Why Bond-Girls Are Cool
bigzilcho
Toronto, ONPosts: 245MI6 Agent
Bond Girls are forever.
Beautiful, smart, tough, sexy, resourceful. The ladies of Bond have had their share of cool moments in the series.
DN-"I promise I won't steal your shells."
"I promise you won't either."
Millions of words have been written about Honey Ryder and her entrance. Ursula rules, of course. What should also be remembered is Honey's ATTITUDE towards Bond. With her knife at the ready, she practically dares Bond to be foolish. Translation: do not mess with me. In 1962, it must have felt revolutionary.
FRWL- Daniela Bianchi never gets enough credit IMO. Neither as flashy, dangerous or exotic as other Bond girls, Bianchi is just plain beautiful...the kind of girl who breaks your heart with a glance. Great moment? How about the flash of anger in her eyes during:"What is the purpose of such an intimate question?"
GF- "Skip it. I'm not interested."
Quick, no-nonsense, to the point. Has Bond ever been as totally dismissed as this moment by Pussy Galore?
TB- "I'm glad I killed him."
"You're glad?"
Never forget Largo has Bond beat until Domino saves the day. Bonus points for her cold-as-ice expression. A Bond-Girl moment for the ages.
YOLT- Aki may not be on the same level as Pam Bouvier or Wai Lin in the toughness category but this lovely Japanese agent is agile and more than capable. Check out how Aki, the mouse, toys with Bond, the cat, in the subway, especially that wonderful moment when she stops running and faces Bond...before he takes a plunge!
OHMSS- Tracey saves Bond and drives the car as they escape from Bunt and her goons. A couple of times during the chaos, Bond leans over and kisses her with pride and appreciation. Look no further than those kisses as to when Bond decided to marry Tracy. How can you NOT fall in love with a woman who saved your life, drove like a champ and looked beautiful all the time doing it?
DAF- Tiffany Case at the Las Vegas gas station. One of the funniest bits of business in Bond-Girl history. Acting like a woman on the go, Tiffany makes a shambles out of a line-up for gas. One guy honks too much, to which she threatens him with "a shot in the mouth".
Bonus points for her classic exit line: "Forget it, Charlie. You had your chance and you blew it." American sass at its best.
LALD- Solitaire is the classic damsel-in-distress but one should remember how completely she has Bond's number during their first meeting. When Bond flips over the "Fool" card she sums it up with a smile: "You have found yourself." No wonder Bond had to stack the cards against her...otherwise he wouldn't have standed a chance with her deck.
TMWTGG- Lets face it, Britt Eklund as Mary Goodnight is a Bond girl as window dressing. Seemingly incompetent, she is always two steps behind everybody else but give her credit for one thing: she does dispatch of Scramanga's technician who put the moves on her.
TSWLM- Agent XXX defends the honour of female agents everwhere when she does not instantly fall for the charms of Bond. When she interrupts a kiss with Bond to zap him with gas from her cigarette, she beats Bond at his own game of using sex as a weapon.
MR- There is a moment in the space-station where Holly Goodhead winds up and absolutely clobbers a guy with a punch. And I do mean clobber. One of those moments that reminds you how criminally overlooked and underrated Lois Chiles as Holly has been over the years.
"Where did you learn that? NASA?"
"No, Vasser."
FYEO- Add Melina to the list of under-rated Bond-girls. Here is a woman with eyes that LOOK like she out for revenge. There is a chill in the air when she tells Bond that Greek women, like Elektra, avenge their loved ones. Check out the moment at the end when she is about to kill Kristatos and Bond steps in front. Her "Get out of my way, James." has a tinge of a real threat behind it.
OP- Bond has always been a problem with some feminists over the years and the debate is always lively. But for every Dink there is someone like Octopussy. Here is a woman who is the head of a giant organization, and all-female at that. She is independent and nobody's fool. In short, she is a player in a game where the rules are created by men. Mark my words, future Bond historians will come to appreciate this character as ahead of her time.
AVTAK- With a few exceptions, Bond-girls are always in the thick of the action. Rare is the lady who stands frozen when Bond is fighting. Check out the short and sweet fight in the empty house. Stacy Sutton is a damsel-in-distress but she jumps into the fight without hesitation. She might not be able to fight but she's got guts...and guts is enough.
TLD- Another seeming damsel-in-distress who develops strength and courage before our eyes. Anyone who doubts the power women have over Bond (the sexist) should examine that glorious moment where Bond adamantly refuses to retrieve Kara's cello. Cut to Bond helplessly waiting in the car, looking like a husband out of his depth.
ALWAYS remember that Bond is a womanizer, but even a sweet girl like KARA can rattle his cage.
LTK- IMO without any doubt, question or deliberation Pam Bouvier is the best of all the tough Bond leading ladies. She's smart, tough and capable (and gorgeous to boot) If there was ever a Bond-girl that deserved a Jinx-like spinoff it was this lady. Cool moment? Shooting Dario...and looking like she enjoyed it.
GE- Natalya Simonova is, once again, a Bond-girl who grows in strength.(Is there a something to the idea that the Bond series, despite its sexism, is progressive in its portrayal of women? The empowerment of women is a major theme in the series and should be studied more closely). There is a terrific moment at 006's headquarters when Natalya uses Bond's tactic of calling the bluff: "Kill him. He means nothing to me."
TND- Compared to other Bond-girls, Wai Lin is a killing machine and, unlike Halle Berry, Michelle Yeoh looks like she can seriously kill people. Her solo fight with the goons is a long over-due scene in Bond history. Quibble all you want about having a female Bond character (and there is a point to be made there), one can't help but admire the fact that Yeoh kicks butt...and takes names.
TWINE- Elektra is the femme fatale villianess that would make Bette Davis proud. If one can accept (as Sophie Marceau does) that Elektra running up the stairs, taunting Bond to kill her is the height of Melodrama...the scene is one the best in the series. If not...tough luck.
DAD- Jinx is the Rodney Dangerfield of Bond-Girls. Translation? No respect. But check out Jinx in Cuba: with her dress flying, running up the hill shooting at Zao's helicopter, for a few electrifying seconds, everything works perfectly and one is left to wonder how Lee Tamahori can get this so right but screw up the rest of the action with Jinx.
CR- "I'm the money."
"Every penny of it."
Vesper's talk with Bond on the train is a reminder to men that a woman can be dangerous and sexy by simply speaking her mind. Stimulated by her looks, smarts and wit, check out Bond's smile as he listens to Vesper trying to analyze him, almost gleeful to the challenge she offers.
QOS- to be continued.
In the documentary Bond Girls Are Forver, Jill St.John makes a fascinating point that Bond-Girls are not meant to be seen as realistic portrayals of women but as a blueprint for a "future kind of woman".
The ladies in James Bond's universe are not just eye candy. Never have been. And that's what makes them cool.
"I'm beginning to like you, Mr.Bond."
"Mmm...call me James."
Beautiful, smart, tough, sexy, resourceful. The ladies of Bond have had their share of cool moments in the series.
DN-"I promise I won't steal your shells."
"I promise you won't either."
Millions of words have been written about Honey Ryder and her entrance. Ursula rules, of course. What should also be remembered is Honey's ATTITUDE towards Bond. With her knife at the ready, she practically dares Bond to be foolish. Translation: do not mess with me. In 1962, it must have felt revolutionary.
FRWL- Daniela Bianchi never gets enough credit IMO. Neither as flashy, dangerous or exotic as other Bond girls, Bianchi is just plain beautiful...the kind of girl who breaks your heart with a glance. Great moment? How about the flash of anger in her eyes during:"What is the purpose of such an intimate question?"
GF- "Skip it. I'm not interested."
Quick, no-nonsense, to the point. Has Bond ever been as totally dismissed as this moment by Pussy Galore?
TB- "I'm glad I killed him."
"You're glad?"
Never forget Largo has Bond beat until Domino saves the day. Bonus points for her cold-as-ice expression. A Bond-Girl moment for the ages.
YOLT- Aki may not be on the same level as Pam Bouvier or Wai Lin in the toughness category but this lovely Japanese agent is agile and more than capable. Check out how Aki, the mouse, toys with Bond, the cat, in the subway, especially that wonderful moment when she stops running and faces Bond...before he takes a plunge!
OHMSS- Tracey saves Bond and drives the car as they escape from Bunt and her goons. A couple of times during the chaos, Bond leans over and kisses her with pride and appreciation. Look no further than those kisses as to when Bond decided to marry Tracy. How can you NOT fall in love with a woman who saved your life, drove like a champ and looked beautiful all the time doing it?
DAF- Tiffany Case at the Las Vegas gas station. One of the funniest bits of business in Bond-Girl history. Acting like a woman on the go, Tiffany makes a shambles out of a line-up for gas. One guy honks too much, to which she threatens him with "a shot in the mouth".
Bonus points for her classic exit line: "Forget it, Charlie. You had your chance and you blew it." American sass at its best.
LALD- Solitaire is the classic damsel-in-distress but one should remember how completely she has Bond's number during their first meeting. When Bond flips over the "Fool" card she sums it up with a smile: "You have found yourself." No wonder Bond had to stack the cards against her...otherwise he wouldn't have standed a chance with her deck.
TMWTGG- Lets face it, Britt Eklund as Mary Goodnight is a Bond girl as window dressing. Seemingly incompetent, she is always two steps behind everybody else but give her credit for one thing: she does dispatch of Scramanga's technician who put the moves on her.
TSWLM- Agent XXX defends the honour of female agents everwhere when she does not instantly fall for the charms of Bond. When she interrupts a kiss with Bond to zap him with gas from her cigarette, she beats Bond at his own game of using sex as a weapon.
MR- There is a moment in the space-station where Holly Goodhead winds up and absolutely clobbers a guy with a punch. And I do mean clobber. One of those moments that reminds you how criminally overlooked and underrated Lois Chiles as Holly has been over the years.
"Where did you learn that? NASA?"
"No, Vasser."
FYEO- Add Melina to the list of under-rated Bond-girls. Here is a woman with eyes that LOOK like she out for revenge. There is a chill in the air when she tells Bond that Greek women, like Elektra, avenge their loved ones. Check out the moment at the end when she is about to kill Kristatos and Bond steps in front. Her "Get out of my way, James." has a tinge of a real threat behind it.
OP- Bond has always been a problem with some feminists over the years and the debate is always lively. But for every Dink there is someone like Octopussy. Here is a woman who is the head of a giant organization, and all-female at that. She is independent and nobody's fool. In short, she is a player in a game where the rules are created by men. Mark my words, future Bond historians will come to appreciate this character as ahead of her time.
AVTAK- With a few exceptions, Bond-girls are always in the thick of the action. Rare is the lady who stands frozen when Bond is fighting. Check out the short and sweet fight in the empty house. Stacy Sutton is a damsel-in-distress but she jumps into the fight without hesitation. She might not be able to fight but she's got guts...and guts is enough.
TLD- Another seeming damsel-in-distress who develops strength and courage before our eyes. Anyone who doubts the power women have over Bond (the sexist) should examine that glorious moment where Bond adamantly refuses to retrieve Kara's cello. Cut to Bond helplessly waiting in the car, looking like a husband out of his depth.
ALWAYS remember that Bond is a womanizer, but even a sweet girl like KARA can rattle his cage.
LTK- IMO without any doubt, question or deliberation Pam Bouvier is the best of all the tough Bond leading ladies. She's smart, tough and capable (and gorgeous to boot) If there was ever a Bond-girl that deserved a Jinx-like spinoff it was this lady. Cool moment? Shooting Dario...and looking like she enjoyed it.
GE- Natalya Simonova is, once again, a Bond-girl who grows in strength.(Is there a something to the idea that the Bond series, despite its sexism, is progressive in its portrayal of women? The empowerment of women is a major theme in the series and should be studied more closely). There is a terrific moment at 006's headquarters when Natalya uses Bond's tactic of calling the bluff: "Kill him. He means nothing to me."
TND- Compared to other Bond-girls, Wai Lin is a killing machine and, unlike Halle Berry, Michelle Yeoh looks like she can seriously kill people. Her solo fight with the goons is a long over-due scene in Bond history. Quibble all you want about having a female Bond character (and there is a point to be made there), one can't help but admire the fact that Yeoh kicks butt...and takes names.
TWINE- Elektra is the femme fatale villianess that would make Bette Davis proud. If one can accept (as Sophie Marceau does) that Elektra running up the stairs, taunting Bond to kill her is the height of Melodrama...the scene is one the best in the series. If not...tough luck.
DAD- Jinx is the Rodney Dangerfield of Bond-Girls. Translation? No respect. But check out Jinx in Cuba: with her dress flying, running up the hill shooting at Zao's helicopter, for a few electrifying seconds, everything works perfectly and one is left to wonder how Lee Tamahori can get this so right but screw up the rest of the action with Jinx.
CR- "I'm the money."
"Every penny of it."
Vesper's talk with Bond on the train is a reminder to men that a woman can be dangerous and sexy by simply speaking her mind. Stimulated by her looks, smarts and wit, check out Bond's smile as he listens to Vesper trying to analyze him, almost gleeful to the challenge she offers.
QOS- to be continued.
In the documentary Bond Girls Are Forver, Jill St.John makes a fascinating point that Bond-Girls are not meant to be seen as realistic portrayals of women but as a blueprint for a "future kind of woman".
The ladies in James Bond's universe are not just eye candy. Never have been. And that's what makes them cool.
"I'm beginning to like you, Mr.Bond."
"Mmm...call me James."
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Roger Moore 1927-2017