwtGG 10. AVtaK 11. SF 12. TND 13. LtK 14. NTtD
15. MR 16. LaLD 17. YOLT 18. GF 19. DN 20. SP 21. TWiNE
22. TB 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
"The producers originally intended to have Diamonds Are Forever re-create commercially successful aspects of Goldfinger, including hiring its director, Guy Hamilton. Peter R. Hunt, who had directed On Her Majesty's Secret Service and worked in all previous Bond films as editor, was invited before Hamilton, but due to involvement with another project could only work on the film if the production date was postponed, which the producers declined to do.
While On Her Majesty's Secret Service was within its post-production stages, Richard Maibaum wrote initial treatments and a script for Diamonds Are Forever as a revenge-themed sequel with Irma Bunt and Marc-Ange Draco returning, and Bond mourning his deceased wife Tracy while Louis Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World" played in the background.
When George Lazenby departed from the role prior to the film's release, a complete rewrite was requested, in addition to Maibaum's script failing to impress Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Following this, an original plot had as a villain Auric Goldfinger's twin, seeking revenge for the death of his brother. The plot was later changed after Albert R. Broccoli had a dream, where his close friend Howard Hughes was replaced by an imposter. So the character of Willard Whyte was created, and Tom Mankiewicz was chosen to rework the script."