Even though the portrayals of Felix were uneven, it's still sad to think that Felix is probably the only genuine friend that Bond has besides Q and Moneypenny. Which makes his death in No Time to Die all the more tragic.
David Hedison should’ve been the definite and longest serving Felix Leiter from Diamonds are Forever until Licence to Kill or Die Another Day and Jeffrey Wright should’ve more screen time in Quantum of Solace and a bit in Skyfall before No Time to Die. Jack Lord was good in Dr No, props to him for bringing Felix Leiter to life like Sean Connery brought James Bond to life. Cec Linder was poorly casted yet he did a fine job as Felix in Goldfinger. Imagine Jack Lord reappearing in Goldfinger. When it comes to Ian Fleming’s Bondverse and how he wrote Felix Leiter, I felt that Hedison and Wright were both the closest that we would get to an accurate cinematic version of Fleming’s take on the character.
I have always loved the Felix Leiter character. I would have love to seen Jack Lord or Bernie Casey reprise the role. My favorites are David Hedison and Jeffrey Wright.
When I first watched all the bonds a month ago, I didn't even recognize Felix as all the same guy because he changed so much until the one where he gets his legs eaten. I never took any note of his name
Yes, a day early! I thought you would hold out on the Leiter ranking to see if Wright reappeared in Bond 25. I so hope that's happening... For my own list, I think I'd put Wright at the top, closely followed by Hedison. I really liked the bar scene in QoS, and got the intention that they are friends from that scene alone, which is a point of levity before a dramatic scene, so I like it a lot. Obviously Hedison and Moore have great chemistry, but I never felt the same with Dalton. The rest of the list is more or less the same, though I have a soft spot for Van Nutter, so he's probably a bit higher for me, but not above Linder.
Now that you have read the books, you can understand for certain that we have never had a definitive Felix Leiter. That is because Felix Leiter is a Texan with straw-coloured hair. None of the actors who have played him have fit that description, and that is of some importance. I have always thought that the best that we never saw was Rik Van Nutter playing Felix in the manner of Cec Linder. But then, since the books were filmed out of order and necessary adjustments were made to the stories and the involvement of Felix in each one, it was never the case that we were going to get a proper Leiter as portrayed by Fleming.
Ok legitimately no joke, I genuinely managed to guess your order (except for Bernie Casey because I forgot about him). I have to say I agree completely
David Hedison came the closest to capturing the Felix in the books. Agree we are waiting for the definitive Felix, but for now Hedison will do. Should add License to Kill is my #2 Bond movie after OHMSS.
Surprised Jack Wade wasn't included given he fits the Leiter role [similar to Robinson filling in for Tanner] and he was in two films in succession too unlike the other 'Leiter's' before Jeffery Wright.
Calvin do you think Jeffrey Wright can be pulled back one more time for Bond 25 to help see Daniel Craig out of the series, we may get more of that camaraderie that is needed between himself and Daniel Craig :)
Yeah I'd count him more as an ally despite how close he is to Felix. There are plenty of characters in Bond films that more or less perform the same role so I just stuck to characters named Felix Leiter for this list.
Thought that they should’ve kept the Felix Leiter character in the Brosnan films since there is no continuity really in the classic timeline. So recasting over and over was fine but had to draw the line at bringing him back after an amputation via shark? Seems like a strange decision to make.
The 'reboot' concept wasn't so prominent then [hence why the radically different Batman Forever is still a sequel to Tim Burton's films]. Nowadays, Goldeneye would have been a reboot but instead it's part of the old continuity
Ok I use the nome de plume of Felix Leiter. The reason is I'm both Texan and english in reality is like my life... so you got me. Afterall it's jack lord...
Unfortunately John Terry had little screen time due to Full Metal Jacket the same year. Burton was like M with Bond. Linder had a strange chemistry with Bond, cannot explain it. Lord was good. Wright got it with Bond. Loved him. Casey was one of the action with Bond. Nutter was not great in fairness, his voice sounded quite artificial. Loved Hedison, top dog.
My hopes for Bond 25: - new (South Africa or Australia maybe?) or Connery era setting (Japan or Jamaica/Caribbean) - bond in his Navy uniform - Felix being more involved in the action (actually shooting)
Wright's Leiter just met Bond in Casino Royale, and was the second meeting in Quantum. So it only makes sense that he was 'cold' and cautious at the start, in a game of international espionage. With the exception of Lord, who had a bigger role in Dr No, Leiter was always a longtime trusted ally of Bond. We're not there yet in Craig's-Wright's relationship, although with No Time to Die we might see it on screen.
@@swan777song ah saw this note - yes I've seen it, and well, it was what it was. TBH I felt it underwhelming. Time will be less kind to the quality of the Craig films overall, except for Casino Royale and Skyfall. At least it's a pretty clean slate now and I'd like to see less of a 'run through brick walls like a linebacker' James Bond and more 'real spy with few gadgets' Bond
Nick Butterworth he could have been there in the background but we just didn’t see him in a role. But even if Hedison’s portrayal mentions Bond being married then it would be likely that Dalton’s Bond filmed retconned previous the events of previous films in the Connery, Lazenby and Moore eras. My bond timeline theory is that Connery’s Bond is in his 30s in Dr. No and ends with Moore’s Bond in his 50s by AVTAK. Dalton’s Bond films retcon these events if they happened in a different time compared to previous films, even if he’s a younger Bond.
Interesting take! Yeah, even though Dalton and Brosnan were obviously too young to make the timeline work in a linear way, they have clearly been through similar life experiences. I think Dr No to DAD pretty much works as a shifting timeline of one mans experiences. CR onwards is a reboot completely of course. I don't think that Craig's Bond has ever been married for instance.
@@calvindyson I agree I think Honestly I view the Bond Timeline From Dr. No to Die Another Day saying it Chronologically if you would want to start The Bond Canon Timeline you could Start with DC's First 2 Films then go to the Connery Era First being Dr. No then FRWL then Goldfinger on,( as oppose to IGN's Ridiculous Theory of the Timeline to start with Goldfinger Before Dr. No that's stupid) but to me Dr. No Starts the Timeline and it should stay with Dr. No and not with Craig's Casino Royale IMHO but IF you want to follow in Chronological Order then go there.
Well, they're both secret agents, so I'd imagine Bond asked Felix to be his best man, Felix said yes but had to pull out of the wedding party last minute due to a mission. Or, Felix was on a job during the time frame OHMSS covered and he didn't find out about the whole thing till last minute. Or...and this is a dark theory...Felix and Bond were at odds over Bond marrying Tracy - Felix being against his friend marrying a crime boss' daughter - and Bond didn't invite Felix. Things got patched up by Live and Let Die, to explain Moore and Hedison being so chummy...but Connery and Norman Burton in Diamonds are Forever are still somewhat at odds over what happened.
Hedison and Moore had been good friends for years; in fact Moore helped talk Hedison into taking the role of Captain Crane in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; so the chemistry between them was quite real.
I find it interesting that David Hedieson's Felix Leiter was spared the fate in the original Live And Let Die book only for it to happen in Licence To Kill a film not based on any of Fleming books
I agree with you on Felix's irregular chemistry with Bond. In Casino Royale, their interactions were minimal, but impactful and they both acknowledged each other to be thrust into the action well in their own cold way. QoS however, didn't showcase much of that brotherhood. True, the CIA wanted to catch Bond, but his appearances in Quantum seemed hurried and lacked the same depth that the pair had in the previous film Personally, I'm glad he's making a comeback in NTTD. It's as if the filmmakers seemed to notice the issues themselves and I'm madly hoping Felix gets some cool action scenes in the new film. Jeffrey Wright remains to be my favourite "brother from Langley."
Quantum in general was awful mostly because of unfinished and rushed script due to the writer's strike happening at that time. It's screwed the movie royaly, as it pretty much had a glorified white board of loose ideas, that had to be filled in on the fly... Shame and a terrible waste, especially since we only got 5 films in 16 years with Craig which didnt lend that much room for growing that more especially when Spectre and Skyfall had nothing with Felix at all.
I'd disagree with Quantum as Felix tries to cover for Bond when shown his picture, even if he knows it's not going to stick. He also tips him off when the CIA are after Bond later in the film. He's not in the film much but the loyalty is there.
I have read the novels before seeing any of the movies. I recall Felix Leiter, in the novels, being about the same age as Bond. He was ex-military, "street smart", had the gift for gab, and able to make friends and acquaintances rather quickly. A person that can be depended upon and trusted. Leiter gave Bond the money he needed to continue gambling in "Casino Royale" after going bust. The following novel, "Live and Let Die", Felix had more involvement in the story (until he had his right and leg bitten off by a shark). I believe the two characters were friends, and David Hedison came the closest in that relationship. Two men who care about the other watched each other's back.
Cec Linder was a fantastic actor. Outside the Bond series, he was known for starring in the legendary BBC serial Quatermass and the Pit. It's telling that Lord and Hedison both had long running starring roles on their own TV series in the US. They were very charismatic and engaging actors.
Jack Lord was the best,too bad the producers stuffed him around, and he went to Hawaii for the next 30 years. Two actors in Britain at the time,one American and one Canadian, that is Ed Bishop and Shane Rimmer, both would have been excellent as Felix. Possibly at the time they were both involved with Gerry and Silvia Anderson with Thunderbirds and UFO. Both were in the opening sequence of You Only Live Twice, (in the Hawaii tracking station), Ed Bishop had a crappy bit part in Diamonds are forever. Why he was not playing Felix instead of the other dude is beyond me. Shane Rimmer had a fair size part as the US submarine CO in the Spy Who Loved Me. Then in 2 of the Pierce Brosnan films we had Joe Dan Barker as Wade, the CIA contact. The very original TV play of Casino Royale in 1954 had a role reversal where Bond was an American CIA agent played by Barry Nelson and Felix was a MI6 agent played by Australian born actor Michael Pate. Peter Lorre was Le Chife and he just owned the part. A mystery why he was never picked as a villain by Saltzman and Brocholi in the early years.
I think it's time for the films to finally give us the Leiter from (most of) the novels, with the artificial arm and leg. I remember how surprising it was for me when I read the novel Diamonds are Forever when he reappeared, given that I had assumed that he'd been written out of the novels after losing two of his limbs in Live and Let Die. It's honestly really badass as a character trait, it speaks volumes about Felix that he isn't going to keep such a serious maiming from performing his duties to his country, and that he's still eager to continue to assist Bond despite the handicap. Hell, you can leave out the shark business (assuming that we get a rebooted Leiter along with the next Bond actor) and just say he lost his limbs in the line of duty in Afghanistan.
Just saw No Time to Die and I think Jeffrey Wright may have had his strongest performance there. His chemistry with Craig in that was great. But I do think your last bit about the best Felix is still yet to come in a different Bond and era.
My favorite thing about Felix in Casino Royale is how long he's in the game before we learn who he really is. It adds a quality to spies walking among us, which is so integral to the appeal of the Bond franchise. Calvin, I love your videos and they're soothing entertainment as I take my dog for walks. Keep it up.
Easily Hedison for me. Love his bromance with Bond and easily my favorite Bond ally. Agree that we haven't had the definite Felix yet though. Hoping some future African-American actor can fill that bill. Maybe someone like Aldis Hodge.
Great to see you back to doing videos, I've been a life long Bond fan and love your videos.I don't agree with everything you say (Dalton, cough) but I still respect your opinion as a fellow Bond fan. Keep it up!
The problem is that Felix tends to be of very little consequence, character or even impression on the audience that he is easily forgettable. In most stories, it could be anyone in that role, beyond the name. He just a guy to help a bit.
No 6 Rik van Nutter was also famous as Mr Anita Ekberg. She wasn't a Bondgirl but at least Krilencu had an encounter with a poster of her. Bond also approved of her mouth.
His Felix might have been somewhat lacking in Thunderball, but now I feel less sorry for him, knowing that the gorgeous Anita Ekberg was waiting for him at home after work :D
And here we are, No time to die, and we now have that Jeffery Wright Felix with some good bond comradery. Personally one of my favourite appearances of the character
Leiter being recast every other time pretty much makes him forgotten character for most casual viewers to a point they dont know he exists as long running ally of bond. We get variety of performances but they all make it likes its a one off character instead of constant presense like Q or even to degree we had with Ms. Only with Wright there is a familiar face finally around for people to catch on with that, but Craig era has too few movies to establish it i think, loved chemistry between him and Craig in No Time to Die tho....almost makes up for all the wasted potential inbetween it and Casino Royale for these two.
After reading all these comments, it's obvious that David Hedison was considered the best choice, with Jack Lord second. The others aregood actors but, these two fit the part the best. Too bad they couldn't bring Hedison back again. I could think of at least a couple more storylines that would make it more interesting. Thanks for the post.😊 10:48
I've always loved Felix & Bond's bromance. I hope Leiter gets to play a big role in a future movie like he did in Licence to Kill. Maybe a story where Felix is captured on a covert mission & the CIA disavows him? It'd be really cool to see Bond go rogue & drop behind enemy lines to rescue his friend from the clutches of some brutal dictator!
Oooh another video so soon, nice! Although I can see why people like Felix, I don't usually see him as more of a character other than providing Bond with some convenient exposition. It would be cool if you continued your playthroughs with that From Russia with Love game.
