Was Craig too old to play a young Bond.

[PierceBrosnanBond]

Was it slightly silly for Daniel Craig to be playing a "young Bond" in Casino Royale.

Yes.

[Skywalker]

True, however whilst James Bond and the James Bond universe isn't real, Craig's Bond and the universe seen in Casino Royale is more realistic. Obviously there is no real benchmark to set it by, but I don't think someone could go through University, the navy and special forces and still only be in his late 20s when he joins a specialist department of a British Intelligence.

I agree with that.

However, when you take into account the education gained at University, the discipline and control learnt whilst serving in the Navy and the expertise and professionalism needed for the SBS, Why was DC's Bond so raw?

[PierceBrosnanBond]

True, however whilst James Bond and the James Bond universe isn't real, Craig's Bond and the universe seen in Casino Royale is more realistic. Obviously there is no real benchmark to set it by, but I don't think someone could go through University, the navy and special forces and still only be in his late 20s when he joins a specialist department of a British Intelligence.

I agree with that.

However, when you take into account the education gained at University, the discipline and control learnt whilst serving in the Navy and the expertise and professionalism needed for the SBS, Why was DC's Bond so raw?

Because he wasn't James Bond. He was a British Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne.

[BondFan007]

True, however whilst James Bond and the James Bond universe isn't real, Craig's Bond and the universe seen in Casino Royale is more realistic. Obviously there is no real benchmark to set it by, but I don't think someone could go through University, the navy and special forces and still only be in his late 20s when he joins a specialist department of a British Intelligence.

I agree with that.

However, when you take into account the education gained at University, the discipline and control learnt whilst serving in the Navy and the expertise and professionalism needed for the SBS, Why was DC's Bond so raw?

Because he wasn't James Bond. He was a British Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne.

Jason Bourne is the American Bond, with storylines taken from the Bond novels and elements from the films.

[Harvey Wallbanger]

True, however whilst James Bond and the James Bond universe isn't real, Craig's Bond and the universe seen in Casino Royale is more realistic. Obviously there is no real benchmark to set it by, but I don't think someone could go through University, the navy and special forces and still only be in his late 20s when he joins a specialist department of a British Intelligence.

I agree with that.

However, when you take into account the education gained at University, the discipline and control learnt whilst serving in the Navy and the expertise and professionalism needed for the SBS, Why was DC's Bond so raw?

Because he wasn't James Bond. He was a British Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne.

Jason Bourne is the American Bond, with storylines taken from the Bond novels and elements from the films.

Besides their initials JB they are totally different.
JBourne was all about Carlos the Jackal. The main bady was a bad guy in real life. Very different form the JBond who’s bad guys and SMERSH were unbelievable.
JBourne had psychological training that screwed with his mind, physical training that took over when he didn’t think about it.
Only TMWGG came close. (Which would have been a great story for the second half of DAD.)

JBourne was born out of the post Vietnam turbulence.
Also JBourne married the girl and stayed married to her. –hint she didnt die in the second book.

The JBourne of the movies was different from JBond. JBond has morphed in to Jason, I for one feel we lost something when Bond stops being Bond and impersonates a amnesiac loner.

Bond is big the author can not say he didn't know about him but Moore was the Bond at the time the first Bourne book was published. Reading Both book series I see two different spies.

[007]

This was a big problem for me. Craig as the usual forty-ish established Bond is fine (although he isn't really my idea of a Bond) but to make him a stroppy inexperienced agent didn't work in my opinion. O'Loughlin, Henry Cavill etc would have been fine for that angle but Craig looked too old for a major character arc.

[BondFan007]

Henry Cavill? He's 23, that's far too young for Bond. Bond's a Commander from the Royal Navy, not some kid just out of University. Even O'Loughlin at 29 is pushing it for being too young. Craig was the perfect age at mid to late 30s.

[James]

This was a big problem for me. Craig as the usual forty-ish established Bond is fine (although he isn't really my idea of a Bond) but to make him a stroppy inexperienced agent didn't work in my opinion. O'Loughlin, Henry Cavill etc would have been fine for that angle but Craig looked too old for a major character arc.

Yes, Craig was too old for CR and compromised the film. A James Bond prequel film was an interesting idea but they decided not to make it in the end. With a mustache to make him look older Henry Cavill might have worked although Sam Worthington may have come closest to nabbing the part out of all the young contenders.

[Dr. No]

Beginner kills? Killing in war is a very impersonal thing, the kills to gain the 00 prefix involves killing someone man on man, a very different thing.

You don't understand special forces at all. The SBS would have been full of first hand kills. Not the impersonal fantasy that is the over used quote “Killing in war is a very impersonal thing”.

[Dr. No]

Henry Cavill? He's 23, that's far too young for Bond. Bond's a Commander from the Royal Navy, not some kid just out of University. Even O'Loughlin at 29 is pushing it for being too young. Craig was the perfect age at mid to late 30s.

Craig at late 30’s, make it early 40’s and looks older, is the perfect age? You just made the perfect case for Brosnan. Who looks in his early 40’s late 30’s, younger than he is. his Bond was just coming in to his own by your explanation.
Even in his early 50’s he would have been perfect to continue as Bond.

[BondFan007]

Who looks in his early 40’s late 30’s

Are you joking?

[Harvey Wallbanger]

Casino Royale was published 1953, Bond was born in 1924 making him 28/29 yeas old in Casino Royale.

According to John Pearson's James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007, Bond was born on November 11, 1920; no Fleming novel supports this date, in fact, the novel You Only Live Twice makes a couple of references to Bond's birth year being 1924. In the novel, M writes an obituary for James Bond after believing him to be dead. M writes that Bond left school when he was 17 years old and joined the Ministry of Defence in 1941. If Bond was 17 in 1941, then he was born in 1924. Prior to this, Tiger Tanaka, the head of the Japanese Secret Service, states Bond was born in the year of the rat, which supports 1924.

[BondFan007]

Casino Royale was published 1953, Bond was born in 1924 making him 28/29 yeas old in Casino Royale.

According to John Pearson's James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007, Bond was born on November 11, 1920; no Fleming novel supports this date, in fact, the novel You Only Live Twice makes a couple of references to Bond's birth year being 1924. In the novel, M writes an obituary for James Bond after believing him to be dead. M writes that Bond left school when he was 17 years old and joined the Ministry of Defence in 1941. If Bond was 17 in 1941, then he was born in 1924. Prior to this, Tiger Tanaka, the head of the Japanese Secret Service, states Bond was born in the year of the rat, which supports 1924.

Difference being this was the 1950s, we're in the new millenium now, things are different.

[Dr. No]

Who looks in his early 40’s late 30’s

Are you joking?

Brosnan and Craig side by side Brosnan looks younger than Craig.

[BondFan007]

Who looks in his early 40’s late 30’s

Are you joking?

Brosnan and Craig side by side Brosnan looks younger than Craig.

Ok, now I know your joking.

[Harvey Wallbanger]

Casino Royale was published 1953, Bond was born in 1924 making him 28/29 yeas old in Casino Royale.

According to John Pearson's James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007, Bond was born on November 11, 1920; no Fleming novel supports this date, in fact, the novel You Only Live Twice makes a couple of references to Bond's birth year being 1924. In the novel, M writes an obituary for James Bond after believing him to be dead. M writes that Bond left school when he was 17 years old and joined the Ministry of Defence in 1941. If Bond was 17 in 1941, then he was born in 1924. Prior to this, Tiger Tanaka, the head of the Japanese Secret Service, states Bond was born in the year of the rat, which supports 1924.

Difference being this was the 1950s, we're in the new millenium now, things are different.

You'll say anything to keep up the Craig front.
First defense is Fleming –when does not work out it's the Sony-eon bible that's relevant.
Even the reviewers thought DC lacked the look of fresh faced newly minted agent.


He is a good actor DC might become Bond in the next one – after all Bond is not a difficult role, he just needs a decent story.

But for Bond Begins he was a bit long in the tooth –They need to move past the start up and get on with the business of being Bond.

[carl stromberg]

Harvey Wallbanger is right on the Bond age thing. If you go back to the original Fleming, then Bond was in his mid-20's when he became a 00 agent. Fact.

Of course you can change it in 2006; and you can adapt the Bond character to 2006 because you are not making a period piece.

But don't keep telling me that Daniel Craig and Casino Royale (2006) is the definitive "Ian Fleming's James Bond" because it is not. It is a muddled Eon Purvis and Wade/Barabara Broccoli etc etc 2006 version of the character!

[TheManWithNoName]

Where does Bond say in the novel or any of the novels, "Oh and by the way I'm 25"? According to John Person's, "The authorized Biography of 007", James Bond was born on November 11, 1920. Although according to John Griswold's authorized book, "Ian Fleming's James Bond: Annotations and Chronologies", In Ian Fleming's original manuscript, Bond joined the ministry of defense in 1939, which was the same date when Ian Fleming joined. With that being said, Bond would not have been 25 in Casino Royale. He would've been 33. Although in Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale", it's never stated when Bond became a 00 or when he joined MI6.

Where does Ian Fleming even say Bond was in his mid-20's? Can you provide some proof to back up your claims?

[carl stromberg]

James Bond is 37 in Moonraker which is set in 1954. He gained his 00 number during WWII. for killing a Japanese man and someone else in Sweden.

So if he was 37 in 1954 that would make him 27 in 1944 and therefore in his mid 20's when he got his 00 number.

Of course Fleming contradicted himself and there are a number of wonderful spin-off books which play with the Bond chronology.

As a fan of the original Fleming books, I have always imagined James Bond to have joined the 00 section at a young age. If you want to believe that James Bond looks like Daniel Craig and has just joined the 00 section at the age of 38 from the SAS, then good for you; there is no fixed chronology, I suppose.

[Robert Stirling]

Hi,

I'm quite interested in the age aspect of Bonds. Being Roger
Moore 's admirer I often have to face complaints about his ageing apperance in his late Bod films.
Before seeing "Casino Royale" I had on idea of how old is Daniel Craig. I was under impression that he's much older than he really is. Just after I learned what's Craig's real age the thought occured to me: what if Craig would make 7 films as well as Moore? So I did some comparison: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EqNCirDHCsI (poor editing skill but that's not the point)