Since I started investigating the intelligence services many years ago, I always knew that there were two prototypes of spies that drew the reality of that world in quite different ways, even faced. On the one hand, the characters created by John Le Carré or Graham Greene, like George Smiley, normal agents, I would even dare to say vulgar, smart guys with a disastrous private life, with sometimes doubtful values, who were capable of confronting the Soviets. during the Cold War risking his life with the weapons of deceit and wit.
The other prototype was embodied by James Bond, whom everyone knew much more than his author, Ian Fleming. No miseries, family problems, painstaking analysis to discover the traitor. The literary Bond was a character who faced the bad guys with seriousness and action. There was luxury, elegant casinos, indiscipline and stunning women, but the science fiction elements were incorporated into the cinema and ended up blurring the literary story.
Between the two espionage models, most people stayed with the one represented by Bond, who had the invaluable support of cinema and great actors such as Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery or Daniel Craig to become popular. A totally divergent opinion from that of the real spies, who would break out in hives when you mentioned someone they considered the antithesis of their work. From MI6, for which Bond works in fiction, they have always cursed him for not representing how they act in reality. They were thinking of the film character, not the literary one.
The real James Bond
Ian Fleming, Commander of Naval Intelligence during World War II, he was inspired by real people to create his character. One of them was Yeo-Thomas. Let’s see if his life reminds you of someone else’s.
known as white rabbitlived in Paris when the Nazis invaded France and escaped to England, where he did not enlist in any unit, but in the SOE, the armed wing of English intelligence on subversion. He returned to France, where he was parachuted and showed his bravery without limit. Good looking and interesting, he was always surrounded by the most beautiful women, but none stole his heart.
Yeo-Thomas reorganized the French resistance, he did not back down from any dangerous mission, on six occasions the Nazis were about to arrest him and in 1944 he was betrayed by one of his own. Arrested by the Gestapo, he suffered all kinds of torture to get him to betray his people, but he said nothing and, most surprisingly, he ended up alive. Despite his pitiful physical condition – he almost lost an arm, sepsis, headaches and a kidney – he tried to flee on two occasions.
Ian Fleming knew the adventures of this agent that he always carried a gun with him, used false identities, hid in any corner, killed with his bare hands to be able to do his job and led an intense love life.
The agents return 00
The real Bond, the one created by Fleming, who had disappeared behind the film character, has returned with a new novel, Double or nothing. Time is running outwritten on this occasion by Kim Sherwood. I have been lucky enough to read it and I can say that finally! James Bond is back. Although I don’t spoiler if I specify that, in reality, what has returned is the world of Bond, because it cannot be said that James did it himself.
With the backing of the Fleming estate, Sherwood has broadened the focus on MI6 agents with a license to kill and has created new characters that debunk another of the Bond mythos.referring to the fact that his stories represent the heterosexual white man without feelings.
Now, the characters respond less to what was the post-world war of the 50s and more to what is the cultural diversity and freedom of the 21st century. Spies 00 of different races, colors and sex face -this does not change- powerful threats capable of any evilwilling to die for a just cause.
James Bond is back, the good guy. the bet is Double or nothing. I would not bet against him, in this case, against them. A sure hit.
The truth about David Cornwell aka John le Carré seems to be that despite being a brilliant author and the undisputed emperor of the espionage fiction genre, he was an imperfect spy. He had more Achilles heels than he had toes and was caught out by Kim Philby.
An interesting “news article” dated 31 October 2022 exists about some of his perceived shortcomings in this regard (pardon the unintentional quip). It’s entitled Pemberton’s People, Ungentlemanly Officers & Rogue Heroes and can be found on TheBurlingtonFiles website.
While visiting the site do check out Beyond Enkription. It is an intriguing raw and noir fact-based spy thriller and it’s a must read for espionage cognoscenti but what would it have been like if David Cornwell had collaborated with Bill Fairclough? Even though they didn’t collaborate, Beyond Enkription is still described as ”up there with My Silent War by Kim Philby and No Other Choice by George Blake”. Not surprising really – Fairclough was never caught.