Christoph Lindner

Sean Connery’s tuxedo, Ursula Andress’ bikini, Oddjob’s bowler hat, and Q’s gadgets are just a few defining features of the 007 world examined in The James Bond Phenomenon. Drawn from the fields of literary, film, music, and cultural studies, the essays in this collection range from revitalized readings of Ian Fleming’s original spy novels to the analysis of Pussy Galore’s lesbianism, Miss Moneypenny’s filmic feminism, and Pierce Brosnan’s techno-fetishism. Together, the essays not only consider the James Bond novels and films in relation to their historical, political, and social contexts from the Cold War period onwards, but also examine the classic Bond canon from an array of theoretical perspectives. This updated and expanded edition features new essays on a range of hot topics, including Daniel Craig’s debut as Bond, Playboy magazine’s obsession with the 007 lifestyle, Bond’s erotic Orientalism, and the rise of 007 video gaming.

A Critical Reader

The James Bond Phenomenon

Francesco

To the typical qualities of the Villain are opposed the Bond characteristics, particularly Loyalty to the Service, Anglo-Saxon Moderation opposed to the excess of the half-breeds, the selection of Discomfort and the acceptance of Sacrifice opposed to the ostentatious Luxury of the enemy, the genial improvisation (Chance) opposed to the cold Planning which it defeats, the sense of an Ideal opposed to Cupidity (Bond in various cases wins from the Villain in gambling, but as a rule returns the enormous winnings to the Service or to the girl of the moment). Some oppositions function not only in the Bond-Villain relationship but also in the behavior of Bond. Thus Bond is normally loyal but does not disdain overcoming a cheating enemy by a deceitful trick and blackmailing him (see 

). Even Excess and Moderation, Chance and Planning are opposed in the acts and decisions of Bond. Duty and Sacrifice appear as elements of internal debate each time Bond knows he must prevent the plan of the Villain at risk to his life, and in those cases the patriotic ideal (Great Britain and the Free World) takes the upper hand. 

He calls also on the racist need to show the superiority of the Briton.

[...] the novelty of Bond tales [...] is its place in the new organisation of sexuality in the consumer capitalism. One the one hand, one of the characteristics of consumer capitalism is, [...] Herbert Marcuse pointed out, the libidinalisation of the workplace and daily life [... where] the sexuality becomes the master code into which all discourses [...] are translated.

But the other part of the reorganisation of sexuality in consumer capitalism is tied to a shift in the sex/gender itself [... with] the creation of a sexual market less marked by the formal institutions of marriage [...] and the demise of the family wage system; this has generated and ideological revolt by men against the 'bread winner ethic' [...].

It is in this context that the sexuality and masculinity of Bond appears: [...] defined by freedom from marriage, an easy familiarity with the brand names that are accompaniments to a consumer lifestyle - cars, cigarettes, liquor - and a licence to look

[...] Bond safeguards not just humanity itself but also Britain's reputation in the process, thereby restoring at least the facade of Britain's former super-power status.

In effect, James Bond saves everything for a country and a world that cannot save themselves. And it is precisely in this way that the 007 series, nostalgic for Empire, achieves its ideological effect - namely, the effect, as Tony Bennet argues, of 'putting England back on top'.

[...] by inscribing and coding the Bond texts with resurrected dreams of Empire and global influence reconstructed in the face of the Cold War, the arms race, decolonisation, Fleming articulates the very ideology of detection that both drives and defines the character of James Bond.

The James Bond Phenomenon quotes

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