Gregory Ratoff James Bond Film Rights -

“A spy who orders his eggs soft-boiled?� they scoffed. “A villain named Le Chiffre who cries blood?� Too weird. “The hero actually falls in love and loses?� Too downbeat.

But the true origin story of Bond in cinema begins a decade earlier, with a flamboyant, Russian-born Hollywood director named Gregory Ratoff. gregory ratoff james bond film rights

In 1954, Ratoff optioned the film rights to Casino Royale from Fleming for a paltry (plus $6,000 for a full purchase later). Think about that. For less than the cost of a used car today, Ratoff briefly owned the future of pop culture. “A spy who orders his eggs soft-boiled

If you’ve never heard the name, imagine a heavier-set, chain-smoking version of Peter Sellers. Ratoff was a character. A former actor and theatrical producer from St. Petersburg, he fled the Russian Revolution, landed in New York, and eventually became a reliable director in 1930s and 40s Hollywood. His credits include The Sound of Fury and the original The Man Who Understood Women . But the true origin story of Bond in