THE NEW MONEYPENNY IS A MAN? WHERE IS Q?Daniel Craig Gives his Answers
The question of what makes a Bond movie, and how it is possible to satisfy the fans' desire for the traditional elements of the franchise is an inescapable discussion when a new Bond film is released. ROTTEN TOMATOES' Joanna Cohen caught up with Daniel Craig in an interview that talked about the new Bond film QUANTUM OF SOLACE. One aspect of Quantum of Solace that truly pays tribute to the tradition is its number one ranking as the Bond film shot across the highest number of exotic locations.
"Dr No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger are all stylish movies. They went on location. They put the money up on the screen and we continue to do that now. We go on location. It's up there and you know you are watching a movie that has cost money because hopefully it has been spent in the right place."
He believes strongly, however, that a good Bond film can't rely entirely on the constructs of its franchise. He is quick to point out that there is a generation of people who have never seen a Bond film and as such the film must work in its own right. It is not enough to drop in lines, gadgets or characters just because one person in the audience has an expectation that they should be there regardless of good plot or characterisation. A case in point being the gags and humour that are traditionally scattered throughout Bond films. "I love those lines and I think they are absolutely valid but we have to find a new way of doing them. We owe it to Bond. If you drop them in just because a member of the audience thinks that it is not a bond movie without them, they are bad gags. With good writers, and good actors we can find a way. We did it a bit with Casino and we did it a little bit with Quantum of Solace."
Not only are gags for the sake of gags dropped from the repertoire in Quantum, but here we have a Bond, a heartbroken Bond, who appears almost respectful of women, particularly strong women.
"The days of the misogynistic Bond are sort of over. It doesn't stop him from being misogynist at times but if he comes into contact with strong people, not just strong women, but strong people, it is just sexier. It is more interesting if someone challenges him and it is a woman." He believes the most interesting relationship in the film is that between Bond and M. Both Craig and Forster felt that that relationship was crucial to the success of Quantum of Solace.
"We felt if we got this right it would make the movie. She doesn't trust him because her bosses are telling her to figure this guy out. She is in a dilemma because she thinks that she can trust him but has been ordered not to. I am really happy where we got it to and I hope we do get to make another one because that relationship is really solid." Also evident is his pleasure in working with the actor behind M, Dame Judi Dench. When asked about her sense of humour he laughs that he has "known dirtier senses of humour but hers is pretty dirty."
"I have never worked with her before. It has obviously been a dream of mine to do so and this dream has been fulfilled. Maybe we will do something serious one day but this ticks all the boxes." Another actor he respects in the film is Rory Kinnear who plays M's aid, Bill Tanner. Craig laughs that he is basically the modern Moneypenny. "He plays it beautifully and gives a brilliant performance in this. He has a really small role but he does it pitch perfectly, the way he plays off Judi. It is a very subtle performance going on in the movie." Craig sees Kinnear's performance as a key example of why you don't just throw traditional Bond characters into the films, anymore than do gags and gadgets.
Like Moneypenny, Q is an obvious and much loved character missing from the franchise. Craig would love to see Q come back to the modern Bond but not just for the sake of having him there. "We should give Q to a good actor. We should find an actor and find out what they think and find a good story. If we just drop it in there and then go to the basement and there is Q with exploding bananas, it is not going to work. Q has been done and it has been done brilliantly and with great humour. We have to find a way to bring Q into it properly. I think we owe it to the franchise."
For all this discussion, does Daniel Craig like James Bond?
"I don't dislike him I just don't want to judge him really. I think he is totally morally ambiguous as a character; he kills people for a living. If I start judging him or taking the piss out of him, which would be the worst thing to do, then it is all over and there is no room to go. I think it would be nice to get to know him a bit more in the next movie. I think he could be relaxed. I do think Quantum of Solace is the end of this sort of intensity. The next version of the intensity we will come from a different angle. It won't be so balls to the wall. It will hopefully be something that we can slowly come into and explore in a different way. Also, there will be a lot more gags."
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