'Botticelli's Venus' - the life of Honeychile Rider/Ryder

broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
edited January 2016 in The James Bond Films
One of the most iconic girls - actually the most iconic girl in the series

Honeychile Ryder - the film version - was the first movie heroine. Her entrance in Dr No, like Connery's is a special moments. The camera catches her emerging from the ocean dressed in a skimpy white bikini, carrying shells and clutching a knife. Andress benefits from having a well written role; Honey in the film is able to relate some of her past history - something other Bond heroines are denied. Andress' foreign accent helps emphasise her lack of formal education - her delivery comes across as slightly childlike, which works perfectly

Honeychile Rider - the books version - is a provocative sensual heroine. She is a childlike nature girl, but also very much a woman. Honey is blonde with deep blue lashes "paled" by the sun.Bond notices that she has a face of someone who has to "fend for herself". She also has a broken nose which is quickly overlooked. Bond says she is one of the most beautiful women in Jamaica. He compares her to Botticelli's Venus.

Honey taught herself to read reading the encyclopedia and though intelligent she is incredibly naive, which is the main reason she is so appealing and endearing. She is playful, yet can be confident and imperious defending her beliefs. She knows far more about marine animals and insects then Bond. What is attractive about Honey is her purity of heart. Honey remains the most well-meaning, sincere character in the series..

So which has the best Honey? The film or the book? For me, its the novel


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1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall

Comments

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I agree that the novel version is even more sensual than the film.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    edited January 2016
    Yes, the novel version of Honey is better for sure. Isn't that almost always the case for everything?! :D -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,610MI6 Agent
    I prefer Honey (there's no Honeychile in the film) over Honeychile. It's much easier to visualise her in the film. ;)
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    Might be of interest:

    aa_old_man_4.jpg

    Patricia "Honeychile" Wilder, actress from whom Fleming pinched the name.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I know the book made a big impression on me as a 12 of 13 year old. :)
    Reading the beach scene. I though Judy Havelock was a similar type
    The way Fleming describes how she's dressed with bow and arrows.
    another "Amazonian" woman :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Might be of interest:

    aa_old_man_4.jpg

    Patricia "Honeychile" Wilder, actress from whom Fleming pinched the name.

    Interesting
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Might be of interest:

    aa_old_man_4.jpg

    Patricia "Honeychile" Wilder, actress from whom Fleming pinched the name.

    Interesting

    It certainly is. Doesn't Fleming mistakenly call her "Honeychile Wilder" in TMWTGG? I seem to recall that he does.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    Yes, but IIRC it's corrected in some editions.
    (I read somewhere that this may have been an editor's mistake rather than Fleming's but don't know the truth of that.)
  • Gala BrandGala Brand Posts: 1,172MI6 Agent
    I agree that the novel version is even more sensual than the film.

    Are you referring to Fleming's description of Honeychile's posterior? :p
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Not to sound a bum note, as Fleming did have a fantastic skill in his descriptions. -{
    I also always remember the girl gyrating on the big hand in LALD. ;)
    ( we didn't have the internet those days ...... ) very descriptive.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    That was in TMWTGG, Pussy, rather than LALD.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I was too busy thinking of the girl, than the book. :))
    Although thanks, I'll remember next time. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    It was a good scene, to be sure- better than the belly-dancer sequence in the movie.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff
    Not to sound a bum note

    That would be showing a bit more cheek than usual...
  • HowardBHowardB USAPosts: 2,755MI6 Agent
    Well...Ursula Andress had a significant impact on me :D -{
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