But the true origin story of Bond in cinema begins a decade earlier, with a flamboyant, Russian-born Hollywood director named Gregory Ratoff.
Then, in 1960, Garrison sold the rights to Charles K. Feldman, a powerful Hollywood agent turned producer. Feldman had no idea what to do with them either—until 1962, when Dr. No exploded at the box office. gregory ratoff james bond film rights
Suddenly, Feldman was sitting on a goldmine. But he couldn’t make a "real" Bond film (Eon Productions owned the rest of Fleming’s library). So he made the insane, glorious, star-studded 1967 spoof Casino Royale —a movie so chaotic it features five directors, David Niven as an aging Bond, and a closing credits song by Herb Alpert. But the true origin story of Bond in
Enter Gregory Ratoff. He saw something others missed: the cinematic potential of a cold, ruthless hero in a Savile Row suit. Feldman had no idea what to do with