Row over 007 movie (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Row over 007 movie

11:00am Friday 27th January 2012 in Royal Wootton Bassett

SCENES in the new James Bond film, which were apparently inspired by the repatriations in Royal Wootton Bassett, have divided opinion across the town.

The next Bond film, Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig, includes scenes showing the bodies of eight servicemen killed overseas being repatriated and driven past hundreds of mourners.

But the scenes have concerned the president of the Royal Wootton Bassett branch of the Royal British Legion, Maurice Baker, who said the film will not reflect what the repatriations were about.

“We did it because we felt it was the right thing to do to pay homage to the fallen for what they have done for us,” he said.

“To glamorise it in a film such as that with commercial backing I don’t think is appropriate.

“I don’t think it is fitting because James Bond films aren’t that modern, they are not up to date – it is just something they got hold of to go in.

“If it is something that is going to be commercial, then that does not ring right. Somebody is making money out of it.

“A news programme or a documentary about repatriations would be fair enough.”

The scenes, which include eight hearses and two limousines were filmed outside the Old Royal Naval College, in Greenwich, under the direction of Oscar-winning Sam Mendes.

But North Wiltshire MP James Gray said he though the scenes would be a compliment.

“I can’t see anything wrong with it,” he said. “In the film, they are trying to demonstrate the people welcoming home eight bodies of fallen spies and they are being given due respect by the public.”

Mr Gray said the scenes must have been inspired by the town because, before the Iraq war, soldiers were buried where they fell.

Crowds of people only started attending when the repatriations passed through Royal Wootton Bassett.

Mr Gray said: “The fact it is based on what the people of Royal Wootton Bassett used to do seems to be fine. If anything, that is paying a compliment to Royal Wootton Bassett for what they did. I don’t think it is commercialising it.

“The fact it is being portrayed in a film seems to me to be perfectly fine.”

The film is due to be released in October.