Customer Reviews

Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming [VHS]

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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!

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.

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.

This is a movie that Bond fans have to see, and it is a nice collectable to own. Some of the things in the movie didn't happen, and it was more of a nod to the movies more so than the novels. One thing that is a running gag in the movie is a hat always being thrown on the hat rack, which never actually happens in the novels. So, a lot of people would believe that is what inspired it, but it is just a joke to the movie. Still, it is fun to watch and is very entertaining. The sad thing is, I have never heard of Jason Connery doing anything recently, which is a shame.

Only available in VHS and out of print at that, this TV production casts Sean Connery's son, Jason, as Ian Fleming in what may or may not be a biographical portrayal. It has all the action of any of Connery's Bond films, as many beautiful women, and a touching love story on top of all that. Pity it's not available on DVD, but Bond fans are a different lot these days, and the widows haven't made a Bond film even close to Fleming's character in twenty years. This one would top off the Connery Bond set.

Jason Connery (Sean Connery's son) plays a young, witty Ian Fleming who learns the world of espionage. Kristin Scott Thomas (Random Hearts) portrays Ian's sexy mentor. Learn how James Bond got all his habits (good and bad). Spymaker is just that, the making of the world's most favorite spy. All the adventure, sex and humor of a Bond movie. Spymaker is a must-have for the Bond collector!

The quality of the VHS tape was excellent. The movie itself is superior. Jason Connery would have been a great James Bond in other films as well. He is charasmatic just like his father. A must have for the James Bond buff.Spymaker - The Secret Life of Ian Fleming [VHS]

The title to my review alludes, quite obviously, to a comparison with the Shakespeare In Love/George Lucas In Love film-making. Having said that, it isn't so obvious and imposing in this film. This fun, period jape of a movie supposedly tells the story of Ian Flemming and how he came to devise the ingenious Bond character we all know today. For sure, the Casino Royale references are obvious (although I hate the comedy version of James Bond in the Peter Sellers version - utter garbage!) and there are other little tidbits of 'Bond' especially at the begining. This is a fun movie to watch, but I feel this is more of a romatic view of Ian Flemming, with a lot of 'poetic licence' taken. What the hell, it is a lot of fun. The period sets and acting - very stiff-upper-lip-British, old boy - is spot on. Fact or fiction? Heck enjoy the story and who cares!

Never had it crossed my mind that Ian Fleming himself was once an agent himself. After viewing this neat TV movie it doesn't surprise me how Fleming was inspired to create his literary hero, soon to become cinematic emblem.

The movie begins with the origin of young Ian Fleming, he was a son of rich parents, he never needed anything, and everything was at his disposal. As we see him transcend to young adulthood we see a very similar persona to that of 007. We see him as a womanizer and a man of wit and class. shortly in the film he is expelled from various private schools due to misadventures with women. His mother decides to put him in a military academy so he can learn a lesson...he ends up doing the same thing; finally his mother decides to put him in a news bureau known as Reuters. While working there he finally accommodates and begins to take his life a bit more seriously.

Trough the picture we see him transform from a young aristocrat into a secret agent spying on the Soviet Union; and the best part of all this is the actor they chose for the part, Jason Connery. Jason Connery is Sean Connery's son; Sean was the first theatrical actor to play 007. Here his son brings the exact class style and vulnerability of his father. Like they say like father like son.

Now the movie is not without being criticized, the movie in the end is more fantasy than fact. Sure many of the things mentioned in the film did occur according to his biographies and interviews but in the end the movie represents a fictionalized version of his life. now that does not mean the movie is not worth it, on the contraire it's highly worth it, due it's story, trauma and the amazing love story between Fleming and a fellow agent. Overall the movie is highly recommended. it's unfortunate that is only available on VHS; and not to mention that it has long since been out of print. I'm sure you can still find good copies here at Amazon for a fare price.

MY PERSONAL RAITNG: 3 ½ OUT OF 5

I really enjoyed seeing Kristin Scott Thomas in her early years acting, just as good as her later movies. Also thought the performance by Jason Connery was also very well done. It was a little dramatic at times and maybe sort of fictional at times, but enjoyable.