This is a blog about the books, film and world of British thriller and spy novel author Len Deighton, writer of The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin, SS-GB, Bomber, Berlin Game and many other books. This blog also covers the spy thriller genre and the Cold War more widely.
It is a companion website to the main Deighton Dossier archive (link on the right).
It is the only website + blog endorsed by the author himself!
Content (c) Rob Mallows 2008-22 unless otherwise stated.
I would not say Deighton was an insider as for as Fleming and his Bond novels were concerned. Looking at the photo you have there, and the description that was associated with it, it was Deighton and Fleming meeting for lunch, perhaps for the first time face-to-face, in the Goodge Street vicinity. Recall Deighton observing Fleming was a fussy eater. That remark sounds like a discovery, when two people meet for the first time.
That must be before Dr No was released, or could be after in 1962, the latter must be the case, as Fleming could find time to lunch with Deighton. Fleming looks relaxed too. Also, 1962 was the year when Ipcress File was published, its success in a few months ,and Fleming's positive review point to this period.
Now about Kevin McClory. He might have dabbled with script writing of From Russia with Love before, but when the Bond Franchise was up and running with Broccoli and Salzman, Richard Maibaum became the script writer. Kevin McClory and Thunderball saga was a side story once it became clear to Broccoli and Salzman that it can be messy with McClory claiming the authorship.
Hence, without being rude to Deighton, his "James Bond: my long and eventful search for his father" sounds more like his perspective born out of what he must have heard at that time, plus what he gathered at the above meeting perhaps, but I guess, not as an insider in the sense as a close friend and confident of Fleming. Thee is no recird to say they were close. But Fleming and McClory were. I have not read much about the stories of their friendship, except what was reported with that photo. Of course Salzman meeting Deighton is known. Salzman and Broccoli relationship was business like at best, and often prickly, and that meant that Salzman was interested in an "un-Bond" like movie as an independent producer, when Ipcress File hit him after its raving reviews.
The 50 years after the release of Dr No (I had had the privilege of reading a few Bond novels before 1960 in my university days, and had the opportunity to watch in 1962 Bond appearing in the wide screen) has triggered efforts in many places. Deighton has done well to add his contribution as part of those efforts.
Probably your comment makes more sense linked to the subsequent blog post, but thanks for posting. Well, I don't think as you say Len was particularly Fleming's close friend, but the book is his perspective as someone who knew many of the 'players' and was involved in two key elements of the early Bond. All adds to the 'mythos' I guess.
I would not say Deighton was an insider as for as Fleming and his Bond novels were concerned. Looking at the photo you have there, and the description that was associated with it, it was Deighton and Fleming meeting for lunch, perhaps for the first time face-to-face, in the Goodge Street vicinity. Recall Deighton observing Fleming was a fussy eater. That remark sounds like a discovery, when two people meet for the first time.
ReplyDeleteThat must be before Dr No was released, or could be after in 1962, the latter must be the case, as Fleming could find time to lunch with Deighton. Fleming looks relaxed too. Also, 1962 was the year when Ipcress File was published, its success in a few months ,and Fleming's positive review point to this period.
Now about Kevin McClory. He might have dabbled with script writing of From Russia with Love before, but when the Bond Franchise was up and running with Broccoli and Salzman, Richard Maibaum became the script writer. Kevin McClory and Thunderball saga was a side story once it became clear to Broccoli and Salzman that it can be messy with McClory claiming the authorship.
Hence, without being rude to Deighton, his "James Bond: my long and eventful search for his father" sounds more like his perspective born out of what he must have heard at that time, plus what he gathered at the above meeting perhaps, but I guess, not as an insider in the sense as a close friend and confident of Fleming. Thee is no recird to say they were close. But Fleming and McClory were. I have not read much about the stories of their friendship, except what was reported with that photo. Of course Salzman meeting Deighton is known. Salzman and Broccoli relationship was business like at best, and often prickly, and that meant that Salzman was interested in an "un-Bond" like movie as an independent producer, when Ipcress File hit him after its raving reviews.
The 50 years after the release of Dr No (I had had the privilege of reading a few Bond novels before 1960 in my university days, and had the opportunity to watch in 1962 Bond appearing in the wide screen) has triggered efforts in many places. Deighton has done well to add his contribution as part of those efforts.
Probably your comment makes more sense linked to the subsequent blog post, but thanks for posting. Well, I don't think as you say Len was particularly Fleming's close friend, but the book is his perspective as someone who knew many of the 'players' and was involved in two key elements of the early Bond. All adds to the 'mythos' I guess.
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