Growing up a film fan Cubbi Broccoli was one of the few producers I was familiar with because he and Harry Saltzman's names appeared in the opening credits of the James Bond films, which I adored and saw each one at least 5-6 times. Because "Broccoli" was such an unusual surname, I noticed it on other productions such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and wondered about the man. I subsequently found out more in all those docos that accompany the James Bond films on DVD but had no idea he'd written an autobiography.
It doesn't seem to be a very well known book - maybe because it was published two years after Broccoli died. He'd been working on it just before he died - at the end of the book the narrative stops, Cubby goes off to have heart surgery, then comes back to write a conclusion, then dies. Its always kind of weird reading an autobiography of someone who finishes it then dies - Richard Wherrett's was similiar. At least it means nothing is left out!
Reading the book is slightly disconcerting at times. Because Cubby wasn't around for the final edits and additions and what-not, one gets the feeling of a little tampering. His rellies seem to be behind this big "isn't Cubby Broccoli great" push that was all through the docos on the DVDs.
I'm sure he was a nice guy, he seems like a sweetheart and socially so well connected he must have been able to charm. Wasn't there a little darkness or harshness in there somewhere? There are large slabs of the book dedicated to how great his wife Dana is, which is lovely, and also how wonderful his son in law Michael is (who now runs the franchise), which is also lovely, but you can't help fight the feeling that during editing the family were going "oh you can leave that bit in". This also may explain why we get four pages dedicated to a not particularly interesting Grace Jones anecdote from Barbara Broccoli.
OK, having said that - Broccoli is an interesting guy. He came from immigrant stock, and the early pages are dedicated to his family's struggle which seems to have been rough (I did get the names confused for a bit). They saved enough for a farm, Cubby worked like a dog farming here and there. Then it gets kind of interesting - he had a rich cousin who went to work in LA, Pat di Ciccio, who seemed to know everyone. He called Cubby to join him and soon Cubby knew everyone, too. Cubby was extremely well connected socially, friends with Cary Grant, Howard Hughes (who gets a lot of mentions here - understandably so, I guess), Sidney Kroshak, Greg Bautzer. Must have been a fun fun guy, because he was only doing odd jobs here and there - selling Christmas trees, a bit of agency work, working in the studios. But all the time developing people skills.
Like all producers he had an eye for the main chance, and despite being American Cubby moved to England to become a producer, using an American star (Alan Ladd). His partnership with Irwin Allen, Warwick films, became quite prosperous with unpretentious action and adventure movies which were highly successful in Britain and did OK in America. Cubby writes amusing sketches of Alan Ladd and his dominating wife Sue Carol, and confessed coward Victor Mature - this is the funniest section of the book.
Eventually Warwick wound up and Cubby got in on the option of the Bond books with Harry Saltzmann, another person with a strong track record in British films. The result were a phenomenon.
You wouldn't say Cubby was lucky, he had drive and passion and a gambler's instinct that producers must have. The Gods did smile on that first film, with Terence Young being the ideal director (he brought a lot of smooth sophistication), Peter Hunt editor, Maurice Binder going titles, Richard Maibaum on script (the unsung hero of the Bond films, Maibaum worked on most of them up to Licence to Kill - Cubby pays him deep tribute), Cubby and Saltzman and Connery in the lead and Ursula Andress, Monty Norman theme and John Barry music. It was a magical combination of talent that came out at the right time and create history.
That was the break - Cubby knew this was It and only made two non Bond films (I would have liked to have heard a bit more about the making of Chiity Chitty Bang Bang). It didn't mean it would be easy, every film would bring new problems - fighting regime changes at studios, fighting off Bond imitations, fighting with sulky stars, fighting his partner. Saltzmann had dreams of global world domination, but after hitting paydirt with the Harry Palmer series almost went bankrupt, initiating a big fight in the mid 70s which gets an airing here. The other big fight came in the late 80s and early 90s, when Bond went into hiatus. You have to say the Broccolis have looked after the franchise and Michael Wilson seems to be an incredible guy - lawyer, executive, producer and screenwriter.
Some random thoughts on the book
- Cubby sledges both his partners, Allen mainly for his extravagance, Saltzmann for his excesses - he says nice things too but always makes himself sound more sensible and correct - the prerogative of the person writing I guess!
- Cubby advises against going into a movie partnership, citing troubles he had with Allen and Saltzman - yet he clearly thrived with both, and never operated without a partner (later on he partnered Barbara and Wilson)
- the stuff on Warwick films is very interesting, they were a real success story in England in the 1950s and should be better known - I only wish there was more
- Cubby does not go into too much detail about the personality of his second wife, who had a tragic life - her first husband killed their child then died, her second husband died in an accident, her other child died in an accident, she died of cancer... bloody Hell!
- George Lazenby episode scores four pages - loved it, he had a big head of course
- I always thought Roger Moore quit on his own accord (he was always threatening to go) but this says he was pushed to leave, which makes total sense when you think about it
- Cubby also sledges Connery and Moore, pointing out how he made both of them rich - I was surprised Moore was a sook, apparently it was only around the time of A View to a Kill and was only brief - Connery was a notoriously tight bastard and is known for complaining about money - but would any other actor in the world made the series the success it was?
- Saltzman's front runner for Bond pre Connerywas Richard Johnson (who was in some 60s Bulldog Drummond films). Person signed post Lazenby paid paid off when Connery came back - John Gavin (urgh!). Some alt choices post Moore pre Dalton - Cubby wanted Lambert Wilson, but Michael Wilson, Barb Broccoli and John Glenn wanted Sam Neill, so Pierce Brosnan was a compromise candidate - then when he couldn't do it, Dalton stepped in.
- Also around this time Barb Broccoli went to Australia where "there'd been an explosion of exciting young talent" to talent search - she came back with videos of 12 actors "none was the idea Bond, but two had great looks and personality. We decided to test them" - but head of MGM UA Jerry Weintraub hated them. Who were they? Andrew Clarke one but who was the other? Anthony Hamilton was a contender, ditto Finlay Light (I remember a news announcement actually said this Finlay Light bloke got the role). Neill? MGM wanted Mel Gibson but he was too expensive and Cubby wasn't keen.
- They're keen to take credit for Spy Who Loved Me but brush over Moonraker - as they should!
Terrific read.
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