James Bond was always good at his job, but he wasn’t always well behaved. Outside the context of his fictional universe, Bond was created by author Ian Fleming as a sort of bad boy. For a long time, screenwriters kept the character’s questionable traits when transferring the stories from page to screen. The Fleming books also contained many insensitive elements, but given the critical acclaim, directors never felt the need to change much.
Many old 007 films contain scenes that would not be allowed today. Such moments are often excused and dismissed as “products of their time”. and they areBut in today’s social climate, where sensitivity is highly emphasized, some of the character’s actions are likely to provoke a great deal of outrage.
To keep up with the changing times, the franchise has changed a lot, so much so that Daniel Craig’s last appearance in the role of the character, No time to die, there was not even a single sex scenedespite being nearly three hours long. Whether Bond films are becoming too politically correct is a moot point. First, let’s look at some classic Bond scenes that would never appear in modern films.
8 Bond orders a black man to get his shoes
Dr. No – Yes, Really (1962)
In Dr. No, MI6 agent John Strangways disappears in Jamaica and Bond is asked to investigate. There he meets Quarell, a local tour guide who used to work with Strangways. Quarell is by no means Bond’s servant, but while Bond is busy cuddling up to a bikini-clad beauty, he orders the man to fetch his shoes, which are just a few feet away.
Undertones of slavery
The portrayal of Quarell as a subservient figure was already in poor taste in the early 1960s. The civil rights movement was busy achieving equality for blacks in America, while many countries around the world were trying to free themselves from the torments of British colonialism.
Interesting, Dr. No Premiere just a few months after Jamaica’s independenceIn the 2020s, when the issue of racism is even more sensitive, such a scene would not be possible.
7 Bond blackmails a nurse into sleeping with him
Thunderball (1965)
When Bond survives an assassination attempt at the Shrublands Health Clinic, Fireballhe swears that “someone will wish today had never happened.” The remark is misunderstood by nurse Patricia, who believes the agent is branding her incompetent. “Please, I could lose my job!” she says. Noticing her fear, Bond pushes for coitus, saying, “I guess my silence might come at a price.” The two then sleep together.
The inappropriate moment ruins an otherwise great film
Fireball is a great experience for anyone interested in the geopolitics surrounding NATO. In addition, director Terrence Young never shies away from portraying Bond’s famous complexities and weaknesses. The result is a film that convincingly shows why he is the greatest film spy of all time. Unfortunately the scene with Sister Patricia ruins the wonderful characterizationWorse still, he counters her “Oh no!” with a creepy “Oh yes!”
6 Bond stereotypes about an Indian
Octopussy: The Wonderful World of Madness (1983)
In OctopussyAgent 007’s adventures around the world take him to India, where he meets a woman who runs a smuggling ring and learns of a plot to blow up a US air base in West Germany. During his stay in the country, he is presented with all sorts of stereotypes, including those about Indian culinary preferences. In one scene, he gives a man a huge wad of cash and then asks him, “That’ll buy you a few weeks of curry, right?”
Curry is not a constant preference
It is brave of Moore’s Bond to assume that all Indians love curry and have no other use for their money. Craig’s Bond would have been torn to pieces if he had ever uttered such words. Nevertheless, this controversial moment is not as bad as others in the 60s, 70s and 80s. With better wording, Bond’s philanthropic gesture would have earned him praise. All he had to do was tip the man and tell him to enjoy himself.
5 Bond’s violent interrogation of Miss Anders
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
While digging up information on an assassin, Francisco Scaramanga, Bond approaches the killer’s lover, Miss Anders, while she is taking a shower, and tries to get as much information out of her as possible. As expected, she remains silent, knowing that any betrayal will be punished with a bullet from the golden gun. Bond won’t leave her alone, twisting her arm and threatening to break it. When she still doesn’t cooperate, he slaps her.
Bond causes Anders pain and puts him in a difficult situation
In this case, Anders is just a victim and Bond is supposed to be a good guy. She is not with Francisco Scaramanga by choice. It is obvious that he will kill her if she leaves him. Bond’s decision to extract information from her by force thus reinforces her misery. By involving Anders, Bond also seals her fate. As soon as Scaramanga finds out that she is talking to him, he kills her.
4 Bond locks Nick Nack, a man with dwarfism, in a suitcase
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Fransisco Scaramananga’s henchman Nick Nack spends most of his time loitering around his employer’s estate. And when it comes to confronting Bond, he does his best. Since Nick Nack is a short man, he doesn’t always have the upper hand, and Bond does everything he can to humiliate him. First, he breaks the frame of a chair and tries to get him out from under a sofa like a pet. Then, in the final minutes of the film, he locks Nick Nack in a suitcase before throwing him into the sea.
An easy win for Bond?
Nick Nack’s imprisonment in a suitcase is considered one of the funniest moments in Roger Moore’s Bond films, but it’s still pretty insensitive. This type of humor largely died out in the 20th centuryNowadays, any attempt to make fun of a person with dwarfism would be met with ridicule.
Aside from that, Nick Nack is a perfect henchman and it is credit to director Guy Hamilton for making him even more interesting. After all, he is the same one who perfectly designed Oddjob and Baron Samedi.
3 “Men’s talk!” With a slap on the bottom
“Goldfinger” (1964)
For most GoldfingerThroughout The 4000, Bond is hot on the trail of gold dealer Auric Goldfinger. The chase officially begins when CIA agent Felix Leiter briefs him at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami. At this point, Bond is seen getting a massage from Dink. He introduces her to Felix before telling her to leave. “Dink, say goodbye to Felix. Man talk!” As she walks away, he pats her on the bottom.
Sexual harassment or just a game?
Since Dink is just a masseuse and not Bond’s lover, he has no real right to lay a hand on her. Such a scene is guaranteed to spark discussions about women in the service sector being sexually harassed by male customers.Even if Dink had been romantically involved with Bond, there would still be questions about consent and whether a man should spank a woman on camera in a PG-13 film.
In a Bond film of the 2020s, the masseuse would walk away and let the two men talk. The phrase “boy talk” would no longer exist.
2 Bond is surprised that Dr. Goodhead is a woman
Moonraker (1979)
Everything about Dr. Goodhead raises questions, including her name. Well, in MoonrakerBond is initially aware of the existence of a scientist and astronaut named Dr. Goodhead. Since he has a chauvinistic mindset, he assumes that he is a man, so he is genuinely surprised when he meets the character in person. Part of him is disappointed. Another part is excited because he will be spending a lot of time with a woman, and that happens to be one of his favorite things to do.
An obvious problem of gender balance
Moonraker deviates greatly from the original, as Dr. Goodhead does not even appear in the book, so author Ian Fleming cannot be held responsible for this bizarre character introduction. Bond’s perspective reflects the general problem of gender equality in the workplace in the 20th century. When Moonraker was filmed, there were not many women in top organizationsespecially compared to today. Thankfully, the world has evolved a lot and so has the franchise.
1 Bond denigrates Pussy Galore’s sexual orientation and kisses her
“Goldfinger” (1964)
Pussy Galore starts out as a Goldfinger sycophant, raving about her gold trade until Bond seduces her. The odd thing about this romance is that Miss Galore is a lesbian. She informs Bond of her orientation, but he dismisses it before courting and kissing her. It is then implied that she has switched sides. Not only does she become intimate with Bond, but she also turns against her boss.
“Transforming” a lesbian is impossible and unnecessary
Agent 007’s ability to seduce anyone is a common motif in Bond films. It would have been logical if he had reached a dead end with Miss Galore because she is not attracted to men. Social media would be ablaze if Daniel Craig’s Bond ever insisted on kissing a lesbian woman and then “flipping” her. Such a move implies that heterosexuality is superior to lesbianism. That is guaranteed to anger human rights activists.
