No Time To Die in the Gleaner

Back in 2013, during the 40th anniversary of the release of Live and Let Die (1973), I trawled through the archives of the Gleaner, probably Jamaica's best-known newspaper which James Bond reads from time to time in the novels, to find out how the newspaper covered the filming of Roger Moore's first Bond film, much of which was set on the island. 

The previous year, I delved into the Gleaner's archives to find out how the paper covered the filming of Sean Connery's first outing as Bond, Dr No (1962).  

Last year, Eon Productions returned to Jamaica to begin filming on Daniel Craig's final Bond effort (probably), No Time To Die. How did the coverage compare with that for Live and Let Die and Dr No? Did the presence of the film crew generate as much interest? Did James Bond still have a place in Jamaica's cultural environment? Once again, I took a look through the archives. 

The day after Eon's press conference to at Ian Fleming's former winter home, Goldeneye, James Bond was on the front page of the Gleaner on 26th April 2019. '007 comes home', ran the headline, with the article beginning with the familiar phrase: 'We've been expecting you, Mr Bond.' There was more inside the paper, with the item about the event taking up almost half a page. Apart from reporting what was revealed at the press conference, the article focused on the impact that the filming would have on the local economy; it was expected, the paper reported, that the filming would be mean employment for nearly a thousand Jamaicans, gaining work as extras, film crew and in support services, such as accommodation and transportation.

The Gleaner, 26th April 2019

The following day, the Gleaner published another photo of the launch event, this time of Daniel Craig, Naomi Harris and director Cary Joji Fukunaga being interviewed. 

In its entertainment pages on 15th May 2019, the Gleaner reported that Daniel Craig had been injured during filming in Portland at the eastern end of the island. The paper's coveraged remained positive, however, stating that such injuries are par for the course. The article also spoke to Jamaican radio celebrity Nikki Z, who, it was reported, might share some screentime with Daniel Craig in the film. Recounting her experience filming on set, she praised the way that the film had represented African-Americans: 'It wasn't something where you saw a lot of us "Europeaned" out.' Nikki Z continued: 'You saw so much culture from what I was involved in, it made me feel proud.'

The Gleaner returned to Bond on 26th June 2019. Kimberley Small reported on the release of a behind-the-scenes look at the filming in Jamaica. Though not a trailer, the video, accompanied by a 'groovy dancehall rhythm', was hugely welcomed, especially coming after a string of negative events, including news of a peeping tom in the women's toilets at Pinewood, and an explosion at the studio. The article also highlighted the incongruous appearance of Heineken, rather than Red Stripe beer in the Jamaican scenes. However, the article concluded that fans will nevertheless be getting 'giddy with excitement, to see their beloved MI5 (sic) agent having a romp on the Caribbean shoreline.'  

The Gleaner, 26th June 2019

An article on 25th July 2019 reported on the resurgence of the Jamaican film industry, thanks in part to the presence of the 'Bond 25' crew in the country. The article stated that the film had resulted in 400 jobs for Jamaicans. 

On 5th January, the Gleaner ran through the list of big cinema releases expected in 2020. Accompanied by a photo of Daniel Craig, the piece noted that Bond 25, now called No Time To Die, was scheduled for release in April. Since then, of course, Covid-19 arrived. January's piece won't be the end of the Gleaner's coverage, but for now everything is on hold. 

Comparing the coverage in 2019 with that for Dr No and Live and Let Die, it is striking how similar it is. For all three films, the Gleaner reflected interest in the jobs that the filming would generate, and the duration and location of the filming. Ian Fleming, who created James Bond at Goldeneye, was not forgotten either. 

What is different, though, is the more critical look at how Jamaica is being represented in No Time To Die. When the film crew touched down in April, they arrived in a very different country to that in 1962, when Jamaica had just become independent, and to a lesser extent in 1972, when the legacy of colonial rule (which never fully disappears) still cast a long shadow. One thing is certain, however: James Bond retains the power to generate headlines in Jamaica. 

The curious case of GoldenEye

There is one curious legacy of the film GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan's debut Bond film released 20 years ago, and that is the adoption of the title's form, with its distinctive mid-word upper case 'E' (an example of CamelCase or medial capitals), by those writing the name of Ian Fleming's Jamaican home. Look at the website of the Goldeneye Resort, of which Fleming's home is now only one part, and you'll notice that its name is given as GoldenEye. What's more, this form has been occasionally used since 1995 in the pages of the Daily Gleaner, Jamaica's foremost newspaper.

For example, a piece published on 4th August 2010 stated that 'GoldenEye provides simple, contemporary Jamaican style luxury'. On 14th June, the Gleaner reported on the first Bizot Party at 'GoldenEye Hotel Resort’s Bizot Bar', where signature cocktails such as The GoldenEye Punch were being served. And the edition of 29th November 2013 reported on 'the opportunity to buy into GoldenEye' with a shares being offered in lagoon units.

It has to be said that the CamelCase form of the name isn't particularly common in the Gleaner, and that 'Goldeneye' is preferred. This hasn't always been the case, however. In the 1950s and 1960s, when Ian Fleming was resident at the property, Goldeneye was usually rendered in the Gleaner as Golden Eye (for example in the editions of 2nd March 1951, 31st March 1959 and 15th May 1961). In contrast, the use of the form Goldeneye was rare during the same period.

Ian Fleming, as suggested by his correspondence to his wife Ann and others, gave the name of his winter retreat as Goldeneye. While Fleming was not especially consistent with names (he wrote to and about Ann or Anne, and about his son Caspar or Kaspar or Kasper), he does appear to have been consistent with Goldeneye, probably because it was the name of a wartime operation with which he had been involved.

Why the Gleaner preferred Golden Eye is uncertain, although it suggests that reporters were unfamiliar with how Fleming wrote the name, and that they were prompted by analogy with, say, Golden Eye, the name of eye treatment widely available in the island, and The Golden Eye (1948), a popular film featuring Charlie Chan.

The spelling of Goldeneye has evolved and diverged and encompassed competing forms. During Fleming's lifetime, Goldeneye competed with the variant Golden Eye, but Golden Eye has declined to become virtually extinct (it is absent from recent Gleaners). Goldeneye has since become the dominant form, but GoldenEye, the variant that emerged in 1995, has offered further competition. Its use is largely restricted to the matters relating to the film, but the huge success and popularity of the film, and its use in official publicity for the Goldeneye Resort, has allowed the variant or meme to spread beyond its cinematic context, a trend that is likely to continue.

Live and Let Die in the Gleaner

In the manner of the Chinese calendar, I was born in the year of Live and Let Die. And this year, both the film and I are 40 years old. Last year, during the film's 50th anniversary, I trawled through the archives of the Jamaican Daily Gleaner and Sunday Gleaner to discover how the newspapers reported the production and release of Dr No, which was substantially filmed in Jamaica. How did journalists respond when Eon Productions returned to the country ten years later for the filming of key scenes from Live and Let Die?
 
The coverage began on 31 August 1972, when the Daily Gleaner reported that co-producer Harry Saltzman arrived in Montego Bay on 26 August to announce that parts of the film would be shot in Montego Bay (which was used for the fishing boat scenes), Falmouth (where the crocodile farm and Kananga's cave scenes would be shot) and Ocho Rios (for the hotel scenes and others) along the north coast. Saltzman was reported as saying that Live and Let Die would be the most extravagant of the Bond series yet and tell the story of a black crime king based on a Caribbean island who plans world conquest using occult means. Many Jamaicans were expected to get parts in the film, the paper added.
  
More filming locations were revealed on 9 October 1972. The Gleaner reported that Messrs Hanson and Davis, representatives of Eon Productions, met the secretary and councillors of the Hanover Parish Council to discuss filming in Lucea, a small north-coast town. It was agreed that a new road at Johnson Town would be closed and as much local labour as possible would be employed during the filming. (This location was used for the bus chase.)

On Monday 13 November, the Gleaner reported that Roger Moore and Gloria Hendry flew into Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay the day before (a photograph of Roger Moore greeting the manager of the Jamaican Tourist Board and the board's director of public relations was published on the 16th). Another arrival was tour director, Mr Henry Saltzman. The error amused Roger Moore, who noted it in his 'James Bond diary'. In his account, Roger Moore described being questioned repeatedly by the press about his salary, and could only shake the reporters off when he arrived at the Ironshore Golf and Country Club for lunch. “He would not disclose how much he was being paid for the James Bond series”, the paper wrote.

The filming of Live and Let Die was mentioned next on 19 November in the Sunday Gleaner in the social page, 'The World and His Wife'. “James Bond...walked over several areas of Ocho Rios over the past few days personified by actor Roger Moore”. The piece added that scenes  were also filmed at Owen Flynn's Ruins and Waterfalls. (These scenes included Bond and Rosie's picnic.)

Cast and crew returned to the UK in December, but items related to Live and Let Die continued to appear in the Gleaner afterwards. On 18 January 1973, the Gleaner published a photograph of Jane Seymour (Solitaire) and Gloria Hendry (Rosie Carver) beside a pool at the Sans Souci Hotel, where the production had been staying. A profile of Roger Moore was published on 18 February, and 5 August saw the publication of extracts from Roger Moore's 'James Bond Diary'.

Live and Let Die was released in the US on 27 June, and in the UK on 5 July. Jamaicans had to wait until 17 October before they could see the film. A feature announcing its arrival, published in the Sunday Gleaner on 14 October, noted Roger Moore's “suave, sophisticated style and physically impressive manner which conforms to author Ian Fleming's concept of British Agent 007”. Jane Seymour was said to portray Solitaire “with sensuous innocence”.

Not everyone enjoyed the film. In an opinion piece published on 30 October, Thomas Wright described Live and Let Die as “the poorest of the lot so far, though there were some great moments during the speed-boat chase”. The columnist also alluded to Jamaican protest that the film was “insulting to black people”, though dismissed the argument.

Just as in 1962 with Dr No, Live and Let Die gained regular press attention before and during its filming and at the time of its release. Forty years on, James Bond continues to fill newspaper pages and dominate other media outlets. It is testament to the success of the film series, that after 50 years, the James Bond phenomenon shows no sign of abating.

Reference
Mulder, M and Kloosterboer, D, 2008 On the Tracks of 007, DMD Digital

Reception committee: Fleming and Bond arrive in Jamaica

In the novel Dr No, as James Bond flies into Kingston airport at the start of his investigation of Dr No's nefarious activities (Dr No, chapter 4), he runs into a photographer from the Daily Gleaner, who is eager to take Bond's picture. Bond is understandably keen to remain in the shadows and is worried about details of his visit reaching the paper. When Ian Fleming wrote this episode, which also appeared in the screen adaptation, he was writing from personal experience. Like Bond, he invariably gained the attention of the Press on his arrival in Jamaica, but, at least in the early days, he had his own reasons for wanting to keep his visits low key.

When celebrities came to Jamaica, the Daily Gleaner made sure that its readers knew about it. The paper even had a dedicated column, “Airport News”, to report the arrival and departure of notable visitors. Ian Fleming built Goldeneye, his Jamaican home, in 1946, and very soon afterwards the Gleaner, initially because of Fleming's association with the wealthy so-called 'resident-visitor' Ivor Bryce, had recognised Fleming as someone newsworthy. In February 1947, the Gleaner ran a story about wealthy visitors buying property in Montego Bay, and mentioned Fleming's recent purchase.

By 1947, Ian Fleming's relationship with Lady Ann Rothermere, the wife of newspaper proprietor Lord Rothermere, was some six years old. Ian and Ann were determined to keep their affair discreet, and on her first visit to Goldeneye in 1948, Ann had brought Loelia, Duchess of Westminster as a chaperone to help deflect suspicions and gossip.

Ann and Ian's flight into Kingston (Palidadoes) Airport on 12th January, however, had not passed unnoticed, and the following day, their arrival was reported in the Daily Gleaner. Fortunately for Ian and Ann, the piece, accompanied by a photograph of the couple, revealed nothing of their relationship, and appeared to suggest that Ian and Ann had to some extent made separate holiday plans. Readers learnt that Ann was to be in Jamaica for three weeks and was to stay with Ivor Bryce, as well as Ian Fleming, while Ian was planning to remain in the country for six weeks at Goldeneye.

When Fleming described James Bond's arrival into Jamaica in Dr No (1958), he was in essence recalling his own experience. The Gleaner's reporter who greets Bond at the airport asks Bond the same questions that the reporter must have asked Fleming: how long will you be in Jamaica ('in transit', Bond answers), and where will you staying ('Myrtle Bank')? There was also a flash of the camera and the prospect of Bond's picture appearing in print.

Ian Fleming drew from a wide range of sources and experiences when he wrote the James Bond books. Some of these experiences, such as his wartime role and post-war journalism, form an important part of Bond's character and adventures. But there are other, seemingly less significant events, including arriving in Jamaica, which also contribute and add fine detail to the stories.

Seashells and other tips for surviving the economic storm, by Ian Fleming

In 1948, Ian Fleming had not long established himself in Jamaica – he moved into his winter retreat, Goldeneye, in December 1946 – but even by that time was concerned with issues that affected the country. An edition of Jamaica's foremost newspaper, the Daily Gleaner, published in March 1948, carried an article by Ian Fleming. In it, he gave suggestions for the 'island's development' in the face of economic uncertainty. Reading the article now, we also detect the germ of an idea that would resurface nine years later in his novel, Dr No.

As now, the world in 1948 was experiencing an economic crisis. The Second World War had cost nations dearly. European states were heavily in debt, unemployment was high, and industry was still reeling from the war effort and the destruction of infrastructure. Recovery followed the implementation of the United States' Marshall Plan in 1947, but it was slow, and in 1948, the world's economy remained turbulent.

Ian Fleming recognised that Jamaica had not escaped these difficulties, and so he offered some advice on the what steps the inhabitants of Jamaica could take to lessen the impact of the 'economic hurricane' that was approaching. Supporting a plea from the Gleaner for Jamaica to make more use of its natural resources, Fleming suggested that for every tree cut down, two more should be planted, thus allowing the country to develop a sustainable resource. More wood could be used for shoes. The people in Europe, he said, had largely rejected shoes made with leather soles, preferring instead shoes with wooden soles and heels. This presented a basis for a thriving industry. Such shoes could readily be made in Jamaica and sold to visitors.

More use, Fleming wrote, could be made of the island's fish and shell fish. French restaurants would pay handsomely for the fat mussels normally used as bait by fishermen. A list should be prepared of all the edible sea food available in Jamaican waters, accompanied by advice on how to cook it. And a greater range of fish could be salted and preserved; Jamaicans need not rely solely on salted cod to get them through times of reduced fresh fish supply.

Fleming also urged people to look after their livestock more carefully, for instance by keeping them off the road. Animals are an important economic asset and should be protected. Fleming thought that native plants, another asset, were unreasonably regarded by the local population as weeds. Money could be made by selling the cuttings and seeds of those plants.

Finally, Ian Fleming suggested that the inhabitants of fishing villages collect the seashells brought in over the year and sell them at wayside stalls. The shells make excellent garden and household ornaments and souvenirs for tourists.

If this idea seems familiar, then it is because Fleming appears to have returned to it in his 1957 novel, Dr No. Honeychile Rider memorably emerges from the sea onto the beach of Dr No's island and meets James Bond. She clutches some seashells and tells Bond that she is collecting them for a dealer in Miami. Fleming wrote the novel in 1956, but clearly it was not the first time that he had thought about the economic value of seashells. The idea originated nine years earlier and was expressed again through a character that would become so iconic in the James Bond phenomenon, thanks in no small part to Ursula Andress's portrayal in the 1962 film.

How did the Gleaner cover Dr No?

The arrival of the James Bond team in a region is big news. It generates a lot of publicity, draws in the crowds, and, as we've already seen with the filming of Skyfall, brings economic benefits. This was true back in 1962 with the filming of the first Bond film, Dr No, as it is now. The Daily Gleaner, Jamaica's renowned newspaper, was well placed to record the reaction in Jamaica to the arrival of Eon Productions and the stars of Dr No, Sean Connery and Ursula Andress. Let's look at some of the coverage.

January 16, 1962
The Dr No team arrived in Jamaica on Sunday 14th January. Albert Broccoli was reported as saying that the crew would be in Jamaica for about five or six weeks, and that they'd be filming all over the island. What's more, the film would be a top feature. Sean Connery had already been in the island for about a week. He admitted that 'perhaps I have a little of James Bond in me'. Director Terence Young was to view local artists at the Copacabana Club the Wednesday evening (17th) for the cabaret scenes.

January 17, 1962
The Gleaner reported that cameras started rolling the day before (Tuesday 16 January). The first scenes to be shot were at the Palisadoes airport. It also stated that a number of roles had gone to Jamaicans, among them Miss Jamaica 1961, Marguerite LeWars, who played the photographer in the pay of Dr No.

January 31, 1962
Ursula Andress arrived in Jamaica on January 29. The piece reported that she was to play Honey, and was staying at the Courtleigh Manor Hotel in Kingston. The film crew was about to move to the north coast for filming.

February 7, 1962
The film crew arrived on the 6th January at St Ann's Bay in Ocho Rios on the north coast. It noted that Ian Fleming had a home in Jamaica.

February 8, 1962
The Gleaner published a report on the attempts by locals of the Ocho Rios area to obtain jobs on Dr No. Eon Productions was seeking about 100 people. The report doesn't state whether the work was for extras or production staff. The report notes that there was a sense of a local grievance; councillor Sydney James considered it unfair that most jobs had gone to Kingstonians.

February 27, 1962
A writ on behalf of musicians Carlos Malcolm and Ernest Ranglin was served by their representative, Hugh Levy Jr, on Eon Productions. Levy claimed that Malcolm had been engaged to compose music for the film and supervise the recordings, while Ranglin was employed to look after the arrangements. Levy was seeking to recover £1,064.

September 1963
The film was premièred in Jamaica at the Regal and Carib cinemas. Proceeds from the evening went to the Jamaican Youth Club's Council. The Gleaner's report also discussed Jamaica's importance as a destination for film-makers.

November 1, 1964
The Sunday Gleaner revealed that some cinemas in Kingston were still showing Dr No, and cinema goers were looking forward to Goldfinger. The report focused on the emergence of Bond spoofs and imitations.

From the pages of the Gleaner

In Ian Fleming's The Man with the Golden Gun (1965), we learn that Jamaica's Daily Gleaner is one of James Bond's favourite newspapers (presumably along with the Daily Express), and he buys a copy when he arrives in Kingston on route to Havana. In Bond's earlier Caribbean adventures, Fleming only adds passing references to the Gleaner, but in The Man with the Golden Gun, we have a lot more detail.

The edition Bond purchases can be dated to the 28th January 1964 or one of two days later. This date is provided by the reference in chapter 4 to French president Charles de Gaulle's recognition of Communist China, which happened on the 27th January. According to Fleming's description, the front page of Bond's edition is taken up with coverage of new laws preventing the consumption, sale and cultivation of marijuana. Fleming notes that de Gaulle's recognition of Red China appears well down the page.

In this case, Fleming was not being entirely accurate. A trawl through the archives of the Daily Gleaner reveals that the front page headline on the 28th January read: 'FRANCE RECOGNIZES RED CHINA'. There is no reference to drug laws. The story continued to be headline news the day after. The main headline on the front page was, 'FRANCE, RED CHINA DISPUTE POLICY'. Again, there was no mention of drug laws. De Gaulle slides from the front page after the 29th January, but there are no front-page references to drug laws over the following few days either.

There are two aspects of the Daily Gleaner that Fleming did record relatively accurately. One was the style of the paper's daily horoscope. Bond reads: 'CHEER UP! Today will bring you a pleasant surprise...' John Griswold gives Bond's birthday as 11th November, and on the 29th January 1964, his horoscope read: ACCEPTANCE: If there's any sacrifices to be made, it seems that you will have to make them.'

Fleming also captured the style of property auction notices rather well. Turning to the back page, Bond sees an advertisement for an auction of a property in Love Lane, Savannah La Mar. The auctioneers mentioned – the C D Alexander Co. Ltd of 77 Harbour Street – actually existed. A notice on the back page of the Gleaner dated 27th January 1964 began:

SALE BY AUCTION
at our offices, 77 Harbour Street, Kingston
On Friday the 14th February 1964 at 10.30 a.m.
UNDER POWERS OF SALE contained in a Mortgage:-

and ends with the name of the auctioneers, C D Alexander Co. Ltd, and their telephone number, 24897 (Fleming has an earlier phone number, 4897).

Reference:

Griswold, J, 2006 Ian Fleming's James Bond: Annotations and Chronologies for Ian Fleming's Bond Stories, Author House