Fleming (2014) User Reviews

Great Bond TV show about Ian Fleming

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 18 February 2014]

Ian Fleming (Dominic Cooper) is a disappointing playboy with a wealthy and well connected family. His brother is the shining star of his mother. He has a great love Muriel Wright (Annabelle Wallis), and a love affair with the married Ann O'Neill (Lara Pulver). His boss is Real Admiral John Godfrey (Samuel West), and assistant Second Officer Monday (Anna Chancellor).

Those who complain about the authenticity really miss the point of the series. His actual career is probably lost forever to time and state secrets. This is a marrying of Ian Fleming and James Bond. Quite frankly, I don't know why nobody has made feature movies about a semi-fictionalized Ian Fleming before. It's a great way to do a Bond movie while skirting the copyright. And you can use Fleming's name right up top maybe even 'The Man who would be Bond'.

This one does it as well as it can be done on TV. The action could be bigger. Dominic Cooper is a bratty playboy writer who turns into a brilliant intelligence officer struggling against the system. All the James Bond ideas are there intermingled with the real Ian Fleming. That's the charming part of this series.

Wow!

[buiger · 7/10 · 25 September 2014]

In the great tradition of excellent, professionally made British TV Series...

How good, how refreshing! Finally a production which entertains, informs and intrigues at the same time! Everything about this show is well done, the script (above all), the direction, the acting, the cinematography, the sound... There is absolutely nothing to complain about. It is interesting, the dialog (finally) is engaging, it is wonderful to hear the English language spoken so beautifully. Yes, it does not completely conform to historical fact, it has been a little dramatized for entertainment purposes, but who cares? It is and remains an excellent production.

I am certain Fleming would have loved this! Well done to all!

A decadent story about the life of Ian Fleming.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 8 November 2020]

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.

Mildly amusing

[slowpulse · 6/10 · 19 August 2021]

From the very beginning, we're gently nudged towards the idea that the inspiration to Ian Fleming for James Bond was... Fleming himself. As fictional as that may be, and there are reasons to appreciate it for the entertainment value at least, young Fleming's routine gets old really really fast. The boozing, womanizing, good-for-nothing, but ultimately lovable scoundrel has been portrayed in many a production before. Nothing bad about Dominic Cooper's performance, and he does radiate a certain charm, but really... there's only so much dickish behavior one's charm can excuse.

Ultimately, I got bored by Fleming's antics and the repeated, sanitized sex scenes. The central plot never grasped me and frankly, I ended up not caring particularly much for any of the characters - least of all the titular one.

It's not a bad product per se. But not a very good one either.

Bond. That's what you should call him,not Aitken. Bond.

[Sylviastel · 9/10 · 21 February 2020]

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.

A rare vintage Art-house production in TV

[frasif00 · 9/10 · 16 February 2014]

Rarely TV serials adopt the idea of 'Art-house' production, and this is one of them. Another gem from the BBC production. Story of the creator of 007 who himself is a legend in thus arena, perhaps one of the most influential one. At first glance I thought it contains style over substance but in time everything worked out just fine ! This is not just another espionage story of WWII, rather the script mingled the personal and professional life of Fleming brilliantly. Dominic Cooper was an excellent choice, he can play the hard-boiled spoiled brat quite fascinatingly, we all have seen it in 'The Devil's Double'. Lara Pulver was naturally brilliant in the seductive dominatrix role as usual. Only if they could let the 'blond Muriel' stay a bit longer !

Its not easy to bring-up the story of someone with so many 'issues' meticulously, but they tried and didn't fail ! Its no hardcore action flick like 007, rather vintage flavoured of WWII, the set decoration was quite believable. And most of all, this series is 'Hot', and hot means 'Haught' ! Waiting for the final instalment !

Vintage styled show giving an insight into the life of Ian Fleming!

[blackhawk_165 · 9/10 · 26 February 2014]

The first time I heard they were making a show on Ian Fleming i was pretty excited. But i had some reservations too. Firstly because being a huge Bond fan i didn't want something similar to nor too remote from the Bond movies. It had to be a careful balance between the fantasy world of Bond and the real life of Ian Fleming. Next as it was going to be a mini series it had to be fast paced and concise. Not too brief leaving the spectators wanting more. And to say in all honest opinion i absolutely loved the show! Dominic Cooper and Laura Pulver had the perfect on screen chemistry. Both complemented each other perfectly. The storyline revolved around both the personal and professional life of Fleming. The atmosphere was very real. The war scenes weren't the best CGI has to offer these days but nonetheless excellent enough to keep me glued to the screen. I wouldn't go as far as to call the show perfect, but it's as much near perfection as i had wished it would be. Laura Pulver's character as a strong and composed woman and Fleming's character as the cold hearted playboy spy set ablaze the screen. The performances were brilliant. All in all, shaken not stirred!

Understanding Fleming

[anshopkins · 10/10 · 8 February 2014]

Well done...Brits! Having been through having a "hard" mother. I can tell you experientially that this is an accurate portrayal of a man with issues. I kinda wish you had let the blond live a little longer. Granted, I love period pieces.I especially appreciate this WWII piece since my dad was in it.

I WILL BUY THIS ON BLU RAY WHEN ITS AVAILABLE.

Costumes, story, casting, screenplay, and cinematography...all are excellent. See what you can do when you try a little harder. Congratulations are in order.

Again, well done, Brits!

nicely done fluff

[petitchatnoir · 5/10 · 23 November 2014]

This is Ian Fleming as he would have so loved to be, produced in the style of his Bond character: women can't resist him, his bad behavior is indulged because he's just so bloody amazing, and a bomb that takes out the structure surrounding him as he seduces his prey leaves him not only unscathed but still dapper. From what I've read of and interviews I've seen with Fleming, he didn't possess the charm, charisma and confidence portrayed here.

The piece is visually pleasing but not particularly accurate in historical details: style of speech, mannerisms and dress have a modern sensibility (Mu's leather outfit is one glaring example, and Fleming saying "nuclear" rather than "atomic" - if it's to be believed he would have discussed it with anyone - for another). There was also some artistic license with the Operation Mincemeat/Man Who Wasn't There bit.

The cast is first rate and make the best of what they're working with.

If you want to a bit of fun along the lines of a Bond movie, this should do the trick. If you're looking for information about the "real" Ian Fleming, keep looking.

It was okay....But

[Essex_Rider · 8/10 · 6 March 2014]

I did enjoy the production, but there were quite a few schoolboy errors in it. Firstly, unless people were pretty savvy, Fleming talking about Nazi nuclear secrets would have gone over most peoples heads. It was generally referred to as 'Atomic' weaponry, not nuclear. The fireworks that exploded over London were clearly modern. Fireworks that existed in 1945 were pretty basic, just simple rockets, no more. The reference to 'The man that never was' was an attempt by British Intelligence under the command of Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu to fool the Germans into believing the invasion of Sicily would take place elsewhere. As far as we know, Fleming was never a part of this operation. That said, it was enjoyable hokum as clearly Fleming was unable to reveal much of what he did actually do when part of Military Intelligence. The period pieces were pretty much okay and the storyline was pacey and in parts, quite risqué. Although I ticked the spoilers box, maybe I'm being picky because I did watch all 4 episodes and I did enjoy them. By the way, Lara Pulver as Ann O'Neill was simply stunning.

Fleming is Fiction. The Man Who Never Was is Non Fiction

[iangwilliams8812 · 10/10 · 19 March 2014]

"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

Fleming as Bond

[scottatkinson · 9/10 · 12 November 2021]

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.

Appeals to those who would be Bond

[LordManhammer · 2/10 · 28 October 2018]

No real plots, no real characters; just a cad getting his way in everything, because a cad can get his way with anything if he has a team of fiction writers on his side. Series is full of contrived, cliche, paper-thin vignettes in which Fleming is supposedly charming and witty, yet instead of showing us how this might be, the lazy writers simply tell us by having everything come up aces.

A note for those of you who would be Bond: grabbing a woman in a hallway, refusing to let her pass and forcing yourself on her while saying "tell me you don't want this" won't get you the girl. It will only get you an indictment.

Miscast Lead

[whatithinkis · 1/10 · 30 March 2015]

And wow boring. I'm amazed by all these positive reviews. This is shallow, uninteresting tripe. Nice cinematography captures definite period feel, but, wow, who cares. BORING. Apart from the lead a poor use of talented people.

A reviewer on another site said (and I agree wholeheartedly), 'If you're watching this because you think it's about the origins of James Bond, think again. As Mr. Fleming would tell you, the prototype for Mr. Bond was actually Sydney Reilly, a real life spy that nearly usurped Lenin. Probably the best dramatization of Reilly is called, "Reilly: Ace of Spies," and stars Sam Neill. Highly recommended.'

"Reilly: Ace of Spies" is riveting. This is not.

I'm back in 2018 feeling VERY bad about denigrating the lead since I've now become totally enamored of him as Jesse Custer in the fabulous 'Preacher.'

Just sayin' . . .

Gotta keep that karma in balance . . .

About as flat as it gets...

[philip-00197 · 3/10 · 8 July 2021]

More money spent on props than decent filmmaking. For once it's easy to give a recommendation - don't.

The characters are about as flat as they come.

Envision an American soap from the early eighties, spend a lot more money on the scenery and you should be pretty close to the end result.

What a waste of time

[adcmelb1 · 1/10 · 13 December 2018]

I cant believe people were giving this series a rating five or above. Poor story line, poor characters the costumes and some of the period building etc were well done the rest was a load of rubbish. Save your money, your time and watch something.