The Authoritarian/Anti-Establishment Duality of James Bond

chrisisall · September 2012

Here we have a bloke who works for Military Intelligence and in doing so must accept the chain of command and the importance of following orders, yet he seems at times to hate following orders to the point of disobeying them outright.
He carries a gun, has a licence to kill, and is trusted with this most adult of responsibilities, yet he continually demonstrates a cavalier, post-adolescent attitude concerning private property damage & sex.

Is James Bond an impossible enigma, a creation just designed to appeal to people of varied social & political beliefs, or a believable rebel within the system?

In my view he is apolitical, a man concerned only with what works (professionally and in the world), and what distracts (personally and in someone's bed).

)

And before someone else says it, YES this is a political thread (in part), but it's not to discuss real world public officials- rather it is to share your views on what makes James Bond tick, from whatever political, psychological, social or moral angle you wish. :007)

And now that I mention it, would you consider James Bond to be a 'moral' person?

minigeff · September 2012

As far as the films go, yes I'd say bond has a human side. Not shooting kara would be one instance, getting even for leiter, the whole Tracey thing, loving vesper, killing mischa (typo?) for 009, helping camile get to medrano and wishing not to be traded for zao being some examples.

That said, he's also had his fair share of sinister moments. Setting crest up, taking out drax, killing Dryden, killing Electra, shooting dent repeatedly, kicking locque off the cliff and frying oddjob being particularly dark times.

Bit of a mixed bag really, some might say that some of those examples belong in the other list, or both.

Bond can be quite nasty at times, but also show a great human side as well.

As for being a loose cannon and yet keeping his job; it's been repeatedly said that bond is the best. I think MI6 tolerate the bad stuff due to Bond's unique skillset.

Bit like me and the mods here on ajb

)

chrisisall · October 2012

minigeff wrote:

That said, he's also had his fair share of sinister moments. Setting crest up, taking out drax, killing Dryden, killing Electra, shooting dent repeatedly, kicking locque off the cliff and frying oddjob being particularly dark times.

Don't forget shamelessly using Lupe to get to Sanchez.

As for being a loose cannon and yet keeping his job; it's been repeatedly said that bond is the best. I think MI6 tolerate the bad stuff due to Bond's unique skillset.
Bit like me and the mods here on ajb )

)

)
Just don't start telling the M's here about a date of an original vintage upon which a sherry is based, I expect that would set them off... 8-)

I liked in Goldeneye when Trevelyan stated that he and Bond were both orphans, that lends a credibility to the idea that Bond may have developed a lack of trust possibly from never have been adopted. The State may have brought him up, and now he more or less works for his 'parents'- a kind of love/hate relationship.

That would also help back up my theory that Bond is apolitical, not likely affiliating himself with any particular party- again, a trust issue.

IMO, Bond is a supremely high-functioning self-medicating bi-polar personality.
Or something like that.
Which is why I love Dalton's (and to an infinitesimally lesser degree Craig's) take on the character.

Napoleon Plural · October 2012

Some anti-authoritarian stuff was part of the 60s counter culture, it's interesting to see GF alongside A Hard Day's Night in the post-Profumo era where the Establishment really was called out, more than at any time since Passendale's slaughter, only more risible in a way. Col Smithers from the brandy scene is the same fella guyed by the Fabs in the railway carriage.

Otherwise Bond's cheek is the schoolboy getting away with it mostly. People mention Dalton because he didn't do the cheek bit, he didn't have a schoolboyish way about him and neither does Craig really.

chrisisall · October 2012

Napoleon Plural wrote:

People mention Dalton because he didn't do the cheek bit, he didn't have a schoolboyish way about him and neither does Craig really.

'Boyish charm' was never something I got from the novels... :007)

Napoleon Plural · October 2012

Yeah, fair enough, though not all of us have an Old Testament approach to Bond.

chrisisall · October 2012

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Yeah, fair enough, though not all of us have an Old Testament approach to Bond.

No, no religion on this thread!

Psychologically-
In TWINE, there's a great moment where Bond touches the screen during Elektra's tears (I brushed on this lightly talking to Lexi), and it was fascinating because here's a man who can kill ice cold feeling empathy (though he'd not characterize it as such) for a broken girl- a recognition of pain denied to himself during his daily view in the mirror.

chrisisall · October 2012

It's difficult for me to imagine people with extreme political views enjoying Bond, though... (in U.S. terms) Liberals should be turned off by his tossing away of law enforcement rules in favour of killing a suspect (and usually blowing up his lair) without due process as well as consuming foie gras on occasion; Conservatives should reject him due to his adulterous disregard for family values & general anti-authoritarian bent.
But in reality, I think this would place Bond in the 'guilty pleasure' section for both groups so that they could enjoy the books/movies- most people with extreme views subconsciously enjoy escaping the heavy ideological chains they have forged for themselves momentarily.

Wilde · October 2012

This is some serious over-analysis here, old boy. Interesting to hear your views, though. -{

Lexi · October 2012

chrisisall wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Yeah, fair enough, though not all of us have an Old Testament approach to Bond.

No, no religion on this thread!

Psychologically-
In TWINE, there's a great moment where Bond touches the screen during Elektra's tears (I brushed on this lightly talking to Lexi)....

You did?

Crickey, I must be getting old, as I don't remember

)

However that is probably why I enjoyed this movie so much, because we get to watch Bond see beyond the looks of the girl, and instead fall for her 'apparent' fragility....although that is proved wrong later.

I think Bond knows what's right, but has a rebellious desire to do things 'his' way, which usually involves going against the rules.

We must also remember his upbringing, 'maladjusted' as Vesper put it, is probably the biggest factor to his apparent rebellion, or lack of authority...
He understands the need for them (rules) but I think he feels he's above such inconveniences....and this is what makes his character so interesting, as we're never quite sure which way he's going to go. Regardless of the industry he's in...probably one of the few, in the military, where you can get away with such recklessness.

Or perhaps he was never put on the naughty step enough when he was a toddler

)

chrisisall · October 2012

Lexi wrote:

You did?

Crickey, I must be getting old, as I don't remember )

Ooops! Sorry, it was another lass, I'm still getting to know people here.. ;%

He understands the need for them (rules) but I think he feels he's above such inconveniences

That would appeal to Conservative thinking on this side of the pond...

)

darenhat · October 2012

I always saw Bond as a bit of a 'free-agent' that could do as he pleased because the powers that be trusted him. You don't just give a licence to kill to someone without knowing he (or she) has good judgement. I have expressed my disappointment with the Craig films in the regard that Bond seems to be given far too much lee-way for a 'newbie'...It seems to me that MI6 would have to have a more established history and relationship before letting Craig's Bond get away with some of the bold disobedience that he demonstrates.

chrisisall · October 2012

darenhat wrote:

I always saw Bond as a bit of a 'free-agent' that could do as he pleased because the powers that be trusted him. You don't just give a licence to kill to someone without knowing he (or she) has good judgement. I have expressed my disappointment with the Craig films in the regard that Bond seems to be given far too much lee-way for a 'newbie'...It seems to me that MI6 would have to have a more established history and relationship before letting Craig's Bond get away with some of the bold disobedience that he demonstrates.

Well said, all of it.

The Authoritarian/Anti-Establishment Duality of James Bond

Comments