Sunday, July 31, 2011

CINEMA NOW: Bond Girls Over the Years




The unofficial first Bond girl, Linda Christian, died Friday at 87. Though she never appeared in the movies, Christian starred in the TV adaptation of Casino Royale in 1954. She may not have claimed the original Bond girl title, but Christian’s curves – nicknamed “the anatomic bomb” – set the stage for many of the bombshells who followed.



From killer bods to killer moves (literally), here are the best of Bond’s many on-screen babes.

Honey Ryder – Ursula AndressOfficially known as the first Bond girl, Andress starred in the first Bond movie, Dr. No, in 1962. In an iconic scene, she comes out of the ocean wearing a clinging white bikini. That set the precedent for all of the trademark Bond bikini scenes to come.

Andress also played Vesper Lynd in the 1972 version of Casino Royale.

Pussy Galore – Honor BlackmanBlackman has the honour (ha ha) of sporting the raunchiest Bond girl name of the series. She remains the oldest Bond girl, as she was 39 when she starred in Goldfinger in 1964.
Tracy Draco – Diana RiggRigg’s character becomes automatically memorable as the first of Bond’s two true loves. She and Bond marry at the end of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), but it’s short-lived when Draco is killed moments after the wedding.
Solitaire – Jane SeymourSeymour got her start as the man-repelling fortune teller Solitaire in Live and Let Die in 1973. Solitaire gives new meaning to ''mind blowing'' nooky when she loses her powers after shacking up with Bond.
Anya Amasova – Barbara BachBach earned a spot in the Bond girl name Hall of Fame too. Her character’s name is innocent enough, but Amasova’s code-name is XXX in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
Octopussy – Maud AdamsAnother risqué name, though not quite as “in your face” as Pussy Galore. The only Bond girl to be a title character, Octopussy helps run a jewellery smuggling business disguised as a circus. Adams also appeared as the villain’s girlfriend in The Man With the Golden Gun in 1974, but is better remembered for Octopussy (1983).
Xenia Onatopp – Famke JanssenAt least Onatopp’s double-entendre name is somewhat descriptive of her character – this villainess was known for crushing men to death with her thighs in GoldenEye (1995).
Wai Lin – Michelle YeohOne of the most skilled Bond girls, Lin kicks ass with her karate skills and handy gadgets in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Apparently, Yeoh would’ve proven useful as a real-life Bond girl too – she reportedly wanted to do her own stunts, but director Roger Spottiswoode insisted it was too dangerous.
Jinx – Halle BerryThe second most famous bikini of the Bond series belonged to Halle Berry’s character in Die Another Day (2002). In a scene that’s clearly an homage to Honey Ryder, Berry’s first seen coming out of the ocean in an orange bikini.
Vesper Lynd – Eva GreenGreen played Bond’s only other true love in the second Casino Royale in 2006. Despite being exposed as a double agent after her death, it becomes clear that Lynd really did love Bond after she leaves him a trail that leads him to the villain.



Bond girl

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A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, or sex interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead". Bond girls are considered "ubiquitous symbol[s] of glamour and sophistication."[1]
Bond girls are often victims rescued by Bond, fellow agents or allies, villainesses, or members of an enemy organisation (most typically the villain's accomplice, assistant or mistress). Some are mere eye candy and have no direct involvement in Bond's mission; other Bond girls play a pivotal role in the success of the mission. Other female characters such as Judi Dench's M, and Miss Moneypenny are not Bond girls.

[edit] In novels

Nearly all of Ian Fleming's Bond novels and short stories include one or more female character who qualifies as a Bond girl, most of whom have been adapted for the screen. While having some individual traits, the Fleming Bond girls, at least in their literary forms, also have a great many characteristics in common.[2] One of these is age: The typical Bond girl is in her early to mid-twenties, roughly ten years younger than Bond, who seems to be perennially in his mid-thirties.[3] Examples include Solitaire (25),[4] Tatiana Romanova (24),[5] Vivienne "Viv" Michel (23),[6] and Kissy Suzuki (23).[7] The youngest Bond girl may be Gala Brand; she is named for the cruiser in which her father is serving at the time of her birth.[8] If this were the Arethusa-class Galatea launched in 1934, then Gala is possibly as young as 18 at the time she meets Bond and certainly no older than 20, though she and Bond do not sleep together. If on the other hand the Galatea in question is the cruiser sold for scrap in 1921, Gala is possibly the oldest of the Bond girls, being in her mid- to late-30s and possibly as old as 40. The indications are, however, that she is young, so a 40-year-old Bond girl is unlikely in this case. Bond's youngest sexual partner in the books is Mariko Ichiban, an 18-year-old masseuse in You Only Live Twice. The eldest Bond girls are Pussy Galore, who Bond speculates to be in her early 30s and 29-year-old Domino Vitali.
Bond girls follow a fairly well-developed pattern of beauty. They possess splendid figures and tend to dress in a slightly masculine, assertive fashion, with few pieces of jewellery and that in a masculine cut, wide leather belts, and square-toed leather shoes. (There is some variation in dress, though, and Bond girls have made their first appearances in evening wear, in bra and panties and, on occasion, naked.) They often sport light though noticeable sun-tans (although a few, such as Solitaire, Tatiana Romanova, and Pussy Galore, are not only tanless but remarkably pale[4][9][10]), and they generally use little or no makeup and no fingernail or toenail polish, also wearing their nails short.[11] Their hair may be any colour ranging from blonde (Mary Goodnight)[12] to auburn (Gala Brand) to brown (Tatiana Romanova)[9] to blue-black (Solitaire)[13] to black (Vesper Lynd),[14] though they typically wear it in a natural or casual cut that falls heavily to their shoulders. Their features, especially their eyes and mouths, are often widely spaced (e.g. Vesper Lynd, Gala Brand, Tiffany Case, Tatiana Romanova, Honey Ryder, Viv Michel, Mary Goodnight).[15] Their eyes are usually blue (e.g. Vesper Lynd, Gala Brand, Tatiana Romanova, Honey Ryder, Tracy Bond, Mary Goodnight),[16] and sometimes this is true to an unusual and striking degree: Tiffany Case's eyes are chatoyant, varying with the light from grey to grey-blue,[17] while Pussy Galore has deep violet eyes, the only truly violet eyes that Bond had ever seen.[10] The first description of a Bond girl, Casino Royale's Vesper Lynd, is almost a template for the typical dress as well as the general appearance of later Bond girls; she sports nearly all of the features discussed above.[14] In contrast, Dominetta "Domino" Vitali arguably departs to the greatest degree from the template, dressing in white leather doeskin sandals, appearing more tanned, sporting a soft Brigitte Bardot haircut, and giving no indication of widely-spaced features.[18] (The departure may be due to the unusual circumstances behind the writing of the novel Thunderball, in which Domino appears.) Even Domino, however, wears rather masculine jewellery.
The best-known characteristic of Bond girls except for their uniform beauty is their pattern of suggestive names (the most risqué and famous being Pussy Galore). Some of these have explanations in the novels. While Solitaire's real name is Simone Latrelle, she is known as Solitaire because she excludes men from her life;[13] Gala Brand, as noted above, is named for her father's cruiser, HMS Galatea; and Tiffany Case received her name from her father, who was so angry that she was not a boy that he gave her mother a thousand dollars and a compact from Tiffany's and then walked out on her.[19] Conjecture is widespread that the naming convention began with the first Bond novel Casino Royale, in which the name "Vesper Lynd" is a pun on West Berlin, signifying Vesper's divided loyalties as a double agent under Soviet control. Several Bond girls, however, have normal names (e.g. Tatiana Romanova, Mary Ann Russell, Judy Havelock, Viv Michel, Tracy Bond [née Teresa Draco, aka Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo]).
Most Bond girls are apparently (and sometimes expressly) sexually experienced by the time they meet Bond (although there is evidence that Solitaire is a virgin). Not all of their experiences, however, are positive, and many Bond girls have a history of sexual violence that often alienates them from men (until Bond comes along). This darker theme is notably absent from the early films. Tiffany Case was gang-raped as a teenager;[20] Honey Ryder, too, was beaten and raped as a teenager by a drunken acquaintance.[21] Pussy Galore was subjected at age 12 to incest, and rape, by her uncle.[22] While there is no such clear-cut trauma in Solitaire's early life, there are suggestions that she, too, avoids men because of their unwanted advances in her past. Kissy Suzuki reports to Bond that during her brief career in Hollywood when she was 17, "They thought that because I am Japanese I am some sort of an animal and that my body is for everyone."[23] The abuse and violence facing the women is also evident in the films, such as Lupe Lamora being abused by her lover Franz Sanchez in Licence to Kill, as was Andrea Anders in The Man with the Golden Gun, who sent a golden bullet to Bond in the hope he would track down her cold lover Francisco Scaramanga and "set her free", later saying "he's a monster, I hate him". The implication is that these episodes often turn the Bond girls in question against men, though upon encountering Bond they overcome their earlier antipathy and sleep with him not only willingly but eagerly. The cliché reaches its most extreme (perhaps absurd) level in Goldfinger. In this novel Pussy Galore is clearly a practicing lesbian when she first meets Bond, but at the end of the novel she sleeps with him. When, in bed, he says to her "They told me you only liked women," she replies "I never met a man before."[22]
Many Bond girls have some sort of independent job or even career, and often it is not a particularly respectable one for 1950s women. Vesper Lynd, Gala Brand, Tatiana Romanova, Mary Ann Russell, and Mary Goodnight are in intelligence or law enforcement work. By contrast, Tiffany Case and Pussy Galore are very independent-minded criminals, the latter even running her own syndicate. Most other Bond girls, even when they have more conventional or glamorous jobs, show an investment in their independent outlook on life. While the Bond girls are clearly intended as sex objects, they nevertheless have a degree of independence that the Bond films tended to dispense with until nearly 1980.
Most of the novels focus on one particular romance, as some of them do not occur for a while into the novel (Casino Royale is a good example). However, several exceptions have been made: In Goldfinger, the Masterton sisters are considered Bond girls (although Tilly is a lesbian), and after their deaths, Pussy Galore (also a lesbian) becomes the primary Bond girl. In Thunderball, Bond romances Patricia Fearing, followed by Domino Vitali. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond enters into a relationship and an eventual marriage with Teresa 'Tracy' di Vicenzo, and sleeps with Ruby Windsor, a patient he meets in Blofeld's hideout while posing as a genealogist. In You Only Live Twice, Bond has relationships with Kissy Suzuki, mainly, but also romances Mariko Ichiban, and a girl so insignificant that she is unnamed.
Several Bond girls have obvious signs of inner turmoil (Vesper Lynd or Vivienne Michel), and others have traumatic pasts. Most Bond girls that are allowed to develop are flawed, and several have unhappy sexual backgrounds (Honey Ryder, Pussy Galore, Tiffany Case, Vivienne Michel, and Kissy Suzuki, among others). It is perhaps this vulnerability that draws them to Bond, aside from Bond himself being irresistible to women.

[edit] Inspiration

The inspiration for all of Fleming's Bond girls may be Muriel Wright, who
has a claim to be the fons et origo of the species: pliant and undemanding, beautiful but innocent, outdoorsy, physically tough, implicitly vulnerable and uncomplaining, and then tragically dead, before or soon after marriage.[24]
Wright was 26 and "exceptionally beautiful" when she and Fleming met in 1935. A talented rider, skier, and polo player, Wright was independently wealthy and a model. She was slavishly devoted to Fleming despite his repeated unfaithfulness until dying in an air raid in 1944, devastating him, who called Wright "too good to be true":[24]

[edit] On film

Ursula Andress as "Honey Ryder" in Dr. No (1962) is often considered the quintessential Bond girl. She was preceded by Eunice Gayson as "Sylvia Trench" and Zena Marshall as "Miss Taro" in the same film.
Olga Kurylenko, the most recent actress to play a Bond girl ("Camille Montes" in Quantum of Solace).
There have been many attempts to break down the numerous Bond girls into a top 10 list for the entire series; characters who often appear in these lists include Anya Amasova, Jill Masterson, Teresa di Vicenzo and Honey Ryder, who is often at Number 1 on the list.[25][26]
Entertainment Weekly put "Bond bathing suits" on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "And you thought spies were supposed to be inconspicuous! Halle Berry's orange bikini in Die Another Day (2002) and Daniel Craig's supersnug powder blue trunks in Casino Royale (2006) suggest that neither 007 star can keep a secret."[27]

[edit] Roles and impact

Often Bond girls who have trysts with James Bond are later discovered as villainesses, e.g. Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) in Never Say Never Again (1983), Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen) in Goldeneye (1995), Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) in The World Is Not Enough (1999), and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike) in Die Another Day (2002).
To date, only two Bond girls have actually captured James Bond's heart. The first, Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), married Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), though she is shot dead by Irma Bunt and Ernst Stavro Blofeld at story's end. Initially, her death was to have begun Diamonds Are Forever (1971); but that idea was dropped during filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service when George Lazenby renounced the James Bond role. One writer opined that, although the theme is not expressly revealed in the film, the Diamonds Are Forever pre-title sequence in which James Bond vigorously pursues Blofeld demonstrated "an effort to avenge Tracy di Vicenzo's murder."[28] The second was Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in Casino Royale (2006). James Bond professes his love to her and resigns from MI6 so they can have a normal life together. Later, he learns that she was actually a double agent, working for his enemies. The enemy organization Quantum had ostensibly kidnapped her former lover and was blackmailing her to secure her cooperation. She did truly fall in love with Bond, though as Quantum closed in on her, she died by drowning in a lift in a building under renovation in Venice.
With the exception of "doomed" Bond girls, there is no explanation offered as to why the love interest is gone by the next film and is never mentioned or alluded to again. This is not always the case in the novels, as references to previous Bond girls may be made in novels subsequent to their appearances; Tiffany Case and Honey Ryder are revealed to have married other men in From Russia With Love and The Man With The Golden Gun respectively and Bond briefly wonders about Solitaire in Doctor No. A strange case is Mary Goodnight, who appears in On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice as Bond's secretary before becoming a full-fledged Bond girl in The Man With The Golden Gun.

[edit] Effect on career

The role of a Bond girl, as it has evolved in the films, is typically a high-profile part that sometimes can give a major boost to the career of unestablished actresses, although there have been a number of Bond girls that were well-established prior to gaining their role. For instance, Diana Rigg and Honor Blackman were both Bond girls after becoming stars in England for their roles in the television series, The Avengers. Additionally, Halle Berry won an Academy Award in 2002—the award was presented to her while she was filming Die Another Day. Teri Hatcher was a star as well, having starred in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and her photograph, wrapped in nothing but a cape, was an internet sensation before being cast in Tomorrow Never Dies. A few years after playing a Bond girl, she became one of the highest-paid actresses on television by starring in Desperate Housewives. Kim Basinger has perhaps had the most successful post-Bond career. After her breakout role in Never Say Never Again, Basinger has since won an Academy Award for her performance in L.A. Confidential and starred in the blockbuster films Batman and 8 Mile.
Legend has it that appearing as a Bond girl will damage an actress' subsequent career. Lois Chiles is often cited as another example, although her career did not suffer as a result of portraying Holly Goodhead. In fact, Chiles had lost her younger brother to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and decided to take a three year break from acting, from which her career never recovered. Notable exceptions to the so-called "curse" (actresses who went on to experience fulfilling careers) include Jane Seymour, Famke Janssen, Teri Hatcher, Halle Berry, Diana Rigg, and Kim Basinger. Casting for the female lead in Casino Royale was hindered by the fears of potential actresses;[29] before Casino Royale, the Bond series was thought by some to have become stagnant and therefore less desirable to young actresses. The role of Vesper Lynd nevertheless went to the up-and-coming actress Eva Green, who won BAFTA's Rising Star Award for her performance.

[edit] Multiple appearances

The character of Sylvia Trench is the only Bond girl character who recurs in a film (Dr. No and From Russia with Love (1963)). She was meant to be Bond's regular girlfriend, but was dropped after her appearance in the second film.
In the series of films, three actresses have made reappearances as different Bond girls: Martine Beswick and Nadja Regin both first appeared in From Russia with Love, and then appeared in Thunderball and Goldfinger respectively. Maud Adams played Andrea Anders in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and the title character in Octopussy (1983); she also is an extra in A View to a Kill (1985).
Including the unofficial James Bond films, Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again, several actresses also have been a Bond girl more than once; Ursula Andress in Dr. No (1962) and Casino Royale (1967); Angela Scoular, in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) and Casino Royale (1967); Valerie Leon in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Never Say Never Again (1983).

[edit] Lists of Bond girls

[edit] Ian Fleming

Mary Goodnight was a supporting character in several Bond novels before graduating to full Bond girl in The Man with the Golden Gun. The short stories "Quantum of Solace," "The Living Daylights," and "The Property of a Lady" feature female characters in prominent roles, but none of these women interact with Bond in a romantic way.

[edit] Films

The most prominent Bond girl is featured first, followed by the rest in order of appearance.
FilmBond girlActress
Dr. NoHoney Rider
Sylvia Trench
Miss Taro		Ursula Andress
Eunice Gayson
Zena Marshall
From Russia with LoveTatiana Romanova
Sylvia Trench
Gypsy fighting girls		Daniela Bianchi
Eunice Gayson
Martine Beswick
Aliza Gur
GoldfingerPussy Galore
Jill Masterton
Tilly Masterton
Dink
Bonita		Honor Blackman
Shirley Eaton
Tania Mallet
Margaret Nolan
Nadja Regin
ThunderballDomino Derval
Fiona Volpe
Patricia Fearing
Paula Caplan
Mlle. La Porte		Claudine Auger
Luciana Paluzzi
Molly Peters
Martine Beswick
Maryse Mitsouko
You Only Live TwiceAki
Kissy Suzuki
Ling
Helga Brandt		Akiko Wakabayashi
Mie Hama
Tsai Chin
Karin Dor
On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceTeresa di Vicenzo
Nancy
Ruby Bartlett		Diana Rigg
Catherine Schell
Angela Scoular
Diamonds Are ForeverTiffany Case
Marie
Plenty O'Toole
Bambi
Thumper		Jill St. John
Denise Perrier
Lana Wood
Lola Larson
Trina Parks
Live and Let DieSolitaire
Rosie Carver
Miss Caruso		Jane Seymour
Gloria Hendry
Madeline Smith
The Man with the Golden GunMary Goodnight
Andrea Anders
Saida
Chew Mee		Britt Ekland
Maud Adams
Carmen Sautoy
Francoise Therry
The Spy Who Loved MeAnya Amasova
Harem Tent Girl
Log Cabin Girl
Naomi
Felicca		Barbara Bach
Felicity York
Sue Vanner
Caroline Munro
Olga Bisera
MoonrakerHolly Goodhead
Corinne Dufour
Manuela
Hostess Private Jet		Lois Chiles
Corinne Clery
Emily Bolton
Leila Shenna
For Your Eyes OnlyMelina Havelock
Countess Lisl von Schlaf
Bibi Dahl		Carole Bouquet
Cassandra Harris
Lynn-Holly Johnson
OctopussyOctopussy
Magda
Penelope Smallbone
Bianca		Maud Adams
Kristina Wayborn
Michaela Clavell
Tina Hudson
A View to a KillStacey Sutton
Kimberley Jones
May Day
Pola Ivanova
Jenny Flex
Pan Ho		Tanya Roberts
Mary Stävin
Grace Jones
Fiona Fullerton
Alison Doody
Papillon Soo Soo
The Living DaylightsKara Milovy
Rosika Miklos
Linda
Rubavitch		Maryam d'Abo
Julie T. Wallace
Kell Tyler
Virginia Hey
Licence to KillPam Bouvier
Lupe Lamora
Della Churchill
Loti		Carey Lowell
Talisa Soto
Priscilla Barnes
Diana Lee-Hsu
GoldenEyeNatalya Simonova
Xenia Onatopp
Caroline
Irina		Izabella Scorupco
Famke Janssen
Serena Gordon
Minnie Driver
Tomorrow Never DiesWai Lin
Paris Carver
Prof. Inga Bergstrøm		Michelle Yeoh
Teri Hatcher
Cecilie Thomsen
The World Is Not EnoughElektra King
Dr. Christmas Jones
Dr. Molly Warmflash
Giulietta da Vinci		Sophie Marceau
Denise Richards
Serena Scott Thomas
Maria Grazia Cucinotta
Die Another DayGiacinta "Jinx" Johnson
Miranda Frost
"Peaceful Fountains of Desire"		Halle Berry
Rosamund Pike
Rachel Grant
Casino RoyaleVesper Lynd
Solange Dimitrios
Valenka		Eva Green
Caterina Murino
Ivana Miličević
Quantum of SolaceCamille Montes
Strawberry Fields		Olga Kurylenko
Gemma Arterton

[edit] Unofficial films

EON Productions call themselves the "official" producer of the James Bond film series, having produced 22 films between 1962 and 2008 as listed above. However, other James Bond productions have been made over the years by other producers and studios. These productions are described as "unofficial" by EON Productions and as such, so are the Bond girls featured therein.
FilmBond girlActress
Casino Royale
(1954 television production)		Valerie MathisLinda Christian
Casino Royale
1967 film		Vesper Lynd
Miss Goodthighs
Miss Moneypenny
Agent Mimi/Lady Fiona McTarry
The Detainer
Mata Bond
Buttercup		Ursula Andress
Jacqueline Bisset
Barbara Bouchet
Deborah Kerr
Daliah Lavi
Joanna Pettet
Angela Scoular
Never Say Never Again
1983 film		Domino Petachi
Fatima Blush
Patricia Fearing
Lady in Bahamas
Nicole		Kim Basinger
Barbara Carrera
Prunella Gee
Valerie Leon
Saskia Cohen Tanugi

[edit] Video games

GameBond girlActress (if applicable)
Agent Under FireZoe NightshadeCaron Pascoe (voice)
NightfireDominique Paradis
Zoe Nightshade
Alura McCall
Makiko Hayashi		Lena Reno (voice)
Jeanne Mori (voice)
Kimberley Davies (voice)
Tamlyn Tomita (voice)
Everything or NothingSerena St. Germaine
Dr. Katya Nadanova
Miss Nagai
Mya Starling		Shannon Elizabeth
Heidi Klum
Misaki Ito
Mýa
GoldenEye: Rogue AgentPussy Galore
Xenia Onatopp		Jeannie Elias (voice)
Jenya Lano (voice)
From Russia with LoveTatiana Romanova
Eva Adara
Elizabeth Stark		Daniela Bianchi (likeness)
Kari Wahlgren (voice)
Maria Menounos
Natasha Bedingfield
Blood StoneNicole HunterJoss Stone (likeness and voice)

[edit] Documentary

In 2002, former Bond girl Maryam d'Abo co-wrote the book Bond girls Are Forever: The Women of James Bond. This book later became a DVD exclusive documentary featuring d'Abo and other Bond girls, including Ursula Andress. In some locations, the documentary was released as a gift with the purchase of Die Another Day on DVD. The featurette was included on the DVD release of Casino Royale (2006) with an updated segment referencing the newest film.

[edit] Critical Studies

In 2001, Robert A. Caplen authored Shaken and Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond, 1962-1979,[30] which discussed the cultural impact of the Bond girl within the context of the feminist and Women's Liberation movements. The work was later published as Shaken & Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond.[31] In 2003, scholarly critiques of Pussy Galore and Miss Moneypenny, authored by Professors Elizabeth Ladenson and Tara Brabazon, respectively, were published in The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader.[32] In 2009, researchers at Cleveland State University and Kent State University published an article, Shaken and Stirred: A Content Analysis of Women's Portrayals in James Bond Films, which provided a quantitative content analysis of 195 female characters appearing in twenty James Bond films.[33]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Caplen, Robert A., Shaken & Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond (Xlibris, 2010), pref.
  2. ^ For a general discussion of the characteristics of the Fleming Bond girl, see the relevant chapters of O. F. Snelling, 007 James Bond: A Report (Signet, 1965).
  3. ^ James Bond (character)#Birth year debate
  4. ^ a b Fleming, Ian, Live and Let Die (MacMillan, 1954), ch. 10.
  5. ^ Fleming, Ian, From Russia, With Love (MacMillan, 1957), ch. 9.
  6. ^ Fleming, Ian, The Spy Who Loved Me (Glidrose, 1962), ch. 2.
  7. ^ Fleming, Ian, You Only Live Twice (Glidrose, 1964), ch. 12.
  8. ^ Fleming, Ian, Moonraker (MacMillan, 1955), ch. 16.
  9. ^ a b From Russia, With Love, ch. 8
  10. ^ a b Fleming, Ian, Goldfinger (Glidrose, 1959), ch. 17.
  11. ^ Snelling, 007 James Bond: A Report.
  12. ^ Fleming, Ian, The Man with the Golden Gun (Glidrose, 1965), ch. 4
  13. ^ a b Fleming, Ian, Live and Let Die (MacMillan, 1954), ch. 7.
  14. ^ a b Fleming, Ian, Casino Royale (Glidrose, 1953), ch. 5.
  15. ^ Fleming, Ian, Casino Royale (Glidrose, 1953), ch. 5; ibid., Moonraker (MacMillan, 1955), ch. 11; ibid., Diamonds are Forever (MacMillan, 1956), ch. 5; ibid., From Russia, With Love (MacMillan, 1957), ch. 8; ibid., Doctor No (Glidrose, 1958), ch. 8; ibid., The Spy Who Loved Me (Glidrose, 1962), ch. 2; ibid., The Man with the Golden Gun (Glidrose, 1965), ch. 4.
  16. ^ Fleming, Ian, Casino Royale (Glidrose, 1953), ch. 5; ibid., Live and Let Die (MacMillan, 1954), ch. 7; ibid., Moonraker (MacMillan, 1955), ch. 11; ibid., From Russia, With Love (MacMillan, 1957), ch. 8; ibid., Doctor No (Glidrose, 1958), ch. 8; ibid., The Spy Who Loved Me (Glidrose, 1962), ch. 2; ibid., On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Glidrose, 1963), ch. 3; ibid., The Man with the Golden Gun (Glidrose, 1965), ch. 4.
  17. ^ Fleming, Ian, Diamonds are Forever (MacMillan, 1956), ch. 5.
  18. ^ Fleming, Ian, Thunderball (Glidrose, 1961), ch. 11
  19. ^ Fleming, Ian, Diamonds are Forever (MacMillan, 1956), ch. 22.
  20. ^ Fleming, Ian, Diamonds are Forever (MacMillan, 1956), ch. 8.
  21. ^ Fleming, Ian, Doctor No (Glidrose, 1958), ch. 11.
  22. ^ a b Fleming, Ian, Goldfinger (Glidrose, 1959), ch. 23.
  23. ^ Fleming, Ian, You Only Live Twice (Glidrose, 1964), ch. 14.
  24. ^ a b Macintyre, Ben (2008-04-05). "Was Ian Fleming the real 007?". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/specials/for_your_eyes_only/article3652410.ece. Retrieved March 08, 2011. 
  25. ^ The 10 Best Bond Girls | Movies | EW.com
  26. ^ [1][dead link]
  27. ^ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (11 December 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84
  28. ^ Caplen, Robert A., Shaken & Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond (Xlibris, 2010), ch. 0011.
  29. ^ Curse Of The Bond Girl
  30. ^ http://cocatalog.loc.gov/, Registration No. TXu001060400.
  31. ^ Caplen, Robert A., Shaken & Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond (Xlibris, 2010).
  32. ^ Lindner, Christoph, ed., The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader (Manchester University, 2003), chs. 11-12.
  33. ^ SpringerLink - Sex Roles, Volume 62, Numbers 11-12

[edit] External links

Bond Girls

007When you talk about Bond Girls, it's interesting to note that a majority of these actresses often suffered career lag after their participation in 007's adventures. Even if we can understand that they weren't all primarily trained for the Shakespearean stage (with one exception), all in all, the results are often quite sad. Is playing a Bond Girl a curse for an acting career? We'll see.
There are more actresses than you think that participated more than once in the series (be it playing the same character or another one) and I hope that you'll learn many useless and/or unknown trivia along the way. I invite you to pay special attention to the names of these characters. You'll surely notice that subtlety is not necessarily a priority for some surprising word games.
A brief portrait of each actress will be available, alongside an evaluation of her contribution to the Bond world. Keep in mind that they are an integral part of the success of the series over the years. I'll even rate them on a 1 to 10 scale. This rating is not a mere beauty evaluation: it'll take into consideration the quality of their performance, their chemistry with Bond, how they use sex-appeal and their importance in the overall series.
Of course, there's more than one Bond Girl per film, but for now we will elect the lucky one who gets away romantically with our favorite super spy at the conclusion of the motion picture. So, for now, no bad girls. Also note that unofficial entries and/or parodies will not be taken into consideration here.
URSULA ANDRESS
Dr. No (1962)
Ursula AndressIn beginning with the first official entry in the series (so not counting the 1954 American television adaptation which starred Linda Christian as Valerie Mathis), it's Dr. No that interests us. Who says Dr. No also says Ursula Andress, the first true Bond Girl, which many claims remain the "best", the one that would give the look and the qualities for those to come. More than 40 years later, Ursula is still considered one of the great beauties of the Silver Screen. Here, her limited acting range is quite appropriate for the role of Honey Rider, hunting for shells in the sea and emerging from the waves in one of the most celebrated scene in movie history. Dig that white bikini, of which Ursula claimed that she designed herself. So even with her voice dubbed by another actress and not doing much, she became a legend. (Note that the original Ian Fleming novel described the character as completely nude when emerging from the water, described as a modern Venus).
Believe it or not, Dr. No wasn't a big budgeted picture. Mere three weeks before shooting, the main female role was not even cast yet. Ursula's husband at the time was John Derek, who urged her to take the part, bargaining on her impressing physique. Even with a quite limited range, Ursula enjoyed great chemistry with Sean Connery. Because of her strong Swiss accent, Ursula was dubbed by a pro, Monica Van Der Zyl, whose services were attached to more films of the series. Of course, publicity did not shy away from throwing many of Ursula's pictures around, who had just created the best commercial step of her artistic life. Her salary was $6,000. She would enjoy the rest of her career in more or less the same role, as a distant femme fatale, without much humor, working mainly in Europe in flavorless light comedies. In a way, Ursula would come back to the Bond world in 1967 in the Casino Royale parody. She was even mentioned in an official Ian Fleming Bond novel, On Her Majesty's Secret Service!
I can only give her a perfect note: 10/10.
To know more about Ursula >>
DANIELA BIANCHI
From Russia with Love (1963)
Daniela BianchiDaniela Bianchi was born on January 31, 1942, in Rome, Italy. She would become Miss Rome in 1960. The role of Tatiana Romanova (she was chosen just before Pia Lindstrom, one of Ingrid Bergman's daughter) would be her main hour of cinematic glory, as her list of credits don't include much classics, as she played in just an handful of movies. Like Ursula Andress, she was not necessarily the strongest comedienne around, but for a second time, a lack of experience would contribute to a successful portrayal, mixing well with Bond (as well as another voice dubbing job). A car crash during shooting resulted in some re-scheduling for a couple of weeks, long enough for her face to heal.
The main problem with Daniela was a natural awkward way of walking, as she was replaced by a body double in some scenes. She would be seen in 1967 in Operation Kid Brother, an awful Italian Bond parody starring Sean Connery's real-life brother (?). In fact, the rest of her short career consisted in turning up in such parodies; the French/Italian co-production Le Tigre aime la chair fraîche is worth seeking out in the lot. In 1985, she married a millionaire. Her note: 6/10.
HONOR BLACKMAN
Goldfinger (1964)
Honor BlackmanBritish Honor Blackman was mainly known for being Patrick Macnee's partner Cathy Gale in the cult TV series The Avengers, from 1962 to 1964. Used to play a karate adventurer, it wasn't a great stretch to become dynamic Pussy Galore (yeah, Pussy Galore, a moniker worthy of a bad porno flick title), a character with maybe lesbian tendencies that would melt under Bond's great masculine charms. The name was almost changed to Kitty Galore at some point, mainly in the goal of attracting more willing actresses...
With one of the era's most smashing smile and the reputation of not chickening out of athletic roles, Honor paved the way for upcoming take-charge ladies of the series, beginning mainly from the mid-80s, where female characters became more involved in the action. This is the main reason why I give her 8/10. Born on December 12, 1927 in London, Miss Blackman, throughout her career, displayed an amused look, as if she always got the joke before the others. She began film work around 1946, being really busy in the swinging sixties.
CLAUDINE AUGER
Thunderball (1965)
Claudine AugerIn a role first destined to Raquel Welch (too busy with Fantastic Voyage), and then Julie Christie and Faye Dunaway, it was finally continental beauty Claudine Auger that was given the privilege to fall for Bond as Domino. A former Miss France at age 15, Claudine's list of credits is more imposing that we could think of at first, as she began in Jean Cocteau's Le testament d'Orphée at the age of 17, alongside Yul Brynner, Charles Aznavour, Brigitte Bardot and Pablo Picasso! She was memorable in a couple of violent Italian thrillers, Twitch of the Death Nerve and Black Belly of the Tarantula. She hasn't worked on a movie for the last ten years.
Born in Paris on April 26, 1942, Miss Auger displayed her generous physique to the world in an unending succession of fetching bikinis for Thunderball. Claudine seemed at ease around Connery and was a better actress than Andress or Bianchi, so I give her 7/10 (even with another voice dubbing job). After four films, we can now discern the characteristic look of your average Bond Girl, often including a pseudo-innocent aura, a latent sensuality, and a bit of charming naivete.
MIE HAMA
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Mie HamaMie Hama would follow, in the role of Kissy Suzuki, with the distinction of being the first woman to marry Bond, even under the pretext of carrying on for a mission. Connery started a small scandal in claiming that he didn't found Japanese women sexy. Probably for this, there weren't any sparks between himself and Mie, even if the Kissy character wasn't the most brilliantly written of all time. I find her incredibly cute (and she still is to this day), but can only give a note of 5/10. Connery's then-wife, Diane Cilento, had to replace Mie for a swimming scene, as our Japanese beauty was struck with stomach cramps!
Mie Hama was born on November 20, 1943. Powerful Toho Studios hired her as she was simply visiting the premises as a fan. She became a talk-show hostess in Japan, and would enjoy better company with another dark romantic/sexual hero of the big screen, one appreciative of Oriental charms: King Kong (for King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes).
DIANA RIGG
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Diana RiggFor this next movie, attempts were made to lure in Brigitte Bardot, but she was busy (alongside Sean Connery!) filming the western Shalako. Catherine Deneuve could not be convinced. Enter Diana Rigg (born on July 20, 1938), another Avengers recruit (the divine and eternal Emma Peel, who had replaced Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale) and a person trained in Shakespearian drama. In fact, it took an actress of superior caliber to play the character of Bond's "official" real wife. Her talent was even more evident alongside newcomer Bond George Lazenby, as animated as a piece of dry wood (but would the world have ever accepted a crying Connery?). The two didn't get along at all, as she used to eat garlic before any kissing scene. Diana played to perfection Contessa Teresa Di Vicenzo, mixing brilliantly tragedy and determination. Note: 9/10.
She's still considered the first major British actress to appear nude on stage for Abelard and Heloise in 1970. Oddly, Dame Diana Rigg's credits are rather scarce. Still, she's in one of my favorite cult movies of all time, Theatre of Blood, where she plays Vincent Price's daughter, whom she would replace years later as the host of TV's Mystery.
JILL ST. JOHN
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Jill St.JohnOn August 19, 1940, was born Jill Oppenheim, who would become Jill St. John. She began her career at the age of 18 in Summer Love. She could also be seen in The Lost World, a prehistoric saga two years later. She would never be taken really seriously, but I always had the impression that she remains underused and underestimated; in fact, she possess an impressively high IQ. Often showing a flair for comedy, with a self-deprecating attitude, St. John could've contributed more. A bit like Ursula Andress, she was more in the business to meet famous men than to make it to the top at all costs. Anyone remember a memorable Batman episode where she go-go danced with the Caped Crusader (supposedly incognito) in a packed discotheque? I find her hilarious in Diamonds Are Forever in the role of Tiffany Case, another delight for bikini-watchers, for which she gets a 6/10 note.
She had posed for Playboy in 1960, as the same issue published for the first time a Ian Fleming novel in their pages. Jill was a later hanger-on around Frank Sinatra's court and remains Robert Wagner's spouse since 1990. The latter's former sister-in-law, Lana Wood, has also a role here. Lana and Jill supposedly had an argument during a photo shoot of former Bond Girls in 2000 for Vanity Fair magazine. She devotes her time to her horses, but has just recently been injured in a skiing accident.
JANE SEYMOUR
Live and Let Die (1973)
Jane SeymourWith a third Bond actor debuting (and the second to really leave his personal mark), what a better way to greet him than an introduction to Jane Seymour, a beauty born on February 15, 1951, as Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberger. This was the young woman's fifth film and first starring role, as she had just left the dancing world. Once again, Catherine Deneuve had declined... and she would probably have been completely miscast here. So once again, hurray for plunging necklines! Jane is very adequate as Solitaire, who could read the future in Tarot cards and almost became shark food. I give her 6/10, because she's a bit too much helpless, as her sightseer powers were sadly under-utilized.
Jane would eventually become the Queen of TV Movies for the American screens, starting choice television work in the eighties, attaining her greatest popularity for the series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She had twin boys in 1995, and two other children from a former marriage. Jane has also the distinction of having eyes of different colors and, like many other Bond Girls, seem to age at a much slower rate than the rest of Humanity.
BRITT EKLAND
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Britt EklandTwo Swedish honeys are present here, but it's not the Bond script with the most memorably written female characters. Our main girl here is another for the under-used list, kittenish Britt Ekland (born on October 6, 1942) who, in 1973's Baxter!, made me bawl out like a baby and is further proof that she Could Have Been Somebody if enjoying quality roles. At age fifteen, she began a visual career by appearing in a toothpaste commercial.
Married to Peter Sellers (who played a James Bond in 1967's parody Casino Royale) from 1963-68, Britt began her screen career in 1962, enjoying most success in the early to mid-seventies. She mainly began in some Italian comedies. Rod Stewart composed a song about her. Her role as Mary Goodnight is not the most memorable of the series, but still can make one smile. 6/10.
BARBARA BACH
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Barbara BachBond Girls would finally attain more maturity and independence around this time, as well as participating more in the action. Oddly, an actress with very limited range would show the way. Barbara Bach was born on August 27, 1947, and began a screen career in some Italian thrillers, like Black Belly of the Tarantula with Claudine Auger. Not the most animated performer, the fact that she plays here an aloof Russian agent worked to her advantage. Major Anya Amasova was nothing like the typical helpless Bond love doll and this marked a turning point in the series, that saved it from redundancy. A well-deserved 7/10 for Babs (who also took the time to pose for Playboy to promote the film).
Oddly, worthy acting gigs were few in her future. She met Ringo Starr while shooting Caveman in 1981 and they have been together since. They worked together in Paul McCartney's Give My Regards to Broadstreet, where she doesn't do much... in fact, her career in movies was no more a priority, if it ever was. Both successfully went through cure of desintox in 1988.

LOIS CHILES
Moonraker (1979)
Lois ChilesIn my view, this is the most over-the-top Bond adventure, to which I always had lukewarm feelings, as it approaches too often the height (or low?) of ridicule. To top it off, the worst Bond Girl is present in the cast. Lois Chiles (born on April 15, 1947, in Texas) plays it completely frigid and unsympathetic in the role of CIA Agent Holly Goodhead (!). This is not the actress' fault, as the script plays more like a bad Flash Gordon serial. Lois never got more exposure than right here though, as her remaining career consists of small and unmemorable roles. So, 3/10, sorry.
She had been discovered in Glamour magazine in an article on good-looking college girls. She began a successful life as a cover girl shortly after, which led to screen work. After Moonraker, she decided to study drama, as absolutely no acting offers came her way.
CAROLE BOUQUET
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Carole BouquetFinally, Bond came back to Earth, and more importantly, back to basics, a very welcome move. It was Carole Bouquet's turn to co-star and here was a girl with character, not as sold on Bond at first as the others and who could handle a crossbow like a pro (no revealing bikinis here). Daughter of great French character actor Michel Bouquet, Carole was born on August 18, 1957. She began her screen career in two surrealistic masterpieces, Luis Buñuel's That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) and Bertrand Blier's Buffet froid (1979). She would remain an enigmatic presence for the vast majority of screen work to come. In fact, she had been interviewed for the female role for Moonraker. Here she plays Melina Havelock.
Of all the women listed here, her list of credits is the most substantial quality-wise and not as depressing as some others. Generally, she is elegant, cultured and as icy as an iceberg in her films. Carole was a Chanel spokesperson for a long time. I found her very cool, in all senses of the word, seemingly living in a semi-decadent world of champagne and caviar. 8/10, chère. And is she still the life partner of Gérard Depardieu?
MAUD ADAMS
Octopussy (1983)
Maud AdamsNow back to Maud Adams (born on February 12, 1945, in Sweden), who had a small and memorable role in The Man with the Golden Gun, again displaying her outrageous cheekbones to the world in the title role. Once again, we're stuck with the world "pussy". Her character seems only to lounge around in colorful kimonos and worry a lot. I always thought of her as very classy and one of the most beautiful Bond Girl, clicking perfectly with Roger Moore, so 7/10. Maud also has the facility to speak at least five different languages, not a bad thing for an international Bond Girl of intrigue...
At that point, many "experts" tried to convince us that she was the first actress to play in two different Bond movies. What about Miss Moneypenny, Eunice Gayson, Martine Beswicke...?
TANYA ROBERTS
A View to a Kill (1985)
Tanya RobertsThen we arrive at this most fearsome moment, the most disappointing one for me in all Bond mythology. For years, my favorite starlet was Tanya Roberts and to witness her character here, the prude and wimpy Stacey Sutton, is a cruel deception. What the hell with these long skirts, like a prim and proper professional secretary? Why hire sexy Tanya to let her portray such a bland individual? Tanya was born on October 15, 1954 (or is it 1955 or 1957?) and quickly became a Bronx tough cookie, getting married at the age of fifteen. She became widely known as the last Angel for the television hit Charlie's Angels.
After the Sheena disaster, she would heavily fall from grace, only to star in erotic thrillers. And she had remained blonde! And is still is to this day, a deep deception for myself. To think that I had her poster on my bedroom door, the same poster that made a cameo appearance in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle! So I will give a note of 4/10. More recently, Tanya became a regular in the hit TV series, That 70s Show.
To know more about Tanya >>
MARYAM D'ABO
The Living Daylights (1987)
Maryam D'AboBorn on December 27, 1960, in London, Maryam D'Abo is Kara Milovy and in my view, a return to the decorative, helpless and rather bland Bond Girls. At least, she plays a mean cello and carries a sort of romantic aura, but I can only rate her a 5/10. She dutifully fulfilled the job of promoting the movie by posing for Playboy, as many of her precedent Bond sisters had done in the past. In fact, she had been interested in joining the Bond world in Octopussy, but had been rejected for her then juvenile allure.
Enjoying a mix of Russian and Danish parents, Maryam is also Olivia D'Abo's cousin actress and neither one of them has a very much better filmography than the other. Maryam is fascinated by the Bond Girls legend, as she has written, produced and starred in a documentary about the ageless beauties, entitled Bond Girls Are Forever. She even wrote a book about that mystique in 2003.
CAREY LOWELL
Licence to Kill (1989)
Carey LowellCarey Lowell was born in Huntingdon, New York, on February 11, 1961. As her dad was a geologist, she traveled around the world, eventually becoming a model, a Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren favorite. She plays here Pam Bouvier, a dynamic and quite refreshing Bond Girl, wearing rare short hair for that kind of leading part. It was her priority to play an action-oriented character, as she would had refused a mere decorative role. Can't say that her list of next credits is very impressive, though.
These days, she plays at being Mrs. Richard Gere, and her career seems like an afterthought, as they recently had a child. In fact, she looks oddly plain in her rare public appearances. Still, she was a great partner to Timothy Dalton and is awarded 7/10. Could be the tallest Bond Girl at 5'10".
IZABELLA SCORUPCO
GoldenEye (1995)
Izabella ScorupcoIzabella Scorupco was born in Bialystock, Poland, on June 4, 1971. She can speak four different languages and is mainly known as a singer in Europe (she even had a 1991 hit with an old disco classic by Shirley & Co: Shame Shame Shame). She was excellent as Natalya Simanova, mixing smarts and beauty to create a modern and dynamic Bond heroine. After a six-year hiatus, the series was in need of a positive restart and the leading lady delivered the goods alongside a new Bond. 7/10.
Izabella seemed to step out of a time machine, as her gorgeous looks seem adaptable to any Bond era. She used to be married to NHL hockey player Marius Czerkawski. Oddly, she turned down the lead female role for L.A. Confidential (for which Kim Basinger won an Oscar) and The Mask of Zorro (which made Catherine Zeta-Jones an international star).
MICHELLE YEOH
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Michelle YeohMichelle Yeoh was born on August 6, 1962, in Ipoh, Malaysia. She's actually a former Miss Malaysia (in 1983) and received the majority of her education in England, mainly training in classical dance. Her real name is Yeoh Chu-kheng and she's also known as Michelle Kahn or Chi-King Yeung (!). Her height is 5'4" and she weights 100 pounds. Still, she's often considered the female Jackie Chan, with which she co-starred a couple of time. So small and beautiful this lady is, she's unique as she can do her own neck-breaking stunts, a rarity in modern motion pictures, taking advantage of her dance moves.
Her character here is named Wai Lin and could probably kick the butt of any other Bond Girl present (even Bamby & Thumper from Diamonds Are Forever!). Even if Michelle looks great and has nothing to reproach herself, her potential was still underused in the story and any chemistry with Brosnan was close to being non-existent. Has only shot an handful of movies since, but remains Asia's highest-paid actress. 6/10.
To know more about Michelle >>
DENISE RICHARDS
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Denise RichardsWith Denise Richard (born in Downers Grove, Illinois, on February 12, 1971 or 1972), we reach a new level of mediocrity and unbelievable character traits. Former high-school cheerleader and model Denise was not the greatest acting novelty, as she enjoyed mainly decorative roles until a big break with Starship Troopers and more notoriety with Wild Things.
Here, she plays Doctor Christmas Jones, another completely ridiculous moniker typical of the Bond World. Doctor? She who looks to be around 17? Still, I was more fascinated with surprise bad girl Sophie Marceau and can only give Denise 4/10. She has been married to Charlie Sheen since June 2002, and has made more a career in fighting this ex-hubby than any movie work. Denise found time to appear in the 2004 Playboy Christmas issue.
HALLE BERRY
Die Another Day (2002)
Halle BerryI was so sick of always hearing that her introduction on the beach in the picture was an homage to Ursula Andress, as the series was celebrating its 40th anniversary... Yes, it was true, but did everyone had to ramble on and on about that same fact? Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 14, 1966, Halle was informed that she was in nomination for an Oscar for Monster's Ball while shooting Die Another Day (and she won). Jinx is a fun character, who at some point was supposed to enjoy her own movie franchise. Halle suffered some odd incidents during the shooting and we invite you to consult her own Cult Sirens bio page to find out more biographical details.
Halle seems to have survived the Catwoman debacle and will we eventually admire her in a long-delayed Foxy Brown remake? 7/10.
To know more about Halle >>
EVA GREEN
Casino Royale (2006)
Eva GreenWhat to say about the newest Bond Girl? Born on July 5, 1980, she is the daughter of French actress Marlène Jobert and a Swedish dentist father. Eva has a non-identical twin sister. She studied in France, England and the United States.
Her film debut was in 2003 for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, which included some nude scenes. Eva can be satisfied in playing one of the most well-written female characters in the Bond novels. The translation to movie screens was a good one, but for my money she seemed a bit young (and thin!) to play a character with so much experience. But there's no doubt that she paved the way for more interesting female roles in this renewed franchise. So 7/10.
In conclusion, only Ursula Andress (who opened the way to a long series) and Diana Rigg (with a well-crafted character) emerge as our winners, with a perfect and near perfect note. Lois Chiles is our unhappy loser with dismaying 3/10. Evidently, the majority of these roles were not written with great substance and we can't all blame it on the actresses, even with the varying degrees of talent involved. The great majority can only be proud of their participation.
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