Product Details

• Actors: Jason Connery, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Hodge, David Warner, Colin Welland
• Directors: Ferdinand Fairfax
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Turner Home Entertainment
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000E56Q7W
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,394 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Plot Synopsis: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming follows the exciting life of a dashing young Ian Fleming, the mastermind behind the highly successful James Bond books and movies. As a womanizer and a hopeless romantic Fleming got himself expelled from Eton and other prestigious public schools before his mother, fed up, sent to work for Reuters,the news bureau. Whilst covering a show-trial of British engineers in Soviet Moscow, Fleming pulled his first Bond-like escapade, almost losing his life in the process. This caught the interest of Britain's dormant yet watchful military intelligence, later to become the highly acclaimed S.O.E. After Fleming's recruitment into His Majesty's Service, his exploits become increasingly fantastic. It is difficult to believe that this is not fiction! The Secret Life of Ian Fleming goes to prove, once again, the truth certainly is stranger than fiction. One Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for James Bond/Fleming fans., April 30, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spymaker - The Secret Life of Ian Fleming [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A fast paced entertaining video biography of the late Ian Fleming (author of the original James Bond novels and short stories). Having read several actual biographies on Fleming, one should be cautioned that much of the peripheral info in this film has been reverse incorporated from the later Bond FILMS into this video. Fleming, I believe, only saw one Bond film (Dr. No) and died during or just following the shooting of the second (From Russia with Love). The fascinating part would be knowing just how much information came from Sean Connery to his son Jason to play this role (Ian Fleming). Sean Connery and Ian Fleming hit it off quite well at the start of the Bond series, and because of Goldfinger - Connery actually started playing golf!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars James Bond fans...this one is definately for you, January 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Spymaker - The Secret Life of Ian Fleming [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Spymaker is the life and times of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond. In this movie, we see where Fleming got his ideas for a secret spy agent. He loved women, Vodka Martini's, fast cars, and near death experiences. Being a reporter for Reuters, he traveled abroad. One such trip took him to Russia, with love of course. There he became involved with women (never again with cold lips), espionage, and lucky escapes from death. In other scenes, we see why Moneypenny tosses James hat on the coat rack. There are many scenes were you end up saying to yourself, "So that's were he got that from." Ian Fleming was the real life James Bond. Kristin Scott Thomas does an excellent job of portraying the strong, independant type who eventually can't resist the charm of such a debonair man. She reminded me a lot of Diana Rigg's character Tracy de Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Being a Bond fanatic, this film gives some very important background information into where it was that the Bond series came from. I highly recommend it, even if you aren't a Bond fan but you feel like a good adventure.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Amazing Ian Flemming, February 28, 2002

By 

"dia31" (West Palm Beach, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spymaker - The Secret Life of Ian Fleming [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you have not read any of Ian Flemmings books, this movie is the best way to see how The James Bond character came to fruition. Excellent movie to top off your James Bond collection and who better to play the role of Ian Flemming than the son of one of most well loved Bonds of them all Sean Connery. Jason Connery is superb. This movie is a gem.