Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond on BBC America

Category: Television and Streaming

We all know Bond, James Bond. Most of us know Ian Fleming created the character of the superspy. In 1990 a TV movie was produced titled Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming. This movie starred Jason Connery, the son of Sean Connery who played the first incarnation of 007 on the big screen, and to those die-hard Bond fans, the only true James Bond. Now BBC America has a new 4-part mini-series titled Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond.

 

This new mini-series is an expanded version of the 1990 movie, with Dominic Cooper in the role of Ian Fleming, the womanizing, scheming rich kid who joined the Royal Navy during World War II and devised many intelligence schemes to help the allies win the war. Those knowledgeable about Fleming already know that he based many of James Bond’s antics and characteristics on himself. This mini-series reveals much of the author’s personal traits that we have come to see in the Bond films and read about in the Bond books.

 

Having recently seen the 1990 film I found myself comparing this new mini-series to the DVD I had viewed several months earlier. I must say that the DVD came out ahead because of the star, Jason Connery. There was something special about seeing him play the man who invented the character that made his father a worldwide household name. And, I also thought that Connery was more endearing as Ian Fleming. However, not knowing Mr. Fleming, I cannot say which portrayal of him is the most realistic – that of Jason Connery or of Dominic Cooper.

 

This mini-series delves into the psyche of the man who didn’t conform to conventionality and who bucked the system, his family, and his commanders at every turn. But he knew what he wanted and went after it – or her. And, his cleverness, imagination, and determination were what propelled him in life and in his work as an intelligence officer in the Royal Navy as well as a best-selling author. His characteristics made him the best man for the job of espionage, and he proved himself in that area many times, both in reality during the war and later on paper taking his fictionalized spy through the paces, ultimately coming out on top every time.

 

This mini-series will be interesting to fans of the character and films, as it lays the foundation for the fictional stories. Anna Chancellor stars as Lieutenant Monday, the muse for the Moneypenny character in the Bond films. Shades of the musical Bond theme run throughout the series and the birth of many Bond traits are exposed in this show as Ian Fleming combines his womanizing traits with his cunning intelligence to prove he is more than a rich boy without worth. He rises to the task of espionage leader and amazes and surprises everyone – except himself. He knew he could do it. He just needed the chance to show what he was capable of.

Recently the cast sat down with journalists to discuss this mini-series. When asked whether he knew much about Ian Fleming prior to this project, Dominic Cooper replied, “I didn’t know a great deal about him, I have to admit. I was aware of him, but I knew very little about his life. And there are two very comprehensive biographies about his life that I had the pleasure of reading when I found out about the project.” Then I asked whether they were aware of the 1990 movie Spymaker. They were not.

A side note or two: I still recommend the 1990 movie which can be purchased through the Warner Archive Collection (www.wbshop.com) and for more information about Ian Fleming check out the website at www.ianfleming.com. Did you know besides 007 he also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

 

While that movie is for kids, Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond is not. It is strictly for adults due to the sexual nature of many scenes, nudity, and horrors of war. Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond premiers January 29, 2014 on BBC America’s Dramaville.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet: The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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