“I’d never copy somebody else. I would never do an impression of anybody else or try and improve on what they did. That would be a pointless exercise for me.”
Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor, best known for playing British secret agent James Bond since 2006.
Craig achieved international fame when chosen as the seventh actor to play the role of James Bond, replacing Pierce Brosnan. Though he was initially greeted with scepticism, his debut in Casino Royale was highly acclaimed and earned him a BAFTA award nomination, with the film becoming the highest-grossing in the series at the time. Quantum of Solace followed two years later. His third Bond film, Skyfall, premiered in 2012 and is now the highest-grossing film in the series.
In 2006, Craig joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Since taking the role of Bond, he has continued to appear in other films, most recently starring in the English language adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Craig made a guest appearance as Bond in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, alongside Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2005, Craig was contracted by Eon Productions to portray James Bond. He stated he “was aware of the challenges” of the Bond franchise which he considered “a big machine” that “makes a lot of money”. He aimed at bringing more “emotional depth” to the character. Born in 1968, Craig is the first actor to portray James Bond to have been born after the Bond series started, and Ian Fleming, the novels’ writer, had died. Significant controversy followed the decision, as it was doubted if the producers had made the right choice. Throughout the entire production period Internet campaigns expressed their dissatisfaction and threatened to boycott the film in protest.
The 5-foot-10-inch (178 cm) blond Craig was not considered by some protesters to fit the tall, dark Bond portrayed by the previous Bond actors, and to which viewers had apparently become accustomed. The Daily Mirror ran a front page news story critical of Craig, with the headline, “The Name’s Bland – James Bland”. Although the choice of Craig was controversial, numerous actors publicly voiced their support, most notably, four of the five actors who had previously portrayed Bond, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, Sean Connery and Roger Moore, called his casting a good decision. George Lazenby has since voiced his approval of Craig also Clive Owen, who had been linked to the role, also spoke in defence of Craig.
The first film, Casino Royale, premiered 14 November 2006, and grossed a total of US$594,239,066 worldwide, which made it the highest-grossing Bond film to date. After the film was released, Craig’s performance was highly acclaimed. As production of Casino Royale reached its conclusion, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced that pre-production work had already begun on the 22nd Bond film. After several months of speculation as to the release date, Wilson and Broccoli officially announced on 20 July 2006, that the follow-up film, Quantum of Solace, was to be released on 7 November 2008, and that Craig plays Bond with an option for a third film. On 25 October 2007, MGM CEO Harry Sloan revealed at the Forbes Meet II Conference that Craig had signed on to make four more Bond films, through to Bond 25.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended a membership invitation to Craig in 2006 . Craig sliced off the top of one of his fingers 12 June 2008, while filming Quantum of Solace. The accident was one of a string of incidents surrounding the shoot, including a fire at one of the sets in Pinewood Studios, a car crash that left the stunt driver in a serious condition, and an Aston Martin skidding off the road and plunging into Lake Garda while being transported to the set in Italy. I don’t think it should be confusing by the end of the film, but during the film you should be questioning who he is.”Craig has stated his own favourite previous Bond actor was Sean Connery, but says, “I’d never copy somebody else. I would never do an impression of anybody else or try and improve on what they did. That would be a pointless exercise for me.”
His own favourite Bond film is From Russia with Love. On a James Bond-centric episode of The South Bank Show, Connery divulged his thoughts on Craig’s casting as Bond, whom he described as “fantastic, marvelous in the part”. When told that Craig had taken particular note of his performances, Connery said that he was “flattered” and that Craig really gets the “danger element” to Bond’s character
Craig describes his portrayal of Bond as an anti-hero: “The question I keep asking myself while playing the role is, ‘Am I the good guy or just a bad guy who works for the good side?’ Bond’s role, after all, is that of an assassin when you come down to it. I have never played a role in which someone’s dark side shouldn’t be explored
I am of the opinion that Craig has left an inevitable but permanent change in the Bond character. The film Skyfall, I consider one of the best in the series. Here is a link to my review: https://cinemacommentary.com/2012/11/09/skyfall/
Here, also, is a link for the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw
42
26 AprSynopsis: Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.
Cast
Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson),
Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey),
Nicole Beharie (Rachel Robinson),
Christopher Meloni (Leo Durocher),
Ryan Merriman (Dixie Walker),
Lucas Black (Pee Wee Reese),
Andre Holland (Wendell Smith),
Alan Tudyk (Ben Chapman),
Hamish Linklater (Ralph Branca),
T. R. Knight (Harold Parrott)
and John C. McGinley (Red Barber).
Review: 42, written and directed by Brian Helgeland, is a glossy, well presented, old fashion, reverential, bio of the first major league great, to break the color barrier, Jackie Robinson. The year is post WWII, 1947 America. The Americans are home from war and baseball is “white” America’s national pastime. A young Jackie Robinson plays in the “Negro” leagues, and as talented as he was, back then, there would be no future for him in the majors. Along comes Brooklyn Dodgers GM, Branch Rickey, played by Harrison Ford and the rest is history.
Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Rickey was honest, passionate and his love for baseball is apparent. His face lights-up when he discusses the game. Rickey understands in order to make money and fill the seats, he must bring up young talent in order to win the coveted pennant. He also understands that in order to do so he must recruit a player from the Negro Leagues. Even when his own staff disagreed him the search begins and it is Jackie Robinson he chooses.
Chadwick Boseman, new to films, brings life to Robinson. We see how much he loves the game and how devoted he is to his wife, Rachel. It is through her faith in him as well as Rickey’s that helps him through the bigotry and hatred he is to face in the majors.
The script tends to gloss over the real pain and anguish Robinson must have felt, and instead, looks at the bigger picture of Robinson’s contribution as the first black American to break through Major League Baseball’s color barrier. When the music swells, or the emotions flair, you know something important is happening, and you get swept up in the myth behind the probable reality. The only draw-back to this is that you never really get a sense of the inner man. That said Boseman does a pitch perfect job, no pun intended.
Nicole Beharie plays Rachel Robinson, a devoted wife, and mother. The story of the Robinsons romance is very sweet and the love they share is at times is so strong, you cry when she does, feel exuberance when she does and understand her concerns. Beharie does this very well in spite, again, of a slick Hollywood script. Even with her, you don’t get a real sense of who she is inside.
Throughout the film, bigotry is shown with liberal use of the “n” word, white bathrooms vs. colored only bathrooms, and fellow ball players losing their jobs over their prejudices. However, rather than portray this in a gritty, realistic manner, the filmmakers chose to give us the cliff note, high school version, of real events.
As history proved Jackie Robinson not only broke the color barrier, but was admired and revered by adults and children. He was a great player and as Branch Rickey points out, “It’s not about what color your skin is all they see is a great ball player.”
Overall the film had the potential to be a really memorable bio, in the end although you do get swept up in the emotional impact of the story, and it’s cultural message, a message that in today’s world, is sorely been missed, the film only scored a triple when it should have been a home run.
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Tags: 42, Baseball movies, Brian Helgeland, Chadwick Boseman, Cinema Review, commentary, entertainment, film, Jackie Robinson. Harrison Ford, Movies, Nicole Beharie, reviews