“You always were a cunning linguist, James.”
BOND 20
TOMORROW NEVER DIES
Roger Spottiswoode . 1996
Another original, not a Fleming story. With a typo title.It was first Tomorrow Never Lies, to match the way media mogul Elliot Carver created the next day’s headlines then caused those events to happen. However, a typing error on an early script draft appeared more mysterious.
Elliot Carver . Early (silly) rumours nominated Marlon Brando,Albert Finney – even Connery, himself – for thevillain. What villain? No script hadbeen written during allthe speculation. Once words were on a page, Anthony Hopkins signed on. He split once those words were erased and replaced on new pages every morningfor three “chaotic” days. New director, Australian Roger Spottiswoode, then went for the quiet, retiring, ineffectual...
Jonathan Pryce – quite the worst 007 villain
since Louis Jourdan and Donald Pleasence.
Not his fault. Not his thing.
Paris Carver . Natasha Henstridge was selected – by UK tabloids – as Pierce Brosnan and casting lady Debbie McWilliams fought hard for Italian actress Monica Bellucci (later star of The Matrix, Irreversible, The Passion]. “She did the most incredible screen test for Paris Carver,” said Pierce. “Absolutely brilliant! Because she wasn’t that well known at the time, nobody listened.” Bellucci finally joined the fold for SPECTRE with Daniel Craig in 2014.
Dutch model Daphne Deckers also tested for Paris, which went to TV’s Lois Lane, Teri Hatcher. (Apparently, Mrs Cubby liked her TV series, Lois & Clark: The New Adventurs of Superman, 1993-1997). Deckers still appeared in the film as Pryce’s publicist. She was quite sanguine about losing out to Hatcher. “She has appeared on many World’s 50 Most Beautiful Women lists – hey, I know my place. Besides, there is no small role in a Bond film.” She worked for a week – and then wrote an article about her experience called My Seven Days With 007.
And now, Bellucci also, inexplicably, lost to Hatcher. BHHah! As if you could compare stalk and sleaze. Hatcher did not get along with Brosnan. Nor anyone else.
Teri accepted the role, she said,
to fulfill her husband’s lifelong dream
of bedding a Bond girl. Sure worked.
She had to be work fast… She was pregnant.
Also suggested: Dutch model andTV presenter Daphne Deckers (wed to the 1996 Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek) was late – but not pregnant – and given the seven-day cameo of Carver’s publicist. “Teri has appeared on many of the world’s 50 most beautiful women lists. Hey, I know my place. Besides, there is no small role in a Bond film.”
No, just producers with small horizons. too reliant on gags, gadgets, plus girls and villains who must never be allowedto take then shine off Bond. “They play it so safe.” complained Brosnan. “The pomposity and rigmarole that they put directors through is astounding.”