Fleming

This four part series is intended to set the stage for Fleming's post-war life as a novelist and chronicler of enviable male conquests of both the international and romantic sort. When not devising ways to bring England's enemies to their knees, Fleming was busy cavorting with women of the upper class, some of whom he loved, and one of whom killed herself for love.

Hard to look away. If the plots were not enough, the settings and cinematography are breathtaking, whether the scenes be underwater, in the Alps, in the war torn woods,or within exquisite mansions.

All around it would be hard to go wrong with this as it offers something for everyone.

I find it fascinating that much of the criticism in other reviews is based on the idea that James Bond wasn't based on Fleming. A fictional character by its very nature has its roots in more than one place. I've no idea how Fleming's war exploits compare to the novels, but it's quite clear that James Bond's personal behaviors, tastes, preferences, and prejudices are based on Fleming's. His wife made direct reference to this in the series opening and these similarities are well documented in analysis of the novels. Fleming wasn't Bond, nor were any of the others that have been posited as his inspiration. Bond is an amalgam of many, and Fleming himself was certainly one of them.

"Fleming" this is unarguably a piece of fiction with a few bits of truth. "The Man Who Never Was" featured in this program is Non Fiction by author Ewen Montagu. "Fleming" is a brilliant mini-series with a stellar cast but please be advised that it is only very loosely based on his life story. How do we know this? Well here is the evidence for this statement. The last episode of the mini-series (which was probably the best one) features the true story of "The Man Who Never Was" a book famously written by The Hon. Ewen Montagu C.B.E. D.L. Q.C.) It is the true story about a dead man's body clothed in the uniform of a British senior officer with an attaché case handcuffed to it. In the attaché case were planted bogus secret documents outlining bogus plans for the 1944 Allied landings in Europe. This was left by a British submarine off the coast of Spain in a place where it was know it would be swept ashore and reported to a very active German spy network working in the area, based there to spy on the British naval dockyards at Gibraltar. The actress Lara Pulver who plays his then girlfriend is probably the most beautiful woman we have ever seen on the screen c 2014 and will probably look like she does in this film for ever.igw

Dominic Cooper should be on the British honors list one day. He was terrific in his role as Ian Fleming, a British playboy who became a British spy during World War II. Ian Fleming was the author of the James Bond super spy novels. He had lived an interesting life himself. The four part series included Fleming's own playboy relationships with women bordering misogynistic. Lesley Manville was perfect as his mother. Anna Chancellor was terrific as the Officer Monday who would later be characterized as Miss Moneypenny. While the four part series was quite entertaining, you didn't want it to end too.

This is a quote excellent four part story which looks at the life of Ian Fleming, his wartime career, the time before he became famous for James Bond.

Fleming is portrayed as a Bond life character he, he guns down Nazis, takes up secret missions, and certainly puts it about.

It's a very raunchy drama, Fleming was certainly a man for the ladies. Cooper cuts a dashing figure as Fleming, you can't help but see flashes of Bond. Laura Pulver is wonderful as Ann, they make a great duo.

A wonderful, dazzling production, it looks amazing, smart costumes, great sets, they didn't go overboard with special effects thankfully.

Well worth a watch, 8/10.