The Beard.... Why?

David Schofield · June 2012

Not seen a post on this.... so:

Anyone know why Bond has the bum fluff on his face in the film?

New image? One he tires of quite quickly....

A bit depressed?

On a permanent bender?

Just had the Chelsea pad repossessed?

Lost his razor?

Scarred after a failed mishun and therefore a bit eeeeemotional?

Or is it the SKYFALL equivalent of Lazenby's Hilary Bray specs?

Anyone??????

walther p99 · June 2012

im guessing because Bond just got back into the service again after a long hiatus and didnt bother shaving before going on his first mission, i personally love the stubble, it fits Craig well and is a good break from the usual clean shaven look.

David Schofield · June 2012

walther p99 wrote:

im guessing because Bond just got back into the service again after a long hiatus and didnt bother shaving before going on his first mission, i personally love the stubble, it fits Craig well and is a good break from the usual clean shaven look.

I guess the absence from work is the most likely explanation - but does it expain why a normally immaculate guy like James Bond would voluntarily grow facial fuzz?*

* like a lot of us, DC cannot grow a proper beard, so why bother?

Moore Than · June 2012

I believe it is a case of trauma and depression. Sam Mendes referred to Ian Fleming's Bond at the Istanbul press conference as a conflicted character who experienced a combination of lassitude, boredom, depression, difficulty with his chosen profession. Mendes said that some of those things are explored in Skyfall.

Number24 · June 2012

I remember my year as a conscript in the Norwegian army. When I was on leave I chose not to shave at all. When my shaving was controlled every morning when I was in uniform it felt like part rebelion and part holiday not to shave. During the short weekend passes it had little practical effect (I was just 19 and frankly my facial hair growth was not that impressive), but at the end of the longer leaves I sported a distinctive un-military look. Perhaps something simmular happened with Bond? Did he feel that the dress code and the expectations of a clean shave every morning was bit much after 50 years and just felt like not shaving during his leave from MI6?
I think so.

Thunderbird 2 · June 2012

There is another way of looking at this. A lot of actors are best known for a clean shaven image. Often they will have facial hair as a change to get away from that to a degree. Of course they also may do so for specific parts.

Personally. I think it makes a nice change. Plus, as a man who has facial hair myself, it is possible to be dapper, if not elegant, if you keep yourself neat and tidy.

WordsAndDreams · June 2012

Often in movies and tv, facial hair on a character is a symbolic way of saying they're either a bad guy or are conflicted/have a significant dark side. Being clean shaven also often represents the opposite. With that being said, based on the trailer and the word association scene, it seems like Bond is sent on a mission or does something that he regrets/didn't want to do, almost as if he acted as a bad guy. So maybe it's an attempt to convey his inner conflict or his "dark side" to the audience. This would actually be even more effective with a character like Bond, because he's been clean shaven for pretty much the entire 50 years.

HowardB · June 2012

Maybe he just couldn't get his hands on a razor...or it was part of his "cover" on a mission.

hendrix · June 2012

You know I don't really think it's related to the "holiday" thing.

Look at the SAS. They don't really care about shaving, uniform, or anything but doing your job. It's sad to say it, but at some level there's a Steve Jobs-esque sorta power move arrogance in letting standards slip.

Shaving every day used to be a masculine, morale boosting thing. You could be out in some **** piled trench, but you would still pride in shaving, because you were a man - it was almost a rebellion in itself because who did you need to look presentable to? It was showing the middle finger to the situation you were in by answering to your own standards.

However, today we live in a different world. Being clean shaven is not that much of an achievement - you can do it in 15 seconds with an electric razor. Hell, some people go to the trouble of setting trimmers to maintain a stubble.

It just has a different meaning than it used to.

Bond_James_Bond · June 2012

I don't think it something that he tires with quickly. From what we know the pre-title sequence is in Turkey (motorbike chase) is obviously at the beginning of the film (where he is very clean shaven). I think that as the story develops the conflict with his self comes in and believe that the beard is mid film (before it is shaven off by Naomi Harris - a la teaser trailer) before he sorts all of his issues out and becomes the Bond we all know and love.

double o ego · June 2012

David Schofield wrote:

* like a lot of us, DC cannot grow a proper beard, so why bother?

Really??

minigeff · June 2012

double o ego wrote:

David Schofield wrote:

* like a lot of us, DC cannot grow a proper beard, so why bother?

Really??

Christ he looks like me! Bloody copycat.

David Schofield · June 2012

double o ego wrote:

David Schofield wrote:

* like a lot of us, DC cannot grow a proper beard, so why bother?

Really??

To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, "That' not a beard..."

)

PPK 7.65mm · June 2012

I agree with the viewpoint that the beard is most likely to show how something affected Bond on his last mission on such a personal level that it disrupted his normal routine of shaving regularly.

Thunderpussy · June 2012

Given the list of Flops DC churns out the Beard might be
to hide his face

( along with all the low light photography, and use
of silhouette shots )

)
Trying to kid the audience he's not in it.

superdaddy · June 2012

Oh if only.

Blackleiter · June 2012

Easy, TP! I suspect that after Skyfall even you might come around on ole Daniel! (Okay, maybe not!)

Thunderpussy wrote:

Given the list of Flops DC churns out the Beard might be
to hide his face
( along with all the low light photography, and use
of silhouette shots ) )
Trying to kid the audience he's not in it.

0073 · June 2012

Number24 wrote:

I remember my year as a conscript in the Norwegian army. When I was on leave I chose not to shave at all. When my shaving was controlled every morning when I was in uniform it felt like part rebelion and part holiday not to shave. During the short weekend passes it had little practical effect (I was just 19 and frankly my facial hair growth was not that impressive), but at the end of the longer leaves I sported a distinctive un-military look.

)

) That is quite normal attitude in conscripts in Finland also. I used to shave every morning when I was in the army, even when on exercise, even though it was not compulsory on the field conditions. It used to drive conscripts crazy to wake up and find me outside their tent shaving no matter what the weather.

Thunderpussy · June 2012

Why the Beard, Because he's trying to look a bit
More butch. Like Roger Moore.

)

Blackleiter · June 2012

Good one!

Thunderpussy wrote:

Why the Beard, Because he's trying to look a bit
More butch. Like Roger Moore. )

Thunderpussy · June 2012

This is How I imagine Bond with a Beard. :007)

Blackleiter · June 2012

Yep - that's him!

Thunderpussy wrote:

This is How I imagine Bond with a Beard. :007)

David Schofield · June 2012

Nah. Not that Scotto-Ruskie.

Him:

Timothy_Dalton_480x360_26kb_media_1151_media_95171_1104848701.jpg

Ian Fleming's James Bond. Cool as ****.

Properly off duty and out of action. Or on one hell of a bender.

-{

zaphod · June 2012

Agreed. Dalton manages to 'rock' the beard without looking like a wino, or an ad for help the aged

)

Thunderpussy · June 2012

The funny thing about beards I found was, It takes as much time and effort to keep it trimmed etc
as it does to shave, and just a little thing But I loved the feel of the wind blowing against it on
windy days.

)

Strangeways · July 2012

So, I have spent the majority of this week at an outdoors centre in Suffolk doing a range of activities.
I have worn appropriate Bondian clothes (Sunspel grey T Shirt, micro fibre fleece etc). Needless to say I haven't has a shave since before the weekend and the beard/stubble is progressing nicely rather like Bond's in SKYFALL.

However, once I get back to London I will get rid of the Merrells and the microfibre fleece, and don my shirts, ties, and suits, so consequently the beard will go down the sink. I feel sure this explains what will happen in SKYFALL. I am certain the beard will only feature briefly.

Remember the press made a huge deal about the long hair and beard in DAD, and it was only seen for a few minutes!!

Anyway, I can't wait to get back to my Central London pad and of course my king sized bed. The week has been fun though and very worthwhile!!

Martin Aston · July 2012

Bond wore a fleece?

Strangeways · July 2012

Erm, yes. A microfibre fleece when he looks out of the window with Mathis in CR.

David Schofield · July 2012

Strangeways wrote:

Erm, yes. A microfibre fleece when he looks out of the window with Mathis in CR.

Think you might find that was a cardy...

Martin Aston · July 2012

David Schofield wrote:

Strangeways wrote:

Erm, yes. A microfibre fleece when he looks out of the window with Mathis in CR.

Think you might find that was a cardy...

Yep, a cardigan.

cubechris · July 2012

In the trailer we see Bond getting shaved. So at-least he isn't bearded throughout.

(Hi)

The Beard.... Why?

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