The James Bond Bedside Companion

by Raymond Benson

  (THUNDERBALL, Chapter 11)

  One must also examine, when studying Bond's attitudes toward women, the opposite point of view as well. It is important to emphasize here that women characters find James Bond sexually attractive. Period.

  James Bond is a handsome and virile specimen of the human race. He has a sexual persona strong enough to turn the most diehard lesbian, such as Pussy Galore, into a heterosexual. This perhaps takes the point to the extreme, but the message is clear: James Bond represents an ultimate male sexual fantasy figure for women. This is obvious in the following excerpt:

  Ariadne studied Bond's profile. As always, her employers' instructions had been confined to essentials. She had been told only to induce the Englishman to go with her to a designated area where fellow-workers would take over the operation from her. What would happen to him afterwards was no concern of hers—officially. But, more and more, the question bothered her as a woman, a woman who had learnt to recognize on sight the kind of man who knew how to love. Bond was such a man. She was certain, too, that he found her desirable. She had always been a loyal servant of her cause, and not for a moment did she seriously contemplate disobeying orders, allowing Bond to take her home after dinner and do with her whatever he wanted. Anadne only wished, passionately, that it had been possible. That mouth was made to give her brutal kisses, not to become distorted in a grimace of agony; those hands existed to caress her body, not to be stamped on by the torturer's boot. These images were so painfully vivid that she could find almost nothing to say as the taxi approached the slopes of the Acropolis.

  (COLONEL SUN, Chapter 6)

  Of course, one cannot take the sexual conduct of the Bond novels too seriously—the books are fantasies. Criticizing what may seem like an overindulgence in sexual frivolity would destroy the erotic fantasy of the stories. And that is a key element in the success of the James Bond character, as well as the series as a whole.

  OUTLOOK

  James Bond lives his life as best he can without looking back. To dwell in the past only creates cavities in the soul. Because he believes, when he's depressed, that he will not live past the age of forty-five, Bond tackles each day with a mania for experiencing whatever sensations it might offer. For a man surrounded by so much cold-hearted death, Bond loves life. He thrives on the adventure his assignments bring. Danger is a drug that stimulates Bond—his mind is clearest when his life is threatened. The worst disease a man can catch, according to both Bond and Fleming, is boredom. He dreads what he calls "the Soft Life." Once, while attempting to shake himself out of one of these particular periods which attack him every so often, Bond recalls a quotation from somewhere: "Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make bored." Bond has undergone much physical pain in his time: having his testicles battered with a carpet beater; feeling the little finger of his left hand pulled back slowly until it snaps; wincing as a blowtorch scorches the side of his face; collapsing while being kicked by two men wearing heavy boots; crawling through a torture-infested obstacle course; and feeling the orifices of his head probed by thin wires—but nothing is as painful to Bond as ennui.

  Therefore, Bond lives his life to the fullest. And he takes it seriously—the early James Bond is as humorless as a statue. Only in the later novelsdid Fleming imbue his character with a sense of humor. Perhaps Fleming had been influenced by the direction the character in the films was going. The Bond of the twelfth novel, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, is much like the stoical, nonchalant characterization of Sean Connery.

  This attitude of thriving on and devouring life's experiences is the most important element in James Bond's character. It is the basis for the success of all the appealing ingredients of the novels—it allows for a fantasy life to be fully realized. There is a subtle but revealing moment in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE when the eccentric Griffon Or at the College of Arms suggests that James Bond is a descendent of Sir Thomas Bond of Bond Street. Bond dismisses the ridiculous notion, but does decide to adopt the Bond family motto: "The World is Not Enough."

  PART FOUR: THE NOVELS

  THE JAMES BOND NOVELS

  This chart is based on one by Kingsley Amis appearing in The James Bond Dossier, published by Jonathan Cape, Ltd. I have updated it and substituted my own "highlights" and "remarks." (Used by permission of Jonathan Clowes, Ltd., London, on behalf of Kingsley Amis.

  All of the novels and stories shown are by Ian Fleming except COLONEL SUN (by Robert Markham), and the latter seven titles (all by John Gardner) – R.B.

  INTRODUCTION

  James Bond was introduced to the world in 1953 with the publication of CASINO ROYALE. Fleming had predicted his first novel to be "the spy story to end all spy stories," but had no idea how accurate the prediction was, or what was to follow. In all, Ian Fleming wrote twelve James Bond novels and two collections of short stories. The series was continued after Fleming's death by Kingsley Amis (under the pseudonym of Robert Markham) with COLONEL SUN, and most recently, by John Gardner with LICENSE RENEWED, FOR SPECIAL SERVICES, and ICEBREAKER. Examining the series as a whole, a special world was indeed created—a landscape of fantasy and adventure to which readers could escape. Fleming himself admitted that he wrote "unashamedly for pleasure and money." He said the books were written for "warm-blooded heterosexuals in railway trains, airplanes or beds." But the oeuvre deserves closer study because Fleming's style is unique, and the development of the James Bond character throughout the series is fascinating. The books should be examined chronologically, because there is a definite continuity from one novel to the next. Fleming's growth as a writer is apparent in comparing later novels with earlier ones.

  Fleming's series can be divided into two groups: the early novels (CASINO ROYALE, 1953, through FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, 1960) and the later novels (THUNDERBALL, 1961, through OCTOPUSSY, published posthumously in 1966.) The early novels have an engaging style that concentrates on mood, character development, and plot advancement. In the later novels, Fleming injected more "pizzazz" into his writing—his work became richer in detail and imagery. By the time THUNDERBALL was published in 1961, Fleming had truly become a master storyteller; he was painting images with exacting detail and creating sweeping suspense. The only later novel which does not fit this bill is the last, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, published posthumously in 1965. The later novels also have a peculiar tone not found in the early ones: a feeling of imminent disaster and despair. This is perhaps because these later novels were written when Fleming's health was failing—he had suffered his first heart attack in 1961. His own feelings of "bodily decay" crept into the books.

  But the series is not without humor, as many critics have complained. The novels are full of Ian Fleming's sense of humor, which can be cynical, melodramatic, and sly. It is the character of James Bond himself who is without humor. The humor is in the writing. For example, most of the meals James Bond eats do not exist. The so-called "Beef Brizzola" which Felix Leiter insists James Bond order at Sardi's in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is an invented dish. Fleming often pulls the reader's leg with his celebrated menus. The villains' obligatory "Welcome to Doomsday" speeches are another giveaway that the novels are not to be taken in total seriousness. Just try reading one of the speeches, Dr. No's, for example, aloud.

  STYLE

  Perhaps the most striking stylistic element of the Fleming novels is their ability to sweep the reader along from chapter to chapter at a breakneck pace. Fleming once said that if his novels failed to do this, he would consider himself an unsuccessful writer. The important thing, he maintained, was to keep the plot moving. Fleming would sit at his desk at Goldeneye and type the entire novel without looking back at what he'd written. By driving through the initial story, Fleming established a fast, urgent pace. Hooks at the end of chapters were added to pull the reader into the next. Only once or twice does the "Fleming Sweep" fail in the series.

  Another major stylistic element is the almost fanatical detail—especially trivial detail: brand names of objects; techni
cal data about gadgets; specific ingredients of foods and drinks; and minute descriptions of scenic surroundings. Kingsley Amis, in his excellent book, The James Bond Dossier, calls this stylistic element "Fleming Effect." Fleming is so convincing in his descriptions that the reader rarely questions the factual accuracy of the detail. Only those with fanatical expertise have raised objections over some of the more blatant errors Fleming made. (And Fleming always seemed to enjoy when a mistake was pointed out to him; witness the case with Geoffrey Boothroyd.) All of this can be attributed to Fleming's experience as a journalist. Fleming's prose is rich and colorful, painting distinct and believable images. It's not important, really, whether the facts are right. The details are there merely to heighten the realism of the action.

  Structure in Fleming's novels usually follows a specific formula. In most cases, the novel begins with a "teaser" chapter: the scene is set in the middle of the story, with Bond already on a designated assignment. The second chapter then flashes back to the beginning, as Bond receives his orders from his crusty old chief, M. The story then proceeds until it catches up with the opening chapter. The first part of the novel includes clue gathering, chance encounters with the villain and/or his henchmen, and the development of the romantic interest. The middle of the story usually involves a journey to the villain's headquarters which almost always leads to Bond's capture. The climax of the story involves, in Kingsley Amis' words, Bond being "wined and dined, lectured on the aesthetics of power, and finally tortured by his chief enemy" (three of Fleming's favorite situations). But Bond manages to make the villains eat their words by the novel's end. In seven of the books, Bond returns from his mission via the hospital. But his ordeal is worth it, for Bond usually ends up with a girl in his arms on the last page.

  Only a few times does Fleming depart from his formula, choosing instead to experiment with the structure. Oddly enough, the results are some of the most interesting novels in the series (FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE; THE SPY WHO LOVED ME; and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE). CASINO ROYALE, the first novel, is quite different from the basic Fleming formula, as well. The structure of each novel is discussed in its own section.

  THEMES

  The most obvious theme, of course, recurring throughout the Bond series is that of Good vs. Evil. The image of Saint George and the dragon is actually alluded to no less than three times. Fleming provides an entire chapter on the philosophies of Good and Evil in CASINO ROYALE, and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is an allegorical novel told in epic terms. In this later novel, James Bond represents all that is Good while his archenemy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, represents everything that is Evil.

  This theme accounts for why the Bond books are so popular. Wish fulfillment, character identification, you name the terms; what the reader ultimately finds attractive in the books is the vanquishing of Evil by Good, and the ease with which the reader can identify with the action. Fleming's treatment of his major character allows the reader to slip into James Bond's persona and view the world through his eyes. Of course, other elements enter into it—the attraction of the adventures (locales, characters, etc.), the women, and the novel's general embrace of worldly pleasures.

  Another strong recurring theme is gambling, not only the casino variety, but in day-to-day situations. Fleming, a serious gambler, brought into the novels the essence of challenges in decision making. Bond takes risks in almost everything he does. Many times he takes a chance on a hunch or intuition—and sometimes the gamble doesn't pay off. For instance, Bond recklessly weighs the odds against Dr. No's dragon tank and orders his companion, Quarrel, to help him fight it with nothing but pistols. Quarrel ends up burned to death while Bond and his female friend are captured. Bond doesn't believe in luck—he states this explicitly in CASINO ROYALE —he "only bets on even chances." The Plot of FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE involves a gamble on Bond's part (as well as the Secret Service) to trust Tatiana Romanova, who claims she is in love with him. She will give the British a coveted secret coding machine belonging to the Russians if Bond will come and take her to the West Bond gambles when he hides Goldfinger's plans for the robbery of Fort Knox under a toilet seat in an airplane, hoping that an attendant will find the piece of paper and forward it to Felix Leiter. And, after learning that Scaramanga plans to kill him on a train ride, Bond gambles and allows himself to be taken along for the ride as a sitting duck. Fleming has taken the risks of the casino and put them into everyday life, or rather, the everyday life of James Bond.

  Friendship is another recurring theme. In almost every novel, Bond has a male ally with whom he shares the adventure. In six cases, that ally turns out to be the American CIA agent, Felix Leiter, probably Bond's closest friend outside of England. Bond seems to depend on these male alliances, and the links between him and his friends are emotionally felt in the writing. This is especially true in LIVE AND LET DIE, when Leiter loses an arm and a leg to a shark, and in DOCTOR NO, when Quarrel is burned alive. Even though Bond ultimately accomplishes his mission alone (for instance, Leiter is forced to leave the underwater battle early in THUNDERBALL because of a malfunctioning breathing apparatus, the ally serves to add another dimension to Bond's character, and ultimately, to the thematic continuity of the novels.

  Other themes crop up in individual novels, as do revenge and patriotism in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. Sometimes Fleming injects his books with cynicism, which isn't precisely a theme, but an element which reveals much of the author's view of the world. At times, the cynical tone is misanthropic, as in the first novel, CASINO ROYALE. Here, Fleming seems downright bitter. The endings of CASINO ROYALE, MOONRAKER, FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE explore the tragic, the melancholic, and the wistful. Bond himself is a true cynic—he is suspicious of love, and is afraid of his emotions. It is Fleming's own view of the world which pervades his novels and creates distinctive moods.

  Finally, one must accept the fact that the Bonds are fantasies. By no means did Fleming intend for them to be anything else. The extremely tongue-in-cheek sexual frivolity of the novels plays on the adolescent fantasies of sexual skill which mature readers have never wholly forgotten. These fantasies are most likely far more thrilling and sensational than the reader's reality. Male readers can live the adventures through Bond, and escape into a world where one is tough enough to withstand torture yet can retain enough energy to make love to a beautiful woman later. Female readers could imagine that they, too, were independent free spirits like the Bond women, unfettered by the duties of home and family—traveling to exotic places and meeting handsome spies. Once one has accepted the fact that Fleming is pulling the reader's leg and is laughing to himself, these fantasies and dreams can be enjoyed by any reader who is willing to allow his or her senses to be aroused.

  CHARACTERS

  James Bond's character has been examined in an earlier section. An overview of the series reveals that Bond becomes more human with each successive novel. In CASINO ROYALE, Bond is such a cold, ruthless individual that the reader is barely able to identify with him. Not until MOONRAKER does Fleming begin to flesh out a "normal" life for Bond. Here, the reader is treated to scenes of Bond's daily office life and social outings. In FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE, a scene at Bond's flat is included, and the reader meets the agent's elderly Scottish treasure of a housekeeper, May. In GOLDFINGER, Fleming's prose has a stream of consciousness quality: in this novel, Bond's interior monologue allows the reader to discover the character's more personal thoughts.

  The Bond-girl

  The most obvious fantasy element of the Bond novels is the heroine. Kingsley Amis sums up her physical attributes in The James Bond Dossier:

  Physically, the Bond-girl varies little from book to book. Her hair oscillates between blonde (clear favorite) and black or dark brown with no intermediate shades. It is never coiffured. Her eyes are an almost invariable blue (only two exceptions). She is often suntanned. She has a wide mouth, a small nose, and high cheekbones. Her hands are strong and practical, with nails u
npainted and filed short. Her physique is generally good, with some hints of assistance from tennis or swimming. She is tall, five foot seven or above, and not thin. Her most frequently mentioned feature is her fine, faultless, splendid, etc., breasts.

  (Kingsley Amis, The James Bond Dossier, Chapter 5)

  Amis goes on to say that the Bond-girl is not 100 percent perfect. For example, Honeychile Rider has a broken nose, and Domino Vitali limps because one leg is slightly shorter than the other.

  The Bond-girl is quite independent. She usually has no family ties, and any relatives quickly disappear (such as Domino's brother or Judy Havelock's parents). Tracy di Vicenzo has a father (who also becomes a Bond ally), and Kissy Suzuki lives with her parents; but these women go their own way and make their own decisions. The Bond-girl, contrary to popular belief, is not merely a sex object. She is a free spirit, and is certainly more liberated than most women ever dreamed of being in the late fifties and early sixties.

  The Bond-girl is an athletic, outdoors-type of woman: she is usually proficient with guns if she needs to be; she can run and swim as well as any man; and at several points in the series, she actually saves Bond's life. She shows a resourcefulness, in most cases, equal to Bond's. The Bond-girl was ahead of her time; in fact, she resembles a woman of the eighties more than one of twenty years ago.