Service, and Longitude 78 West. Henceforth, these treatments shall be collectively referred to as "The Film Scripts."
In July, when The Boy and the Bridge premiered, critical reaction was unfavorable, and as a result, the film did not do well at the box office. At this point, Fleming's excitement and hope for the Bond film must have begun to diminish. MCA was hinting that other production companies were interested in James Bond, and the CBS deal was still being worked out. Hubbell Robinson had made a $10,000 bid for a 90-minute TV "spectacular" of FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE, sponsored by the Ford Motor Co., with James Mason as Bond. (But this never came to pass.) There were, perhaps, other possibilities, and relations between Fleming and McClory began to cool. Nevertheless, on July 8, Fleming wrote to Bryce saying that in exchange for $50,000 worth of shares in "the new company," the company would have the right to make "the first full-length James Bond feature film." Fleming added that he would write a full suggested treatment which could be altered if the company wished, and that he would be on hand to provide "editorial and advisory services." In September, Fleming made the suggestion of bringing in another director, with McClory acting as producer. McClory suggested Hitchcock, but the director eventually declined the offer.
Another thing worrying Fleming was the cost factor. The projected James Bond film was going to be very expensive. Bryce had lost a fair amount of money on The Boy and the Bridge, and would need strong backing in order to finance the film. (According to Bryce, The Boy and the Bridge eventually recouped its costs.) Fleming had been advised by MCA that a more experienced director would attract the needed money from investors. By October, Fleming was spending less and less time with the project; screenwriting was not particularly his fancy, and he was becoming increasingly busy at the newspaper office. McClory, with Fleming's approval, brought in another writer named Jack Whittingham to complete the screenplay.
Fleming was also preoccupied with changes at Kemsley House. Lord Kemsley had sold the newspapers to Roy Thomson, a Canadian, and Fleming was apprehensive he might not have the same freedom and opportunities for adventure he'd had in the past He found, however, that his new situation at Thomson Newspapers would be just as favorable if not better. Thomson and the future Sunday Times editor, Denis Hamilton, asked Fleming to take a five-week trip around the world and record his impressions of several famous cities for a series of articles in the Sunday Times. They would later be reprinted in a book to be called THRILLING CITIES. Fleming had always filled the Bond novels with what could be called "travelogue material" which added to their exotic quality. Thus, at the end of October, 1959, Fleming began his world tour in Hong Kong. He covered Macao, Tokyo, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Geneva, Naples, and Monte Carlo. In the New York article, he also included a brief short story entitled "007 in New York," which described James Bond's impressions of and feelings about New York.
In December, Fleming met with McClory and Whittingham for more script conferences about the James Bond film. Fleming was impressed with the work Whittingham and McClory had done, but still had reservations about the film's projected budget Nevertheless, plans for the film continued. McClory and Whittingham sent the latest script, now called Longitude 78 West ,to Fleming from the Bahamas. At this point, Fleming changed the title to Thunderball.
The fifties drew to a close. The Cold War was reaching a peak. Now more than ever before, the time was ripe for James Bond. In eight short years, Ian Fleming had created a character which would soon become internationally famous. His popularity in America was rising and Fleming felt that nothing could go wrong.
THE SIXTIES
T he sixties is
In July, when The Boy and the Bridge premiered, critical reaction was unfavorable, and as a result, the film did not do well at the box office. At this point, Fleming's excitement and hope for the Bond film must have begun to diminish. MCA was hinting that other production companies were interested in James Bond, and the CBS deal was still being worked out. Hubbell Robinson had made a $10,000 bid for a 90-minute TV "spectacular" of FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE, sponsored by the Ford Motor Co., with James Mason as Bond. (But this never came to pass.) There were, perhaps, other possibilities, and relations between Fleming and McClory began to cool. Nevertheless, on July 8, Fleming wrote to Bryce saying that in exchange for $50,000 worth of shares in "the new company," the company would have the right to make "the first full-length James Bond feature film." Fleming added that he would write a full suggested treatment which could be altered if the company wished, and that he would be on hand to provide "editorial and advisory services." In September, Fleming made the suggestion of bringing in another director, with McClory acting as producer. McClory suggested Hitchcock, but the director eventually declined the offer.
Another thing worrying Fleming was the cost factor. The projected James Bond film was going to be very expensive. Bryce had lost a fair amount of money on The Boy and the Bridge, and would need strong backing in order to finance the film. (According to Bryce, The Boy and the Bridge eventually recouped its costs.) Fleming had been advised by MCA that a more experienced director would attract the needed money from investors. By October, Fleming was spending less and less time with the project; screenwriting was not particularly his fancy, and he was becoming increasingly busy at the newspaper office. McClory, with Fleming's approval, brought in another writer named Jack Whittingham to complete the screenplay.
Fleming was also preoccupied with changes at Kemsley House. Lord Kemsley had sold the newspapers to Roy Thomson, a Canadian, and Fleming was apprehensive he might not have the same freedom and opportunities for adventure he'd had in the past He found, however, that his new situation at Thomson Newspapers would be just as favorable if not better. Thomson and the future Sunday Times editor, Denis Hamilton, asked Fleming to take a five-week trip around the world and record his impressions of several famous cities for a series of articles in the Sunday Times. They would later be reprinted in a book to be called THRILLING CITIES. Fleming had always filled the Bond novels with what could be called "travelogue material" which added to their exotic quality. Thus, at the end of October, 1959, Fleming began his world tour in Hong Kong. He covered Macao, Tokyo, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Geneva, Naples, and Monte Carlo. In the New York article, he also included a brief short story entitled "007 in New York," which described James Bond's impressions of and feelings about New York.
In December, Fleming met with McClory and Whittingham for more script conferences about the James Bond film. Fleming was impressed with the work Whittingham and McClory had done, but still had reservations about the film's projected budget Nevertheless, plans for the film continued. McClory and Whittingham sent the latest script, now called Longitude 78 West ,to Fleming from the Bahamas. At this point, Fleming changed the title to Thunderball.
The fifties drew to a close. The Cold War was reaching a peak. Now more than ever before, the time was ripe for James Bond. In eight short years, Ian Fleming had created a character which would soon become internationally famous. His popularity in America was rising and Fleming felt that nothing could go wrong.
THE SIXTIES
T he sixties is
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