Bárbara Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond movies, has been forceful about who should replace Daniel Craig in the role of agent 007. “It must be a man, British and his race does not matter,” said the daughter of the historical producer of the successful film series, Albert Broccoli.
The producer’s opinion coincides with that of the British, who even in 2021 wanted a man as the next 007 and referred to Sean Connery as the best Bond of all time. According to him Daily Mirror the most popular of the UK’s digital tabloids, 43% of Britons say that the best Bond was Connery, who died in the Bahamas in October 2020 at the age of 90.
A few weeks ago the 007 saga arrived with enormous force on streaming platforms. After many years of blockade, finally, Bond, James Bond, is available to television viewers.
Connery played a total of seven films as 007, Agent 007 vs. Dr. No (1962), From Russia with love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Operation Thunder (1965), We only live Twice (1967), diamonds for eternity (1971) y Never say never (1983).
The complete vision of the Bond-Connery saga does not leave you indifferent. But the fact that Bond is very hairy, that his shorts are too short, the explosion models are childish and that the scripts do not stand the test of time, there is a subject that is controversial when analyzed properly.
Bond’s machismo is unacceptable. To cite two examples, in From Russia with love slaps a Russian spy, Tatiana Romanova -Daniela Bianchi-, and in Operation Thunder forces nurse Patricia Fearing -Molly Peters-. But those are not the only scenes that currently could not be shot. There are many, many more situations where they say “no, no” and Bond says “yes, yes”.
Cary Fukunaga, the director of the last Bond, no time to die (2021), a year ago accused agent 007 played by Connery of “rapist” and opened a certain controversy in Hollywood. Broccoli came forward recognizing agent 007’s machismo but excused it by referring to the time when those films were filmed and the fact that the Queen’s last spy, Daniel Craig, already played another type of role.
There are films that stand the test of time and others simply do not. This is the case of the works of Connery’s Bond. Roger Moore’s Bond will have to be reviewed. Hopefully there are no negative surprises. But we will see.
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