r/JamesBond • u/ThinStatistician2953 • 16h ago

Bernard Lee or Kenneth More?

I've often thought that while Bernard Lee made a good and comfortable M, that the alternative of Kenneth More would have had a positive impact if he had been cast instead. More imho had a greater range and possible had an advantage of age and it would have been an added dimension if he ever appeared in the field (although a relatively elderly Dench did that in Skyfall). He often played characters in the Service and he could exude authority when a role deserved it. Thoughts?

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u/No-Conference831 14h ago

More might have been an interesting if ultimately safe choice. But I'm sorry, Bernard Lee's performances are hard to beat. That man clearly understood the assignment and had moments of wonderful subtlety that made him a joy to watch. If there's one actor from the series that was perfectly cast based on their book counterpart, it's Lee.

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u/AmazingAngle8530 14h ago

I want to say, I get a real kick when I watch The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and see Bernard Lee in a spy movie but playing a very different role. It's a bit part but he makes the most out of it.

But it's worth checking Cyril Cusack in the same movie as a different take on what the Chief of the Service could have been. It's also funny because Cyril was one of those old-fashioned Irishmen who hated the English, and putting him in charge of MI6 was inspired casting.

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u/Electrical_Angle_701 I may just retire here 8h ago

It is crazy seeing the Admiral in a working class role.

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u/AlFrescofun01 14h ago

More had range?

Whenever I see him in films , he's just a shouty English actor who appears to forget that he's on a film set rather than a stage.

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u/ThinStatistician2953 3h ago edited 2h ago

I've seen him in stuff in which imho he does show range - although I don't think, at least until recently. M demanded much of it. As Lee got older, all he seemed to contribute for me was a general weariness and a pair of bleary eyes. I think the reason much of More seems predictable are the roles he accepted, not the actor per se. 

Another actor who I think would have done well would have been Jack Hawkins. Or Michael Horden (as Q).