Post by dianahawthorne on Apr 2, 2009 14:00:48 GMT -5
Going to the Movies
Inspired by The Moneypenny Diaries. I don't own anything.
5 October 1962
Tonight is the premiere of the first “James Bond” movie, based off the books, and, unknown to the world at large, based on real life. I have been invited to the premiere. I’m a bit nervous, not knowing how I’ll be portrayed (in the books I have a very minor role, which suits me just fine), but it is rather thrilling, though I cannot tell anyone that I really am Miss Moneypenny.
***
The film certainly was accurate – the actor playing Q, Desmond Llewellyn, looked quite like the real Q. And Bernard Lee looked eerily similar to the OM. And while Sean Connery was quite handsome, James is far different in real life. Superficially, they are quite similar, but James does have a scar running down his left cheek that was absent in Mr. Connery.
And then there was me. It is quite odd to see someone portraying you onscreen, especially when the actress playing you resembles you to a great degree. In fact, all the casting decisions truly reflected appearance of the real-life person they were based upon.
The woman playing me, Lois Maxwell, was only onscreen for a few minutes, but she had a bigger role in the movie than my character did in the books.
It was odd, seeing something that was billed as “fiction” though it really had occurred in real life. Even the banter between my character and James’s was quite familiar, though far more... flirtatious than the dialogue that really occurred.
“James! Where have you been? I’ve been searching all over London for you,” my character said, picking up the telephone. “007 is here, sir.” Sean Connery had been rummaging through the papers on the desk while Lois Maxwell was on the telephone and, as soon as she hung up the phone, she slapped his hand away.
“Moneypenny! What gives?”
“Me, given an ounce of encouragement.” I could feel my cheeks burning. I was NEVER this openly flirtatious! Onscreen, Sean Connery rested his cheek against Lois Maxwell’s and began to sway with her. “You’ve never taken me to dinner looking like this,” Lois Maxwell continued, “You’ve never taken me to dinner...”
“I would, you know,” Sean Connery said. “Only M would have me court-martialed for... illegal use of government property.” I was quite offended – I am NOT government property!
“Flattery will get you nowhere – but don’t stop trying,” Lois Maxwell said, half-laughing, before becoming businesslike again. “Now...”
“What’s all this to do about?” Sean Connery asked.
“Strangways. And it looks serious. We’ve been burning the air between here and Jamaica for the last three hours.:
The red light next to M’s door turned green, just as it did in real life when he was ready to see the waiting agent.
“In you go.”
“Don’t forget to write,” said Sean Connery.
Then there was a scene with Sean Connery and Bernard Lee before my character reappeared.
“Miss Moneypenny, forget the usual repartee,” said M’s voice on the speaker. “007’s in a hurry.” She flipped it off.
Sean Connery gathered his coat and hat before handing Lois Maxwell a box.
“Ciao,” he said, and my character looked wistfully after him.
“Good luck,” were my character’s last words in the film.
Did I really look like that when James swanned into the room? Like I was in love with him? I could barely concentrate on the rest of the movie, my thoughts were so occupied in trying to figure out my feelings for James.
I am fond of him, certainly, and have too much of a soft spot for him. I enjoy our flirtatious repartee, probably more than I should. I worry about him.
But I know that we’d never have a relationship beyond the playful banter in the Office. Do I want something more?
I’m not sure. I’m really, truly not sure.
Inspired by The Moneypenny Diaries. I don't own anything.
5 October 1962
Tonight is the premiere of the first “James Bond” movie, based off the books, and, unknown to the world at large, based on real life. I have been invited to the premiere. I’m a bit nervous, not knowing how I’ll be portrayed (in the books I have a very minor role, which suits me just fine), but it is rather thrilling, though I cannot tell anyone that I really am Miss Moneypenny.
***
The film certainly was accurate – the actor playing Q, Desmond Llewellyn, looked quite like the real Q. And Bernard Lee looked eerily similar to the OM. And while Sean Connery was quite handsome, James is far different in real life. Superficially, they are quite similar, but James does have a scar running down his left cheek that was absent in Mr. Connery.
And then there was me. It is quite odd to see someone portraying you onscreen, especially when the actress playing you resembles you to a great degree. In fact, all the casting decisions truly reflected appearance of the real-life person they were based upon.
The woman playing me, Lois Maxwell, was only onscreen for a few minutes, but she had a bigger role in the movie than my character did in the books.
It was odd, seeing something that was billed as “fiction” though it really had occurred in real life. Even the banter between my character and James’s was quite familiar, though far more... flirtatious than the dialogue that really occurred.
“James! Where have you been? I’ve been searching all over London for you,” my character said, picking up the telephone. “007 is here, sir.” Sean Connery had been rummaging through the papers on the desk while Lois Maxwell was on the telephone and, as soon as she hung up the phone, she slapped his hand away.
“Moneypenny! What gives?”
“Me, given an ounce of encouragement.” I could feel my cheeks burning. I was NEVER this openly flirtatious! Onscreen, Sean Connery rested his cheek against Lois Maxwell’s and began to sway with her. “You’ve never taken me to dinner looking like this,” Lois Maxwell continued, “You’ve never taken me to dinner...”
“I would, you know,” Sean Connery said. “Only M would have me court-martialed for... illegal use of government property.” I was quite offended – I am NOT government property!
“Flattery will get you nowhere – but don’t stop trying,” Lois Maxwell said, half-laughing, before becoming businesslike again. “Now...”
“What’s all this to do about?” Sean Connery asked.
“Strangways. And it looks serious. We’ve been burning the air between here and Jamaica for the last three hours.:
The red light next to M’s door turned green, just as it did in real life when he was ready to see the waiting agent.
“In you go.”
“Don’t forget to write,” said Sean Connery.
Then there was a scene with Sean Connery and Bernard Lee before my character reappeared.
“Miss Moneypenny, forget the usual repartee,” said M’s voice on the speaker. “007’s in a hurry.” She flipped it off.
Sean Connery gathered his coat and hat before handing Lois Maxwell a box.
“Ciao,” he said, and my character looked wistfully after him.
“Good luck,” were my character’s last words in the film.
Did I really look like that when James swanned into the room? Like I was in love with him? I could barely concentrate on the rest of the movie, my thoughts were so occupied in trying to figure out my feelings for James.
I am fond of him, certainly, and have too much of a soft spot for him. I enjoy our flirtatious repartee, probably more than I should. I worry about him.
But I know that we’d never have a relationship beyond the playful banter in the Office. Do I want something more?
I’m not sure. I’m really, truly not sure.
