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Who should be a Bond girl?

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  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    bondjames wrote: »
    I don't mind a girl who's a bit goofy and who has a sense of humour. It can be done, if handled deftly. There's no need to go back to Goodnight, but a healthy medium can be achieved. Fields is along the lines I'd like.

    She didn't end up well though. Well, it did not end up well for her in any case.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Ludovico wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I don't mind a girl who's a bit goofy and who has a sense of humour. It can be done, if handled deftly. There's no need to go back to Goodnight, but a healthy medium can be achieved. Fields is along the lines I'd like.

    She didn't end up well though. Well, it did not end up well for her in any case.
    True and that was very unfortunate. It didn't need to be that way though, and I'd be open to a character with a little bit of her cutesy naivete going forward. They don't always have to be know it alls. What I can't stand are those who have a chip on their shoulder, like Pam.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Urgh Arterton was criminally wasted in QoS. I wouldn't be opposed to her coming back as a different character.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I don't mind a girl who's a bit goofy and who has a sense of humour. It can be done, if handled deftly. There's no need to go back to Goodnight, but a healthy medium can be achieved. Fields is along the lines I'd like.

    She didn't end up well though. Well, it did not end up well for her in any case.
    True and that was very unfortunate. It didn't need to be that way though, and I'd be open to a character with a little bit of her cutesy naivete going forward. They don't always have to be know it alls. What I can't stand are those who have a chip on their shoulder, like Pam.

    I am all for Fields kind of Bond girls. Not inept but not the elite of espionnage either. Or someone entirely foreign to Bond's world like Pat Fearing would be nice.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Ludovico wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I don't mind a girl who's a bit goofy and who has a sense of humour. It can be done, if handled deftly. There's no need to go back to Goodnight, but a healthy medium can be achieved. Fields is along the lines I'd like.

    She didn't end up well though. Well, it did not end up well for her in any case.
    True and that was very unfortunate. It didn't need to be that way though, and I'd be open to a character with a little bit of her cutesy naivete going forward. They don't always have to be know it alls. What I can't stand are those who have a chip on their shoulder, like Pam.

    I am all for Fields kind of Bond girls. Not inept but not the elite of espionnage either. Or someone entirely foreign to Bond's world like Pat Fearing would be nice.
    +1. Indeed, that would definitely work as well.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Urgh Arterton was criminally wasted in QoS. I wouldn't be opposed to her coming back as a different character.

    Won't happen i'm affraid. She has said words to the effect of being done with big Hollywood films. That said, she speaks highly of Barbara, so maybe Barbara could tempt her back for the lead Bond Girl.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Not to mention, Barbara did say something along the lines of regretting her decision to kill off Fields. So, I'm hoping, which chances are 100-to-1, Gemma Arterton will come back someday as the lead Bond Girl.
  • MalloryMallory
    Posts: 2,165
    There is only one.... Emily Blunt ;)
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Having Arterton back would be wonderful, but I'm pretty sure she's ruled herself out. I think that when asked about QoS she said something to the effect that if she'd been presented the decision today she would decide not to do Bond.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Mallory wrote: »
    There is only one.... Emily Blunt ;)
    Blunt has a wicked sense of humour, and if she brought some of that out in a Bond character she would be incredible.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617
    Interesting discussion re the role of woman in Bond movies. Clearly, SF proved the the gen public do not require a conventional Bond girl to embrace a Bond movie. Could it be, in fact, that the lack of a Bond girl created time for the plot and characters to develop better? Could it be that having a relationship it it's core that did not involve sex was something refreshing? A little like the debate in "when harry met sally", is it possible for Bond to be friends with a woman and not to have sex with them. If the sex has become a cliche, perhaps we need strong female role(s) where, for some reason, a sexual relationship is never going to happen? Although, given Bond's reputation with the ladies, I'm struggling to think of a scenario.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2017 Posts: 23,883
    patb wrote: »
    A little like the debate in "when harry met sally", is it possible for Bond to be friends with a woman and not to have sex with them. If the sex has become a cliche, perhaps we need strong female role(s) where, for some reason, a sexual relationship is never going to happen? Although, given Bond's reputation with the ladies, I'm struggling to think of a scenario.
    They've given us two scenarios. 'Surrogate Mother' M in SF as you mentioned, and also Camille in QoS.

    Craig's Bond has arguably only had one Bond girl since Vesper, and that is Madeline.

    I'm not sure if not having a traditional Bond girl necessarily allows more time for plot and character development. I think it's possible to have both, but maybe it works better to have him sleep with only one (either the main girl or the ancillary one, as in QoS and CR). There have been other instances where Bond has only slept with his girl at the end, such as FYEO, and that works too.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,617
    Perhaps audiences are more sophisticated these days? When you have a key relationship within a movie, its good for the audience to think "where is this going?" With the Bond girl, we all know they will end up in bed. Not knocking that but if the trend is for deeper plot lines, then we have Bond falling in love all the time which just does not work. SF was brave in doing away with this and it paid dividends. So what else can be tried?
    Well, Bond protecting a young girl? It would be a bold move and push the series in another direction. I think an older Bond (ie Craig) would suit the role of a body guard/uncle figure with an emotional connection but in a different way and just poking/hinting at Bond as the father that he will never be.
    There are a few examples of movies where the hero protected a child (Witness, Man on Fire, Mercury Rising), it can work...but for a Bond movie?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I don't think it's necessary for him to sleep with them for it to be Bondian. I'd argue that some of the other franchises (MI-RN & the Robert Brown Langdon adaptations in particular) do a far better job of it these days. Their female counterparts are strong women who are integral to the plot and move the narrative forward. They don't detract from the hero's positive qualities, but rather reinforce them.

    Upon further reflection, I agree that the sex bit could appear cliched today, especially if not handled appropriately. I was not happy with the way it was injected post near death train fight in SP for instance. I'd like to see some porking personally, but if the sex is to be more limited then I think it's important to 'up' the glamour and class aspect, or else the film could end up being like any generic film.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    I think the main problem is we as a society treat sex in a different way. In the sixties young men and women could live these lives but it was frowned upon by the norms of the time, hence it was far more attractive and exciting to see it on the big screen. Fantasy stories. I guess these days that fantasy element is gone. So many just live at least their sex-lives like this that it's lost all the excitement and glamour. Now I don't have a solution, but I did like the Camille approach. It wasn't sex, but the connection was real- and clearly from the beginning- it would end. That gave it more dynamics. This went wrong with Swann, who first rejects the life (which was a fine choice, let her go) but then came back in the story in a 'what is she still doing here' way. Also, she's first shown as fighting to get free, but we don't see her capture, no resistance at all.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    bondjames wrote: »
    patb wrote: »
    A little like the debate in "when harry met sally", is it possible for Bond to be friends with a woman and not to have sex with them. If the sex has become a cliche, perhaps we need strong female role(s) where, for some reason, a sexual relationship is never going to happen? Although, given Bond's reputation with the ladies, I'm struggling to think of a scenario.
    They've given us two scenarios. 'Surrogate Mother' M in SF as you mentioned, and also Camille in QoS.

    Craig's Bond has arguably only had one Bond girl since Vesper, and that is Madeline.

    I'm not sure if not having a traditional Bond girl necessarily allows more time for plot and character development. I think it's possible to have both, but maybe it works better to have him sleep with only one (either the main girl or the ancillary one, as in QoS and CR). There have been other instances where Bond has only slept with his girl at the end, such as FYEO, and that works too.

    Well Craig Bond also had Fields, Severine, Lucia Sciarra and one if not two unnamed Bond girls. They are minor Bond girls but still.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Ludovico wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    patb wrote: »
    A little like the debate in "when harry met sally", is it possible for Bond to be friends with a woman and not to have sex with them. If the sex has become a cliche, perhaps we need strong female role(s) where, for some reason, a sexual relationship is never going to happen? Although, given Bond's reputation with the ladies, I'm struggling to think of a scenario.
    They've given us two scenarios. 'Surrogate Mother' M in SF as you mentioned, and also Camille in QoS.

    Craig's Bond has arguably only had one Bond girl since Vesper, and that is Madeline.

    I'm not sure if not having a traditional Bond girl necessarily allows more time for plot and character development. I think it's possible to have both, but maybe it works better to have him sleep with only one (either the main girl or the ancillary one, as in QoS and CR). There have been other instances where Bond has only slept with his girl at the end, such as FYEO, and that works too.

    Well Craig Bond also had Fields, Severine, Lucia Sciarra and one if not two unnamed Bond girls. They are minor Bond girls but still.
    Yes, I agree. I was referring to the main girl though. Over the course of four films, he's only had two, which in itself is quite different from the previous actors. I personally don't like this aspect of his tenure, because it has been so clearly defined by Vesper (his Tracy?) but it is what it is.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,847
    Caity Lotz I know she isn't the best actress but she is super hot and capable in action stuff she would likely work better for a video game due to lack of acting but shrugs
  • CountJohnCountJohn
    Posts: 230
    bondjames wrote: »
    I don't mind a girl who's a bit goofy and who has a sense of humour. It can be done, if handled deftly. There's no need to go back to Goodnight, but a healthy medium can be achieved. Fields is along the lines I'd like.

    We got such a small taste of Fields but she could have worked great as a main Bond Girl.
    Mallory wrote: »
    There is only one.... Emily Blunt ;)

    Blunt would make a great Bond Girl, I've always thought so. I think I suggested her in my initial post.

  • CountJohnCountJohn
    Posts: 230
    patb wrote: »
    Perhaps audiences are more sophisticated these days? When you have a key relationship within a movie, its good for the audience to think "where is this going?" With the Bond girl, we all know they will end up in bed. Not knocking that but if the trend is for deeper plot lines, then we have Bond falling in love all the time which just does not work. SF was brave in doing away with this and it paid dividends. So what else can be tried?
    Well, Bond protecting a young girl? It would be a bold move and push the series in another direction. I think an older Bond (ie Craig) would suit the role of a body guard/uncle figure with an emotional connection but in a different way and just poking/hinting at Bond as the father that he will never be.
    There are a few examples of movies where the hero protected a child (Witness, Man on Fire, Mercury Rising), it can work...but for a Bond movie?

    Personally, I thought the presence of a main Bond Girl was sorely missed in SF, although I liked the movie on the whole. I'd prefer they not get in the habit of leaving out the main Bond Girl.

    Admittedly your idea was good, though. I'd rather it not be a child though. A woman in her early 20's with a sweet and naive disposition (like Kara in The Living Daylights) paired with an aging Bond could work. The audience would probably find a 50+ Bond hooking up with a girl like that icky, so we can have a nice paternal relationship with them. Maybe she has a transparent crush on Bond fueled by daddy issues (not a silly nympho thing like the skater in FYEO, though) but he doesn't want to take advantage of her and maybe just as paternal feelings for her and isn't even attracted to her. So that Bond isn't completely chaste through the movie we could have him hook up with a woman along the way for some kind of "mission related" reason, and then have the girl get jealous.

    Thinking of a past situation where this could have worked, if Rodge had come back for TLD this could have been the relationship with he and Kara. She and Dalton were pretty chaste as it was.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    Suppose you can count these two out:

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/priyanka-chopra-best-response-possibly-122527792.html
  • 00Agent00Agent Any man who drinks Dom Perignon '52 can't be all bad.
    edited May 2017 Posts: 5,185
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    Suppose you can count these two out:

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/priyanka-chopra-best-response-possibly-122527792.html

    Thank god, how awful that would have been.
    Comments like these should be instant disqualifiers to ever be considered even.

  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I am all for a female Bond. But... BUT, first I want to see a biopic of Emily Pankhurst (founder of the suffragette movement), played by a male, and depicted as an Ollie Reed, Alpha Male type.
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    MajorDSmythe wrote: »
    I am all for a female Bond. But... BUT, first I want to see a biopic of Emily Pankhurst (founder of the suffragette movement), played by a male, and depicted as an Ollie Reed, Alpha Male type.

    Good Point well made Major .
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2017 Posts: 8,400
    Wouldn't it be cool to have a Bond girl who based on her first scene comes off as the 70's style ditzy airhead, but through the course of the film grows into the more modern, headstrong independent figure? We've had Bond girls who are one or the other, but I don't think we've ever seen one make that journey before.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    We've seen the opposite with Tiffany Case inexplicably regressing from cool, headstrong, and independent to ditzy airhead.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2017 Posts: 8,400
    Yes, that occurred to me too. I think it would be cool for Bond to at first patronize this young woman, but then as things move along gradually grow to respect her, so when they sleep together at the end it still feels significant, even though they aren't head over heels in love. It could be used as a subtle way to give them both a bit of development, without distracting too much from the mission at hand.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Pierce2Daniel wrote: »
    Here's a controversial opinion.......

    Let's not have a Bond girl! Female leads in action films are such cliche-ridden affairs. We know the motions and we just end up having to sit through them time and time again.

    Madeleine Swann was created by an interesting director and played by a great actress, but her arc was as dull as dishwater.

    Can Bond 25 take the Logan approach and just focus on the lead character? I'd rather see them ditch the traditional Bond girl and just watch a movie of Bond on a mission.

    Also, if Craig returns (which seems to be the case) - wouldn't we all rather see him get a great finale which isn't ruined by the filmmakers artificially creating a female character for him to open up to? This approach has been done to death and is never really that successful.

    I want to see Craig's Bond end on a definitive note. His last film should also be Bond's last mission (before they inevitably reboot).

    But if they do feel compelled to bring in a new female character for Craig, I hope to god that she's age appropriate. Can we not have Rachel Weisz, Julianne Moore or Jessica Chastain in the next film?

    Bond should end up alone at the end of Craig's last.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,585
    It all depends on what the role requires and who is playing Bond, of course.

    These are some who would be great. opposite DC:

    1. Morena Baccarin
    2. Emily Blunt
    3. Violante Placido
    4. Pom Klementieff
  • MilovyMilovy
    Posts: 676
    All great choices, @TripAces.
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