Why Quantum of Solace Is The Most Romantic Bond Film Ever!
TjustT
Posts: 17MI6 Agent
Let me start out by saying that I am not a romanticist by ANY stretch of the imagination. Nothing about me would ever make any man, woman or child think that about me. I am a private investigator in my secular life and a pastor of a recovery based church in my Faith life. When you spend half your time dealing with people who struggle with substance abuse and sexual trauma and the other half chasing bad guys, that has a tendency to stomp any sense of moonlight and roses to Hell and back.
That's why I hate so called "chick flicks." I can't abide the two to three hankie movies where stupid misunderstandings and outright silly lies serve as plot devices to further a "romantic" story. At best such tales will put me to sleep faster than the latest political speech. At the worst I feel like a version of Coyote Ugly trying to chew my arm off so I can get away from such drivel.
But having said that, as a James Bond fan from the age of 9, I would have to say that this Bond is the most romantic film of the canon and I loved every minute of it!
I know a lot of the die hard fans might disagree. In fact, many fans have said how much they hated this movie and were disappointed by it because it was "too frantic", "too dark", "too gritty", "too much like a regular spy movie", etc. But there is a reason why this film is cleaning up at the box office and cleaning the clock of every other Bond movie ever made. I believe it comes from the romantic humanism of the lead character.
At $167 Million in the USA alone in only 11 days, this version of Bond is connecting with people who used to go to a Bond movie as a holiday ritual. Now people CARE about this Bond because this time around Bond allows himself to care about the people around them. And it is that sense of connection that hooks the audience.
You see, before this film Bond was one of the good guys because he fought for good things like Queen and Country and not nuking the planet or stopping World War Three, etc. But the person himself was pretty shallow and down right thoughtless. The old Bond would have never shown the depth of regret and emotion that Daniel Craig's Bond has in Quantum of Solace. Look at the Roger Moore Bond who quipped, "No more problems," after the death of an agent in "Octopussy" and compare that to the shock, regret and outrage that flitted across Craig's Bond at the death of Strawberry Field.
The man in that room, despite being physically battered, exhausted and in danger was visibly shaken by the death of a girl he slept with on a whim. Did you see the underlying guilt when he faced M? Did you hear her acting as Bond's conscience when she berated him for getting her involved? That's what is echoing in Bond's mind as she says, "They will do anything for you, won't they?" I got her killed. This is my fault.
That's the unspoken line that runs through that scene and it causes pain to Bond's heart.
That's why he tells M in the middle of trying not to be captured or killed that Field's bravery should be noted. It is his way of making it up to someone he shared time with-and got killed. Moore's Bond wouldn't have done that. Dalton would have overacted the scene and while Bronsan would have played it well, the sheer physical menace of Bond towering over M and demanding the girl's recognition showed how much he cared for someone who in another Bond movie would have been mere eye candy.
That caring is the essence of romance in my mind and that's what makes this movie so special.
And there's more. Much more!
Bond's Love For M
Even in "The World Is Not Enough", when M is captured and Bond rescues her, you don't get the sense of his almost filial love for this woman at a time when she could have been killed. Never a "Are you all right?" That is what a body guard/ agent would have said in that moment. It would have only taken a second. But that moment never came with that version of Bond. Yet we know M cared for him. Look at her expression in "Golden Eye" when she sends him out for the first time as his boss. Notice the fear and sadness on her face in "Tomorrow Never Dies," when she thinks he has been blown up. But in these films, Bond doesn't seem to care until we get to "Die Another Day."
But in this film Bond very much cares what M thinks of him. And he takes the attempt on her life VERY personally. Think of what he says to Camille when they are in the plane. "Your mother?" "No, but she seems to think so." "I need to find out who tried to kill you. Go back to sleep."
This Bond has a great affection for M. That softens the extreme brutal efficiency of the Craig Bond in combat moments before he confronts her with his innocence. One minute he is knocking out his fellow agents and the next minute he's letting M know he is still her white knight out to slay the dragon. He could have called her later. But the writers wisely chose to have him tell her. Why? Because he doesn't want Mom to think him a villain. That matters to him and it makes him romantic because he connects to this woman, even as his boss.
Deeply romantic men care about what women think.
Bond's Respect and Love For Camille
Bond treated Camille with respect. That's why he apologized for spoiling her revenge with the General while they were in the cave together. Yet he was considerate about her chilliness, (he gives her his coat), and he waits for her to be ready to go before they take off together.
He rescues her from the bad guys when he sees her in harm's way. But he also tells her to navigate when they are trying to get away. He tells her the right frame of mind and body to have when she's going for her kill but is obviously worried when he hears the gunshot from behind closed doors. Did she get her man? Or is it her lying dead in a pool of blood?
Pierce Bronsan's Bond had moments of caring when he nuzzles Paris' body after her death in "Tomorrow Never Dies" or when he saves Jinx when she seems to have drowned in "Die Another Day."
But there wasn't much in that vein with any of the women he hadn't bedded. Jinx, Paris and even Colonel Wei were all women he had a sexual attraction or relationship with before the action started. It was not that way with Camille, yet the caring was there anyway.
The telling moments of romanticism between them comes when he is sheltering her from the flames and despite the flashbacks he has over Vesper's death, he is still willing to take the responsibility of killing her rather than letting her suffer a flaming death. To face his own demons like that so that she wouldn't have to face hers was stunningly brave and tender at the same time.
What said it all to me about Bond's need to protect and yet respect Camille came on that balcony when Greene was threatening this lady's life and Bond looms in. Did anyone catch the expression on 007's face? All I could say was "Dammmmn." What woman would not want a man to respect her skills enough not to force the issue but care for her enough to have her back like that? Every man in that audience understood what his body was screaming at this piece of crap. And every woman watching knew what he was willing to do to protect her. Quietly. Respectfully. No threats voiced, except by his own body.
That is a partner.
That is romance where it counts.
This is a Bond who cares about others. He is not some kill crazed machine who snuffs life and jokes about it or a lust bunny who jumps at every sniff of tail and nails it. This is a man who is haunted by an old love, who needs to hear, "Forgive yourself" and hurts when his friends are hurt. This is a man who refuses to do the wrong thing and lives by an informed conscience, not political expedience. Justice is doing the right thing because it is right, not easy. And that means defying your beloved boss when you need to do so, leaving your enemy to suffer as a payback for an innocent he murdered and NOT killing the guy who set your girlfriend up because he is a valuable information source.
That is an admirable man. Other than looks, determination and being on the right side, I have never had much of an attraction for the character of Bond. Now I do because like Fleming's Bond, this is a man I can see as someone to love and be loyal to in good times and bad.
And that, my fellow Bond fans, is the height of romanticism to me.
That's why I hate so called "chick flicks." I can't abide the two to three hankie movies where stupid misunderstandings and outright silly lies serve as plot devices to further a "romantic" story. At best such tales will put me to sleep faster than the latest political speech. At the worst I feel like a version of Coyote Ugly trying to chew my arm off so I can get away from such drivel.
But having said that, as a James Bond fan from the age of 9, I would have to say that this Bond is the most romantic film of the canon and I loved every minute of it!
I know a lot of the die hard fans might disagree. In fact, many fans have said how much they hated this movie and were disappointed by it because it was "too frantic", "too dark", "too gritty", "too much like a regular spy movie", etc. But there is a reason why this film is cleaning up at the box office and cleaning the clock of every other Bond movie ever made. I believe it comes from the romantic humanism of the lead character.
At $167 Million in the USA alone in only 11 days, this version of Bond is connecting with people who used to go to a Bond movie as a holiday ritual. Now people CARE about this Bond because this time around Bond allows himself to care about the people around them. And it is that sense of connection that hooks the audience.
You see, before this film Bond was one of the good guys because he fought for good things like Queen and Country and not nuking the planet or stopping World War Three, etc. But the person himself was pretty shallow and down right thoughtless. The old Bond would have never shown the depth of regret and emotion that Daniel Craig's Bond has in Quantum of Solace. Look at the Roger Moore Bond who quipped, "No more problems," after the death of an agent in "Octopussy" and compare that to the shock, regret and outrage that flitted across Craig's Bond at the death of Strawberry Field.
The man in that room, despite being physically battered, exhausted and in danger was visibly shaken by the death of a girl he slept with on a whim. Did you see the underlying guilt when he faced M? Did you hear her acting as Bond's conscience when she berated him for getting her involved? That's what is echoing in Bond's mind as she says, "They will do anything for you, won't they?" I got her killed. This is my fault.
That's the unspoken line that runs through that scene and it causes pain to Bond's heart.
That's why he tells M in the middle of trying not to be captured or killed that Field's bravery should be noted. It is his way of making it up to someone he shared time with-and got killed. Moore's Bond wouldn't have done that. Dalton would have overacted the scene and while Bronsan would have played it well, the sheer physical menace of Bond towering over M and demanding the girl's recognition showed how much he cared for someone who in another Bond movie would have been mere eye candy.
That caring is the essence of romance in my mind and that's what makes this movie so special.
And there's more. Much more!
Bond's Love For M
Even in "The World Is Not Enough", when M is captured and Bond rescues her, you don't get the sense of his almost filial love for this woman at a time when she could have been killed. Never a "Are you all right?" That is what a body guard/ agent would have said in that moment. It would have only taken a second. But that moment never came with that version of Bond. Yet we know M cared for him. Look at her expression in "Golden Eye" when she sends him out for the first time as his boss. Notice the fear and sadness on her face in "Tomorrow Never Dies," when she thinks he has been blown up. But in these films, Bond doesn't seem to care until we get to "Die Another Day."
But in this film Bond very much cares what M thinks of him. And he takes the attempt on her life VERY personally. Think of what he says to Camille when they are in the plane. "Your mother?" "No, but she seems to think so." "I need to find out who tried to kill you. Go back to sleep."
This Bond has a great affection for M. That softens the extreme brutal efficiency of the Craig Bond in combat moments before he confronts her with his innocence. One minute he is knocking out his fellow agents and the next minute he's letting M know he is still her white knight out to slay the dragon. He could have called her later. But the writers wisely chose to have him tell her. Why? Because he doesn't want Mom to think him a villain. That matters to him and it makes him romantic because he connects to this woman, even as his boss.
Deeply romantic men care about what women think.
Bond's Respect and Love For Camille
Bond treated Camille with respect. That's why he apologized for spoiling her revenge with the General while they were in the cave together. Yet he was considerate about her chilliness, (he gives her his coat), and he waits for her to be ready to go before they take off together.
He rescues her from the bad guys when he sees her in harm's way. But he also tells her to navigate when they are trying to get away. He tells her the right frame of mind and body to have when she's going for her kill but is obviously worried when he hears the gunshot from behind closed doors. Did she get her man? Or is it her lying dead in a pool of blood?
Pierce Bronsan's Bond had moments of caring when he nuzzles Paris' body after her death in "Tomorrow Never Dies" or when he saves Jinx when she seems to have drowned in "Die Another Day."
But there wasn't much in that vein with any of the women he hadn't bedded. Jinx, Paris and even Colonel Wei were all women he had a sexual attraction or relationship with before the action started. It was not that way with Camille, yet the caring was there anyway.
The telling moments of romanticism between them comes when he is sheltering her from the flames and despite the flashbacks he has over Vesper's death, he is still willing to take the responsibility of killing her rather than letting her suffer a flaming death. To face his own demons like that so that she wouldn't have to face hers was stunningly brave and tender at the same time.
What said it all to me about Bond's need to protect and yet respect Camille came on that balcony when Greene was threatening this lady's life and Bond looms in. Did anyone catch the expression on 007's face? All I could say was "Dammmmn." What woman would not want a man to respect her skills enough not to force the issue but care for her enough to have her back like that? Every man in that audience understood what his body was screaming at this piece of crap. And every woman watching knew what he was willing to do to protect her. Quietly. Respectfully. No threats voiced, except by his own body.
That is a partner.
That is romance where it counts.
This is a Bond who cares about others. He is not some kill crazed machine who snuffs life and jokes about it or a lust bunny who jumps at every sniff of tail and nails it. This is a man who is haunted by an old love, who needs to hear, "Forgive yourself" and hurts when his friends are hurt. This is a man who refuses to do the wrong thing and lives by an informed conscience, not political expedience. Justice is doing the right thing because it is right, not easy. And that means defying your beloved boss when you need to do so, leaving your enemy to suffer as a payback for an innocent he murdered and NOT killing the guy who set your girlfriend up because he is a valuable information source.
That is an admirable man. Other than looks, determination and being on the right side, I have never had much of an attraction for the character of Bond. Now I do because like Fleming's Bond, this is a man I can see as someone to love and be loyal to in good times and bad.
And that, my fellow Bond fans, is the height of romanticism to me.
Comments
I have to admit, I'm relieved. You don't see the whole title on the forum page---just the "Why Quantum of Solace is the Most R..."--- and I wondered what 'R' had been hung round the poor film's neck lately...
Needless to say, how refreshing that it isn't 'Ridiculous,' 'Rotten,' 'Regrettable,' 'Rancid,' 'Retch-Inducing,' ad infinitum...
I think I agree with your observations, though I'd never had made those connections on my own, and it's nice to meet another fan who saw many of the same things on the lead actor's face that I did.
Welcome to AJB {[]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Opening Weekend: $67,528,882
(3,451 theaters, $19,568 average)
% of Total Gross: 59.3%
I apologize!
By the way, has anyone looked at the beans in this pie?
Domestic: $113,931,000 27.0%
+ Foreign: $308,346,480 73.0%
= Worldwide: $422,277,480
If this keeps up I figure the take in the USA will be about $187M in the US after it's full run
and with the foreign markets I say at least 600M
by the time this bad boy is done.
Look at the numbers from the CR Bond:
Domestic: $167,445,960 28.2%
+ Foreign: $426,793,106 71.8%
= Worldwide: $594,239,066
The foreign numbers were lower after the full run of CR and this Bond got HIGHER numbers in the first two WEEKS and more than 60% of the total US box office for CR in that same time period.
Either way, it is great news for Bond's champions-the nice men and women who put up the time, cash, acting skills and real pain to make this film!
As Felix Leiter would say, "San Diego!"
Well, it's "Santiago!" actually, which translates as "St. James". (Hey, this is a Bond fan site, whaddya expect?
I still don't see QoS outperforming CR at the end of the day.
God knows we are certainly no MI6 but our agency has chased bad people from here in Idaho to Mexico for the sake of justice when the status quo wanted to let them go.
What gives you that "quantum of solace" when you see innocent children hurt by the bad guys and local law enforcement turning a blind eye or being bought off is that, at the end of the day you didn't sell out or walk away.
You stayed true to what your heart tells you is right or wrong. You trust your people. You love your clients and you don't give a damn about what other people say about the whole thing.
That's why I had to write about this Bond. Craig's Bond can understand that kind of dilemma between feelings, duty and honor.
And when you have to deal with that stuff day after day thinking about having that kind of man at your back is a real turn on.
PS: And the body doesn't hurt either!
"Saint James" in Spanish (Latin Didacus)
And it's fun to enjoy everyone's opinions here too.
Well got to go put dinner on.
Have a great Thanksgiving if you are a Yank! Otherwise have a wonderful early weekend:007).
I was just quoting from Ian Fleming. You have a nice weekend too- I've got four gigs to do and my daughter's birthday!
Yes, I'm a working musician.
Don't get me wrong. The earlier Bonds were exciting and fun. Craig's Bond is exciting but not much fun at all when it comes to the emotional side. Vesper's death was as shocking and painful as the death of Countess Teresa in OHMSS. I felt BAD when she died.
Real people really hurt when someone they love is threatened or hurt. That film brought that painfully home to me.
Let me tell you something that happened to me in my line of work as a PI because of a case we were on. Someone poisoned my son. This was a deliberate attempt on his life by some people who were ****ed at his very brave attempt to out a pedophilia ring. These were professional criminals who got personal with a little small town PI group because we stepped on their monetary toes.
It took a former FBI agent and lots of help to get them to back off. It helped that the main guy had a murder warrant out for him. But before he went out of our lives his people tortured and killed a client's cats-out of spite, tried to have one of our clergy members assaulted and made our lives very uncomfortable.
In other words, they were sending us a message.
It took a miracle and a specific treatment to save his life. I still have pictures of the stuff that oozed out of his chest because of this attempt.
There are people out there who are just as awful as any Bond villain. They are poisonous toads, just like Greene, who suck the life out of anything they can control or hurt for money or just for spite. They make cruelty an art and laugh at the people they hurt.
This person tore the client's cats into pieces and left their bodies for the kids to find because she spurned him. I can only imagine how he must have gloated about what he almost did to my son.
That incident gave my son nightmares for years. It gave me such bad flashbacks of hurt and anger that I had to take time off just to get over it. If my son had died from these people I don't know what I would have done.
He went back into the field after that. And I was finally able to have him out there without crying myself to sleep every night.
So I know something about the kind of man it takes to be a Bond and I know a quantum of the M's pain when having your people do the right thing can almost cost their lives. I take a little comfort that at least on the big screen with Bond, while the good guys may lose a comrade or two they always win the war.
Go Bond!
I also agree with your comments about his affection for M. He does connect with her, just like she has a strong attachment for him, but in a matriarchal way....but still undeniably there for us to see.
However, for me, CR will still remain the most romantic Bond movie to date....the love story, the dinner scene (my all time favourite Bond scene) and then her killing herself for him, it doesn't get more romantic (if not tragic) than that.
Welcome to AJB!
His love for Vesper, and the anguish over her betrayal of him, is a burden he carries throughout the new picture...and he's not able to lay it down until he lets her ex-boyfriend live. Bond's sense of duty (which I thought was nicely explored in the scene with M just before Fields' remains are revealed to him) gets him through.
The thing I like about the closure at the end is that Bond finally ends up where he was when, say, DN started: he's a member, in good standing, of Her Majesty's Secret Service...with an interesting future ahead of him B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Now that I don't understand ?:)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
What they've never experienced, they'll never understand Loeff. And not many people are put under that kind of experience, but far too many are.
One thing you didn't mention, and while not actually romantic, is the way Bond acts when Mathis is killed. You see his rage as he kills the "cops" and dismantle the gun. Then you see he's geniunely affected by Mathis death. The guilt of talking him into coming shows clearing in Craig's acting. That was a very moving scene. I'm amazed at how many people don't seem "to get" this moive.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that QoS is like a Rorschach test, and we members of the audience take away from the film what we believe we have seen, and two people may come away with totally different perceptions of the movie. What one may see as cold aloofness mixed with moments of jarring sentimentality, another may perceive as admirable restraint juxtaposed with glimpses of beautiful romanticism. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between
Not really understanding what you are trying to start either Loeff...not really worth mentioning actually.
Since apparently you meant me, I was innocuously laughing at Bondtoys explanation of the thread and the way it seemed to perplex him as a guy. It perplexes me as well. And that was pretty much it.
Perhaps I should've gone the 'sneaky' route, and done it via PM ?:)
Not trying to 'start' anything (quite the opposite, actually); apologies if it appears that way.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
If anything was deemed to be amusing, it was the male inability to understand the many definitions of romanticism.
(Should I take cover from the barrage of rotten tomatoes about to be hurled at me from the male members of this site?
{[] Sounds familiar.
That's exactly, how it has been meant, Mo {[]
oh, that sounds cosy! {[]
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!