Will this be the one
that will forever make the James Bond producers regret not casting Clive?
shareI'll have to see this one (being Irish-extracted, for one thing), but as to the general question of Clive as Bond...yeah, that would've been one of the rare good ideas in mass-market film.
shareOwen was never in the running for Bond, so why would the producers regret it? His association with the role was only ever in the minds of the media and by extension the general public, crucially the man himself was never actually interested.
I'd also argue that his low-key performance style, coupled with his preference for crumpled, damaged characters would have made him quite unsuited to Bond - Len Deighton's 'Harry Palmer' is much more his type of part.
I wasn't evaluating the Owen question with regard to whether the producers regretted it or whether Owen was interested. I was just talking about the idea of that guy in that part.
Yeah, he's usually pretty low-key, but I'd argue that the original Bond was supposed to be, most of the time. You're right about "crumpled, damaged characters," I think, but sometimes an actor has to act -- to get outside what his preference is. Sometimes you even get great performances that way.
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But Clive Owen can look as sharp as he wants and would have made a great Bond.
And by casting Daniel Craig in the re-furbished franchise, they were going exactly for a damaged complicated vulnerable Bond. Clive Owen would have been great for that (as is Craig).
But I can see how Owen wouldn't be interested in the part--like you say, his roles have been increasingly crumpled over the years since Chancer.
But the real reason he wasn't interested ?
Just guessing but you'd really have to keep in top shape to play Bond. At least Craig does. Owen seems less interested in that ripped/unripped dimension of his characters.
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bump.
totally agree about Owen's characters. see my post on the Clive Owen page. I like Owen a lot, but he slouches and plays men who are emotionally bruised.
fewer people would object to Craig if Craig were 6 feet tall.
but i do think Craigs has taken Bond in a new direction. I myself like Bourne better. and I like steve mcqueen better than bond. so i don't mind.
Eh, Bond. Who cares? I've never been a Bond fan - he's too neat and perfect. I prefer my characters to be somewhat flawed, and human.
share