My Name Is Fleming, Ian Fleming (2015 TV Movie) User Reviews

If you're a Bond newcomer...

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 20 April 2020]

This documentary tells the story of Ian Fleming, real-life spy, ladies' man and sportsman. He was there at the real birth of MI-5 and the CIA, which gave him the background to tell the story of one of pop culture's most beloved heroes, James Bond.

From how Fleming created Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for his son to how he fell in love with SCUBA diving, it really tells so much about the man who created Bond.

If you're a Bond fan, you will already know much of this, such as how the man with a license to kill was named after a bird watching writer. However, if you are just learning about the universe of MI6 and SPECTRE, this is a quick watch that will get you up to speed.

Nice retelling of Fleming's legacy

[Scott-344 · 8/10 · 14 December 2020]

I enjoyed this. I spent a good deal of my youth (and, okay, adulthood) obsessed with James Bond, and that obsession has allowed me to meet Bond authors (John Pearson, Jeffery Deaver) and performers and crew (Moore and Lazenby and editor/director Peter Hunt, and several of the Bond actresses, including a memorable tea with Nadja Regan) and win prizes in Bond trivia contests, and to work on several Bond documentaries for home video releases. So there aren't too many surprises a film like this is going to deliver. But there are good interviews -- Fleming family members, the daughter of one of the publishers at Jonathan Cape, "Solo" author William Boyd, and, interestingly, two women who recently translated Fleming's novels for new German editions. I was amused by the views of one opinionated Bond devotee who is aghast that M was recast as a woman because, he claims, this ruins the dynamic of Bond as sexist womanizer. His opinion is contrasted with that of the German translators, who find the original incarnation of Bond to be rather romantic. (In defense of the old school Bond devotee, I do understand there's a father-son-dynamic between Bond and M, with Bond constantly trying to prove himself, but I also think it's fair to say that the Craig films handle the Bond-female M relationship well -- Bond is still seeking parental approval, and having a female boss does little to hamper his love life.) There's some solid Fleming-related location photography, and all in all it's a pleasant view, like a visit from an old friend.

Dull and dry

[Phil_Chester · 24 February 2020]

A surprisingly dull and dry account of the creator of Bond. It's quite remarkable how boring they can make a description of Fleming/Bond's exciting international jet-setting lifestyle. Best avoided.