|
Who's the Better Bond
|
The Cornell Daily Sun
Who's the Better Bond Pierce Brosnan
By OBrien
Nov 20 2006
Deckhead: Pierce Brosnan James Bond is one of the most iconic figures in Western film, bringing class to the role of the action hero and defining two generations of male power fantasies. This week, Daniel Craig becomes the 6th actor to don a tuxedo and take on the role of the British super-spy. In honor of that, I present the heretical view that Pierce Brosnan was the best Bond ever. Here's why:
1. Brosnan Brought Bond Back. By the mid-90's, many critics had proclaimed the death of 007. The archetypical Cold Warrior, James Bond seemed to have little place in the new unipolar world. Ironically, Brosnan's resurrection of the spy predicted the post-9/11 “Bondification” of foreign policy, as the Western world became increasingly fearful of fanatical non-state arch villains (bin Laden, Zarqawi, Tom Cruise) rather than foreign powers. Interestingly, Brosnan's pre- 9/11 enemies all came from within Western capitalist culture: a rogue MI:6 agent-turned-terrorist, a Ted Turner-esque media mogul, and an oil heiress. But I digress.
The important thing is that Brosnan succeeded where many thought he would fail, remaking Bond into a 21st Century hero. Film sales tell the story of his success: Brosnan starred in the four highest grossing Bond films ever made. Pierce Brosnan also managed to make the character attractive to modern audiences while maintaining Bond's raging misogyny. This was an important acting accomplishment. Unlike “Sir” Sean Connery, Brosnan isn't an unbelievable bastard in real life.
Bond's storied relationship with women brings me to my next point:
2. Brosnan’s Bond Shoots Women In the climax of The World Is Not Enough, James Bond chases Elektra King (the franchise’s first female arch villain) to her bedroom. The usual cat-and-mouse seduction game ensues, until Elektra tries to alert her terrorist boyfriend via walkie-talkie. In a sudden and brutal expansion of Bond's moral license to kill, he guns down the unarmed woman. I thought this was great. Bond films are all about sex and death, but The World Is Not Enough was the first film where 007 personally murdered a former lover. This served as an important reminder to audiences: for all of Bond's gentlemanly behavior, he is at his core a stone-cold killer. And Brosnan depicts this ruthlessness in a way that the other Bonds could never pull off. Connery always seemed self-consciously gallant, whereas Moore looked more familiar with a croquet mallet than a Walther PPK (proving again that Brits shouldn't play the role).
3. Wikipedia Says So I quote from the “Pierce Brosnan” entry of Wikipedia: “Brosnan's appointment as Bond brought things full circle for the actor, who stated in interviews that the very first movie he ever saw was Goldfinger and that Sean Connery's performance as Bond had inspired him to enter show business. Ironically, Brosnan would far surpass Sir Sean in his portrayal of 007. Pierce Brosnan was, without a glimmer of doubt, the greatest James Bond ever.”
An astute reader might note that it sounds as if I edited this entry. That would be both true and irrelevant. Wikipedia never lies, and if you don't believe me I invite you to Wiki “Wikipedia.” (I edited that entry too)
4. Brosnan Looks the Part In 1959, Ian Fleming commissioned a sketch of his famous creation — it's Brosnan all the way, complete with the wayward tuft of hair. Actor Christopher Lee (you probably know him from Lord of the Rings and the new Star Wars), a close friend of the late Fleming’s, has repeatedly confirmed this resemblance.
5. Brosnan Fleshed Out the Character Connery made Bond, but he was never fully aware of the legend he was creating. Roger Moore messed it up, turning 007 into a goofy fop. Lazenby and Dalton are unmentionable. Brosnan, however, made the first effort to really flesh Bond out. What drives this merciless soldier? Why does he love sports cars and hate women? What's the deal with the martinis? Brosnan made an effort to hint at Bond's troubled past, to suggest at a trace of humanity behind the cruel charm. This makes the character much more interesting and his violent and sexual exploits all the more entertaining.
I haven't seen Casino Royale yet, but I have high hopes. I've read that Craig plays an even grittier Bond, and that Casino forgoes many of the distracting gadgets of the franchise (such as jetpacks and invisible cars). It may be that Daniel Craig will surpass Brosnan as the best Bond, and that's fine. I'll just have to go back to Wikipedia and make it official.
|
|