I started writing a review of The Living Daylights (1987) for my Groovers Video Vault, it quickly became clear that I was not writing about the movie but about its star, Timothy Dalton. He probably isn’t the best James Bond, but he is certainly the most underrated, probably the closest to the character Ian Fleming wrote, and possibly the most influential since Sean Connery. The review of The Living Daylights will have to wait for another day.
In 1985 a 58 year old actor played James Bond, the actor Roger Moore was playing the part for the seventh and final time in his twelve year tenure. An older Bond could have made an interesting character as it did when (the younger) Sean Connery reprised the role for the unofficial Never Say Never Again (1983), but thanks to lazy writing, Moore still playing the part as if he were a much younger man. This was exacerbated by the over reliance of silly gadgets and comedy one liners. In essence the small elements that made Bond, Bond had taken over. It was a bit like watching an aging rock star putting all their effort into an extravagant stage show but forgetting to sing the songs. The final nail in the creative coffin was that they had run out of Ian Fleming novels and were writing new stories, bad stories. Bond had become a parody, the result A View to a Kill was a terrible film, the franchise was an unsustainable mess, something had to be done. There was little of merit in the Roger Moore movies after his third outing, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), the series really needed new direction back then. I suspect that remembering the failure of George Lazenby as Sean Connery’s replacement, the producers were scared of upsetting the status quo and kept Moore in the role for an extra decade. As bad as the films got (Moonraker (1979), Octopussy (1983) and A View to a Kill (1985) being the low points) they still made money.
Producers, particularly Cubby Broccoli courted a young little known Irishman Pierce Brosnan who was staring in the TV show Remington Steele. Contractual obligations prevented Brosnan from taking the part so attention turned to Shakespearean actor Timothy Dalton. Dalton had been approached to replace Connery in the late 60’s but felt he was too young, and then again in the early 80’s when Moore’s contract was in dispute. Comments in various interviews have suggested Dalton was not happy with the direction the franchise was going, he also suspected that he and other actors were used force Moore’s hand. When he eventually took the part he did it on his own terms. A fan of Flemings source novels, Dalton insisted on scaling back the sci-fi/fantasy elements of the plot in favour of a grittier more plot driven story. He played Bond as a reluctant hero who like his literary counterpart drank and smoked too much. He was a man clinging to small pleasures while he tried to take away the taste and guilt of the repugnant side of the job. This can be seen early in his first movie, The Living Daylights (1987). It took its name from an Ian Fleming short story that was originally published along with Octopussy.
The story saw a jaded Bond on sniper duty, his mission to take out a KGB sniper and aid an agents escape from East Berlin. On realising the KGB sniper is a beautiful, blonde cellist he had seen on her way to and from practice earlier, he decides to shoot her weapon from her hands rather than killing her. Captain Sender his local contact, explains to Bond that he had to mention Bonds actions in his report stating “You should have killed that sniper whoever it was” Bonds response:
James Bond Said wearily “Okay with any luck it’ll cost me my Double-0 number. But tell Head of Station not to worry. That girl won’t do any more sniping. Probably lost her left hand. Certainly broke her nerve for that kind of work. Scared the living daylights out of her. In my book, that was enough. Let’s go.”
It is with this defiance that Timothy Dalton played the part. Most of the short story makes it to the screen reworked into the plot of the movie. Bond’s words became “STUFF my orders! I only kill professionals. That girl didn’t know one end of her rifle from the other. Go ahead. Tell M what you want. If he fires me, I’ll thank him for it.”
Bonds relationship with Saunders (based on Captain Sender from the short story) is unusual within a Bond film, in that it brings out many emotions in him. Initially the two don’t get on, but they grow to respect each other. When Saunders is killed Bond loses heart in his cover and becomes agitated and on edge. There is nuance in this performance you don’t expect from Bond. This isn’t a new Bond this is a return to the real Bond, the Fleming Bond. We can see this in his interactions with General Pushkin, the new head of the KGB. This the Bond we have seen on screen and read about on the page who has always been more interested in following his instincts than his orders. Dalton’s second and final Bond film Licence to Kill (1989) takes Bond a stage further refusing M’s orders and resigning in order to seek personal revenge. The film was both praised and criticised for darker and more violent tone of the movie taking it away from the family audience and more towards contemporary Hollywood thrillers. Interestingly it wasn’t that well received by American audiences. Receiving a 15 certificate in the UK and Rated PG-13 in America probably didn’t help.
In 1990, MGM/UA was sold, this led to various legal disputes that are too complicated to go into. The legal disputes caused delays and the next film due to go into production in the early 90’s was delayed until early 1994, this again was delayed and Dalton resigned from the role despite originally signing a three picture deal.
The interesting thing about Daltos time as Bond is what happened when he quit, Cubby Broccoli got his man, the actor he always wanted to play Bond, Pierce Brosnan. After a promising start GoldenEye (1995) the series descended into something very similar to the latter Roger Moore films, farces filled with silly gadgets and product placements. Bond as a character was conceived during World War II and was a cold war character, for that reason he lost a little of his relevance after The Living Daylights. While he was away fighting drug dealers and on a brief hiatus, the world was changing, Russia was changing. To their credit this became an underlying plot point in Brosnan’s début film but it was never expanded on or played with in future films. Then in 2006 in the wake of the Jason Bourne movies for the first time ever, Bond wasn’t recast, it was rebooted with Daniel Craig getting the part to the surprise of almost everyone. His début Casino Royale (2006) was a return to form, its sequel Quantum of Solace (2008) (a direct sequel is another Bond first) was less well received. And now the Zenith of what Dalton started, Skyfall (2012) has taken Bond further from Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan than many thought possible. He may have taken it too far to be recognisable as a Bond, but it is proving popular with fans (including me), audiences and critics. Don’t expect the ever humble Dalton to take any credit where Bond is today, but I don’t think he would have got to this point without the new direction he took the character in 1987.
Until Craig’s Bond, I think Dalton’s was the truest to Fleming’s creation. Unfortunately, his movies weren’t the best.
Reblogged this on "You Jivin' Me, Turkey?" and commented:
Timothy Dalton IS The Most Underrated BOND Of Them All. I Loved “The Living Daylights” But It Was “Licence To Kill” That Totally Sold Me.
It’s Just Sad We Didn’t Get More Timothy Dalton In The 1990s. I Understand The Production Company’s Want For A Change, And I Do Like Pierce Brosnan… …I Just Liked Timothy Dalton’s Much Darker BOND. That’s Life, Though. We Don’t Always Get What We Want, Even When We Really Should!!! ;)
EXCELLENT Blog Post, And VERY Reblog Worthy!!!
-B.
“It’s Just Sad We Didn’t Get More Timothy Dalton In The 1990s” My sentiment exactly. Andy already knows this… I LOVE Dalton and he shall always be my favorite Bond. The only consolation for him only doing 2 Bond flicks is if he shows up as a Bond villain one of these days. Hey he still looks very good at 68 years old!
Great post. I’m watching License to Kill right now :)
I love Daniel Craig, but I also really liked Timothy Dalton and it makes me sad that he never gets any mention or acknowledgement as Bond. Not only he was gorgeous, in reality, Timothy Dalton’s Bond was very similar to today’s Daniel Craig’s Bond. He showed a sensitive, vulnerable, and somewhat reserved Bond. His Bond had a quiet dignity much like Daniel Craig’s, and his two films had a lot more action than Moore’s and Connery’s. I really would’ve liked to have seen Dalton in more Bond movies, but as usual (as it occurs quite often with MGM) the studio was in jeopardy and Dalton’s contract for more Bond franchise fell through the cracks. People might hate me for saying this, but I think Brosnan’s Bond were just o.k. and with the exception of Sophie Marseau, his “Bond Girls” were awful.
Dalton’s two bond films have such depth. They aged well. You can watch and re-watch and enjoy and see through the layers of the films. It’s really high quality not quantity.
Great assessment, though one minor point, I think Cubby liked Brosnan. He was introduced to Broccoli by Brosnan’s late wife, Cassandra Harris, while she was on set for “For Your Eyes Only”. Broccoli saw the makings of a future Bond, and kept him in mind, but between Dalton and Brosnan, I daresay it was Dalton who Cubby always wanted to play Bond. Dalton was approached no less than four times for the role before he accepted it on the fifth try (Who says 3rd times the charm?) The first two times, as you said, were when Dalton felt he was too young, and the 3rd during FYEO, when Dalton said he didn’t like the jokey tone the films were taking. At that time, they were thinking Dalton for Bond, Ornella Muti as Melina Havelock, and Topol for Columbo, a “Flash Gordon” reunion.
He was also considered for “Octopussy” (Though he wasn’t formally approached). Here’s the thing though, and I too thought Brosnan was first choice, but I was wrong. After Roger Moore left, a poll was conducted separate from the franchise as to who should be the next Bond. Brosnan won by a landslide because of “Remington Steele”. However, Broccoli first approached Dalton to be Moore’s successor. He turned it down for the 4th time because he was filming “Brenda Starr”.
Brosnan was then approached, tested, and got the role, and it was announced he would be the next Bond. NBC, seeing dollar signs, tried to partner with Broccoli. They would renew “Remington Steele”, and give Brosnan whatever schedule they needed to that would allow him to play James Bond for Broccoli, and RS for them. Broccoli, however, had concerns that people wouldn’t pay to see Brosnan be James Bond when they could see him play a similar character for free on TV. He said Brosnan would either be Bond or RS.
RS was cancelled by this time, and NBC had two months to decide whether or not to renew. on the last day, they renewed, and Brosnan was out. However, in the time it took for NBC to make that decision, Dalton finished “Brenda Starr”, tested, and was cast in the role. So, in retrospect, Dalton was never the 2nd choice, things just fell that he had to say no before he could say yes.
But the damage was done. Dalton got the most unfair shake of all the actors to play Bond right out of the gate. Because of the internet, we can find out the full details regarding casting, but in 1986, I’m sure the public was displeased. Their “Pick” for Bond was selected, then rejected, and Dalton was seemingly the second-fiddle choice, which is totally unfair. Dalton’s films were cast in a pall of “It should be Pierce Brosnan doing this.”
When Dalton resigned, and Brosnan was cast, I seem to recall an overwhelming positive reception. Everyone who dogged Dalton because they wanted Brosnan finally felt vindicated. Their pick was finally where he belonged.
However, I think looking back on it now, a lot of Dalton’s critics have realized they were wrong. Brosnan’s not bad, I like him, but he doesn’t stand out. Connery is great for obvious reasons. Lazenby was wooden, but he stood out in the action sequences for his physicality. Moore wasn’t serious, but he brought a classy, humorous flair. Craig is brutish but lethal.
Dalton though, looks good in the action sequences, (And does a lot of his own stunts. It does take you out of the film when you can see the obvious stuntman. I know he’s there in Dalton’s outings, but it’s hidden well enough and we see Dalton enough that it isn’t obvious) but also nails the humanity and inhumanity of the character. The scenes in “TLD” highlight this.
He’s obviously having a great time with Kara at the carnival. Then Saunders is killed and he just switches off. He becomes almost cruel to Kara. His humanity shines before Saunders dies, but the inhumanity returns and he remembers that Kara is just a means to an end. He’s got a mission. It’s only when they both realize how they’ve been duped by Koskov that the relationship between Bond and Kara really grows.
And the scene between Bond and Pushkin in the hotel room is the best of any in the franchise, Goldfinger’s laser be damned (He can’t cut off Bond’s jewels, otherwise the movie is over. Yeah, the dialogue is snappy, but there’s not a lot of suspense when you know Bond can’t die.) Pushkin, however, is a man who could die by Bond’s hand. And Dalton is so ruthless in the scene that you really do believe that despite his instincts, he may make the wrong call and kill Pushkin.
Someone mentioned on another site that he has a knack for being able to laugh without the humor ever reaching his eyes when the scene calls for it. I believe they referenced the scene in “LTK” when Bond, Sanchez, and the others laugh about Bond saying he’s a “Problem Eliminator”. Dalton, to me, is the most dangerous Bond. Craig is dangerous too, but Dalton’s Bond had the danger, and smarts. He doesn’t just have to fight his way out of a situation, he can also light a fuse, and let the villains take care of themselves, as evidenced in “LTK”. Bond gets really lucky in “Casino Royale” that the guy who shoots Le Chiffre doesn’t kill him also (In the novel, the assassin explains it’s only because he has no orders to kill Bond. He scars Bond instead, and they have to skin graft over it to remove the evidence so he’s not revealed on future missions) I’m not saying Dalton isn’t lucky also, Pam and Kara both help him out. But it’s assistance from people he knows, and not an lucky break from some anonymous guy.
Brosnan just seems like a cross between Connery and Moore (Which, judging from interviews, was not his call, and he was basically told how to play the role.) Now people who were so hot to have Brosnan are wishing Dalton had at least gotten a third film, and others wish he’d done more and Brosnan had never been cast at all.
At the end of the day, I think Dalton’s legacy will be much more fondly remembered than Brosnan’s. He’s definitely my favorite Bond.
The most macho Bond!