DAF with Burt

Burt Reynolds is pushing his autobiography and talking of his regrets at not accepting the part of James Bond when he was offered it in 1970. Would he have worked?

For me, part of the appeal of DAF is its 'fish out of water' quality, a Scotsman in Las Vegas. Not sure how it would have been with Burt, but maybe an entertaining typically 1970s caper movie.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/18/burt-reynolds-regrets-turning-down-james-bond-role

Given the crazy ideas that didn't (and I suppose, did) make it into the film, it's probably not the most far fetched. Still, it's great to see Connery in the role, camping it up and enjoying himself, unlike YOLT.

I think Connery hits his absolute peak Goldfinger - Thunderball but Diamonds is very close behind these and in some ways the most relaxed and fun he's ever been on camera.......far better than anything the admittedly affable Reynolds has ever delivered imo.

DAF features some of Connery's best moments in the role. You wouldn't want anyone else strangling someone with their bikini or getting caught with an erection.

lachesis wrote:

I think Connery hits his absolute peak Goldfinger - Thunderball but Diamonds is very close behind these and in some ways the most relaxed and fun he's ever been on camera.......far better than anything the admittedly affable Reynolds has ever delivered imo.

He's great in GF, but his reserved, vulnerable performance in DN will always be my favourite, followed by FRWL and TB.

CJB wrote:

DAF features some of Connery's best moments in the role. You wouldn't want anyone else strangling someone with their bikini or getting caught with an erection.

Indeed this very much, one of the great positives of the Connery Bond is the way he weaves the absurdity/humour into a natural delivery, absurd as many of the lines could be Connery delivers them in a fashion as if to himself and/or the characters nearby and we the audience laugh along with him/them.... subsequent actors in the role have generally made the humour much more overtly a thing aimed at the audience - far more contrived and ultimately less amusing imo. To my mind Diamonds is the ultimate evocation of this 'laugh with him not at him' edict and on reflection something of an object lesson for actors large and small.

FieldsMan wrote:

He's great in GF, but his reserved, vulnerable performance in DN will always be my favourite, followed by FRWL and TB.

There is a rawness to him in his first two performances that probably does echo the character as originally conceived best I can certainly understand why you might feel that way, but in the context of the movie realisation and Connery's own evolution as an actor (which imo matures rapidly after Marnie) I just feel there is something even more remarkable later, and the films come to rely more on that in turn.

Let's not forget John Gavin, who was officially signed onto the role for DAF before UA vetoed that by convincing Connery to come back.

I haven't seen any of his work other than PSYCHO, which I don't think is a great example because he's mostly bland in that. Has anyone seen any of his work close to 1971 to get an idea of how he would have been? Did he actually have more apparent screen presence after PSYCHO?

In Thoroughly Modern Millie there's a scene where he's temporarily paralyzed with a curare dart. It's hard to tell when it wears off, as he's such a stiff throughout...

Much as I like Burt, I don't think so. Be on par with an Adam West OHMSS.