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When Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman
set out to make what they expected to be the first of three
or four movies based on the espionage novels of Ian Fleming
they can hardly have dreamt that they were founding a business
that would still be going strong nearly half a century
later. Yet the role of James Bond, which transformed Sean
Connery's career in 1962 when "Dr No" came out,
still retained its star-making power in 2006 when Daniel
Craig made his Bond debut in "Casino Royale".
This
is the story of how, with the odd misstep along the way,
the owners of the Bond franchise, Eon Productions, have
contrived to keep James Bond abreast of the zeitgeist
and at the top of the charts for 45 years, through 21 films
featuring six Bonds, three M's, two Q's and three Moneypennies.
Thanks to the films, Fleming's original creation has been
transformed
from a black sheep of the post-war English upper classes
into a figure with universal appeal, constantly evolving
to keep pace with changing social and political circumstances.
Having interviewed people concerned with
all aspects of the films, Sinclair McKay is ideally placed
to describe
how the Bond 'brand' has been managed over the years as
well as to give us the inside stories of the supporting
cast of Bond girls, Bond villains, Bond cars and Bond gadgetry. |
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Above: Hardback UK cover artwork
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