Weigh In Time: In "The Rock", Is Sean Connery's John Mason Really James Bond?

[Buzzetta]

I remember thinking along those lines when watching Michael Bay's, 'The Rock'.

 

There is a poll attached and you can vote for more than one selection.

 

Background: Sean Connery's character plays a disavowed British agent trained by British Intelligence who had been caught spying on the United States. He supposedly knew the secrets of the United States pertaining to the Roswell landings and the truth behind the JFK assassination. He was caught and locked up in Alcatraz as a man with no name or country since the British claimed not to know who he was. He subsequently escapes from Alcatraz and is eventually caught along the Canadian border.

 

Evidence

At the time that the movie came out, it was mentioned in the -script that Mason had been caught in the 60's which would coincide with his James Bond activities

 

From IMDB: In the scene in the interrogation room where FBI agent Stanley Goodspeed introduces himself to John Mason (Sean Connery), John replies "But of course you are". This was exactly the same line he used when he met Plenty O'Toole in the casino scene in the Bond film Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

 

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

Further evidence that the screenwriters intended John Mason to be James Bond...

Yahoo Article

 

Thoughts?

 

Figured this would be for something different rather than the usual, the prices are too damn high, pressing, eBay prices are unfair and slabbing discussion.

 

 

 

 

[Doktor]

I'd say it's more a nod & wink towards the Bond character & Sean's filmography than anything, but same difference. The intention is pretty clear & it's a nice little inside joke/easter egg, as it's not like he busts out some sort of gadget or drives around in an DB9 or anything.

[Gatsby77]

Yeah -- I'm not convinced he was meant to be the literal James Bond, code name or no.

 

Although it was a clear wink and a nod to that *type* of character.

 

 

That said, there's no doubt in my mind that the producers wrote the role of Kincade in Skyfall (the groundskeeper at Bond's childhood home) to be played by Sean Connery.

 

It's weird to watch that whole sequence knowing how much better it would have been with Connery in the part as a meta-joke and appropriate send-off.

[Buzzetta]

Yeah -- I'm not convinced he was meant to be the literal James Bond, code name or no.

 

Although it was a clear wink and a nod to that *type* of character.

 

 

That said, there's no doubt in my mind that the producers wrote the role of Kincade in Skyfall (the groundskeeper at Bond's childhood home) to be played by Sean Connery.

 

It's weird to watch that whole sequence knowing how much better it would have been with Connery in the part as a meta-joke and appropriate send-off.

 

That I believe as well. There are two stories that go around with that. One was that they could not coax Connery out of retirement. The other was that they realized that it would be too distracting to do something like that and confuse audiences as to who James Bond really is which would take away from the overall incarnation of the character.

[delekkerste]

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

This is the dumbest theory ever created and needs to die a quick death immediately.

 

First, it makes no sense. The new Bond goes to M's club and introduces himself as someone with the same name as someone they already know? Same with all of Bond's contacts? Talk about unnecessarily confusing both at the office and in the field. Not to mention, it would make it easy for foreign agents to impersonate themselves as the "new James Bond".

 

Second, other 00 agent numbers have had different names when replaced. Why would 007 be any different and just tied to the name "James Bond"? Not to mention, we know that Bond's father's name was Andrew Bond, and that has stayed the same consistently.

 

Third, how to explain Lazenby taking over as "James Bond" and then Connery coming back and re-taking the mantle? Makes no sense. Especially since the first thing that Connery does when he comes back is go on an unsanctioned vendetta against Blofeld for killing Tracy (who was married to the Lazenby Bond at the end of OHMSS).

 

Fourth, more Tracy...Roger Moore visits her grave at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only...Dalton's Bond swears off marriage in License to Kill because of Tracy's death (and Bond and Felix are longtime pals, which wouldn't be the case if "James Bond" was changing all the time). It's clear that, until the series is rebooted with Craig, all of the other Bonds have been the same Bond.

 

James Bond is one person. Any attempt now or in the future to not make that so would be a horrible ret-con on a par with the Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn "Sins Past" hook-up.

[Buzzetta]

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

This is the dumbest theory ever created and needs to die a quick death immediately.

 

First, it makes no sense. The new Bond goes to M's club and introduces himself as someone with the same name as someone they already know? Same with all of Bond's contacts? Talk about unnecessarily confusing both at the office and in the field. Not to mention, it would make it easy for foreign agents to impersonate themselves as the "new James Bond".

 

Second, other 00 agent numbers have had different names when replaced. Why would 007 be any different and just tied to the name "James Bond"? Not to mention, we know that Bond's father's name was Andrew Bond, and that has stayed the same consistently.

 

Third, how to explain Lazenby taking over as "James Bond" and then Connery coming back and re-taking the mantle? Makes no sense. Especially since the first thing that Connery does when he comes back is go on an unsanctioned vendetta against Blofeld for killing Tracy (who was married to the Lazenby Bond at the end of OHMSS).

 

Fourth, more Tracy...Roger Moore visits her grave at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only...Dalton's Bond swears off marriage in License to Kill because of Tracy's death (and Bond and Felix are longtime pals, which wouldn't be the case if "James Bond" was changing all the time). It's clear that, until the series is rebooted with Craig, all of the other Bonds have been the same Bond.

 

James Bond is one person. Any attempt now or in the future to not make that so would be a horrible ret-con on a par with the Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn "Sins Past" hook-up.

 

After I wrote that line I realized that you would respond to that. So that I do not get a "what the hell is wrong with you?" slap in the back of the head the next time I see you, I want to publicly say that I personally do believe that all of the James Bonds up until Craig were the same Bond just portrayed by different actors. The Craig Bonds were a reboot though.

 

 

 

 

[Mephisto]

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

This is the dumbest theory ever created and needs to die a quick death immediately.

 

First, it makes no sense. The new Bond goes to M's club and introduces himself as someone with the same name as someone they already know? Same with all of Bond's contacts? Talk about unnecessarily confusing both at the office and in the field. Not to mention, it would make it easy for foreign agents to impersonate themselves as the "new James Bond".

 

Second, other 00 agent numbers have had different names when replaced. Why would 007 be any different and just tied to the name "James Bond"? Not to mention, we know that Bond's father's name was Andrew Bond, and that has stayed the same consistently.

 

Third, how to explain Lazenby taking over as "James Bond" and then Connery coming back and re-taking the mantle? Makes no sense. Especially since the first thing that Connery does when he comes back is go on an unsanctioned vendetta against Blofeld for killing Tracy (who was married to the Lazenby Bond at the end of OHMSS).

 

Fourth, more Tracy...Roger Moore visits her grave at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only...Dalton's Bond swears off marriage in License to Kill because of Tracy's death (and Bond and Felix are longtime pals, which wouldn't be the case if "James Bond" was changing all the time). It's clear that, until the series is rebooted with Craig, all of the other Bonds have been the same Bond.

 

James Bond is one person. Any attempt now or in the future to not make that so would be a horrible ret-con on a par with the Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn "Sins Past" hook-up.

 

After I wrote that line I realized that you would respond to that. So that I do not get a "what the hell is wrong with you?" slap in the back of the head the next time I see you, I want to publicly say that I personally do believe that all of the James Bonds up until Craig were the same Bond just portrayed by different actors. The Craig Bonds were a reboot though.

 

 

 

 

Sorry Gene this theory is the only thing that makes sense.

[Comicopolis]

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

This is the dumbest theory ever created and needs to die a quick death immediately.

 

First, it makes no sense. The new Bond goes to M's club and introduces himself as someone with the same name as someone they already know? Same with all of Bond's contacts? Talk about unnecessarily confusing both at the office and in the field. Not to mention, it would make it easy for foreign agents to impersonate themselves as the "new James Bond".

 

Second, other 00 agent numbers have had different names when replaced. Why would 007 be any different and just tied to the name "James Bond"? Not to mention, we know that Bond's father's name was Andrew Bond, and that has stayed the same consistently.

 

Third, how to explain Lazenby taking over as "James Bond" and then Connery coming back and re-taking the mantle? Makes no sense. Especially since the first thing that Connery does when he comes back is go on an unsanctioned vendetta against Blofeld for killing Tracy (who was married to the Lazenby Bond at the end of OHMSS).

 

Fourth, more Tracy...Roger Moore visits her grave at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only...Dalton's Bond swears off marriage in License to Kill because of Tracy's death (and Bond and Felix are longtime pals, which wouldn't be the case if "James Bond" was changing all the time). It's clear that, until the series is rebooted with Craig, all of the other Bonds have been the same Bond.

 

James Bond is one person. Any attempt now or in the future to not make that so would be a horrible ret-con on a par with the Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn "Sins Past" hook-up.

 

After I wrote that line I realized that you would respond to that. So that I do not get a "what the hell is wrong with you?" slap in the back of the head the next time I see you, I want to publicly say that I personally do believe that all of the James Bonds up until Craig were the same Bond just portrayed by different actors. The Craig Bonds were a reboot though.

 

 

 

 

Alternative reality.

[delekkerste]

Sorry Gene this theory is the only thing that makes sense.

 

Does it make more or less sense than the average Boris painting?

[NewEnglandGothic]

I voted for Greggy.

 

He probably mentioned "dorks get to *bring-joyous-noel* the prom queen" before.

[Buzzetta]

Six people voted for Greggy actually.

 

"Ee, Greg - Ey"

[chrisco37]

The evidence also rests on the idea that James Bond is a code name that various agents have filled in for over the years and not an actual person.

 

This is the dumbest theory ever created and needs to die a quick death immediately.

 

First, it makes no sense. The new Bond goes to M's club and introduces himself as someone with the same name as someone they already know? Same with all of Bond's contacts? Talk about unnecessarily confusing both at the office and in the field. Not to mention, it would make it easy for foreign agents to impersonate themselves as the "new James Bond".

 

Second, other 00 agent numbers have had different names when replaced. Why would 007 be any different and just tied to the name "James Bond"? Not to mention, we know that Bond's father's name was Andrew Bond, and that has stayed the same consistently.

 

Third, how to explain Lazenby taking over as "James Bond" and then Connery coming back and re-taking the mantle? Makes no sense. Especially since the first thing that Connery does when he comes back is go on an unsanctioned vendetta against Blofeld for killing Tracy (who was married to the Lazenby Bond at the end of OHMSS).

 

Fourth, more Tracy...Roger Moore visits her grave at the beginning of For Your Eyes Only...Dalton's Bond swears off marriage in License to Kill because of Tracy's death (and Bond and Felix are longtime pals, which wouldn't be the case if "James Bond" was changing all the time). It's clear that, until the series is rebooted with Craig, all of the other Bonds have been the same Bond.

 

James Bond is one person. Any attempt now or in the future to not make that so would be a horrible ret-con on a par with the Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn "Sins Past" hook-up.

 

Did James Bond ever bang Gwen Stacy or Norman Osborne? Or both?

[delekkerste]

Did James Bond ever bang Gwen Stacy or Norman Osborne? Or both?

 

How does Greggy fit into this?