Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Discussion & Review Forum For James Bond Books Written By James Bond's Creator Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964)
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Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Kristatos »

I was just wondering which Bond actor people see in their mind's eye when reading one of Fleming's Bond novels or short stories. I'm reading Devil May Care at the moment, and it's definitely Connery, probably because it was written in our own era, when most people's knowledge of Bond comes from the movies, but in a period setting, so I associate Faulks's Bond with the actor who played him at the time the novel is set. But with Fleming's Bond, I have my own mental image that's a sort of composite of Connery and Dalton. I was just wondering what other people thought.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by katied »

Connery.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by James »

He's not a Bond and never will be now but, oddly enough, reading Colonel Sun I found myself picturing Clive Owen around his Croupier period.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by FormerBondFan »

James wrote:He's not a Bond and never will be now but, oddly enough, reading Colonel Sun I found myself picturing Clive Owen around his Croupier period.
You meant DC?
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by James »

No, I was just saying Clive wasn't cast as Bond and won't be now (not that he wanted the role) although I'd have certainly taken him over DC in 2005. There's an interesting 1999 British film called Croupier where he plays a character who works in a casino and he looks very James Bondian at times.

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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by FormerBondFan »

James wrote:No, I was just saying Clive wasn't cast as Bond and won't be now (not that he wanted the role) although I'd have certainly taken him over DC in 2005. There's an interesting 1999 British film called Croupier where he plays a character who works in a casino and he looks very James Bondian at times.

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I never wanted Clive Owen to be Bond from the very beginning, regardless of his abilities to play the role well, but DC's casting and all those talk saying that he's the "best" made Clive look like Pierce.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by carl stromberg »

I imagine someone who looks like Timothy Dalton with a few changes.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Kiwichris »

Definitely Dalton. I learned of Bond through the movies but upon reading the novels I began to picture Dalton as his performances are the closest to Fleming's Bond imo. I particularly thought of him while reading Moonraker. The only exception was when I was reading Dr. No, where I constantly thought of Connery, particularly that line about the poisoned banana! The scene in M's office and Bond's reaction to his assignment in Dr. No were very Daltonesque though.

I always picture James Villiers as Tanner for some reason on a related note.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by nanolark »

I'd say Connery but, lately, I also switch to Brosnan. The image I have in mind is more or less the one from the November Man movie.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Daltonite Toothpaste »

With the Fleming books, I picture Dalton.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Kristatos »

Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:With the Fleming books, I picture Dalton.
I'm ashamed to say that I did imagine Craig as Bond when reading Carte Blanche, probably because it was a (short-lived) reboot of the book series, and Deaver seemed to alter the character of Bond to fit the Craig version.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Blowfeld »

Kristatos wrote:
Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:With the Fleming books, I picture Dalton.
I'm ashamed to say that I did imagine Craig as Bond when reading Carte Blanche, probably because it was a (short-lived) reboot of the book series, and Deaver seemed to alter the character of Bond to fit the Craig version.
Et tu,?

I fell like chucking it all in. You, Sweeney, another pal of mine all picture the uncharismatic curmudgeon in this book. Did I get so it wrong? My impression was of a young fresher face and completely different attitude. I also thought the radio interview Mr Deaver had he was not a Daniel fan, well not enough to imagine him as his young 007.
When the rumour hit Carte Blanch would be the next Bond film I was fairly confident it would not because of Mr Deavers attitude toward the current production. Then again I judging from my impression of his book I may have misinterpreted his remarks.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Kristatos »

Blowfeld wrote:
Kristatos wrote:
Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:With the Fleming books, I picture Dalton.
I'm ashamed to say that I did imagine Craig as Bond when reading Carte Blanche, probably because it was a (short-lived) reboot of the book series, and Deaver seemed to alter the character of Bond to fit the Craig version.
Et tu,?

I fell like chucking it all in. You, Sweeney, another pal of mine all picture the uncharismatic curmudgeon in this book. Did I get so it wrong? My impression was of a young fresher face and completely different attitude. I also thought the radio interview Mr Deaver had he was not a Daniel fan, well not enough to imagine him as his young 007.
When the rumour hit Carte Blanch would be the next Bond film I was fairly confident it would not because of Mr Deavers attitude toward the current production. Then again I judging from my impression of his book I may have misinterpreted his remarks.
I wouldn't say "wrong". IIRC, Deaver didn't provide much in the way of physical description of Bond. I did feel that he was influenced by the Craig movies, but if he says otherwise, I see no reason to believe that he was lying.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Daltonite Toothpaste »

I didn't really picture any of the actors with Carte Blanche. But with the Benson books, I did picture Brosnan. Which, I think, is what Benson wanted.
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Re: Which Bond do you

Post by Blowfeld »

Kristatos wrote:
Blowfeld wrote:
Kristatos wrote:
Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:With the Fleming books, I picture Dalton.
I'm ashamed to say that I did imagine Craig as Bond when reading Carte Blanche, probably because it was a (short-lived) reboot of the book series, and Deaver seemed to alter the character of Bond to fit the Craig version.
Et tu,?

I fell like chucking it all in. You, Sweeney, another pal of mine all picture the uncharismatic curmudgeon in this book. Did I get so it wrong? My impression was of a young fresher face and completely different attitude. I also thought the radio interview Mr Deaver had he was not a Daniel fan, well not enough to imagine him as his young 007.
When the rumour hit Carte Blanch would be the next Bond film I was fairly confident it would not because of Mr Deavers attitude toward the current production. Then again I judging from my impression of his book I may have misinterpreted his remarks.
I wouldn't say "wrong". IIRC, Deaver didn't provide much in the way of physical description of Bond. I did feel that he was influenced by the Craig movies, but if he says otherwise, I see no reason to believe that he was lying.
I don't recall what his comments were precisely, so I could easily be mistaken. I do not belive he was outright dismissive of Craig, I thought he saw his story and the movie series as two different things. This is this & that is that.
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Re: Which Bond do you "see" when reading a Fleming story?

Post by Blowfeld »

Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:I didn't really picture any of the actors with Carte Blanche. But with the Benson books, I did picture Brosnan. Which, I think, is what Benson wanted.
It was similar for me, I could imagine another actor easily however nobody was the choice for me.

I agree about Benson rereading Zero Minus Ten I think he tired to be as compatible with the movie series as possible.

When I read Fleming the later books Sean Connery is easy to picture, the earlier books are hard to picture him in all the scenes.
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