What a Fleming cheek

According to Ian Fleming, the first 007, Sir Sean Connery, was nothing more than an “overdeveloped stuntman”.[>

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Fortunately, the author’s opinion failed to prevent the Scots actor being handed the role and the rest, as they say, is history.[>

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Ahead of the release of the eagerly-awaited Bond epic, the Quantum of Solace, Sir Sean has spoken in a South Bank Show dedicated to the event.[>

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In the ITV show to be broadcast at 10.40pm next Wednesday, he said: “I never got introduced to Fleming until I was well into the first movie but I know he was not happy with me as a choice.[>

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“He told somebody that I was an overdeveloped stuntman.[>

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“When I did eventually meet him I thought he was very interesting, erudite and a real snob. His company was very good for a limited time only.”[>

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Sir Sean claimed the essence of a good James Bond was to make everything look simple and easy.[>

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“That’s so that when there was any movement that was kind of important, it was the message that something was coming,” he added.[>

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The 78-year-old admitted to being perplexed by the post bag he still receives. He added: “I still get these notes sent to me with all that sexy stuff in them.”[>

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In the documentary, producer, Harry Saltzman, explains that he chose Connery from over 200 actors because he liked the way he walked.[>

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Saltzman said: “He moved extremely well, like a cat. The only one other actor who moved like that was Albert Finney.”[>

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Honor Blackman, who played Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, said he was the special ingredient that made Bond tick. She said: “After watching a film, women would go out lusting after Sean and men would go out walking tall.”[>

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The current 007 Daniel Craig copies many of Connery’s moves. He said: “Bond has always been something incredibly physical and Sean’s movies were dynamic and balletic.”[>