The more I ruminate on the humor injected into the films and the slapping around of ladies, the more I resent Connery, Young and Hamilton messing around with Fleming's charecter, turning him into a "joke shop spy" as David Niven put it so well in CR'67
I guess this shows that since we have entirely different views on Moore as a Bond (I would never describe him as a "joke shop spy" ) we are unlikely to agree on whether or not he was a lady killer.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
What I do like about Bond is that like a smorgisbord, you can take each film on its own or group them together on a plate, 21 films gives you lot of choices and combos.
If you like serious you can go with FRWL or CR'06, Comedy Moonraker, or fantasy DAD - something for everyone to chew on.
But Bond tossing about the "gentle" sex does not work for me anymore. There was a time when I would have argued that he is focused on "getting the job done", and if he had to slap a gal to do it - so be it.
I see it different now. Fleming's Bond did not slap women, or kill wantonly, he was a "good guy" just "blunt" sent on dirty jobs where killing was likely. Too many example exist of the literary Bond, failing to kill - even when he was supposed to.
As old RM points out in his commentary, His Bond would have made love to a woman to turn her around or get information. Slapping girls about, puts Bond into the "villian" role and is not appropriate (this isn't LeCarre).
The only woman I am aware of that Bond assaults is Irma Bunt, at the end of YOLT, he punches her in the side of the head with a "Bojitsu" stave!
Another reason to like CR'06 is applicable to this topic. When Vesper refuses to give Bond the $5 million Re-Buy Money, he grabs he arm, and for a moment one wonders if he is going to "tune her up", but Bond backs down.
What I love about DC is that he brought to Bond, an more unpredictable temperment - the guy gets "****ed" and that adds some excitement. Much better than having him stand around looking "cool" all the time.
Comments
I guess this shows that since we have entirely different views on Moore as a Bond (I would never describe him as a "joke shop spy"
What I do like about Bond is that like a smorgisbord, you can take each film on its own or group them together on a plate, 21 films gives you lot of choices and combos.
If you like serious you can go with FRWL or CR'06, Comedy Moonraker, or fantasy DAD - something for everyone to chew on.
But Bond tossing about the "gentle" sex does not work for me anymore. There was a time when I would have argued that he is focused on "getting the job done", and if he had to slap a gal to do it - so be it.
I see it different now. Fleming's Bond did not slap women, or kill wantonly, he was a "good guy" just "blunt" sent on dirty jobs where killing was likely. Too many example exist of the literary Bond, failing to kill - even when he was supposed to.
As old RM points out in his commentary, His Bond would have made love to a woman to turn her around or get information. Slapping girls about, puts Bond into the "villian" role and is not appropriate (this isn't LeCarre).
The only woman I am aware of that Bond assaults is Irma Bunt, at the end of YOLT, he punches her in the side of the head with a "Bojitsu" stave!
Another reason to like CR'06 is applicable to this topic. When Vesper refuses to give Bond the $5 million Re-Buy Money, he grabs he arm, and for a moment one wonders if he is going to "tune her up", but Bond backs down.
What I love about DC is that he brought to Bond, an more unpredictable temperment - the guy gets "****ed" and that adds some excitement. Much better than having him stand around looking "cool" all the time.
Bond’s Beretta
The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond