FOR MY EYES ONLY: FILMMAKER jOHN GLEN on redirecting james bond (1986-1989)

John Glen is best known for his work on the James Bond franchise, initially as an editor and second-unit director before moving into the director’s chair. He worked on three Bond films in these capacities: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979).

This experience, together with his extensive work in British film and television, led to a natural progression into directing. In 1981, he was chosen to direct Roger Moore as James Bond in For Your Eyes Only. Its success led to four further Bond films: Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985), The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989), starring Timothy Dalton as James Bond in the final two. Glen holds the record for directing the most James Bond films, having directed five consecutive entries in the series.

Back in 2017, I had the pleasure of sitting down with British director John Glen. At the time, John was on a promotional tour for his autobiography, For My Eyes Only: My Life with James Bond, which I highly recommend reading.

Over the course of an hour, we enjoyed a warm and fascinating conversation about his four-decade career in the film industry. In addition to his work on 007, John worked on films including The Third Man, The Italian Job and The Wild Geese. The focus of our interview was to discuss Timothy Dalton’s tenure and its natural contrast to the Roger Moore era.

Our discussion began with a natural question about what had inspired him to pursue a career in the film industry and, having started at the very bottom as a runner, just how challenging the journey to becoming a director had been.

Well, I wasn't what you would call academically qualified for anything else, so I kind of drifted into film. I had always been interested in drama and would spend many hours at my local cinema during the matinee performances, which incidentally drew a rough crowd in those days. When the lights went down and the picture began I entered a sort of wonderland that I knew I wanted to be a part of.

I started as a messenger boy in the editing studios at Shepperton - emptying the waste bins at first and then slowly graduated to rewinding and joining film (reels). Then as an assistant editor I made my way up, similar to David Lean, putting inserts such as car chases etc. It was tough because in my experience you had to leave your employment to advance yourself. Somehow the people who are around you don't recognise your talent necessarily.

Glen collaborated with some of the most iconic figures in cinema. Looking back, who did you most enjoy working with and what made that experience so memorable?

Carol Reed was a wonderful man. He was not only a brilliant director but he was also a very pleasant person. I luckily had the pleasure of working with him on ‘The Third Man,’ which made more of an impact on me than any other film I had seen.

In 1987, Timothy Dalton made his debut as James Bond in The Living Daylights, marking a significant shift for the franchise after the Roger Moore era. I was curious, how did Glen prepare to introduce this new interpretation of Bond and steer the series in a different direction?

Well Timothy and I talked a lot about how we were going to get back to a harder-edged Bond which had been lacking for some time. This kind of image suited Tim better, and I thought we were truer to the Fleming characters, which is something he felt very strongly about. So I believe he read all of the novels to get a grip on what this character was like and how he would appear on screen.

With Licence to Kill, there was a concerted effort to push Bond into much darker territory than ever before. As the first film in the series to receive a 15 certificate from the BBFC, I was curious whether there was any trepidation about how the audience (limited to adults) might react, and why a tougher, more violent Bond picture felt right direction at the time?

It was necessary because we were telling a story that was very much more realistic in terms of the plot than any other of the bond movies - as well as the fact that it was concentrating on the drug scene of South America - and so it had to have a more violent approach to be true to the picture. I still think that was probably the best of my pictures, and the approach worked very well with Timothy as Bond. I'm not so sure that would have been the case if Roger, or Pierce for that matter, had starred. It was probably the closest movie we have ever done in the franchise to the Fleming books.

Following the release, and with plans soon underway for a 17th Bond film with Timothy Dalton in mind, were there any discussions about you returning to direct the film?

Well I was never hired for more than one film at a time, people forget I was never under contract although I directed five of them on the trot. Each time Cubby [Broccoli] would ask me 'Would you do the next film...', So by the time of all the legal proceedings, I had already moved on, although I imagine he was optioned for a third movie as was generally the case. I guess the amount of time between Licence To Kill and Goldeneye spurred him to move on - but that question is best left for Tim to answer.

Having directed five Bond films and been closely involved with the franchise for many years, how do you think the series has evolved since you left, and are there any creative decisions you would have approached differently?

Funnily enough I was speaking to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli [the Bond producers] the other day and they were saying our films stand up pretty well if you take into account the cost. I think the cost now is something in the region of four times the amount that we had back in the eighties, but saying that the market is huge now in terms of merchandise and DVD's and so forth that wasn't heard of then. I think they have an excellent Bond in the shape of Pierce Brosnan - who I originally tested at Pinewood for The Living Daylights although he couldn't do it at the time for contractual problems… I think both Barbara and Michael have done an excellent job in carrying Cubby's mantle and staying true to the spirit of Ian Fleming.

During our discussion, we talked about John having just completed Point Men with Christopher Lambert (whom I had previously interviewed as a possible James Bond following Greystoke), as well as a project he was developing with Roger Moore called Skinning the Cat.

Sadly, the film never came to fruition, but it sounded like a genuinely wonderful story. It followed a retired cat burglar who, in a final act of redemption, sets out to return some of the paintings he stole over the years to their rightful owners. To do so, he must first steal them back from the people who possess them now.

Along the way, he encounters a young villain whom he takes under his wing, teaching him the tricks of the trade. In the process, he manages to put the adolescent on the right path. Like many great directors, there is always a project that never gets made, leaving people to wonder what might have been.

As our conversation drew to a close, I asked John out of all the experiences he had, what career lesson has stayed with him the most, and how during the Bond years especially he ever found time to relax?

I think to be honest with everyone, particularly the actors. You don't have to put on airs and graces with people, you just need to be yourself and work hard at what's on the page. Saying that, you definitely need to have humour and the ability to not take yourself too seriously.

I'm at my most relaxed when I'm making movies, no doubt about it and I find it difficult to relax otherwise, so there are always scripts and things. One of the reasons why I wrote this book really was because I have all these great memories and I felt I had to commit them to paper before I get to old to remember, because I never kept a diary or made any notes - although there is a lot of material existing, especially on the Bonds. It's been a wonderful career and I've been lucky and I have worked hard, and hope the people who have been with me have had a lot of fun.

John Glen lives in Oxford with his wife Janine.

At 94, he remains a regular contributor to interviews and retrospectives reflecting on his remarkable career in the film industry.

© Nick Pourgourides

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.