Different James Bond

What if the first James Bond movie was "Casino Royale" in 1956, starring David Niven?
Niven was a crap Bond. Worse than Lazenby, and thats saying something. Connery and Brosnan are the two best Bonds IMO. Should Niven have kept the role, James Bond would not have been an international hit in the same way, definately without nearly as many films.
 

Sargon

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Monthly Donor
David Niven was a fine actor, but too nice to be a plausible Bond. He just isn't ruthless enough in the way that playing Bond requires...although in some of his film roles he could be ruthless, but not in a comparable way.

Casino Royale was a spoof anyway.


Sargon
 
David Niven was a fine actor, but too nice to be a plausible Bond. He just isn't ruthless enough...although in some of his film roles he could be.


Sargon
Its funny considering in his real life during the war he was a commando.:D
 

Sargon

Donor
Monthly Donor
Its funny considering in his real life during the war he was a commando.:D

Indeed. You'd think it'd come naturally.

Perhaps being faultlessly polite is something necessary to being a good commando.

<I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you old chap>

:D


Sargon
 
David Niven was a fine actor, but too nice to be a plausible Bond. He just isn't ruthless enough in the way that playing Bond requires...although in some of his film roles he could be ruthless, but not in a comparable way.

Casino Royale was a spoof anyway.


Sargon


Yeah. The Guns of Navarone is a good example of that. In the book his characterm Cpl. Miller is described as this crack explosives expert who's described as being able to blow up a building and not blow out the windows of the building next to it. In the movie he's more of a sarcastic smart ass. Definetly not Bond material.
 
The 1956 Casino Royale was supposed to be a parody, however. Did you see it? It became more of a farce, actually.
I think you mean the 1967 "Casino Royale" --

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061452/

This was a farce; I mean, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen?

Here's another one: "Climax! Casino Royale" in 1954 really resonates with the network and they spin the character off into his own series. That's right, Jimmy Bond, America's top secret agent.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310853/

Played by Barry Nelson, who only died in April:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625167/

Now that's an interesting conflict there, when people go looking for more about Jimmy Bond and find these stories about an Englishman . . .
 
Just so we're clear, I'm not talking about the 1967 parody. I'm saying; what if the first James Bond movie was a serious adaption of Casino Royale, released in 1956 (which seems like the earliest they could probably make it), and starring David Niven (who was Ian Fleming's preference to play Bond)?

I'm not saying "what if the first James Bond movie was the 1967 spoof?" - that's just stupid.
 
OK, I confused the dates.

My point was, however, that you shouldn't judge Niven for his appearance as JB in the 1967 flick. The movie was supposed to be a parody, which included that (spoiler!) Bond had to return from retirement.

In 1954/56 Niven was younger, and if the movie was serious, he could do better.
 
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