James Bond – superspy
Ian Fleming, the man who invented James Bond, was a secret agent himself. Fleming worked for British Naval Intelligence.
After the war, Ian promised a friend that he would write ‘the spy story to end all spy stories.’ And he kept his promise.
In the early 1950s Fleming began a career as a writer with the publication of Casino Royale. His books were an instant sensation, with their mixture of high living, violence, and sex proving irresistible to readers.
Ian Fleming died in the early 1960s, but his most famous creation was already destined to outlive him.
The James Bond films are one of the most successful series of films in cinema history. They are known for a number of elements, including spectacular stunts, outrageous villains, and beautiful women.
The name James Bond and certain other phrases—license to kill, Agent 007 — have become synonymous with action, adventure, and a glamorous lifestyle.
Bond also reflects the changing times. The Bond of Connery— sexist, violent, and cruel—so popular in the 1960s changed with the changing attitudes of the times, especially concerning women, into the more gentle and funny Bond of Moore in the late 1970s and 1980s.
As the Cold War ended, Dalton’s Bond found himself facing a maniacal drug dealer in License to Kill and the AIDS crisis prompted a monogamous (!) Bond in The Living Daylights. In the new world order of the 1990s, Brosnan’s Bond has faced ex-Soviet agents in Goldeneye and a crazed media baron in Tomorrow Never Dies.
Source: Film Encyclopedia of Popular Culture
The role of James Bond played:
Sean Connery (1962-1967; 1971; 1983)
The first to play James Bond, Sean has no need to alter his Edinburgh brogue since Ian Fleming’s character was a Scot. Appearing in six official 007 movies, Sean actually had to have special training on how to behave in polite society.
George Lazenby (1969)
Next came George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. George’s portrayal of Bond was attacked by critics for making the character too unpleasant; which seems strange considering 007 is basically an assassin.
Roger Moore (1973-1985)
Roger’s interpretation of Bond was as a wise-cracking playboy. Roger’s Bond movies ballooned into romps around the world where a very thin storyline was held together by cars, gadgets and beautiful women.
Timothy Dalton (1987-1989)
In the late eighties the world had changed and people wanted a less cheerful Bond again. Dalton’s movies were meant to return 007 to the man of the novels, a smooth-talking ruffian.
Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002)
To take the movies into the 90s, a cool Bond was needed – a second Sean! In Pierce Brosnan they found him. Mean and ruthless like Sean, but at the same time suave and witty – the masses loved him, the critics loved him, but he decided he was getting too old and quit.
Daniel Craig (2006-present)
Bond movies tend to have beautiful women. Each film traditionally has 3 main female roles: the first one always dies, the second always turns out to be a villain and the third one survives.
Bond Girls
Dr. No, 1962
From Russia With Love, 1963
Goldfinger, 1964
Thunderball, 1965
You Only Live Twice, 1967
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969
Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
Live And Let Die, 1973
The Man With The Golden Gun, 1974
The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
Moonraker, 1979
For Your Eyes Only, 1981
Never Say Never Again, 1983
A View To A Kill, 1985
The Living Daylights, 1987
Licence To Kill, 1989
Goldeneye, 1995
Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997
James Bond – superspy
The World Is Not Enough, 1999
Die Another Day, 2002
Casino Royale, 2006
Quantum of Solace, 2008
Skyfall, 2012
Spectre, 2015