As a film enthusiast with over three decades of immersion in the silver screen, I must say that the 1967 adaptation of Ian Fleming’s “Casino Royale” is an absolute marvel, albeit one that requires a particular palate to savor.
Indeed, Casino Royale. It’s not commonly known that this classic James Bond flick from way back wasn’t starring Daniel Craig, but rather Woody Allen, Peter Sellers, and Orson Welles. Yes, you got it right! Forty years prior to the reboot of the 007 franchise with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, Ian Fleming’s book was transformed into one of the zaniest, most absurd films ever conceived. In light of the ongoing search for a new James Bond, let’s reminisce about the most bizarre moment in the series’ history.
1967’s “Casino Royale” was a grand spectacle, boasting a budget that was approximately 12 times larger than the one for 1962’s “Dr. No”. This iconic film featured an outstanding ensemble cast from the ’60s, including David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Woody Allen, Joanna Pettet, Orson Welles, Daliah Lavi, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, Charles Boyer, Jean-Paul Belmondo, George Raft, John Huston, Jacqueline Bisset, Peter O’Toole, and Ronnie Corbett. Not only was the film visually expansive on screen, but it was also excessively complex behind the scenes. The movie had multiple directors and numerous screenwriters and revisions. The production process was extravagant, constantly demanding more funds and more time, yet never seeming to be sufficient. As Roger Ebert noted in his review:
Without a doubt, “Casino Royale” once had a production timeline, a screenplay, and a storyline. Should any of these elements surface, it could lead to an excellent motion picture…This film, arguably, is one of the most extravagant ever produced. The possibilities are endless.
A James Bond Movie That Makes Fun of 007 & His Womanizing
In Casino Royale, the story opens with an older version of James Bond (David Niven), who is no longer active in his spy duties. This Bond is notably distinct from our familiar image of him. He resides on a private estate filled with lions, where he plays Debussy piano pieces daily, grieving over the loss of his partner and fellow agent, Mata Hari. His preferred tea is jasmine, especially Lapsang Souchong, and he has a slight stutter, which sets him apart from the usual James Bond we’re accustomed to.
He’s also far from the sexpot we all remember. In many ways, Casino Royale is a straight-up satire of the Bond franchise and the spy genre in general, especially targeting its sexism and objectification of women. At one point, Bond says, “It’s depressing that the words ‘secret agent’ have become synonymous with ‘sex maniac.‘” With Bond being hunted by a gang of female assassins from the evil organization SMERSH (led by Dr. Noah), he decides to have a spy trained to be an AFSD (Anti-Female Spy Device), a James Bond lookalike who can’t be seduced by women but who has the seductive power to entrance any woman. He’s chosen by having a flimsily dressed Moneypenny kiss a lineup of spies. It’s utterly ridiculous.
Woody Allen Is Jimmy Bond
In this film, it isn’t just James Bond’s doppelganger that makes an appearance. Instead, there are several agents trained as stand-ins for 007, including women – quite a progressive touch. One such agent is none other than Jimmy Bond, James’ nephew, who, unlike his suave uncle, is anything but debonair. Given that Woody Allen is the one portraying him and has penned parts of the script as well, it comes as no surprise that Jimmy’s introduction involves a chaotic scene at a firing squad, followed by a flurry of typical Woody Allen wit and humor before he manages to escape.
You can’t shoot me. I have a very low threshold for death. My doctor says I can’t have bullets enter my body at any time.
He’s quite a fool, and the genuine James Bond acknowledges this. At one point, Bond remarks, “He’s really underwhelming.” Later, he mentions to Nellie that she shouldn’t have sent him to that modern school. Throughout the movie, we see Woody Allen displaying various humorous antics such as emitting animated burps, acting out charades, comically trying to charm a kidnapped woman, and more. If you’ve ever pondered what a comedy version of James Bond would be like, these Woody Allen scenes give you a good idea.
How Did Casino Royale (1967) Happen?
The peculiar journey of the film adaptation for “Casino Royale” is worth noting, as it sheds light on how the movie eventually took an unusual turn. Decades before James Bond gained prominence with “Dr. No,” Ian Fleming sold the rights to “Casino Royale” a full decade earlier. Gregory Ratoff acquired these rights for $6,000 and enlisted Lorenzo Semple, Jr. to pen a script. Interestingly, both Ratoff and Semple found Bond to be foolish and sought to transform him into a female character, with hopes that Susan Hayward would portray the role. However, their script was declined, and Ratoff passed away in 1960.
Charles K. Feldman, Ratoff’s talent agent, acquired the rights from the widow and declined to sell them to Albert Broccoli, who later produced all the main Bond movies. Instead, Feldman and director Howard Hawks envisioned making Casino Royale with Cary Grant as 007 – what an amazing movie that would have been! However, after watching Dr. No in 1962, they chose a different path and ultimately decided to create a satire of Bond. Ben Hecht, a frequent collaborator of Alfred Hitchcock (and an Oscar-winning screenwriter), wrote multiple drafts of the script but unfortunately passed away during the process.
In simpler terms, Joseph Heller, known for writing ‘Catch-22’, was hired to rewrite a script, which he did and humorously chronicled in his essay titled “How I Found James Bond, Lost My Self-Respect and Almost Made $150,000 in My Spare Time“. This script was later revised by Billy Wilder. Additionally, scenes for the actor Peter Sellers were written, who played a baccarat expert taking on the role of another James Bond. However, Sellers didn’t like his lines and sought to outshine other writers and actors such as Woody Allen and Orson Welles. Consequently, he hired Terry Southern to rewrite his own part. Unfortunately, Sellers often disappeared for extended periods and refused to work with Orson Welles on set, causing the filmmakers to reshoot scenes multiple times using reverse shots.
By the time the movie began production, the script had been cobbled together like Frankenstein’s monster by myriad writers — along with Wilder, Hecht, Heller, Southern, and Semple, there was also Woody Allen, Val Guest, Wolf Mankowitz, John Law, and Michael Sayers. It was a mess that became messier and more ridiculous with every passing day. But at least we have the gorgeous, Oscar-nominated score by Burt Bacharach, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, and Dusty Springfield. Oh, and Woody Allen squirming around like a frightened weasel as Jimmy Bond. Wherever the 007 franchise goes from here, Casino Royale remains a cautionary tale — too many cooks spoil the broth (or martini, in this case). Casino Royale is streaming for free on Pluto TV and on Tubi here.
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2024-11-11 07:02