The James Bond Bedside Companion

by Raymond Benson

  Ernst Stavro Blofeld returns in OHMSS as a major villain. He has changed his appearance considerably since THUNDERBALL: his weight is now down from 280 pounds to about 168 pounds; he has "longish, carefully tended" silvery white hair; and the right nostril of his aquiline nose has been eaten away by what looks like tertiary syphilis. Blofeld has also changed the color of his eyes by wearing dark-green tinted contact lenses. But the brain has not changed. The villain is still capable of inventing an ingenious plot to destroy England, and even Bond is mystified by Blofeld's actions until late in the story. Apparently, Blofeld is seeking revenge on England for the destruction of SPECTRE's last plan. And although it is never actually stated whether the men surrounding Blofeld at Piz Gloria are members of SPECTRE, it is certainly suggested. The same cell-group structure of three men still exists, and the punishments for failure are very SPECTRE-like. For instance, one guard, who "interfered" with one of the beautiful allergy patients, took a ride early one morning down the bobsled chute—sans bobsled!

  Exactly where Blofeld has found the means to build his fortress and purchase an entire Alp is not explained, but one must accept the fact that the villain has unlimited capital at his disposal. His hatred for England is not explained either. There is no doubt, however, that Blofeld is a resourceful, clever, but ultimately sick man.

  Irma Bunt, Blofeld's mistress and secretary, is basically a rehash of Rosa Klebb. Their descriptions are similar: Bunt is a "toad-like" woman with a square, brutal face. Bond describes her to himself as "Irma La not so Douce." Irma Bunt is successful in that she exudes a great deal of hostility and danger, and is responsible for putting Blofeld onto Bond's trail at the novel's end.

  Marc-Ange Draco is a successful Bond ally, even though he, too, is a rehash of earlier allies, especially Drako Kerim. Draco has a "delightful face, lit with humor and mischief and magnetism." His handshake is, of course, warm, firm, and dry. The man is so pleasant that it's difficult to believe he is the head of the French equivalent of the Mafia. But then again, every time he appears in the story, Draco is in the presence of his future son-in-law. Perhaps this makes the man more of a human being than one would expect a criminal chieftain to be. Draco adds humor to the book; he is always embracing Bond (at one point, Bond, to himself, wishes that Marc-Ange wouldn't do that). It is evident that Marc-Ange has a heart of gold; his feelings for his daughter circumvent everything else. When Bond asks for the "wedding present" of helping him infiltrate Blofeld's hideaway in the Alps, Draco doesn't hesitate. After all, Bond has refused every other favor Draco has offered!

  M has some interesting scenes in the story. One lengthy passage takes place at M's home, Quarterdeck. Bond visits his chief on Christmas day and joins him in a traditional dinner prepared by Mrs. Hammond. M is particularly pleasant on Christmas—perhaps this is because he is at home rather than at the cold office across from Regent's Park. However, in an earlier sequence, when Bond explains his plan to impersonate an emissary from the College of Arms in order to meet Blofeld, M is quite sarcastic:

  And who the hell are you supposed to be?

  M more or less repeated Bond's question when, that evening, he looked up from the last page of the report that Bond had spent the afternoon dictating to Mary Goodnight. M's face was just outside the pool of yellow light cast by the green-shaded reading lamp on his desk, but Bond knew that the lined, sailor's face was reflecting, in varying degrees, scepticism, irritation and impatience. The "hell" told him so. M rarely swore and when he did it was nearly always at stupidity. M obviously regarded Bond's plan as stupid, and now, away from the dedicated, minutely focused world of the Heralds, Bond wasn't sure that M wasn't right

  (oHMss, Chapter 8)

  But M, who has admitted in the past that Bond is reliable, allows 007 to have his way and follow through with the plan, foolhardy as it may be.

  It is also worth mentioning here that Loelia Ponsonby, Bond's secretary, has left in order to marry. She is replaced by Mary Goodnight, who becomes slightly more important to the series than her predecessor.

  HIGHLIGHTS AND OTHER INGREDIENTS

  There are several excellent passages in OHMSS. Once Bond has been impersonating Hilary Bray at Piz Gloria, the action is tense and involving. The sequence in which Shaun Campbell, from Station Z in Zurich, is caught spying on the fortress is terribly suspenseful. Bond certainly "sweats it out" while waiting to see whether or not Campbell will blow the Hilary Bray cover.

  The ski chase down the Piz Gloria Alp is perhaps the best sequence of the book. Taking up the better part of two chapters, the chase is yet another example of the way in which Fleming's journalistic abilities enhance his story-telling. His description of the snow, the weather, the skiing maneuvers, the avalanche, and the guard's death in the snow plow are masterful. Bond's changing of the "right turn" sign on the cliff road, causing the SPECTRE car to fly over the edge, is another amusing and thrilling highlight. And the book reaches a stunning climax with the now-famous bobsled chase between Bond and Blofeld. The most important highlight, however, is Bond's marriage and its tragic end.

  Another interesting note worth mentioning is that the "film star, Ursula Andress" is noticed among the visitors at Piz Gloria ski club. Irma Bunt comments on what a "wonderful tan she has." This isn't surprising, since in 1962 the actress had just completed filming Dr. No, the first James Bond film, in Jamaica.

  YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1964)

  The twelfth James Bond novel, and the third in the Blofeld Trilogy, represents another unique, experimental departure for Ian Fleming. It differs from the other Bonds primarily in its allegorical and symbolic aspects. Conjuring more mood and atmosphere than any Bond tale since CASINO ROYALE, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is a haunting, foreboding novel which marks what might have been a totally new direction for Fleming had he not died in 1964. It is the last novel Fleming was able to complete (his literary executors completed the last book, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN); and, despite an overindulgence in the "travelogue" aspects, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE stands out as one of the most successful books in the series.

  The opening finds James Bond depressed since the death of his wife, Tracy. It is suggested that Bond be given an "impossible" assignment; something so challenging that he would be forced to snap out of his present condition. M then strips Bond of his Double-0 number and "promotes" him into the diplomatic section. His assignment is to go to Japan and persuade Tiger Tanaka, head of the Japanese Secret Service, to share with Britain Japan's new secret ciphering method known as Magic 44. After a month of bandying, Tanaka finally agrees to hand over Magic 44 if Bond will perform a service for Japan. A Westerner named Dr. Shatterhand has recently purchased a castle on the island of Kyushu, bringing with him legitimate credentials from horticultural and botanical societies in Europe. Shatterhand and his wife stocked their garden with poisonous tropical plants and deadly animals. This "Garden of Death" has begun to attract Japanese people who wish to commit suicide. The Japanese Prime Minister has instructed Tanaka to hand over Magic 44 if Bond will infiltrate the castle and assassinate Dr. Shatterhand. A plan is formed: Bond will stay with the Ama family of Kissy Suzuki on Kuro Island (across the bay from Kyushu), swim the channel one night, and make his way to the castle. Before embarking for Kuro, however, Bond learns that Shatterhand and his wife are none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld and Irma Bunt! Bond makes the swim one night and explores the eerie garden. He eventually breaks into the castle, but falls into an oubliette. Blofeld and Bunt recognize Bond and take him to the "Question Room," which consists of a throne directly above an active geyser which spurts every fifteen minutes. Bond manages to avoid being killed by the geyser and attacks the couple with a staff. He knocks Bunt unconscious and finally strangles Blofeld to death. He then rigs the geyser to explode, and escapes from the castle via a huge helium-filled weather balloon. A piece of debris hits Bond in the head, and he falls into the ocean. Kissy rescues him, but Bond has lost his memory. The agent lives with the girl for a year until he notices the name o
f a Russian city in a newspaper; he decides he must travel to Russia in search of his true identity. One golden morning, Kissy, who hasn't informed Bond that she is pregnant with his child, gives him some money and sends the agent on his way to Russia.

  STYLE AND THEMES

  The structure of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE basically follows the same formula Fleming has generally used. The opening chapter is a scene which takes place after the story has begun: Bond is at a geisha party with Tiger Tanaka. This is followed by flashback chapters which eventually lead the reader to the point at which the story began. The action of the book doesn't really begin, though, until two-thirds into the novel. This lengthy first section is mostly travelogue material; it's Fleming at his journalistic best, describing the sights, sounds, and textures of Japan. Much of this material, though entertaining and sometimes very funny (it contains some of Fleming's most humorous writing), is unnecessary. Kingsley Amis complained that it "gets in the way" of the story. While this is not entirely true, since some of the information contributes to the development of the story, much of it is superfluous. For example, the sightseeing sequences (at the Kobe beef restaurant or ninja training school) are not needed. The long and detailed report on poisonous plants is completely dispensable; but one must suppose Fleming felt it necessary to embellish the story with realistic technical data. One favorable aspect of the travelogue material is Bond's reaction to it all; he is usually humorous and sarcastic in playing Tiger Tanaka's game throughout the story.

  Once Bond is on Kuro Island and prepares to venture to Dr. Shatterhand's castle, the book incorporates a new style. Fleming's writing becomes allegorical and almost epic in its use of Bond as the symbol of Good, and Blofeld as the symbol of Evil. Fleming's imagery in the last third of the novel is horrific, dreamlike, and surrealistic. James Bond, in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, journeys to hell and back.

  The St. George and the dragon theme is played to the hilt here. Even Tiger Tanaka makes the analogy:

  "Bondo-san, does it not amuse you to think of that foolish dragon dozing all unsuspecting in his castle while St. George comes silently riding towards his lair across the waves? It would make the subject for a most entertaining Japanese print."

  (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Chapter 13)

  Another strong theme in the novel is that of revenge. Once Bond is aware that Dr. Shatterhand is none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld, his attitude toward his mission changes. He becomes determined, serious, and hardened—in contrast to the stoical, casual Bond of the first half of the story. And when Bond achieves his revenge, it is most explosive.

  Another theme is stated by Dikko Henderson, relating a Japanese custom he calls an ON. An ON is an obligation to repay a favor.

  "When you have an ON, you're not very happy until you've discharged it honourably, if you'll pardon the bad pun. And if a man makes you a present of a salmon, you mustn't repay him with a shrimp. It's got to be with an equally large salmon—larger, if possible—so that then you've jumped the man, and now he has an ON with regard to you, and you're quids in morally, socially, and spiritually—and the last one's the most important."

  (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Chapter 4)

  Tiger Tanaka uses this custom to force Bond into agreeing to assassinate Dr. Shatterhand. Tanaka will turn over Magic 44 to Bond only if the agent repays the favor by performing this ugly task.

  But the most important theme in the novel is that of rebirth. This theme underlies the haiku which Bond creates for Tiger:

  You only live twice;

  Once when you're born,

  Once when you look death in the face.

  In this story, Bond completes a cycle in his life. Ever since the death of Vesper Lynd in CASINO ROYALE, Bond has hardened himself to relationships. Vesper was the first girl he truly wanted to marry, and losing her hurt him deeply. Ten years later, Bond met Tracy and fell in love. Bond, revitalized toward love and marriage, proposed to Tracy; but their dreams were shattered when she was shot by Blofeld. After her death, in the beginning of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Bond is in limbo, so to speak. He is falling apart, with no purpose in life. He simply doesn't care. But once he learns that Dr. Shatterhand is Blofeld, his mission becomes one of revenge. Suddenly, his life has a purpose again—to avenge the death of his wife. Bond achieves his revenge and completes the cycle, a changed man. At the end of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, he is no longer James Bond—he is Taro Todoroki (his cover name among the Japanese). He has been reborn because he looked death (Blofeld) in the face. Bond has made a journey to hell (the Garden of Death), which could be interpreted as being the opposite of the Garden of Eden, or the Garden of Life.

  Fleming's preoccupation with death further segregates YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE from the other novels. The Japanese people and their customsfascinated Fleming, but he found their beliefs in suicide the most intriguing.

  Bond shares Fleming's awe at this way of life when Tiger Tanaka explains why suicide is an honorable way of dying in Japan. A young university student failed his examination for the second time and brought dishonor on his parents. The youth walked to a nearby construction site and quickly placed his head underneath a piledriver. But the boy, and his family, "gained great face in their neighbourhood." (Bond's comment is, "You can't gain face from strawberry jam.") Tanaka continues to explain that:

  "Dishonour must be expunged—according to those of us who remain what you would describe as old-fashioned. There is no apology more sincere than the offering up of your own life. It is literally all you have to give."

  (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Chapter 8)

  Tanaka tells Bond that twenty-five thousand Japanese people commit suicide every year. Only the bureaucrats regard suicide as a shameful practice. And the more fantastic and spectacular the suicide, the more warmly it is approved by the community.

  With this background stimulating his imagination, Fleming came up with the perfect vehicle for its exploitation. The Garden of Evil is the most haunting image Fleming created in the entire Bond series. It is a world in which James Bond's emotions run the gamut—he is at once horrified and fascinated by what he sees in the garden. It is the place where he will become a new man.

  CHARACTERS

  James Bond's condition at the beginning of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is neatly summed up in Chapter 2:

  The state of your health, the state of the weather, the wonders of nature—these are things that rarely occupy the average man's mind until he reaches the middle thirties. It is only on the threshold of middle-age that you don't take them all for granted, just part of an unremarkable background to more urgent, more interesting things.

  The truth of the matter is that Bond, in M's words, is "going to pieces." The death of Tracy, after eight months, still has Bond in shock. M complains to Sir James Molony, the famous neurologist assigned to the Service, that Bond is constantly late for work, making mistakes, drinking too much, and losing a lot of money at a casino. M may have to fire 007 because the agent is becoming a security risk. But thanks to Molony, M gives Bond one more chance to redeem himself. Assigning Bond to what M calls "an impossible mission" seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Bond perks up, takes a new interest in his work, and genuinely attempts to do the job well.

  It is now that Bond's sense of humor surfaces more than ever before. Perhaps Fleming was influenced by the James Bond character of the films in production at this time—the literary character now has a more easy-going, nonchalant attitude toward life. Whatever the reason, Bond is wonderful in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. His sense of humor is not necessarily witty, but is full of pleasant sarcasm. Throughout his adventures with Tiger Tanaka, Bond is constantly throwing out wisecracks about the food they are eating, the customs he is learning, etc. For example, when Tanaka explains there are no swear words in Japan, not even dirty sex words, Bond says,

  "Well I'm . . . I mean, well, I'm astonished! A violent people without a violent language! I must write a learned paper on this. No wonder you have nothing left but to commit suicide when you fail an exam, or cut
your girl friend's head off when she annoys you."

  (YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, Chapter 9)

  Then there is the comment Bond makes to Blofeld, finally revealing his identity to his archenemy. Blofeld has just forced Bond to sit on a throne with a hole in the seat which is positioned over an active geyser; Bond has stood and avoided the geyser's spray in the nick of time:

  Bond turned and faced the couple under the clock. He said cheerfully, "Well, Blofeld, you mad bastard. I'll admit that your effects man down below knows his stuff. Now bring on the twelve she-devils, and if they're all as beautiful as Fraulein Bunt, we'll get Noel Coward to put it to music and have it on Broadway by Christmas. How about it?"