Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the Bond films

By: FSWL team

Published:
2015-06-02

Some Kind of Hero Remarkable James Bond Story

Publication of the 704 pages hardback edition of Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films from The History Press, a new book on the James Bond films written by FSWL readers Matthew Field & Ajay Chowdhury with a Foreword by George Lazenby.

>Read the Foreword by George Lazenby (exclusively published on FSWL)

THE MOST IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE JAMES BOND FILMS. EVER.
For over 50 years, Albert R. Broccoli’s Eon Productions has navigated the ups and downs of the volatile British film industry, enduring both critical wrath and acclaim in equal measure for its now legendary James Bond series. Latterly, this family-run business has been crowned with box office gold and recognised by motion picture academies around the world. However, it has not always been plain sailing.

Changing tax regimes forced 007 to relocate to France and Mexico; changing fashions and politics led to box office disappointments; and changing studio regimes and business disputes all but killed the franchise. And the rise of competing action heroes has constantly questioned Bond’s place in popular culture. But against all odds the filmmakers continue to wring new life from the series, and 2012’s Skyfall saw both huge critical and commercial success, crowning 007 as the undisputed king of the action genre.

Written by Bond scholars Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury, Some Kind of Hero is based on over 100 new interviews with the stars, directors, writers, filmmakers, studio executives and the men who played James Bond. The authors have also drawn upon archives of rare and unpublished material from around the world.

Some Kind of Hero is the culmination of many years researching and interviewing the talented individuals responsible for bringing the James Bond films to the screen. Authors Field and Chowdhury commented:

"As we delved deeper into the Bond mythos, we realised there were many untold tales from many unsung heroes who played key creative roles in the series. We hope that even the most devoted Bond fans will find fascinating facets to the franchise in these pages. We have gained a new appreciation of not only how the series was started but how that Rolls-Royce standard has been maintained. When SPECTRE (2015) is released later this year, we hope readers will gain some insight in yet another chapter in the remarkable story of the James Bond films."

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>Kindle edition of Some Kind of Hero (14.99 USD)

FSWL founder Anders Frejdh comments:

"Delighted to recommend this book on the James Bond films which, in my opinion, is the only 007 tome you need to read in 2015 about the cinematic worldwide phenomenon."

And continues, "pleased to see another Bond related book from The History Press who previously published four favourite books of mine; The Shepperton Story (2009), Shooting 007: And Other Celluloid Adventures (2014), The World According to Blofeld’s Cat: Unofficial Musings from the Volcano Lair (2015) and Stars and Wars: The Film Memoirs and Photographs of Alan Tomkins (2015)."

A selection of the content:
• CHAPTER 1: SHOWBIZ IS A GHASTLY BIZ
'What I want is not a publisher, but a "factory" that will shift this opus of mine like "Gone With The Naked And The Dead"' – Ian Fleming

• CHAPTER 2: A SUBLIME HUSTLER
"[Ian Fleming] and my father shared some similar experiences. Even though they couldn't publicize it, I really think that Ian felt the series was safe in my father's hands." – Hilary Saltzman, daughter of Harry Saltzman

• CHAPTER 3: OPTIMISM AND APPREHENSION
'[Harry Saltzman said] "What do we do now?" So Broccoli said, "What are you talking about? We have a handshake deal with Arthur Krim." In those days, [United Artists] were known for keeping our word, we had a very good reputation, our word was our bond - not James Bond (laughs).' – Eric Pleskow, United Artists executive

• CHAPTER 4: THERE THEY GO - Dr. No
“When I first met Fleming there was certainly no dissention between us on how to see Bond. I saw him as a complete sensualist – senses highly tuned, awake to everything, quite amoral. I particularly like him because he thrives on conflict.” – Sean Connery

• CHAPTER 5: I MUST RETURN - From Russia with Love
"[The offices at South Audley Street were] a rabbit warren of small rooms served by a dark staircase - no elevator - on which one met all manner of film people. [I dealt mainly with Saltzman on the picture] I saw Cubby from time to time but our conversations were just friendly day to day comments. I never discussed films with him. His quiet voice and shy manner made it difficult to believe that he had been an agent in Hollywood.” – Len Deighton

• CHAPTER 6: THE MIDAS TOUCH - Goldfinger (1964)
"[On the first day of shooting] Harry comes on and he’s not technically minded. He’s got a bottle of champagne and he says ‘This is to wish you all tremendous good fortune with this picture.’ And he smashes the bottle of champagne on the camera. He can’t understand why no one claps - we were all stunned. There is broken glass everywhere.” – Guy Hamilton

• CHAPTER 7: WINNER WHO TAKES ALL - Thunderball (1965)
"[Harry Saltzman rejected me] 'We don’t have the same one twice, they’re all Kleenex, throw ’em out.’ [My friend Terence Young said] 'Don’t be ridiculous, she’s a Jamaican' and he actually fought for me. There I was the original Island girl. The only problem was I had not seen the sun in years – I was grey. And I was thin. When we got to Nassau, I was told to lie in the sun and eat." – Martine Beswick

• CHAPTER 8: PITY IF IT GRIEVES 'EM - BONDMANIA
"We used to have meetings with Cubby up in his [South Audley Street] office and Irving Allen [who stayed there after Warwick Films was over] was always earwigging. When he did those Matt Helm pictures some of the stuff we discussed was then filmed [by Allen]." – Peter Lamont

• CHAPTER 9: DON'T THINK OF THE DANGER - You Only Live Twice
"[I had not received my work permit three days before the World Cup Final in 1966] between England and Germany. Saltzman said, 'If we don’t get the working permit in the next day we have to pay you out and pick another actress.' [I watched the match on on a portable television leant to me by Sean Connery, who joked] ‘If the Germans win, Karin will never get the working permit!’"
– Karin Dor

• CHAPTER 10 - NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
"[Saltzman said] 'Get him out of here. He’s a "clothes peg." We’ll be the laughing stock of the industry if we hire a male model.' [I did tests in secret at Woodlands] Harry’s house out near Pinewood. Acres and acres. Beautiful old mansion. Everyone thought I was the stand-in James Bond for the other actors. I didn’t even have a dressing room. Peter Hunt had me out there testing for all the actors playing other roles.” – George Lazenby

• CHAPTER 11: ALL I NEED TO PLEASE ME - Diamonds Are Forever
"I put a lot of myself into [Tiffany Case]. I loved the name. I did think she was intelligent and I have that conceit. And I did think she could get herself out of most situations, which I have done. But she was outside the norm – she was a diamond smuggler, she was a crook, she was many, many things. And I feel like I’ve had several lives. I really identified with Tiffany Case." – Jill St. John

• CHAPTER 12: GIVE THE OTHER FELLA HELL - Live and Let Die
"[Harry] Saltzman was like Martin Luther King. I said ‘Harry wouldn’t it be great if we had black stuntmen?’ So for the first time in history, he hired black stunt co-ordinators on the movie. He was so happy to do it. Saltzman says to me ‘Who else would do a thing like this. Yaphet?’ I said ‘Harry, you are the greatest.’" – Yaphet Kotto

• CHAPTER 13: JUST BEFORE THE KILL - The Man with the Golden Gun
"I’d seen Ursula Andress in Dr. No and I’d thought that was the most incredible looking person I’d ever seen. I thought that’s what I want to do. [I read the novel The Man With The Golden Gun and dressed as Mary Goodnight, a secretary in the book.] Cubby Broccoli said, 'Well, you know, we only really use the title of the stories on Bonds and we build our stories around the title of the books.' As I was leaving he introduced me to Roger Moore. I left to start a movie in Colorado for six weeks. On the plane back to London I read that a Swedish girl, Maud Adams, was the new Bond girl. I was shattered. I couldn’t believe it." – Britt Ekland

• CHAPTER 14: 'TWO SCORPIONS A BOTTLE'
• CHAPTER 15: SOME KIND OF MAGIC - The Spy Who Loved Me
• CHAPTER 16: THAT MOONLIGHT TRAIL - Moonraker
• CHAPTER 17: READ BETWEEN THE LINES - For Your Eyes Only
• CHAPTER 18: TWO OF A KIND - Octopussy
• CHAPTER 19: NO MATTER YOUR ATTITUDE - Never Say Never Again
• CHAPTER 20: PHOENIX FOR THE FLAME - A View to a Kill
• CHAPTER 21: DOWN TO THE WIRE - The Living Daylights
• CHAPTER 22: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE - Licence to Kill
• CHAPTER 23: CHANGE MY MIND FOREVER - PASSING THE BOND BATON
• CHAPTER 24: FROM THE SHADOWS AS A CHILD - GoldenEye
• CHAPTER 25: NOT THE ONLY SPY OUT THERE - Tomorrow Never Dies
• CHAPTER 26: KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE - The World Is Not Enough
• CHAPTER 27: BREAK THE CYCLE - Die Another Day
• CHAPTER 28: THROUGH HARDER MEN - Casino Royale
• CHAPTER 29: SLICK TRIGGER FINGER - Quantum of Solace
• CHAPTER 30: STAND TALL TOGETHER - Skyfall
• CHAPTER 31: WHERE IT STARTS - SPECTRE

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Reviews:
>Mark O'Connell (22-10-2015)
>MI6-HQ.com (13-12-2015)
>Free Kittens Movie Guide (2-1-2016)
>James Bond Radio (15-1-2016)
>The James Bond Dossier (27-1-2016)
>James Bond Memes (19-2-2016)
>Starburst Magazine

About the authors:
MATTHEW FIELD began his writing career with The Making of The Italian Job. He has since co-produced a feature length documentary about the film for Paramount Pictures. In 2008 he penned the autobiography of Oscar-winning film producer Michael Deeley, Blade Runners, Deer Hunters and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off! Field’s James Bond journalism has appeared in Mi6 Confidential, 007 Magazine, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Cinema Retro. In 2012, he served as editorial consultant on MGM’s feature length documentary, Everything or Nothing. Matthew currently works for a leading film-marketing agency. His most recent feature film credits include Stephen Frears’ The Program, Michael Winterbottom’s The Face of an Angel and the Australian period drama, The Dressmaker.

AJAY CHOWDHURY was born in London and read Law at university there and in The Netherlands. He has since provided legal advice on various motion picture, music, publishing, television and theatrical projects. He was the associate producer on two feature films, Lost Dogs and Flirting with Flamenco. In 2012, he penned the screenplay to the multi-award winning, Olympic-themed short, A Human Race. Ajay is the spokesperson for The James Bond International Fan Club, established in 1979. He edited their James Bond journal, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and for the last two decades has contributed to numerous books and magazines on the James Bond legacy. He is regularly called upon by worldwide media to commentate on all things 007.

Editor's note:
For a presentation of the magazines that Field & Chowdhury has contributed to, click here. FSWL has the full coverage of Bond magazines (fanzines) from around the world.

Photo above:
Cover for Some Kind Of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films. Design by Mark Witherspoon. © 2015 The History Press. All rights reserved.

Order Some Kind Of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond films from Amazon UK.

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Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the Bond films

"Delighted to recommend this book on the James Bond films which, in my opinion, is the only 007 tome you need to read in 2015 about the cinematic worldwide phenomenon."

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