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Live and Let Die
I have watched, with growing alarm, the Taylor Swift/Tom Hiddleston showmance. My concern is not for our American, PR savvy, southern songstress. The global attention is only pop gravy for her. My concern is for the man who would be Bond.
Mr. Hiddleston’s turn as “The Night Manager” was charming, sexy, compelling. But to these jaded eyes, unconvincing as a future Bond. Was he too lanky? Too needy? Did he pull one camera mug too many?
Loved him as Loki. His broad, Shakespearean theatrics. Mr. Hiddleston can’t help but run warm.
But James? He runs cold. Scottish cold.
#TeamIdris.
I don’t remember the first Bond movie I ever saw. I do have a vivid memory of watching a panther-like Sean Connery sneaking down the hall of Dr. No’s submerged lair (or was it Thunderball?), creeping, step by step, in his tight cigarette pants and polo shirt. Slim, barefoot, tailored within an inch of his single flap pants.
And Bond girls? They had no chance. No choice.
Beauties all. Domino. Ursula. Pussy Galore. Fatima Blush.
Effortlessly manicured. Pedicured. Bikini waxed. Glossed and highlighted — all for James. Even Kim Basinger, with her California curls. Never Say Never. That an American could be a Bond Girl.
And I wanted to be all of them: The seductress, muse, foil. The temptress. I still do…
But more, I want Bond to be Bond. James Bond.
Modern Bond has taken a very modern turn: One Bond Girl for every 007. As if he has feelings. Or a conscience!
My Bond has neither. He has a mission. Which he sees to the end.
To give James feelings would be as silly as giving henchmen a backstory. Or villains a true love. Blofeld only got a cat.
James is our ego and our id.
He makes the choices we would if we had no controlling authority.
We cheer when he unilaterally assassinates the enemy.
And we secretly hope, as we watch this charming, handsome, authorized psychopath cut through every obstacle — that men, like him, are secretly working for us.
And that the enemy will die, yes, this day…
Published in Entertainment
He was let down by bad writing and production values.
Great stuff! And Welcome Amy. Couldn’t remember at first how I knew you. Oh yeah, Blaze etc. Funny, smart, and maximum attractive. Let’s go Bond here a moment and have you in next Bond movie! You fit all the criteria.
I too think Craig is very close to Fleming’s Bond (I also read ’em all in high school), as was Connery of course. Casino Royale maybe best of the new set. Barbara Broccoli was very careful to go back to a sterner, more traditional Bond. Fewer gadgets, more spying, physical ability, hand-to-hand fighting etc. Speaking of which the Orient Express fight between Sean Connery and Robert Shaw in From Russia with Love is the equivalent of the car chase in Bullit for standard setting.
But I digress. Keep contributing Amy. Get yourself on the Ricochet podcast too. We want to hear you on Brexit, our buddies at ISIS, and the culture.
Basically, what Prawn and Randy said! Welcome to Ricochet and I hope you stay a while. And Creighton’s right about Dalton and Craig.