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Would Goldeneye have been a success w/ Timothy Dalton?

posted 11 years ago by TMC-4
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http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/3067/would-goldene ye-have-been-a-success-with-dalton/p1

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/3067/would-goldene ye-have-been-a-success-with-dalton/p1

As much as I love Dalton's take on Bond, all the Dalton-bashing on these forums has made me question whether he could have made a commercial success of GE in the way that Brosnan did. In a sense, the storyline would have suited him perfectly, as it nicely references the gap between the movies. I've read people who say GE was written with Dalton in mind, which makes a lot of sense when you think about the plot. But many posters on these forums are convinced that Dalton was unpopular with the audience and that a third outing would have meant the end of Bond. Perhaps Dalton was his own worst enemy - openly predicting that LTK would be the last in the series. My own feeling has always been that it would have been great to have a third Dalton film but that after LTK he would have needed to lighten up a bit and perhaps return more to the feel of TLD. Since Cubby liked to mix things up and keep things fresh, I have no doubt that Dalton's third outing would have been very different in tone to LTK and would have gone a long way to answer the critics who accuse him of being 'too dark'.

5 Reasons GoldenEye Would Have Been Better With Timothy Dalton:
http://whatculture.com/film/5-reasons-goldeneye-would-have-been-better -with-timothy-dalton.php

[–] tralycr_c-1 11 years ago

So what is the Dalton haters' rational--that Goldeneye was successful because of Pierce Brosnan, star of a mediocre '80s show and several terrible DTV movies?

There is a man...he travels fast...he has purpose...he brings violence and destruction.

[–] hbfilmz 8 years ago

As opposed to Dalton, star of nothing the public knows. The man had no presence on the screen.

[–] AdmiralTugBenson 8 years ago

So what is the Dalton haters' rational--that Goldeneye was successful because of Pierce Brosnan, star of a mediocre '80s show and several terrible DTV movies?

Well there was quite a bit of hype around Pierce's casting. He was pretty well known at the time I'd say, more well-known outside the UK (namely North America) prior to his casting than any other Bond. I'd never seen his TV show but I was still familiar with him from movies like The Lawnmower Man and Mrs. Doubtfire, both of which (particularly the latter) were pretty popular movies at the time. He wasn't a huge star but he was somebody we'd heard of. And they did a good job hyping up the fact there was a new Bond in town. So it was kind of a big deal, or so it seemed at the time. That's just one of the many reasons Goldeneye was so successful, it would have been huge with just about any decent choice though I imagine. In that situation, coming back after a long absence and hyping the movie with a new Bond. In the hypothetical situation where Dalton would star in it I don't know. A lot of the hype for this movie and what got people to go see it was the sort of refresh they did, not just a new Bond but sort of a more up-to-date Bond for the 90's thing. With Dalton it still would be a great movie but without that change of style and without all the media hype it probably wouldn't have been as big and been a somewhat different movie.

"Dan Marino should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Would you like a cookie son?"

[–] R_Kane (15828) 5 years ago

In a TV era replete with Romantic Comedy Detective shows—e.g., Moonlighting and Moon Over Miami—Brosnan’s Remington Steele was a true gem, not a mediocrity.

[–] MrMovie (845) 5 years ago

Dalton has much charisma as a wet paper bag.

[–] LordBAElish (2015) 4 years ago

This movie was written for Dalton - it took parts of the 1991 / 1993 plots / scripts that never happened.

[–] MrMovie (845) 4 years ago

Doesn’t change the fact that I’d rather watch paint dry than Dalton as Bond.

[–] bond_98 10 years ago

Dalton was a fine Bond. But so was Brosnan. Dalton has shown to be just as good at comedy as he is with drama. So i think it would have been easy for him to lighting things up. Either way i would take either Brosnan or Dalton over Craig any day.

[–] Irishdrummer007 10 years ago

I myself think Goldeneye would had been a lot Better with Dalton in the film. As a lot of the film was written with Dalton in mind.

[–] AlisonBlaire 10 years ago

Except it blatantly underwent a comprehensive rewrite with Brosnan in mind. Although, given it's clearly Brosnan's best Bond film, maybe they should have written all his films with Dalton in mind, then given them subtle adjustments. I mean, a lot of the stuff isn't Dalton's style, but the darker edge the film has is.

[–] Irishdrummer007 9 years ago

"Except it blatantly underwent a comprehensive rewrite with Brosnan in mind"

That may be true. But that was only after Dalton had said he would not return to the role. I can still spot some scenes that were meant for Dalton.

"Although, given it's clearly Brosnan's best Bond film, maybe they should have written all his films with Dalton in mind"

Hmm you might be on to something there. LOL

[–] sawfan1414 9 years ago

But that was only after Dalton had said he would not return to the role. I can still spot some scenes that were meant for Dalton.

Eh, I don't think so. Even the darker moments of GoldenEye are in Brosnan's sequels (executing Elektra and Kaufman.) They rewrote everything, gave it a total overhaul for it to suit Brosnan.

Ron *beep* Swanson is the greatest thing that ever happened to television.

[–] Irishdrummer007 9 years ago

Not really. The scene where Brosnan head bunts the Button for the Ejection Seat before the rockets come back at the Plane. That was one scene for Dalton. In the rest of Brosnan's bond films he never head Bunts any one or any thing. Dalton did so in Both of his films. The scene where 007 meets 006 again in the Screams Dalton all the way. I'm not saying they did not rewrite Most of the screenplay. But I am sure they kept some things from when they Wrote the Screenplay for Dalton.

BTW Executing Kaufman was not a dark moment in the least. More Camp then anything.

[–] sawfan1414 9 years ago

The scene where Brosnan head bunts the Button for the Ejection Seat before the rockets come back at the Plane.

Seemed more practical than anything, what else does he do?

The scene where 007 meets 006 again in the Screams Dalton all the way.

How so? This I have to disagree with entirely, it was a crucial plot point to the film, not some mannerism that Dalton did like a head-butt. Because it pertained to the Cold War?

BTW Executing Kaufman was not a dark moment in the least.

I can agree somewhat, but it's still pretty cold. He executed him remorselessly at point blank range like a stone cold killer, I'd say that falls under the category of dark (with some camp, due to the phone.)

Ron *beep* Swanson is the greatest thing that ever happened to television.

[–] fspappa 8 years ago

It still would have great with Dalton.

[–] MovieMaster95 9 years ago

I imagine the scene between Bond and 006 would have been so much better with Dalton in the role. Brosnan's okay in the film but I imagine if Dalton was one of those actors who could convey so much with his face. I can just picture the look of surprise as he first sees 006 and then it slowly turns to absolute disgust as he realizes he has been betrayed.

Honestly every time I see GoldenEye, I find it really hard to believe it was rewritten in anyway for Brosnan's Bond. Maybe they added in a few more quips here and there but besides that, the film was tailor made for Dalton's Bond.

"We'll be alive but like a nightmare. You drink blood, you won't wake up from nightmare."

[–] tralycr_c-1 8 years ago

Stuff like that was in the Moore movies, too. It's not unique to Brosnan.

There is a man...he travels fast...he has purpose...he brings violence and destruction.

[–] mcenerie 10 years ago

Can only agree.
GoldenEye is a great film. Just a shame about the lead actor...

"Imagine a world with no hypothetical questions..."

[–] fl_99 10 years ago

It would have been a better Bond film, but I don't think it would be as successful as with Brosnan with it. You see... to the fans of the literary Bond (from the novels), Dalton would make the portrayal and movie better as he embodies the 007 role much closer to the novels than the other actors (including Connery). However, to the general public, Brosnan is better suited because it was expected that he is James Bond since the mid-80's.

[–] Deadwalkerrr 10 years ago

As much as I enjoy this I always wondered how this film would have turned out with Dalton in it.

[–] clark_gillies 10 years ago

Interesting one.....

I suspect Dalton would be a little to "dry" for a number of he one-liners, and the humor that Brosnan put across, so this would have been lost (would that be a bad thing?).

I think the chemistry between him and Sean Bean would have been better... though not bad, there was just something about Brosnan and Bean that just did not quite "click".

I do not think the fight between Bond and Xenia would have been good, as it would probably have been scraped since Daltons Bond was the only Bond to not get his leg over ;-)

Saying that, Goldeneye is a good movie in its own right, it just has not aged well and the follow up Brosnan movies have somewhat tainted it

[–] sawfan1414 9 years ago

No.

Quality - Maybe, but Brosnan had great chemistry with the other actors that I don't think Dalton would have matched. Brosnan was better at the action than Dalton was. The one liners would not have went over as well.

Financially - No way. Brosnan was a household name due to Remington Steele's success, EVERYONE wanted Brosnan in the role at the time.

Ron *beep* Swanson is the greatest thing that ever happened to television.

[–] fspappa 9 years ago

After looking at Goldeneye now, I say yes. Timothy dalton would have been great.

[–] lilwith 8 years ago

I believe Goldeneye was made for Dalton. Still a wonderful film and top notch Bond classic but Dalton should've had his trilogy with this movie.

[–] sarizonana 8 years ago

i think Dalton would have been fine in Goldeneye and it is frustrating he didnt get a proper big Bond Adventure for his acting style just like Daniel is getting it now.

saying so im Glad Pierce Brosnan got the chance to make Goldeneye and i felt he did a wonderful Job as Bond in his whole tenure even if his films after Goldenye are not that well liked by critics.

but ultimatley the constant complain from the fans Dalton fans about him not doing Goldeneye is the same we Pierce fans have for him not doing Casino Royale.

its just horrible knowing that you favorite Bond could have said goodybe in a high note by everyone´s recognition and even more if it meant a third for Dalton.

two films is not enough to judge a Bond actor and Dlaton Needed his third to at least make a fair comparisson to the others. ( Connery, Craig, Brosnan and Moore)

i think the perfect number for each actor is 4 films because Connery got tired by you only live twice and Roger Moore started to annoy by his 6th film.

[–] LordBAElish (2015) 5 years ago

Dalton was offered the role - he said he wanted to take what worked well in his previous two films and go out on a high note - but he only wanted to do the one movie and not several more like Cubby wanted. I think after a 6 year hiatus, the franchise needed a new Bond. I don't think the movie would have done as well if Dalton stayed in the role. It was a big moment for the franchise, would it survive post cold war? They needed to enter the new era with a new Bond.

[–] Stratego (29199) 4 years ago

I agree.