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Lewis Gilbert, director of 3 James Bond films, dies at 97
By JILL LAWLESS considered classics within
Associated Press the series."
LONDON (AP) — Director The British Film Institute's
Lewis Gilbert, whose doz- filmography lists 33 features
ens of movies included directed by Gilbert be-
three James Bond thrillers tween 1947 and 2002, mak-
—"You Only Live Twice," ing him the most prolific of
''The Spy Who Loved Me" British filmmakers. But, he
and "Moonraker" — and acknowledged, most peo-
the Swinging London clas- ple remembered him for his
sic "Alfie," has died at 97, 007 thrillers.
colleagues said Tuesday. "When I go around the
Bond producers Barbara world now when I'm work-
Broccoli and Michael G. ing it's amazing — they're
Wilson said in a statement not interested in any of
that "it is with great sadness my films until I say 'James
that we learn of the pass- Bond,'" Gilbert told the
ing of our dear friend Lewis BBC in 2010. "And the min-
Gilbert." The Bond fan site ute I say 'James Bond' they
"From Sweden With Love" practically genuflect."
said he died Friday in Mo- Gilbert's first Bond film was
naco. "You Only Live Twice" with
Broccoli and Wilson said Sean Connery in 1967. He
Gilbert was "a true gentle- returned a decade later to
man" whose Bond films "are direct Roger Moore as 007
PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 28 February 2018
In this Sept. 20, 2000 file photo, British filmmaker Lewis Gilbert poses for a photograph.
Associated Press
in "The Spy Who Loved Me" "It's no good trying to make
and "Moonraker." him the great physical
Born in London in 1920 into thing that Sean was. It's far
a family of vaudevillians, better that he won every-
Gilbert got his start in the body over with his sense of
movies as a child actor be- humor."
fore joining the Royal Air In the 1980s Gilbert
Force during World War II. changed gear, directing
He made his directing de- "Educating Rita" and "Shir-
but making documentaries ley Valentine," both char-
while seconded to the U.S. acter-driven stories of work-
Army Air Forces' film unit. ing-class women adapted
His first postwar credit as from stage plays.
director was for "The Ten British Film Institute creative
Year Plan," a documentary director Heather Stewart
about housing; his first fea- said the two films "gave us
ture as director was "The funny and real character
Little Ballerina" in 1947. studies of women we nor-
Gilbert's early output mally never get a chance
ranged from cheap-and- to see on the big screen."
cheerful British noir dramas "Educating Rita" earned Os-
such as "Once a Sinner," car nominations for stars Ju-
''Wall of Death" and "Cosh lie Walters and Caine, while
Boy," to the stirring World Pauline Collins received a
War II dramas "Reach for best-actress nomination for
the Sky," ''Carve Her Name "Shirley Valentine."
With Pride" and "Sink the Bis- His last film was "Before You
marck!" Go," a 2002 family comedy
In 1966 he directed a young that also starred Walters.
Michael Caine as a London Gilbert received the Brit-
man-about-town in "Alfie," ish Film Institute's highest
which was nominated for honor, the BFI Fellowship, in
five Academy Awards. 2001.
Gilbert was undaunted by The Directors Guild of
the Bond thrillers' scale and America said Gilbert had
special effects. He recalled "served as an inspiration to
in 2010 that "The Spy Who so many" and quoted his
Loved Me" featured "the personal approach to film-
biggest set that had ever making:
been built in England, may- "Everybody who wants to
be in the world." be a director has to find
"If I did anything with the their own way of direct-
Bonds, I think I made the ing . I'm calm and I'm kind
humor work very well with to people; I find that they
Roger," Gilbert told BBC ra- react quicker," Gilbert was
dio's "Desert Island Discs." quoted as saying.q