Daniel Craig's Bond Should Be More OCD
delliott101
Posts: 115MI6 Agent
while I enjoyed CR and was surprised by Craig's fine performance, I did note some flaws in the way Bond was portrayed (even from the novels)...
Bond's character is known as being fastidious on things.. food, drink, dress, etc. In Fleming's novels he eats cold roast beef with potato salad for lunch (while not on missions), things are routine and have order...
In other words, he's obsessive compulsive. This comes from being orphaned and being raised by his uncle (I think it was his uncle). Bond needs to have order in his life... control over things. These routines are part of his personality. He strives for perfection in his dress, grooming, knowledge of things, etc. This is normal for those who have experienced loss...
Craig's Bond is the opposite... careless, carefree, doesn't care or take pride in himself. While I see that the producers want to distance Bond away from what he became in the past films, this direction doesn't make sense. There were moments, like the drink order, but those are few and far inbetween....
Bond's character is known as being fastidious on things.. food, drink, dress, etc. In Fleming's novels he eats cold roast beef with potato salad for lunch (while not on missions), things are routine and have order...
In other words, he's obsessive compulsive. This comes from being orphaned and being raised by his uncle (I think it was his uncle). Bond needs to have order in his life... control over things. These routines are part of his personality. He strives for perfection in his dress, grooming, knowledge of things, etc. This is normal for those who have experienced loss...
Craig's Bond is the opposite... careless, carefree, doesn't care or take pride in himself. While I see that the producers want to distance Bond away from what he became in the past films, this direction doesn't make sense. There were moments, like the drink order, but those are few and far inbetween....
Comments
Moreover, I would say that Craig portrayed well (at least my) idea of Fleming's Bond. Sure, all of Bond's character - good and bad - wasn't portrayed, but there is ample enough opportunity for this come B22.
But to make Bond even more psychologically disturbed than is already suggested would be a mistake. Part of the reason Craig is so successful in the role is that he is relatable as a human being. He has flaws, which he overcomes superbly, and to saddle him with OCD would just seem silly.
I would have to agree. I haven't read all of the novels yet but I think that Craig did a great job of portraying Flemings Bond. The only thing that I found to be a little off, and maybe its cause the novels don't have pictures, was Craigs dress in CR. It was nice yes, but I think it was a little more casual than I invisioned it in the novels.
Sorry for confusion... I do agree that he isn't a classic case.
I wouldn't attributed Bond with OCD, he is simply a calculated man taking pleasure from intricate organisation and luxury.
Although I understand your point, remember CR is back at the beginning, Daniel Craig's Bond forms the traditional character during the progression of the film. His careless, carefree attitude is a product of his over confident, arrogant ego that opens the film. Hopefully his experiences in CR will bring the more calculated traditional character in Bond22.
I did, like I mentioned, see elements of it in CR, so maybe these traits do get "worse" over time.
I guess saw the exact opposite. Craig's Bond orders a specific champagne and caviar for Solange and gives the bartender his own martini recipe at the poker game. And I've never seen anyone more pleased with himself as when he's checking out his new dinner jacket in the mirror.
The only difference I saw is that these moments are not announced by the film. There's a scene in one of Dalton's movies in which Bond orders a martini and he practically shouts "shaken, not stirred." He sounded like Henry V exhorting the troops at Agincourt.
Bond's fatidiousness is a part of him, not the whole of his character as it's been so often played in the past. And to tell the truth, Bond rarely wears a tuxedo in the books. A business suit is more like it, or, a shirt and slacks if that's what's called for. I thought Craig got it just right.
I would suggest that, while it is a closer adaptation of the story, and character that appeared in the novel, it is also being updated for 2006, in terms of setting and style. In 1953, men of certain occupations, especially Englishmen, dressed a certain way all the time. Today, a far more casual look is acceptable for business and government employees, hence the leisure wear in Nassau, and the jeans, t shirt and leather jacket look in the airport. It's pointed out in the film that Bond was poor, and someone paid for his education. At this point in time, he couild still be a bit of a bloke, one who scoffs at the notion of wearing a three piece suit when going round the pub for a pint. Basically, they just modernized the acceptable aesthetic for today.
As for Bonds compulsive behaviour, I think this is something that grows over time as well. I think you'll see a bit more of it in Bond 22 and a bit more in Bond 23. In Craigs final Bond film, I think we'll see his fully realized James Bond.