Bond girls... why always much younger than Bond?

J-B-007

Have you noticed that? All these pretty girls are much younger than Bond is? The age difference vary on very high numbers, don't you think so? Just for example, Melina in FYEO is more than 20 years younger than Bond, Natalya in GE also...

Obviously they coundn't find girl (or rather woman) who is 40-50 years old (like Bond) and also nicelooking and sexy.

Your opinion?

Tilly Masterson 007

Moneypenny was around Bond's age.

Number24

That's how the world (men?) work. Deal with it!

Barbel

J-B-007 wrote:

Have you noticed that? All these pretty girls are much younger than Bond is?
Your opinion?

Not all. Once again I must point to Pussy... ;% Honor Blackman was a few years (I'm too much of a gentleman to discuss that in more detail) older than Sean Connery. Similarly, Diana Rigg was slightly older than George Lazenby. Admittedly, they're the exception rather than the rule.

Generally this reflects a cinematic standard in which a leading man is often cast against an actress 10, 20 or 30 years his junior (Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment is a pretty extreme example). It ain't right but that's how they've been doing things in Hollywood for years, much to the chagrin of aging actresses; unless she can actually act, a middle-aged actress who's been dependent on her looks often finds the good parts drying up.

Number24

I wish I had written what Barbel wrote. He made the same point, but more eloquent (and safe ....)
OK. He made a point about casting politics, I made a sexist/realist (strike what you don't agree with)point. What I wrote was a caveman's version of this: Many men favour younger women. Some say it's to feel younger. Others say it's because younger women look better, or even that they subconciously look for the best childbearer. It's not uncommon for women to end up with older men. Possibly because they are more experianced and better providers. Especially if the men are financially well off, resoursefull, goodlooking and perhaps a bit of a bad boy they seem to attract younger females. Bond is all of the above. This real life tendancy is exagerated in Hollywood. I hope this post hasn't put me in what the norse sagas refer to as "a suitable possision for being attacked"!

Dan Same

Number24 wrote:

I hope this post hasn't put me in what the norse sagas refer to as "a suitable possision for being attacked"!

Not at all. The first post, maybe , but not this one. I think you're absolutely right; especially since it would be unrealistic for Bond a womaniser/playboy to be with women who are his age or older.

RJJB

It's called sex in the movies. And that normally equates to younger women so everyone can enjoy the fantasy. That is not to imply anything about older women. So rein in the feminist indignation, Irene.

Jamesbondjr

It boils down to the fact that if you have 2 attractive women, one 40 the other 20, the youger woman is more appealing to the audience! Sad but true.

There are exceptions to the rule, more so outside the Bond series.

True Lies - Jamie Lee Curtis = 36yo

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) Rene Russo = 45

Catherine Zeta Jones is now 38

I could go on but there are too many to list.

Another point that may or may not be right is that any aging attractive actress still playing 'sexy' roles would cost a fortune to appear in any film. Choosing younger actresses may just be good business, keeping outlay down.

Dan Same

Fish1941 wrote:

Why on earth would you say something like that? Are you implying that when a woman reaches a certain age - 40, for example - she becomes sexually dead? Oh please!

Exactly what RJJB said. This has nothing to do with wether or not older women are sexually attrractive, but the reality is that a womaniser/playboy (especially one in the movies) would rather be with a younger woman, than an older one. Unfair maybe, but that's the reality.

jetsetwilly

Because Bond has enough problems on an average mission without some menopausal crone demanding her HRT patch and saying, "Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"

RJJB

Actually there was to be another Roger Moore entry into the series in which he romanced an older woman. It's a shame Octogenerianpussy was never made.

Lady Rose

Fish1941 wrote:

Are you implying that when a woman reaches a certain age - 40, for example - she becomes sexually dead? Oh please!

Unfortunately in the Bond Universe ( and most Hollywood films for that matter) she does. I cant say its ever been an issue with me. The Bond films are what they are and are not renowned for their social statements. The irony being that I have always found the slighty older Bond girls to be far more interesting and intriguing than their younger counterparts.

Diana Rigg or Britt Eckland, Maud Adams or Dennise Richards ... there really is no comparison.

Loeffelholz

RJJB wrote:

It's a shame Octogenerianpussy was never made.

I thought it was {:)

Loeffelholz

Lady Rose wrote:

...I have always found the slighty older Bond girls to be far more interesting and intriguing than their younger counterparts.

Diana Rigg or Britt Eckland, Maud Adams or Dennise Richards ... there really is no comparison.

You're quite right about that, my dear. I myself even married an older woman...and I agree with you that the notion of ageism in Hollywood is hardly breaking news. The rampant use of way-younger actresses opposite more mature leading men is but the most ubiquitous example.

Moore Not Less

Loeffelholz wrote:

RJJB wrote:

It's a shame Octogenerianpussy was never made.

I thought it was {:)

As was

Mature Guys Only
A View To A Zimmerframe
Retire Another Day

Loeffelholz

You always bring a smile to my face, MNL...

Moore Not Less

Loeffelholz wrote:

You always bring a smile to my face, MNL...

Thank you, Loeff's. I aim to please.