Behind the Scenes of A Quantum of Solace
Article from 007 Magazine #20, 1989, by Patrick P. K. Walther
With the success of
The Living Daylights reinvigorating the James Bond brand and positive audience reactions to Sam Neill as Bond overcoming Cubby Broccoli’s remaining reservations, it was a foregone conclusion that Bond #16 would be put into production. The bigger question for the writers was, of course, what to make the 16th Bond outing about?
Not really either of these, but more an adaption of “
Risico”
“We considered several settings and ideas,” said writer Michael G. Wilson. “We explored China as a setting, but by this point between
Mask of the Monkey King,
Empire of the Sun, and
The Last Emperor, the novelty [for the once closed off state] had worn away. We explored some of [Ian] Fleming’s old stories, in particular ‘The Hildebrand Rarity’, but it was two other stories in the [
For Your Eyes Only] anthology that caught our eyes. We loved the name ‘A Quantum of Solace’, but the story wasn’t really built for an action film. By comparison, ‘Risico’ was a good foundation for a story, though the name was sub-optimal for a wide release feature.”
“Risico” was a story of Italian drug smugglers and Russian double agents with plenty of action at sea. It also lent itself well to current events with its drug runner plot. “We found that we could take the central idea and characters from ‘Risico’ and move them from the Med to the Caribbean,” said co-writer Richard Maibaum. “
Miami Vice was very popular, of course, and [Panamanian President Manuel] Noriega was all over the news for apparently supporting drug smugglers[1].”
The plot would largely follow “Risico”, but with elements and characters from “The Hildebrand Rarity” and with the name “A Quantum of Solace”, the name justified in the film when drug runner Enrico Columbo proclaims this to be the “service” he provides: giving his customers “A quantum of solace in this cruel and unjust world.” And despite the interruption of the ’88 Writers’ Strike that cost them Maibaum’s participation halfway through production, they put together a fun and thrilling tale full of adventures on the sea, double- and triple-crosses, sex, and intrigue galore.
El Presidenté Hidalgo de la Peña; any resemblance to real world leaders of the time is strictly coincidental, I’m sure (Image source “them0vieblog.wordpress.com”)
The film sees Bond sent by M to Central America to investigate a drug smuggling ring believed to be working with the tacit support of the President of the Republic of Costa Diabla, a Noriega-like dictator named Hidalgo de la Peña (John Davi), nicknamed “de la Piña” due to his poor complexion. The information comes from a shadowy informant named “Kristatos”. Bond enters into the presidential compound of del la Peña and encounters the seductive Isabella Krest (new sensation Catharine Zeta-Jones), and her charming but abusive husband Milton Krest (Timothy Dalton), who claims to be a conservationist in search of the “Hildebrand Rarity”, an endangered fish. Bond also encounters his target, the drug runner Enrico Columbo (Pedro Armendariz). This, of course, sends him down a rabbit hole of twists and turns with SMERSH agents, Cuban spies, and a dark conspiracy that engulfs the CIA, SMERSH, Columbo’s cocaine cartel, the government of the Republic of Costa Diabla, and MI6[2].
There’s even the return of the nigh-unstoppable SMERSH assassin Necross (Dolph Lundgren), ever looming in the background.
The resulting film was, much like the Connery films, notably more serious than the Moore films, but still willing to push the willing suspension of disbelief in its audiences through explosive action set pieces and humor. “We wanted something that fit with Mr. Neill’s interpretation and kept the shades of grey approach of the prior film,” said Maibaum[3].
Shooting commenced in the spring of ’88 mostly in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico with some set shots at the Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City. Director John Glen spoke highly of the cast and crew. “Mr. Neill is an absolute professional and Mr. Dalton an excellent actor who really put the mystery and menace into Mr. Krest. And of course, the stunning Catharine Zeta-Jones, who I can assure you is far more than a pretty face. I strongly suspect that she will be seen on the big screen again. The crew of Estudios Churubusco were talented professionals.”
Opening Credits (Image source “dangerousminds.net”)
For the opening number, the legendary Gladys Knight sings the haunting Latin-inspired “A Quantum of Solace” with some memorable opening sequences that capture the allure and danger of narcotics. The score was composed and conducted by Michael Kamen, beautifully capturing the moods of the film.
With these elements combined,
A Quantum of Solace is Jams Bond as it’s meant to be: stunning, sexy, and thrilling, while also exploring deeper issues of the depths that man will sink to for “the greater good”.
“We expect that Quantum of Solace will play well[4],” said Cubby. “It has all of the action and suspense and sensuality that one expects from the Bond franchise, while also reflecting the world of 1989 in a meaningful way.”
[1] A few months after the release of this film (and it’s equivalent from our timeline) the US invaded Panama in the winter of 1989/90 and toppled Noriega in a quick and overwhelming invasion that helped rebuilt American faith in its armed forces and also established the long-running US tradition of righteous-sounding operational names that played well in the press, calling itself “Operation Just Cause.” Some comedian (Howie Mandel?) of course had a different take: “Why did we do it?
Just ‘cause!”
[2] The big twist will be that Columbo is secretly a double agent working with the CIA to take down de la Peña and Kristatos is actually Milton Krest, a double-agent himself who is not just smuggling drugs, but smuggling Cuban and Soviet intelligence agents, including Necross, into Florida in a plot to assassinate the American President as he visits the Air Force Bases there and frame American peace protestors in a bid to incite civil unrest in America. It all culminates with Krest’s big yacht
Wavekrest exploding.
[3] In our timeline Bond 16 was designed with Dalton’s darker bond in mind, resulting in the violent
License to Kill.
[4] Will make a good $175 million against a $32 million budget and prove popular enough with the fans to greenlight a third Sam Neill Bond film.
