James Bond

Published in 1953, Ian Fleming’s first instalment of the Bond franchise created a gritty world through which the famous author must surely have traipsed, on occasion. Not that he struggled. Born into wealth, schooled at Eton and serving his country as a spy, Fleming enjoyed a privileged life as the sun slowly set over the British Empire.

Fleming bequeathed a literary legacy that millions of Bond fans have only seen through
a deceptive prism, better known as Hollywood. But to really understand the man behind Agent 007, one must visit the library or bookstore. Although the earliest celluloid renderings of Bond kept largely true to the magic of Fleming’s novels, more recent incarnations seem to have taken a somewhat fanciful hand to our man with the licence to kill. As a former spy and gentleman of sophisticated taste, Fleming was always particular about the subdued refinement enjoyed whilst working under the cloak of Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

During the advanced screenings of Casino Royale, many film critics noted that the latest episode captures subtle elements of Bond that younger moviegoers may find appealing yet wholly unfamiliar. When Daniel Craig was first announced as the “new” James Bond, the British nation was reportedly horrified that film producers might cast a blonde in the shoes of Bond. Finding this cry of distress from Fleet Street misguided, many aficionados (including this writer) had long despaired at the woeful state of the franchise. Whilst Fleming had indeed assigned Bond a darker and more ruffled mop, the big screen transformation had already stripped all the quintessential elements that made our master spy so alluring in the first place. As crows seemed intent on picking at the carcass, any critique on the colour of Bond’s hair seemed rather beside the point.

Casino Royale may be nudging towards retirement but the nuance of Fleming’s prose remains ever so relevant and alluring. In precisely detailing a privileged background and decidedly upper-class idiosyncrasies, the author unwittingly immortalised a spy for all seasons.

Fleming once politely suggested that Bond was “just an interesting man to whom extraordinary things happen.” To achieve this fictional undertaking, the world’s greatest spy was sent on dangerous assignments to vanquish an amusing assortment of menacing foes. Aided as much by style as temperament, James Bond outwitted adversaries, conquered beautiful women and enjoyed some of the finest luxuries on earth. Serving Queen and country never looked so good.