James Bond is a British intelligence agent, who made his movie debut in 1962, played by Sean Connery in Dr No. All these years later, Bond is every bit as popular as he was then. There aren’t many characters that have stood the test of time as successfully as 007, and the franchise is one of the longest-running and most successful ever. But why is Bond still so popular?
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- He’s a hero. James Bond is never afraid to be in danger. Bond is a symbol of heroism, for men in particular, and this is very appealing. James Bond also represents freedom and power. He is self-assured, unapologetic, and confident. All of us sometimes feel self-doubt except James Bond. Bond knows who he is and displays no self-doubt at all. We see Bond on the screen being very cool and confident, no matter what happens around him.
- He’s classy. Bond is different from other more masculine-coded heroes in that he is classy. Bond is as famous for his chic suits and love of martinis as he is for his fighting skills. 007 is confident, knowledgeable, and sophisticated. When the character was created by Ian Fleming, Bond was written with a uniquely British attitude, which made him stand. Bond is not just a man who can fight; he’s also a man with a perfectly tailored suit.
- He’s tech-savvy. One of the reasons we still love to watch Bond movies is gadgets. A lot of heroes use guns and drive fast cars, but Bond is the true master of the gadget. At the time Bond was first written, he was the first pop culture icon to really embrace technology. In a lot of writing at the time, the tech was shown as untrustworthy and dangerous. Instead, Bond uses exploding pens, invisible cars, and jetpacks, and succeeds because of them.
- He’s well-cast. Eight different actors have portrayed James Bond on screen, and each has brought their own style to Bond while still keeping the essential parts of the character intact. No matter which Bond film is the best, each actor brings something new to the role, while still being very much Bond.
- He’s timeless. 007 has stood the test of time as he has always been written to be both of his time and above it. The essential character of Bond is constant, but each actor and new film adapts him to the time period he finds himself in, shifting to meet the changing tastes of the audience. Bond films have changed a lot over time, from their beginning point of adventure-spy films to being comedies in the ‘70s, and the grittier movies made now.
The legacy of Bond is also part of why he is still so beloved. The franchise remains as popular as it is, as the films are both old-fashioned and completely timeless.
Which Bond is your favourite Bond? Which Bond film is the best one, in your opinion, and why do we still love 007 so much?
