Desert Island Discs- Ian Fleming (1963)

Fascinating interview with Ian Fleming in 1963 in which he talks about how he first imagined James Bond to distract him from the 'agony' of getting married. He also discusses writing The Spy Who Loved Me, and visiting the film-set of From Russia with Love in Istanbul.

[@Username1171000]

I one day hope to be half as good as Fleming writing wise. His books got me through high school education. My attempts to write a poor excuse of a novel are about 40 pages in and I'm hoping no one will see it but you've got to start somewhere. I figured my persistence with what I am writing is in the spirit of Fleming. After all, he once said, "The distance between Insanity and genius, is only measured by success."

[@andrewbooth4776]

This is superb, my favourite author.What a tragedy that he didn't stay with us longer and enjoy the great success of his novels and films.

[@WhiteJarrah]

I do wonder what he would have thought of the latter Connery films and the majority of the Roger Moore films, given how far they strayed from their namesakes.

[@crazy9ist777]

He died months before the release of “Goldfinger” (1964)-the film that really cemented the formula (outlandish plots, gadgets, women, gags, and all). Had he been alive, he would have had mixed feelings about that film. Given how the latter Connery films and Roger Moore films were definitely lighter in tone and completely deviated from the more overt cold-war espionage thriller aesthetic in the novels.

[@Spatzna]

Class interview. Currently reading From Russia with Love and loving it. The days when people spoke with dignity and answered the bloody question. "Everyone liked it but then in the last one there wasn't enough Bond and it was from a lady's perspective and then they didn't like it". Why is it so refreshing to hear someone actually answer a question honestly? I love their accents; I don't know why this way of speaking had to make way for Estuary English which is kind of annoying but c'est la vie. Great interviewer too

[@Budgieboy4068]

I'm on Live And Let Die so am still quite early on in the series. They're so good. I agree wholeheartedly with you about interviews being better years ago. No interruptions or making unfunny jokes, just classy and intelligent conversations. Absolutely wonderful. Fleming was an exquisite writer.

[@CaminoAir]

The interviews I've heard with Fleming are refreshing in that he's honest about his writing process and how much work needs to be done, as well as how intimidating it can be to begin.

[@megranita]

It's brilliant to hear his voice .. such a great writer.

[@cjkelley333]

It's terrific to hear the voice of such a great writer.

[@pushthetempo2]

Ending sentence- 'I've got no ambitions' If only he could have seen it now, most successful movie franchise ever made

[@andrewbird57]

What is really interesting is that Fleming reveals he was at the Dieppe Raid (Aug 1942), at a time when his involvement with that raid was still classified information. Only now, as historians are poring over recently declassified documents, is it becoming fully discovered how deep was Fleming's involvement in that fiasco, where so many Allied soldiers were killed, wounded or captured (my father was captured).

[@kyleadams1454]

Good interview. Like Ian Fleming. Love the books and the movies. Like the deep voiced British accent too.

[@TheBrothersWhite]

This is brilliant- successful authors tend to slip into highly subjective answers to such questions and can come across as self-satisfied and arrogant. Ian Fleming gives straight-forward and non-embellished answers, which is selfless and pretty inspiring.

[@RighteousBrother]

This is brilliant - thank you so much for posting.

[@CrocTV]

A man with great focus, self-discipline and attention to detail - what an inspiration for other writers! (pity he couldn't give up smoking)

[@megranita]

+Adam L Do you write ?

[@CrocTV]

Yes I do - And you?

[@ruggernutter03]

....and drinking, too...

[@Supertramp1966]

Not really. It would have been a true pity if he hadn't lived his life as he desired, on his own terms.

[@orbisrex]

Thanks for posting this - excellent to hear more of this interview!

[@Kfinnerty6853]

And I hopped from Eton to the City, to Reuters and then knocked Bond off. What a jolly life.

[@MrBurtonshaw]

he was a privileged playboy.

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

People spoke and wrote and acted with much more class back then. Fleming, MacLean, Bagley, Conan Doyle, geniuses all. RIP

[@wendywilliams9667]

This is great! Thank you posting.

[@chloebakewell4641]

this helped me so much with a project i am doing on Ian Fleming when i have to write about an interview with him. Thank you so much for posting !

[@EdnaMillion.]

“I don’t have Bond’s appetites.” Ha, really?

[@BluGiant14]

this is pretty cool...thanks for posting.

[@grahamsclater9988]

Wonderful to hear

[@haint1]

Awesome interview! Thank you for posting!

[@bhartley868]

Fleming is holding a Ruger target .22 long rifle pistol , probably his , as he owned one , it is listed in his estate... He was an excellent shot and represented Sandhurst military academy in competitions against West Point...

[@heathstjohn6775]

For a close, unintended comparison of delivery, 'Why Bother?', from 1995, with Peter Cook, should be listened to; especially the war memories episode.

[@mezzoly]

"Some kind friend pointed out my error. . . " The British talent of appearing to thank someone while actually saying "Go to blazes."

[@Bad_At_Parties]

The legend himself. What a man, what a voice.

[@ruggernutter03]

In am a huge fan myself. Sometimes I wishI could go back in time and meet him.

[@DarksaberForce]

"One girl per book" Show you how the movies messed up Ian's vision until Dalton.

[@keizenberg351]

THANK you. I personally think that the first conversation Brosnan has with Judi Dench is the perfect tone for their relationship - it's so overlooked as a pinnacle moment in setting the tone between M and 007.

[@ruggernutter03]

Nice, another Dalton fan, I love his approach to Bond! With him my entire obsession with OO7 began!

[@VincentComet-l8e]

‘The second film (From Russia with Love) is now in production…and should be as much of a success as the first (Dr No)...’ In fact, it was far more successful, garnering praise from critics, breaking box-office records and playing to packed houses nationwide. The most popular movie in Britain in 1963 it is generally considered one of the finest Bond films…

[@mileristic2084]

One man changed everything...Walter...from old nazy and ustasha SPECTRA...

[@jamesmalone9076]

Amen please yes thank God

[@Coruscant98]

Very interesting, sad that he passed away a year later. I wonder which Bond film would have been his favorite. I'm sure he would have been very proud of "Casino Royale" (2006).

[@clonecommanderfoggy682]

I reckon he'd have a go at Bond being small and blonde but other than that I'd think he'd like it

[@mohammedashian8094]

I think his favorite would’ve been dalton because from what I’ve read he actually read the books for research and tried to put as much of that bond in the performance

[@allancerf9038]

cracking! fantastic. and Ian, whose immense biography I've been 'listening' to (audio book) was in a high-spirited, friendly mood for this interview - not always the case.

[@phmwu7368]

Ian Fleming wrote an amazing paper entitled " Rumour as a weapon " ... 9 years before beginning "Casino Royale" in February 1952 ! A gentleman's choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Saville Row suit. (Ian Fleming 1908-1964)

[@shankarbalan3813]

What a first class chap!

[@pavithraparanam]

very interesting Mr Bond!

[@peterfranks6243]

Fascinating...poor sod died the following year

[@BluGiant14]

"No, I'm not in the Shakespeare stakes, I've got no ambitions." Except for creating a cultural phenomenon...and putting together some pretty well-written books as well.

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

What about the discs?

[@ricarleite]

I wonder if there are recordings of his brother Peter, who was far more talented and fascinating.

[@victorguevara9227]

My little sister is a Bond fan. She likes Connery (despite his views on hitting women, which he later apologized for.), Dalton and Craig. She was born on what would have been Peter Fleming's (Ian's older brother, who was a journalist and travel writer and more successful than Ian, more often than not, which he was insecure about) centenary. She read all the Fleming novels, aged 13 whilst in Virtual Learning, in 2021. It took her a month, from February to March, to finish all of them.

[@animaljustice7774]

Connery is overrated

[@SuperTigerTV]

“What effect do you think these things are to have on the average reader are they to get unhealthy ideas or Is this vicarious violence a harmless way of sublimating aggressive tendencies?” SO VEDDY, VEDDY BRITISH A QUESTION!

[@Samrules888]

I hope that sheds some perspective next time some anita or jack thompson shows up.

[@gregs7720]

Decent interview but annoying that he wasn't asked about his thoughts on casting Connery

[@neiljones1938]

@Ian Robert Turner Fleming originally wanted the late, great Richard Burton to play Bond. Burton was considered for Thunderball - supposed to be first, then Dr. No but was already cast in Cleopatra where he met Liz Taylor, and again for OHMSS. The greedy producers had foolishly lost Connery but should have offered Burton decent money. He'd have been brilliant. At least million times better than Lazenby - who wasn't bad to be fair, but he wasn't Sean Connery who had literally inhabited the role. Fleming was impressed by Connery's performance in Dr. No, so later made Bond a native Scot. Fleming himself had Scottish ancestry.

[@victorguevara9227]

@@neiljones1938 I thought Ian wanted David Niven to play Bond intially.

[@mohammedashian8094]

@@neiljones1938 not dr no but from Russia with love that he started liking Connery

[@Apuleius_]

In a letter to his mistress Fleming wrote "the man they have chosen for Bond, Sean Connery, is a real charmer---fairly unknown but a good actor with the right looks and physique." Fleming was similarly positive in interviews: “Cary Grant, David Niven and James Mason wanted to play James Bond. But I said why spend millions of pounds on one of these characters, why not create our own Cary Grant? We made a nationwide search and hit on Sean Connery, a young Shakespearean actor who weightlifts for Scotland and is a very solid fellow." “Physically he’s a very good example of James Bond-except he’s got rather a strong Scottish accent. He’s very slow moving, powerfully built, six feet tall, dark hair...yes, I think he will be very good in the part, and if he clicks, his fortune is made because I’m going to do a Bond film a year from now on.” “This chap, Sean Connery, is damn good. When I first met him I thought he was a bit on the large side and rugged. But he looks and moves very well indeed which, of course, is important. Intelligent sort of chap too. I think he makes a very good James Bond.”

[@robertbrown8362]

The sexuality rumours of the man with the golden gun is amusing.

[@robharding4028]

Victorludorum ! I won one of those prestigious silver cups at 13. thought I was a natural born athlete.lol.

[@darren6768]

It makes me laugh that the author of he's own books doesn't know when he wrote them. Casino Royale was written in 1952 and published in 1953 . You can forgive him for not remembering that he got married in 1952 and wrote the book to take he's mind of getting married..

[@DarthCipient]

Genius.

[@aleksandarkjurciev5870]

♡

[@davidhull1481]

Fascinating. This is the first time I’ve ever heard that he was involved with the Dieppe raid. I doubt that he was one of the raiders, must’ve been in the planning.

[@SuperTed19021]

Together with Sean Connery, Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman again, with all four making 007 in Heaven!

[@jasonmackintosh6075]

William Stewart Ford grandad God blessings

[@oesandb24]

Ian Flemings Bond actor Inside Thunderball documentary People say Ian Flemings Bond movies actor DAVID NIVEN Inside The man view a golden gun documentary Christopher Lee and Fleming :FAMILY Roger Moore and Lee :Friends

[@Bootrosgali]

"[Vicarious violence], a harmless way of sublimating violent tendencies(?)" This is how I'm wading into the next "videogames cause mass shootings" argument.. with posh accent n all

[@malcolmnorton2217]

Such a great writer indeed: "Me and a lot of my friends decided..." [00:33]

[@EdnaMillion.]

His given reason for leaving sandhurst is interesting. He probably repeated it so often he believed it himself!

[@sampuatisamuel9785]

Never explain never complain

[@sillyone52062]

I just watched "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" His only child's story. Too bad that Mr. Fleming was a heavy smoker, turned his blood to treacle with carbon monoxide and died of a heart attack not long after this interview.

[@Supertramp1966]

"Too bad"? I doubt Mr. Fleming would see it that way. I'm sure he realized that his vices came with a risk, but decided he would live life on his terms. And, besides, none of us are getting out of here alive, however austere/spartan a lifestyle we may chose to live...

[@MrBurtonshaw]

Isn't it lovely how going to Eton gets you into jobs anywhere you fancy... reads like Boris Johnson's easy ride. I notice he didn't mention that 'Mumma' rang her friend Churchill to get him a nice senior job in the Admiralty .... Another thing he got wrong... the honey he said JB had in his breakfast rotation doesn't seem to have even been sold. The little scarlet jam and marmalade are still available excusing the name change on the correct marmalade.