Bond with Allies

A7ce

I was watching a bit of FRWL on TV the other nite, and it struck me that JB with Ali Karim Bey had a special kind of relationship, than with other allies (not inc Bond Girls), ie more respectful, more trusting.

From meeting him in his office and the way AKB tells him although JB is wasting his time in Istanbul, he should spend a few days and then go home. It was a warm delivery, as opposed to other allies who are merely indifferent or just snap.

Also at the Gypsy Camp after the shootout, the way JB bandages AKB's arm, kind of indicates that this is someone that JB respects a lot.

Jamesbondmm

I'd agree with you there A7ce. There are a number of allies throughout the series that Bond has an closer relationship with, compared to his other allies. Tiger Tanaka, Marc Ange Draco and Vijay are good examples. Bond seems to get on well with these 'special' allies as they usually the same passions (drink, women etc) or share the same ethos or sense of humour. I don't think there's been this same level of respect in the newer films.

A7ce

That's right Jamesbondmm, Tiger Tanaka was another good one, he treated Bond like a good friend; wheras I think JB and AKB was more like an 'uncle/nephew ' type respect.

And like u said about the newer films, think JB and Wade. enough said !

caractacus potts

theres a chapter in Kingsley Amis' book The James Bond Dossier called Warm Dry Handshakes looking at Bonds allies
turns out theres a whole set of characteristics Fleming recycles when describing these rare friends Bond makes while away on a mission
the warm dry handshake is one, you can tell the bad guys because their handshakes are tentative, clammy, or otherwise unmanly
a Bonds ally is usually hairy chested man's man, always eating tablefulls of food and claiming to "consume vast quantities of women" (a phrase used to describe many characters, good and bad)
Kerim Bey is undoubtedly the epitomy of this type, so fully realised Bond becomes a guest star in his own story
Tracy's father MarcAnge Draco shares many of the same characteristics
Tiger Tanaka and Dikko Henderson are each variations of this type
the story Risico plays with this expectation, as there are two mediterrenean smugglers at war with each other, and Bond unwittingly allies himself with the "bad" one at first (Kristatos), only to find that the other (Colombo) is really the "good" one - Bond and us readers are clued into this by the fact it is Colombo who has the warm dry handshake, eats and drinks well, and consumes vast quantities of women - in fact at the end, Colombo lets Bond borrow his woman for one night in gratitude for all his help

Amis also points out surprisingly Emilio Largo shares many of these traits, make of that what you will

also note when Red Grant shows up on the train impersonating a British agent, he is twitchy and clammy and undoubtedly some sort of freak, despite his muscular build hes not a mans man at all, and these are all clues that despite appearances, this guy is not Bonds ally

A7ce

Thanx caractacus, some really good points there.

Also
'Kerim Bey is undoubtedly the epitomy of this type, so fully realised Bond becomes a guest star in his own story' - is true. In those brief scenes I observed AKB more than JB. Pedro Armendáriz really played it well, as an ally and as a host.

dr. evan-gelist

if u notice dalton as bond he doesnt get on with his allies much. q is just a niusance to him and sometimes a joke. money penny he just sees as a sex kitten and felix is a distraction for him to do some real undercover work in licence to kill. in my view this shows a real mi6 spy at work, not the playboy that roger moore was.