The Battle for Bond

by Robert Sellers, Robert Sellers

In 1963, Ian Fleming, the creator of the 20th century's greatest fictional character was in court, accused of plagiarism. The screen version of James Bond was not Fleming's creation. It was the creation of Jack Whittingham, who was employed by maverick producer Kevin McClory to adapt the character to the big screen. Had this screen character never been developed, James Bond might have been just another minor fictional spy character. The Battle for Bond is a tale of bitter recriminations, betrayal, multi-million dollar lawsuits and even death. It is the fabled story of Kevin McClory's 40 year legal battle over the rights to the screen version of James Bond, which he and Whittingham had created.The first edition of this book was banned by the Ian Fleming Will Trust. But the truth never dies!This second edition features a new foreword by Len Deighton.

Genres: Nonfiction, Media Tie In

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 10, 2007

Reviews

[Aaron Cooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blackest eye on the Bond franchise is the 1961 plagiarism suit brought against Fleming. Before Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman bought the rights to the books and made DR. NO, Fleming developed a Bond screenplay called THUNDERBALL with producer Kevin McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham. When this project failed to get off the ground, Fleming turned the script into his next Bond novel – without crediting his collaborators. The series of legal actions chronicled in this book ultimately culminate in McClory winning producer credit on the fourth Sean Connery film, and bizarrely, remaking the film in 1983 under the title NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (which, despite the return of Connery, lost at the box office to “official” series entry OCTOPUSSY). Nine months after appearing in court, Fleming was dead, the victim of a heart attack. Scarred and embarrassed by this greatest blot on his reputation, Fleming’s heirs successfully kept Sellers’ exposé out of stores by arguing he had reprinted personal correspondences without permission. Luckily for Bond fans and copyright law scholars alike, Tomahawk Press removed the material in question and reprinted.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most successful movie franchise in cinematic history contains a lot more intrigue than who was the best Bond. The behind the scenes battle for the rights to the character, & the Thunderball book (Fleming's book came after the screenplay, & there's a suggestion here that plagiarism occurred), is a no holds barred tale of ego, greed, pride, legal action, & money - lots of it. Fascinating for any movie buff, & even more so for those of us of an age to believe Connery was the best. As he obviously was. Recommended.

[Jack Lugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Sellers' book is a must-read for Bond fans and anyone interested in Film / Hollywood history. Here we learn all the details of the Kevin McClory legal battles that have affected the Bond franchise from 1963 all the way up until very recently when EON finally obtained the rights to SPECTRE and the character of Bloefeld. It also provides insights into the lives of Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham and the role each of these men played in the legacy of James Bond. Whittingham penned the first screenplay for Thunderball which was supposed to be the first Bond film produced by McClory, but his contribution to Bond's legacy has widely been ignored and conveniently forgotten despite evidence that his screenplay formed the basis for the genesis of the screen version of James Bond, which is starkly different from Fleming's original literary character. Indeed, the resulting trial accusing Fleming of plagiary for having converted Whittingham's screenplay into a published novel without assigning credit to anyone other than himself had serious reprecussions for everyone involved. The book reveals many details about Fleming, Bond, and the Thunderball story that are not commonly known. I enjoyed reading it immensely, and I highly recommend it for Bond fans and Film History buffs alike.

[Robert Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow,

Kevin McClory is one of the great cautionary tales from Hollywood The guy produced THUNDERBALL and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, yet went to his grave in the oughts STILL trying to sue for the rights to Bond.

Truly sad.

But a monumentally compelling tale...!

[Harry Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Bond fans or anyone with a slight interest in how legends are made (and behind-the-scenes warfare).

Honestly, Ian Fleming was a prick

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story, about the 50 year trademark and libel lawsuit involving the Bond franchise, mostly concerning the Thunderball story is, despite occasionally poor writing, often more exciting than any Bond movie itself. Neither Ian Fleming nor Kevin McClory come out well here, and you find yourself really only feeling bad for Jack Whittingham, who came up with many of the ideas in the first place, had the misfortune of the defendant, Ian Fleming dying in the middle of his "open and shut" lawsuit and had McClory ignore him unless he needed his writings for his own future lawsuits. It's also a look into what might have been. A Thunderball-like story set in NYC in the 1970s. Connery returning at that time or Dalton coming back in the 90s. All these make this a fascinating read.

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering the tumultuous story behind the James Bond novel and film Thunderball, Robert Sellers book is a godsend for Bond fans. Starting in the late 1950s, readers are there at the beginning as Ian Fleming, desperate to bring his literary character to the screen, meets filmmaker Kevin McClory. What seems like a match in heaven turns out to be anything but when McClory's ambitions didn't match reality and Fleming, as he had done before with various Bond TV pitches, turned their intended film into prose. The book is an epic of scripts, a novel, two films, and lawsuits. Of course, being published a decade ago, it doesn't take in the settling of the rights issues in 2013 or the 2015 film Spectre. That doesn't matter, though. The Battle For Bond is worthy of any fan's bookshelf regardless.

[Simon Billinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting history of the first attempt to bring Ian Fleming's James Bond to the big screen, and the battle of authorship and ownership over Thunderball, but it is undermined by the author's writing style which now and again suddenly veers into pure subjective opinion rather than maintaining the more necessary objective voice. Big claims are made in the blurb and introduction which aren't substantiated in the book. But still there is enough enjoyment to be had from uncovering the background to bringing Bond to the big screen.

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I was aware of the complicated situation regarding the screenplay (and later novel) Thunderball as rumours circulated about this (as well as "Casino Royale", the other story with differing right ownership) being remade by a rival company (which happened in the form of "Never say never again" in 1983). The background and stakeholders where nowhere near clear to me though and it is a very interesting story. The book is a lot more though, I would imagine anyone with a movie interest will find it illuminating and interesting. "

[Tim Jopling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good read this. It covers the history of bringing James Bond to the screen and the role Kevin McClory played together with those we already know about, Cubby Broccolli and Harry Saltzman. Anyone who is interested in Bond should read this book, it is fascinating and includes all the correspondence from Ian Fleming, McClory and others at the time the author was trying to bring James Bond the screen. I have to say though I do feel sorry for McClory and Jack Whittingham too (the original writer of the script for the Bond film) but its a complicated part of James Bond's history!

[D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fascinating story of James Bond's journey from books to movies. What makes it so interesting are all the excerpts from private letters and court cases, which spell out all sorts of nasty backstabbing and broken promises. Not particularly well-written, but worthwhile for Bond fans and for those interested in Hollywood's darker side.

[Sean Seger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent look into the machinations and moves by the many players involved in bringing James Bond to the big screen. I felt the author was a bit sympathetic to McClory above all other players and it seemed that sympathy clouded his perception of Fleming, but those complaints are minor. Definitely worth the read if you are a James Bond fan.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific research