TV

BBC America takes colorful look into James Bond creator

Ian Fleming, the man who created James Bond, Agent 007, had as colorful a life as his literary creation, if we’re to believe the new four-part BBC America miniseries, “Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond.” After all, Fleming’s creation subsequently spawned one of the biggest movie franchises in show-biz history and coined the phrase “Shaken, not stirred” (among others) and turned characters like M, Q, Goldfinger and Moneypenny into pop-culture touchstones.

While “Fleming” is based on true events, we’re told that some of these events, and the identities of the people in them, have been changed. Literary license and all that. But it doesn’t really matter; if the real Fleming’s life was half as exciting as the one portrayed in this four-part miniseries, it would still make for fun cinematic fodder. It’s rare when a creator’s story is just as colorful as his creation; “Fleming” puts to rest any doubts about that in one fell swoop.

The Fleming portrayed here by Dominic Cooper (“Mamma Mia”) is, initially, a bored layabout living off his family’s wealth and working (I use the term very loosely) as a not-very-good London-based stockbroker (he’s got exactly one client). He’s the family’s black sheep, catting about, drinking, gambling and womanizing (he enjoys rough sex) while his older brother, Peter, a writer, is The Chosen One — his mother’s favorite who can do no wrong in living up to the high standards set by their late father, a British officer killed in World War I. Ian even calls himself “The lesser Fleming.”

But his situation changes once World War II breaks out. Mommy pulls some strings for her ne’er-do-well son and calls her close friend “Winston” — as in Churchill — who, in turn, recommends that Ian be posted to British Naval intelligence. Initially skeptical, and a perpetual smart-ass, Ian discovers he’s really cut out for this sort of work. Maybe it’s the uniform (he cuts quite the dashing figure).

Meanwhile, he’s romancing two women — Muriel “Moo” Wright (Annabelle Wallis) and Lady Ann O’Neil (Laura Pulver, better known as Irene Adler from the BBC’s “Sherlock”), who’s having another fling with a newspaper editor while her husband is fighting on the front lines.

It’s obvious that Ian has some sexual proclivities — so obvious, in fact, that it’s hammered home time and again, as if we didn’t get it the first time. (We’re told he was kicked out of the army after contacting a case of gonorrhea). But that’s a small nit to pick. “Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond” delivers on its promise of filling in the back story of the author who created one of the world’s most popular characters, starting with “Casino Royale” in 1953. Lushly photographed and era-consistent — its depiction of war-torn London and Paris is almost tangible — it’s a good primer to a part of literary history that deserves to be told.

The performances here are all good, and the chemistry between Cooper and, particularly, his lovers is palpable. And, if you’ve ever wondered how James Bond (Fleming borrowed the name from an American ornithologist) developed his quirks, and a lot of his colorful language, you’ll discover that, too. Good fun, and highly recommended.