Tag: Tomorrow Never Dies

He didn’t even say goodbye!

So the other day I was thinking “what’s that ol goofball Joe Don Baker up to these days?” then news hit that he died on May 7th, 2025. So he was busy being dead 😔

RIP

Baker, of course, was in many movies but because this is a part time James Bond blog, we’re gonna focus on his roles as Brad Whitaker and Jack Wade which spanned three movies. We’re particularly gonna focus on the latter. When Jack Wade appeared as James Bond’s CIA contract in St. Petersburg, Russia for Goldeneye, a few fans were left wondering why it wasn’t Felix Leiter. I assume that the practical explanation was that right-wing political pundit Robert Davi had Leiter’s legs bitten off by a shark in License to Kill (the film prior to Goldeneye) and could therefore no longer be in the CIA as a result. But because timelines are a little iffy in the franchise, I think I have a better answer.

In the classic timeline, from Connery to Pierce Brosnan, Felix Leiter’s primary responsibilities were handling clandestine operations in the United States and its direct sphere of influence (like the Caribbean for instance). The one time Leiter wasn’t operating in within the US was in The Living Daylights where he was spying on arms dealer Brad Whitaker (played by Joe Don Baker) in Tangiers. BUT, if you didn’t notice, Whitaker was an AMERICAN. So, by my reasoning under the classic timeline, Felix Leiter only handled operations on US soil OR on foreign soil regarding US citizens. That would better explain why Jack Wade, and not Felix Leiter, was Bond’s contact in Goldeneye.

Jack Wade was unfortunately last seen in Tomorrow Never Dies where he orchestrated Bond’s HALO jump into the South China Sea. The character’s final line was the prophetic “he didn’t even say goodbye!” after 007 leaps out of a plane. Sadly, we never got suitable closure for Jack Wade.

I can only assume that the character was a creation of author and screenwriter Bruce Feirstein, the only credited screenwriter for both Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies. He was also credited for The World Is Not Enough along with Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, but Jack Wade was never seen again. It’s a shame. While Jack Wade would have been out of place for The World is Not Enough, he would have been perfect for Die Another Day, particularly after Bond’s release from a North Korean torture prison. Just picture it: after being tortured for a year, Bond stumbles back across the 38th Parallel to be greeted by Robinson and Jack Wade, with Wade shouting “Hey Jimbo!”. That would have made James Bond so happy. Instead he gets greeted by Michael Madsen.

I would have personally stumbled back to the torture prison if I were him.

But because Joe Don Baker was such a distinguished and unique actor, I don’t think Jack Wade should ever be recast. That’s his role. And unlike every other character in the James Bond universe, no other actor could play it.

RIP Joe Don Baker

Redux

I don’t remember what I told you the last time I was here. Probably something to do with wanting to explore other creative pursuits blah blah blah. And I did do that while I was away but those ideas are gonna need to spend more time in the oven. The problem is I felt stalled out here because I didn’t know what else to write about. There’s only so much penis and fart jokes to go around. I was thinking too much. I was too concerned with being “different” from everyone else.

But now I know. The answer was under my nose the entire time: I want to write extended commentaries on ALL the James Bond films. And I mean an entire book-length for each movie.

And I mean EVERY. GOD. DAMN. FILM.

This problem occurred to me while watching Tomorrow Never Dies for the 300th time. Is it a bad movie? Is it the film that the writer, director, producers, and Pierce Brosnan wanted to make? For being a very by-the-numbers Bond film, it is strangely one of the most controversial in the series. I went to bed tortured by the thought that Roger Spottiswoode is to blame. Was it possible that Bruce Feirstein wrote a pretty solid script? Was the project hampered by an unimaginative director with an actor and producers trying to find their footing in the franchise since Cubby Broccoli was dead? I don’t know. I just don’t know. But these are questions begging to be answered, especially considering the franchise’s influence and longevity.

I’ve already started this process with Diamonds Are Forever, one of my personal faves. So in this next phase of The Internet Ruined Everything, I ask you to join me on this very personal journey where I will explore the history of this franchise and what it means to me and to filmgoers around the world.

I’m Beau Montana and I’m a raging alcoholic in Akron, Ohio. This is my story….