Britt Ekland, who starred reverse Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun, weighs in on the evolving nature of the Bond Woman inside the James Bond franchise. Assuming the function of 007’s private secretary Mary Goodnight, The Man with the Golden Gun serves as the one cinematic look of Ekland’s character regardless of being a recurring determine within the unique Ian Fleming novels. Rising to fame off the again of her look in 1971’s Get Carter, Ekland’s standing as a rising intercourse image, alongside together with her high-profile private life, would ultimately land her the function of a Bond Woman.
Throughout a current interview printed by Metro, Ekland displays on her time within the Bond franchise and the way the Bond Woman trope has advanced in later years. Claiming that “they’re Bond ladies right now,” the actor admits that the working situations in trendy Bond movies are an enormous enchancment for the franchise’s main ladies. Nonetheless, she additionally goes on state her perception that the movies of her period have been extra enjoyable than Bond’s trendy outings. Take a look at her feedback under:
There are not any extra Bond women, they’re Bond ladies right now. They’ve it with the political correctness and the #MeToo, they’ve a a lot better time than we had. However I don’t suppose that the tip product is as enjoyable as ours have been, as a result of we have been fairly and we had good our bodies and we didn’t attempt to look attractive, we simply have been.
At present, every part is so, “Don’t do this as a result of that can upset that facet.” We didn’t have any of that. We simply went on the market, we have been at all times in a bikini and all these persons are totally dressed, very typical, nevertheless it was a job and we did it. So, I believe right now the Bond ladies have it – from a political correctness perspective – in a a lot better place. However I believe we had extra enjoyable.
How The Bond Franchise Can Proceed To Evolve Past Its Sexist Previous
With 25 official movies spanning a complete of six many years, the James Bond franchise boasts a singular place in cinema historical past for each its longevity and continued fashionable enchantment. With the hunt now on for Daniel Craig’s alternative as the brand new 007, proof would recommend that there’s nonetheless loads of curiosity in seeing the sequence proceed for many years extra. With the fanbase presently busy championing their favourite James Bond casting selections, the world’s most well-known undercover agent doubtless has a vibrant future forward of him.
Nonetheless, as a personality created in a really totally different period, not every part in regards to the James Bond sequence has aged nicely, particularly the movies’ remedy of its feminine characters. Typically depicted as little greater than ornaments and disposable targets of sexual conquest, the Bond Woman trope has been one of many extra troubling features of the franchise’s legacy for contemporary filmmakers to beat. Whereas the movies made throughout the Craig period made a concerted effort to upend this questionable custom, the franchise nonetheless has room to enhance on its historical past of sexist representations.
From offering Bond with official love pursuits like Vesper Lynd and Madeleine Swann, to teaming him with real equals reminiscent of Lashana Lynch’s Nomi and Ana de Armas’ Paloma, Craig’s movies made an vital step ahead. But, for the sequence to proceed thriving within the twenty first century, it should search to maneuver on completely from its misogynistic roots. Maybe even returning to and reinventing the function of Mary Goodnight, one in every of Fleming’s recurring characters who given decidedly brief shrift on the large display, could also be a method for the James Bond franchise to proceed its development.
Supply: Metro
