Bond News: Dame Helen Mirren feels Bond franchise is rooted in sexism
Whilst James Bond is one of cinema’s most widely recognised characters, there is no doubting his films have had their fair share of run-ins with the basic morals of equality.
Amazon MGM Studios have recently picked up the project in the wake of Daniel Craig’s portrayal of the British spy, but there has been endless speculation over who the next 007 will be, with many calling for it to be a woman for the first time.
With Helen Mirren calling out the series, Film News Blitz’s Joe Matthews takes a look.
From misogyny with love
James Bond has glamorized the life of espionage for decades, but his character is far from perfect as we are somewhat led to believe.
From all the way back in the 60’s when Sean Connery’s Bond forces himself on Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, and then blackmails Patricia Fearing (Molly Peters) into sexual intercourse by threatening to report her for misconduct at the spa where she works in Thunderball.
Arguably the Roger Moore era saw it reach its worst, with this Bond being constantly reinforced as a womanizer, making quippy one-liners that undermine the credibility of fellow female characters.
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This was followed by the Brosnan era which saw Denise Richards’ nuclear physicist dressed in a tank top and short shorts, before Daniel Craig’s Bond hopped in the shower with Severine without her explicit consent in Skyfall.
He knew she had been forced into sex work as a child, and upon her death, said “That’s a waste of good scotch”- rather dismissive of someone who was just executed in front of you.
Mirren’s casting callout
Dame Helen Mirren, in an interview with The Standard, has said that decades of damaging gender dynamics cannot be resolved by simply casting a woman into the role.
She said, “The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism.
“Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave.
If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world.”
Mirren, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2007, did however express her fondness of some of the former Bond leads
Saying, “I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan. I mean, oh my God.
“Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything, and I think he’s fabulous in MobLand, but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with.”
“And indeed, Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit, again – a very lovely, gracious person.”
Nevertheless, she said she had never liked the Bond franchise.
She said, “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond.”
That said, we have already had a female 007, in Lashana Lynch, who briefly took on the title before Daniel Craig’s return in No Time To Die.
The actress gave a spellbinding performance in the 25th edition of Bond, and showed that there really should be no limitations placed upon anyone put up for the role.
Nevertheless, it is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James and James Norton who are the front-runners to take on the iconic role of the suited up, smooth-talking savant.
With Amazon MGM Studios coming ever-closer to the start of filming, all we can do is ponder what follows for the future of Bond.
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