Some Kind of Hero by Matthew Field

Author:Matthew Field [Chowdhury, Matthew Field and Ajay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780750966504
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2015-09-25T00:00:00+00:00

Michael Cimino’s film, retitled Heaven’s Gate, ended up being one of the biggest money losers of all time. The effects took time to ripple through United Artists to alter their production methods. This financial disaster would change the manner in which the studio produced films. By the time pre-production began on the twelfth James Bond film, things were going to be done differently. There was a financial crisis due to the recession, and oil price rises and increased inflation meant that a 1980 US dollar would go less far than before. The sums spent would be less than that of Moonraker’s astronomical budget and cash flow would be held tightly in check.1 An important aspect of that cost was going to be the price of key above-the-name talent: the man who would play Bond.

On the Sugarloaf Mountain set of Moonraker noted British film journalist, Barry Norman, was implored by producer Cubby Broccoli to become a spy himself, ‘Ask him if he’s gonna make the next one. I have to know.’ Norman, whose father had directed Roger Moore in both The Saint and The Persuaders television series, was not about to give away vital intelligence. When Cubby asked Norman, ‘What did that asshole of an actor have to say?’ Norman passed on Moore’s non-committal response, Cubby went away cursing.2

Roger Moore was in a strong negotiating position. Moonraker was the highest grossing Bond film in history to that point and with Sean Connery still lurking in the wings developing a rival Bond, Moore seemed to be holding all the aces. However, Cubby was no mean player himself and kept his cards close to his chest stating at the time, ‘Peculiarly enough, we have put Roger in the fortuitous position that he is in. I think it is fortuitous being Bond, but having done that we normally get pummelled by the agents to get more money.’3

A number of contenders entered the running to become the next James Bond. Michael Jayston, who would later go on to voice Bond in audio books and a 1990 radio production of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, was a favourite.4 Broccoli remembered Timothy Dalton and sounded the actor out again.5 Dalton recalled, ‘I went to see Cubby Broccoli in Los Angeles. At that time they didn’t have a script finished. It was never quite clear at that time if Roger was giving it up.’6

In July 1980, upon release of The Sea Wolves, his third film with director Andrew V. McLaglen, Moore told a press conference ‘I don’t want to take another six months out of my life playing James Bond again.’7 Roger by this time had established himself as an international action movie star. A number of his films had been produced by Broccoli’s protégé, Euan Lloyd, and Michael Klinger. Moore explained his ire, ‘I’m not competitive by nature and I can usually get a bag of toffees without having to ask. If they hadn’t been testing other actors we would at least still be talking. I think they’ve been rather ill-mannered about it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.