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If author Ian Fleming had his way, James Bond’s escapades would have played out quite differently on the big screen.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of James Bond’s cinematic contributions to the world, and fans may be shocked to learn just what author Ian Fleming had in mind for the martini-loving spy. Thanks to a recent unearthing of a long-lost 150-page Moonraker script written by Ian Fleming, 007 fans can now know how the creator wanted to pitch and have his only screenplay adapted into a feature film. Written in 1956 and shortly after the book was published, it was discovered in England and had two characters conspicuously absent. Moneypenny and “M,” respectively. And can you imagine a world without seeing any of “Q’s” witty inventions?
Released in 1979, Moonraker starred Roger Moore as the globe-trotting Secret Service agent. Prior to that, Fleming was hired by CBS in 1954 to adapt the first non-EON Production version of Casino Royale for American television. However, it would be two years prior to his death in 1962 before the novelist would see any of his novels adapted for film. At present, there is another wait of sorts at hand with anticipation of the next actor to take on the role of the famous character.
A Tale of Two Spy Storylines
In the jam-packed action flick Moonraker, audiences see James Bond fleeing from Jaws, the metal-grilled henchman, on a hang-glider after being ejected from a speedboat before diving over the cliff of a waterfall. That is only one of the high-octane scenes from the movie that were not a part of Fleming’s original novel. However, Fleming did make changes to his script. In it, the head of the British secret intelligence service is not referred to as “M.” Plus, the person closely resembles a good-natured 1950s city gentleman as opposed to the gruff character portrayed in the books and films. The flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny is absent, but a special branch officer working undercover named Tosh is introduced. Tosh is one of a new host of characters who take on the villainous Hugo Drax.
The undeveloped screenplay was amassed by two antiquarian London bookshops (Peter and Adrian Harrington Rare Books) and is part of an extensive collection of Bond material. Jon Gilbert, a resident Fleming expert at Harrington Rare Books, said that while the script was fascinating and reads very well, it was “far too descriptive” and a true scriptwriter would have focused more on that dialogue.
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