@CoolHandBond yes, I have. It is often repeated on Talking Pictures or Legend or some such channel in the UK, although my recent watch (of only two) was a few years back. Rather like @Barbel I find Le Carre's novels too dense. TSWCIFTC as a film adaptation at least removes much of the fluff that surrounds Alec Leamas. The problem I had with it was Burton's very fine performance. It doesn't seem to sit well in Le Carre's world. The scenes where he plays drunk are especially excrutiating. They seem very un-Le Carre-like. Later, in Berlin, Burton's much better, but the stuff in London seems confused and his playing is borderline frantic. The ending though is tremendous. I like the second and third posters best.
Literary spies were being picked up by studios to get their own franchises moving and James Leasor’s Dr. Jason Love was another one to get a movie adaptation. Retitling the first novel PassporttoOblivion to a more fitting one to draw in audiences this stars David Niven who has a Bond connection, of course.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I like the 5th poster, where it actually looks like Niven rather than the cartoon versions above.
David Niven was an uncredited co-producer on this film, which he and director Val Guest (who like Niven would work on CR67, though had to be dragged into it) had hoped would lead to a series of James Leasor (Bond connections himself, see in the Literary Forum) adaptations. This never happened, I'm guessing that the film didn't make enough money - though it's also possible that Niven, never short of a role, was simply too busy receiving higher pay elsewhere.
The film uses the standard plot described above and is pretty good. Niven manages to sell the idea that Love is an amateur at this spying game, a country doctor dragged into espionage while at the same time beating the bad guys, getting the girls, etc stylishly enough that a series doesn't seem unreasonable. Val Guest directs in his customary almost documentary-like fashion (cf Quatermass), with some nice touches.
A radio version under the original title was made in 2019 starring another once-only James Bond, none other than George Lazenby.
I enjoyed the book and the movie. In honesty, I don't think it would have been too hard a book to adapt and the story flows freely. Francoise Dorleac is lovely in it and some scenes have gentle romantic overtures which sits well with the doctorly Jason Love. I guess it suffers a bit by being somewhat underfunded - I mean, only the Bond and Harry Palmer series ever look as if the producers invested in and committed to their products - but I think it works well. I had a review posted on AJB somewhere and I was quite complimentary about it. John Le Meseurier plays his boss MacGillivray and is wonderfully offhand. That bloke from Allo Allo [Richard Marner] crops up too - wasn't he in a Bond film?
The posters, however, don't do much for me this time.
I loved TMFU television series and was glued to every episode, I was so excited when I saw what was the first proper release of an UNCLE film in the UK, and the obvious shortcomings that can be seen now didn’t register at the time and I had no idea that they were just regular episodes spliced together (with some added scenes).
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Much has changed since the first UNCLE movie. David McCallum is now a full co-star, WASP has become THRUSH, and as CHB says the film is basically two TV episodes stuck together (with some minor extra scenes which would reappear in episodes down the line). The two episodes were shown on TV in the US but not in other countries where this was released as a cinema feature.
Senta Berger was a frequent presence in 60s spy movies and no doubt we'll be coming across her again.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,021Chief of Staff
I do like those posters…I only got to watch some of the The Man From UNCLE episodes, they were usually on tv on Sunday afternoons and that’s when we’d go visit my grandma - so no tv 🫣
Just a few personal recollections on TB (I don’t want to steal Barbel’s umm….thunder). It’s difficult, no, it’s impossible to explain how big TB was. Bondmania was at it’s zenith and if you weren’t there you will never know how big it was. The media was awash with the upcoming movie and everywhere you looked it was Bond Bond Bond. It was all people were talking about too, kids and adults alike. Of all the movies in this genre this is the BIG one.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I could stare at those all day. Of course I agree with all that CHB says above; it's hard to explain to those not around at the time, a bit like the contemporary Beatlemania.
I'm not a list maker, but if forced this would probably be at the top. As I've said before, Connery prowls through the film like a panther - Terence Young said that he wanted to use Connery's walk in the same way John Huston had used Bogart's walk in "The Maltese Falcon". Next time you watch TB notice how many scenes simply have Bond walking across a room. Young felt this gave the viewer an almost subliminal insight into what kind of man James Bond was, before any dialogue or action. He had noticed this in the Falcon and wanted to do the same. And it works. Remember the story of Cubby and Harry watching him walk away from their first meeting?
We're not at peak John Barry here, still a film or two to go, but here he has maximum opportunity to show what he can do owing to the many underwater scenes. He moves effortlessly among the various themes at his command - the title song, Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (originally intended for the titles), 007 (here heard more than any other film in the series), the Bond Theme itself, and his assorted underwater motifs - blending them into a rich tapestry which has only been released on first vinyl then CD in stages over the years (65, 92, 03, all faithfully purchased by yours truly along with various cover versions) before the recent La La Land complete version.
I would say TB runs a close second to YOLT in the amount of dubbing going on. It's very well done and unnoticeable. Full marks to the unsung heroine of the earlier Bond movies Nikki van der Zyl, joined here by Robert Reitii.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,021Chief of Staff
I don’t think there’s one duff poster for Thunderball…and there’s a least a dozen more posters you could have shown…🍸
@Sir Miles It was a difficult job editing it down to those above!
As we move into 1966 the spy genre was flooded with new movies and a massive 74 films were released with virtually every well known star having his or her turn at espionage.
60s SPY MANIA #17/50 ARABESQUE (1966)
Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren took their turn in a Hitchcock style adventure.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
... and look how 60s those posters are! The film is very 60s, too.
Once again the standard plot (I'm not keeping count) of a civilian being thrust into the world of espionage is used. Here it's Gregory Peck playing a lecturer who's supposed to decode some McGuffin or other.
The direction was very flashy, a bit like Sidney Furie's on "The IPCRESS File" but going for glamour rather than dowdiness. One advantage of this is some beautiful shots of the equally beautiful Sophia Loren, and that can't be bad.
Alan Badel was a brilliant baddie, and could have played a Bond villain very well if he had been lucky. He was also very good in "The Day Of The Jackal", though not of course that film's villain.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,021Chief of Staff
Very eye-catching posters…
@CoolHandBond - as for Thunderball poster comment, I was trying to say that ALL the posters for that film are spectacular…not just the ones you showcased 🤗
@Sir Miles I was agreeing with you and trying to say (I could have phrased it better) that it was a difficult job in choosing which of the glorious TB posters I had to leave out 😁 The jet pack scene is my favourite Bond painting of all but the underwater fight scene runs it a close second.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,021Chief of Staff
Comments
It’s good to see differing opinions on this one. Have you seen it @chrisno1 ?
@CoolHandBond yes, I have. It is often repeated on Talking Pictures or Legend or some such channel in the UK, although my recent watch (of only two) was a few years back. Rather like @Barbel I find Le Carre's novels too dense. TSWCIFTC as a film adaptation at least removes much of the fluff that surrounds Alec Leamas. The problem I had with it was Burton's very fine performance. It doesn't seem to sit well in Le Carre's world. The scenes where he plays drunk are especially excrutiating. They seem very un-Le Carre-like. Later, in Berlin, Burton's much better, but the stuff in London seems confused and his playing is borderline frantic. The ending though is tremendous. I like the second and third posters best.
Thank you @chrisno1 always good to read your view.
60s SPY MANIA #14/50 WHERE THE SPIES ARE (1965)
Literary spies were being picked up by studios to get their own franchises moving and James Leasor’s Dr. Jason Love was another one to get a movie adaptation. Retitling the first novel Passport to Oblivion to a more fitting one to draw in audiences this stars David Niven who has a Bond connection, of course.
I like the 5th poster, where it actually looks like Niven rather than the cartoon versions above.
David Niven was an uncredited co-producer on this film, which he and director Val Guest (who like Niven would work on CR67, though had to be dragged into it) had hoped would lead to a series of James Leasor (Bond connections himself, see in the Literary Forum) adaptations. This never happened, I'm guessing that the film didn't make enough money - though it's also possible that Niven, never short of a role, was simply too busy receiving higher pay elsewhere.
The film uses the standard plot described above and is pretty good. Niven manages to sell the idea that Love is an amateur at this spying game, a country doctor dragged into espionage while at the same time beating the bad guys, getting the girls, etc stylishly enough that a series doesn't seem unreasonable. Val Guest directs in his customary almost documentary-like fashion (cf Quatermass), with some nice touches.
A radio version under the original title was made in 2019 starring another once-only James Bond, none other than George Lazenby.
I have the paperback movie-tie in.
I enjoyed the book and the movie. In honesty, I don't think it would have been too hard a book to adapt and the story flows freely. Francoise Dorleac is lovely in it and some scenes have gentle romantic overtures which sits well with the doctorly Jason Love. I guess it suffers a bit by being somewhat underfunded - I mean, only the Bond and Harry Palmer series ever look as if the producers invested in and committed to their products - but I think it works well. I had a review posted on AJB somewhere and I was quite complimentary about it. John Le Meseurier plays his boss MacGillivray and is wonderfully offhand. That bloke from Allo Allo [Richard Marner] crops up too - wasn't he in a Bond film?
The posters, however, don't do much for me this time.
He was in YOLT, very briefly, as a Russian space controller.
He was also in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold…
@Barbel Agreed, most if the posters are very poor depicting Niven.
@chrisno1 That cover is excellent. The Jason Love series sold very well, I read a few of them and liked the movie.
60s SPY MANIA #15/50 THE SPY WITH MY FACE (1965)
I loved TMFU television series and was glued to every episode, I was so excited when I saw what was the first proper release of an UNCLE film in the UK, and the obvious shortcomings that can be seen now didn’t register at the time and I had no idea that they were just regular episodes spliced together (with some added scenes).
Good posters there, some nice artwork.
Much has changed since the first UNCLE movie. David McCallum is now a full co-star, WASP has become THRUSH, and as CHB says the film is basically two TV episodes stuck together (with some minor extra scenes which would reappear in episodes down the line). The two episodes were shown on TV in the US but not in other countries where this was released as a cinema feature.
Senta Berger was a frequent presence in 60s spy movies and no doubt we'll be coming across her again.
I do like those posters…I only got to watch some of the The Man From UNCLE episodes, they were usually on tv on Sunday afternoons and that’s when we’d go visit my grandma - so no tv 🫣
60s SPY MANIA #16/50 THUNDERBALL (1965)
Just a few personal recollections on TB (I don’t want to steal Barbel’s umm….thunder). It’s difficult, no, it’s impossible to explain how big TB was. Bondmania was at it’s zenith and if you weren’t there you will never know how big it was. The media was awash with the upcoming movie and everywhere you looked it was Bond Bond Bond. It was all people were talking about too, kids and adults alike. Of all the movies in this genre this is the BIG one.
I could stare at those all day. Of course I agree with all that CHB says above; it's hard to explain to those not around at the time, a bit like the contemporary Beatlemania.
I'm not a list maker, but if forced this would probably be at the top. As I've said before, Connery prowls through the film like a panther - Terence Young said that he wanted to use Connery's walk in the same way John Huston had used Bogart's walk in "The Maltese Falcon". Next time you watch TB notice how many scenes simply have Bond walking across a room. Young felt this gave the viewer an almost subliminal insight into what kind of man James Bond was, before any dialogue or action. He had noticed this in the Falcon and wanted to do the same. And it works. Remember the story of Cubby and Harry watching him walk away from their first meeting?
We're not at peak John Barry here, still a film or two to go, but here he has maximum opportunity to show what he can do owing to the many underwater scenes. He moves effortlessly among the various themes at his command - the title song, Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (originally intended for the titles), 007 (here heard more than any other film in the series), the Bond Theme itself, and his assorted underwater motifs - blending them into a rich tapestry which has only been released on first vinyl then CD in stages over the years (65, 92, 03, all faithfully purchased by yours truly along with various cover versions) before the recent La La Land complete version.
I would say TB runs a close second to YOLT in the amount of dubbing going on. It's very well done and unnoticeable. Full marks to the unsung heroine of the earlier Bond movies Nikki van der Zyl, joined here by Robert Reitii.
I don’t think there’s one duff poster for Thunderball…and there’s a least a dozen more posters you could have shown…🍸
@Sir Miles It was a difficult job editing it down to those above!
As we move into 1966 the spy genre was flooded with new movies and a massive 74 films were released with virtually every well known star having his or her turn at espionage.
60s SPY MANIA #17/50 ARABESQUE (1966)
Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren took their turn in a Hitchcock style adventure.
... and look how 60s those posters are! The film is very 60s, too.
Once again the standard plot (I'm not keeping count) of a civilian being thrust into the world of espionage is used. Here it's Gregory Peck playing a lecturer who's supposed to decode some McGuffin or other.
The direction was very flashy, a bit like Sidney Furie's on "The IPCRESS File" but going for glamour rather than dowdiness. One advantage of this is some beautiful shots of the equally beautiful Sophia Loren, and that can't be bad.
Alan Badel was a brilliant baddie, and could have played a Bond villain very well if he had been lucky. He was also very good in "The Day Of The Jackal", though not of course that film's villain.
Very eye-catching posters…
@CoolHandBond - as for Thunderball poster comment, I was trying to say that ALL the posters for that film are spectacular…not just the ones you showcased 🤗
@Sir Miles I was agreeing with you and trying to say (I could have phrased it better) that it was a difficult job in choosing which of the glorious TB posters I had to leave out 😁 The jet pack scene is my favourite Bond painting of all but the underwater fight scene runs it a close second.
Couple of muppets, aren’t we? 🤣🤣
Make that 3!
🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣