BOND GIRLS: Should unknowns be cast???

David Coleman · 06-05-2003, 01:10 PM

In glancing over the latest disc i've noticed a trend. Since TOMMORROW NEVER DIES there's been the trend of casting known actresses for the roles in the Bond films.

When Cubby Brocolli was running the franchise it was always an unknown or certainly less popular actress that got cast. I think his reasoning was that he didn't want an actress identified with any other roles? However since TND there's the trend of known actresses. Don't get me wrong, I like Halle and loved Sophie Marceau in her role. However I kinda yearn for the day when unknowns were cast.

Looking back only to GOLDENEYE it was great to see new faces like Famka Janseen (she may not have been a total unknown but relative unknown) and Izabella Scorupco emerge. I think back to the days of unknowns they were discovered by Bond (Claudine Auger, Carey Lowell, Maryam d'abo, Carole Bouquet) and kinda yearn back for those days! It was exciting to see a new discovery! In this film only Rosamund Pike is the new face and she's quite the discovery. Now I understand that the female role in a Bond film has expanded and they are more than window dressing. Still, it would be great to see the Bond world populated with newer faces!

What are your thoughts??

David

Nate Anderson · 06-05-2003, 01:21 PM

Good point. I didn't know the actress who played Miranda Frost in Die Another Day...so it's not always the well known girls that get cast.

And then there's Denise Richards...geez, what a mistake that was!

Jason Seaver · 06-05-2003, 01:24 PM

Quote:

I think his reasoning was that he didn't want an actress identified with any other roles?

Or they're cheap. Broccoli probably figured that the James Bond brand name was the selling point of the movies, and paying a name actress wouldn't increase the take that much. It's worth noting that for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, they did shell out to get Diana Rigg, not being sure how the public would react to Lazenby. Also, some of the Roger Moore movies had less-unknown actresses.

TheLongshot · 06-05-2003, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Since TOMMORROW NEVER DIES there's been the trend of casting known actresses for the roles in the Bond films.

What? People didn't know Ursula Andress in Dr. No? :b

I do understand what you mean, tho. The problem with putting a big name in there is that they tend to overshadow Bond a bit. It is kinda a distraction to have someone you know well from other films to be playing a role.

There has been a history of decently well known women playing Bond girls. Maud Adams (twice, even!), Tanya Roberts, Grace Jones, Jane Seymour (tho she probably wasn't known then..), Britt Ekland, and maybe more.

I think the bigger problem now is that, at least for us Americans, the actors as a whole are all too recognisable. Most of the classic actors for Bond films we knew from the series and nowhere else. Now, we have people like Judy Dench, John Cleese, and Joe Don Baker playing semi-regular roles. It takes you out a little bit...

Jason

Chuck Mayer · 06-05-2003, 01:55 PM

I have been discussing this recently. With DaD out, my wife and I will give it another chance, probably this weekend. But we didn't like it much in the theater.

Several reasons, key among them the major *STAR* Halle Berry. She unbalanced the film somewhat, and was promoted as an equal to James. While she certainly is beautiful (and many would argue talented...I would not), I was completely pulled out of the film every time she was "playing the spy." I am not an expert on spycraft, nor do I want to be. I don't confuse Pierce with actual agents, but when he plays one, I BUY IT. He sells it. Halle could not sell it. She didn't carry herself at all like a deadly spy should. She held her gun all screwed up. Her body language sold supermodel, not spy. It sounds silly, but it took me out. What can I say? Michelle Yeoh sold it very well, just 5 years earlier.

I have no probs with the franchise shaking it up. But I think our friend Halle is only the start of guest Bond girl stars.

My worthless take,
Chuck

**HTF Ads**

Will_B · 06-05-2003, 02:12 PM

I'd rather they cast models. Let a new Milla Jovovich come into acting. They'll either improve the movie series or keep it bad - either way, no harm done.

John^Lal · 06-05-2003, 02:43 PM

I'd rather they go back to using unknowns also. i don't know what their reasoning was but i like the idea of seeing a new face in a bond movie. i don't know if it was because they were cheaper, or if because they did not want bond to be overshadowed. i think that they always used unknowns beacuse Bond movies were always about going to exotic/different places. when you go on a vacation, go away from home, i don't think it is ever expected that you are going to see someone you know.
personally i think brocolli liked going out and looking for a new face.
now after thinking about it, i think this is the reason why he used unknowns, because when you go to the kind of places bond goes to. Bond movies have always been as much escapist as any other that comes out, and this is all part of it.

Gary->dee · 06-05-2003, 03:59 PM

I agree. Despite Ursula Andress and a few more, I don't think the Bond movies should feature many known actresses.

My favorite is Honor Blackman who became Pussy Galore for Goldfinger.

*sigh

FredK · 06-05-2003, 06:44 PM

Models.

Hopefully that's what it takes to get Sofia Vergara on the big screen after Big Trouble's bad timing.

Steve_Ch · 06-06-2003, 12:22 AM

I don't necessarily agree that it was mostly unknown actresses before, unknown to America, may be. Honor Blackman was certainly known in Britian at the time of Goldfinger, the Japanese leads (man and women) in You Only Live Twice were all not just well known, but very well known in the Fast East (I was living in the Fast East in the 60s), Jill St John was hardly a no name (Diamonds are Forever). People that lived in Europe may weigh on the Bond Girls of From Russia With Love and Thunderball, they could well be famous in Europe at the time too.

O, Maude Adams, I think the first appearance was Goldfinger, she was unknown but it was a very small part.

MatthewLouwrens · 06-06-2003, 01:05 AM

I realised the other day that there is a rather strong connection between the TV series The Avengers and the Bond film.

* Patrick Macnee, who played John Steed, played Tibbet in View To A Kill (and narrates the documentaries on the Bond DVDs)
* Honor Blackman, who played Cathy Gale, was Pussy Galore in Goldfinger
* Diana Rigg, the best known of the Avenger females (Emma Peel), was Tracey in OHMSS (arguably the most important Bond girl, certainly the only one he loved enough to marry)
* Joanna Lumley, Purdey in The New Avengers, was The English Girl in the chateau in OHMSS

AND

* Sean Connery was the bad guy in the film of The Avengers.