Playing Red Indians

FelixLeiter ♀

I'm reading Michael Denning's Cover Stories and he discusses the 'game-like nature of the tales' stating that ''Bond himself recognizes [this] in his oft-repeated comment about his "playing Red Indians"'.

Some googling has revealed that this is taken from Fleming's nickname for his unit during the war. My problem is that googling also seems to show that although the phrase is repeated several times in Casino Royale, it is not always said by Bond and does not seem to appear in any of the other novels.

Can anyone tell me if this is true, in which case Denning is stretching the meaning of 'oft-repeated', or if google is simply not being my friend? If it does appear in any of the other novels, which ones?

I would also be interested if anyone agrees with him that there is a 'game-like nature to the tales'.

Peppermill

Le Chiffre talks about it when torturing Bond and Bond later repeats this to Mathis when he is recovering from his wounds. I believe it is also mentioned by Bond or Tracy in OHMSS. However, it is not really a recurring issue in the books as far as I know.

Napoleon Plural

A bit tangential, but check out on iPlayer the documentary Operation Mincemeat, repeated recently on BBC4, about Fleming's role in one of the major operations of WW2. Bit of a stunner.

CaptainFelixHook

I believe that in For your Eyes Only, one of his romantic interest (for a chapter or 2) scolded him for going after someone alone 'You're just playing at Red Indians' or something like that. James immediately lost patience, and shut her down verbally.....then asked her to dinner by the end of the conversation.

Revelator

From Casino Royale:

"'My dear boy,' Le Chiffre spoke like a father, 'the game of Red Indians is over, quite over."

"'Before Le Chiffre began, he used a phrase which stuck in my mind... "playing Red Indians". He said that's what I had been doing. Well, I suddenly thought he might be right."

"While he, Bond, had been playing Red Indians through the years (yes, Le Chiffre's description was perfectly accurate), the real enemy had been working quietly, coldly, without heroics, right there at his elbow. He suddenly had a vision of Vesper walking down a corridor with documents in her hand. On a tray. They just got it on a tray while the cool secret agent with a Double O number was gallivanting round the world--playing Red Indians."

From Goldfinger:
"'I used to dabble in that kind of thing. Hangover from the war. One still thought it was fun playing Red Indians. But there's no future in it in peacetime.'"

From A View to a Kill:
"'Damn M! Damn you! Damn the whole silly Service!' There were angry tears in the voice. 'You're just a lot of children playing at Red Indians."

From On Her Majesty's Secret Service:
"She added fiercely, 'But you are such an idiot! You don't seem to think it matters to anyone. The way you go on playing Red Indians. It's so - so selfish.'"

I think Denning is correct.