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Phyllis Bottome

TokolosheTokoloshe Under your bed
in Literary 007 Posts: 2,667
From BBC News. This is bound to ruffle a few feathers!

Did a woman inspire Ian Fleming's James Bond? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38227724

Anyone care to get to the bottom(e) of this mystery?

Comments

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Everyone gets their ideas from somewhere I suppose.

    I wouldn't therefore be surprised if Ms Bottome's character did influence Fleming. But I doubt it would be enough that her estate should consider suing the Fleming estate. ;)
  • tanaka123tanaka123
    Posts: 4,325
    Ah that old chestnut, the anxiety of influence

    http://m_avara.w.staszic.waw.pl/hb.pdf
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited December 2016 Posts: 18,275
    There is also a radio programme by comedian and actor Miles Jupp which looks at this story more in-depth on BBC Radio 4:

    BROADCAST DETAILS: The Woman Who Invented James Bond?, Saturday 10 December 2016, 10:30 am, BBC RADIO 4 FM

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084t5dy
  • PussyNoMorePussyNoMore
    Posts: 520
    It's a completely reasonable hypothesis.
    That said, there is no doubt in PussyNoMore's mind that the biggest influence on Fleming was Jean Bruce's character, Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, agent 0SS117.
    Back then geographical distances were greater ( France was considered a far away place that you'd probably only have visited if you were a member of the upper crust or had been there during the war) and the man in the street would have had no idea that 0SS117 was a complete phenomena before 007 was given his literary birth.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,275
    I recorded it the radio programme and listened to it as it was going out. Very thin evidence is what I thought and the lady at the end summed it up best for me when she said that Phyllis Bottome may have invented Ian Fleming the writer, as opposed to inventing James Bond himself. That, at least, I could go along with.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited December 2016 Posts: 18,275
    A great article in defence of Ian Fleming from the James Bond Memes blog:

    http://jamesbondmemes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/did-phyllis-bottome-invent-james-bond.html
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agreed, a great piece. =D>
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    Phyllis Bottome? Sounds like a rejected Bond girl name...
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    "I see you've going on a trip James"
    "I hear you're going too, Bottome"
    " good, I'll bring my strap-on !"
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