Daniel Craig in SPECTRE teaser poster
Like the movie Groundhog Day, some things in spy fandom happen over and over.
In the James Bond world, even though Daniel Craig was cast as 007 almost a decade ago, you can still find fan debates about the 47-year-old actor.
For example, a story IN THE U.K. MIRROR reported Honor Blackman said that Craig, and not Sean Connery was now the best film Bond.
“I’m sorry to say he’s a better actor – but I think Sean would acknowledge that,” the Mirror quoted Blackman, who played Pussy Galore oppose Connery in Goldfinger. “I think Dan is terrific. He’s capable of so much more.”
Naturally, on social media, Craig fans and supporters noted the story and got into it with critics of the actor. It happens the other way round, of course, when someone famous — say Ursula Andress in a DAILY MAIL STORY — says Craig isn’t the best Bond (“‘Hes a great actor, but not James Bond.”) Fan critics seize on comments such as that and try to rub it in the nose of Craig fans.
Then again, maybe this shouldn’t be surprising. There are still 007 fans who harshly criticize Roger Moore — who hasn’t done a Bond movie in 30 years — for taking too light a tone with his Bond films.
At the same time, Blackman’s comments were totally comfort food for 007 fans.
“Now it’s no longer like Ian Fleming, it’s more like The Bourne Identity,” Blackman said about current Bond movies. “It’s a different kind of film.” A lot of Bond fans don’t like the comparison with the Bourne films.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. teaser poster
Meanwhile, fans of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. continue to have variations on a the same theme: Namely, should a movie version of the 1964-68 spy show have been made at all?
There are some fans of the original show who never wanted it made in the first place and view it as garbage four months before it’s due out in theaters.
Among the reasons: it changes the U.N.C.L.E. timeline (the movie depicts the beginning of U.N.C.L.E. in 1963, whereupon in the show it began sometime shortly after World War II); there’s no way the stars (Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer) can possibly compare to Robert Vaughn and David McCallum); and the movie has lost the “everyman” dynamic of the show because it with two leads over 6-feet tall, including the 6-foot-5 Hammer as Illya Kuryakin, originally played by the 5-foot-7 McCallum.
As details dribble out, such as the movie Solo has a history as an art thief, that debate intensifies.
Nevertheless, other U.N.C.L.E. fans, having gone without an official U.N.C.L.E. production since a 1983 television movie, are looking forward to the film and want to give it a chance.
Both are spy entertainment’s version of Groundhog Day. No doubt somebody will again gear up one or the other debate sooner than later.
Filed under: James Bond Films, The Other Spies | Tagged: A movie version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.?, Armie Hammer, Daily Mail, Daniel Craig, David McCallum, Henry Cavill, Honor Blackman, James Bond Films, Robert Vaughn, Roger Moore, Sean Connery, SPECTRE, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, The Other Spies, U.K. the Mirror, Ursula Andress |
The Spy Command 
I was trying to place my comments on the same daily mirrors
article. where british veteran actress honor blackman made the
supposed statement that Daniel craig’s a better actor at playing
james bond.
very strange statement when you consider Daniel craig was born
4 years after ‘goldfinger’ (1964) was released. and there wasn’t
anything back then hotter than sir sean connery as james bond
and sliced bread.
during the 60s era the movie makers had to make their movie
stars more like what had to be accepted in Hollywood. back then
I wonder if her statement would be the same if Daniel craig
had been born back then and starred as james bond in ‘goldfinger ?
different strokes for different folks.
however it also applies to the new to be released ‘the man from u.n.c.l.e. movie it’s going to be a mixed view-point all around but
I personally hope for the faithful fan-clubs it does well at the
box-office.