Tom Ford gets his 'Revenge'

James Bond branches out

By LIZ SMITH

Moore

Firth

"THE REVENGE" might be the title of the movie fashion biggie Tom Ford is directing now with Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode. But instead, Tom's calling his work "A Single Man." It's based on the Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name. Carpers had plenty to critique about Tom's ambitions. But the onetime genius for Gucci and YSL, will simply do what he planned all along after leaving fashion -- make movies. He thought he could do it and Artina Films agrees. They are shooting in L.A. with independent financing. Way to go, Tom, in an era when "independent financing" has practically disappeared.

OK, SO THERE was fear over too much James Bond stuff let loose, and all those unprecedented tie-ins/ advertisements cranked up MGM and Sony's worry about "overkill." It turns out that 007 may be simply "a license -- not to kill -- but to print money." Still, the "Quantum of Solace" producers changed Bond a bit. He doesn't use many gadgets, both Q and Moneypenney are missing, M seems different, the movie's special effects are relatively un-special and the magic has gone out of the music. Daniel Craig as Bond seems less urbane and doesn't even sleep with the latest "Bond girl" -- Olga Kurylenko. (Olga says, "It's stronger this way and it fits perfectly. 'Casino Royale' started a new era of Bonds. I think Bond and the girl became deeper and it was a more interesting story.") Well, forget that if examined, James Bond is an uncommon kind of spy. He announces himself by name, always has a dinner jacket handy, boasts the most expensive tailoring, cars and wrist watches and has never gone undercover. He is described by the Daily Telegraph: "When he meets the people on whom he is supposed to be spying, his first instinct is to beat them at chemin de fer, poker or ping-pong and then go to bed with their wives." Nevertheless, the movie, cautiously opened first in London, broke all records and became the biggest U.K. opening ever. Success reverberates and 007 wrinkles his brow in the U.S. on Nov. 14.

FRIDAY NIGHT, don't miss the New York Pops 25th anniversary in Carnegie Hall of "New York Songs: A Love Letter to the City"... Monday Glamour's Women of the Year do their stuff evoking names like Nicole Kidman, Hillary Clinton, Condeleezza Rice, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, etc. High glamour at Carnegie Hall...And the same night, director Baz Luhrmann is honored at MOMA for his coming film 'Australia." Star Nicole Kidman will be there, Elton John will sing, and the audience will have a "sneak peek" at the epic.