Clichéd Spy Fiction Tropes in the James Bond Films (and Novels)?

Silhouette Man · December 2016

So, as the thread title says, what do you consider to be examples of clichéd spy fiction tropes in the James Bond films and novels?

One that comes to mind for me is the placing of the hair over the door as a makeshift silent intruder alarm in the 1953 Ian Fleming Casino Royale novel and 1962 Dr. No film.

I'm sure however that there are plenty of others that we can collate and discuss further in this thread.

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Matt S · December 2016

Spies live a glamorous life.

Barbel · December 2016

These earlier threads may be of interest, SM:

http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45430/the-bond-formula/

http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/44135/formula-or-cliche-and-which-should-we-expect-in-bond-24/

Silhouette Man · December 2016

Barbel wrote:

These earlier threads may be of interest, SM:

http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45430/the-bond-formula/

http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/44135/formula-or-cliche-and-which-should-we-expect-in-bond-24/

Thank you for those, Barbel. I did the usual search before starting this thread but nothing came up.

-{

Le Samourai · December 2016

I can think of a few off the top of my head...

* Smuggling a defector out of enemy territory (the cinematic TLD)
* Fake defection (TLD again… Actually, TLD has quite a few classic spy tropes)
* Indentifying allies by exchanging inane gibberish (FRWL)
* The wicked 'Oriental' mastermind (DN)
* Codebreaking (FRWL)
* The villain being killed by guano (DN, the book… Just kidding! I don't think this has become a standard spy trope yet.)
* McGuffins (FRWL, FYEO, GE)

John Gardner's novels are loaded with spy tropes, especially double and triple crosses.

chrisisall · December 2016

Le Samourai wrote:

I can think of a few off the top of my head...

* Smuggling a defector out of enemy territory (the cinematic TLD)
* Fake defection (TLD again… Actually, TLD has quite a few classic spy tropes)
* Indentifying allies by exchanging inane gibberish (FRWL)
* The wicked 'Oriental' mastermind (DN)
* Codebreaking (FRWL)
* The villain being killed by guano (DN, the book… Just kidding! I don't think this has become a standard spy trope yet.)
* McGuffins (FRWL, FYEO, GE)

John Gardner's novels are loaded with spy tropes, especially double and triple crosses.

I've killed many a foe with help from the bat.
(more batarangs than guano though...)

Gassy Man · December 2016

To me, though, the biggest cliche of the past 30 years has been your own people are the enemy -- well, that and the idea that partners have to initially despise each other but in the course of the story come to grudgingly accept one another. I always roll my eyes.

chrisisall · December 2016

Gassy Man wrote:

To me, though, the biggest cliche of the past 30 years has been your own people are the enemy -- well, that and the idea that partners have to initially despise each other but in the course of the story come to grudgingly accept one another. I always roll my eyes.

It's a comic book thing. 8-)

Matt S · December 2016

Gassy Man wrote:

To me, though, the biggest cliche of the past 30 years has been your own people are the enemy -- well, that and the idea that partners have to initially despise each other but in the course of the story come to grudgingly accept one another. I always roll my eyes.

GoldenEye and Spectre really have those covered. I knew Denbigh was an enemy before the movie started. I feel like it could have worked in GoldenEye if the dialogue was better.

And this has to be what I disliked most about the Get Smart movie from 2008. Not only was it so cliched, it ruined the fantastic dynamic of the TV series.

Do people find the typical-of-real-life aspects of enemies just being enemies and good guys getting along to be cliched?

Gassy Man · December 2016

chrisisall wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

To me, though, the biggest cliche of the past 30 years has been your own people are the enemy -- well, that and the idea that partners have to initially despise each other but in the course of the story come to grudgingly accept one another. I always roll my eyes.

It's a comic book thing. 8-)

Archie/Reggie.

Gassy Man · December 2016

Matt S wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

To me, though, the biggest cliche of the past 30 years has been your own people are the enemy -- well, that and the idea that partners have to initially despise each other but in the course of the story come to grudgingly accept one another. I always roll my eyes.

GoldenEye and Spectre really have those covered. I knew Denbigh was an enemy before the movie started. I feel like it could have worked in GoldenEye if the dialogue was better.

And this has to be what I disliked most about the Get Smart movie from 2008. Not only was it so cliched, it ruined the fantastic dynamic of the TV series.

Do people find the typical-of-real-life aspects of enemies just being enemies and good guys getting along to be cliched?

They're making movies for a 14-year-old mindset.

Silhouette Man · January 2017

Any more takers on this one?

Clichéd Spy Fiction Tropes in the James Bond Films (and Novels)?

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