The James Bond film franchise has been around since 1962, with the most recent addition set for release this year with No Time To Die. Due to the fact that the franchise has been running for so long, several elements of the films, particularly the earlier in the series, have become outdated, whether it be the cliches, the technology, or even the villains and their plots.
However, one particularly important aspect of the James Bond franchise that ought to be discussed is its problematic moments. As the Bond movies ran through the ’60s to today, there are several problematic scenes, particularly involving women and minorities, that ought not to be forgotten.
This article will list James Bond’s 10 most problematic moments.
Bond In Afghanistan
This one isn’t really fair on Bond, but it is still worth mentioning. In The Living Daylights, Bond travels to Afghanistan in order to defeat the antagonist of the movie and destroy a plane full of opium that the villain will use to supply the Soviet Union with weapons.
However, what is interesting about this is that Bond works with the Mujahideen in order to do so. For those who are unaware, a faction of the Mujahideen would go on to become the Taliban.
The Homophobia Of Mr. Wint And Mr. Kidd
This entry is a mixed bag in terms of how problematic it is, but is worth mentioning nonetheless. In Diamonds Are Forever, we’re introduced to Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, two assassins who, it is strongly implied, are in a relationship. This is shown by the fact that the two hold hands at one point and, after Mr. Kidd suggests that Tiffany Case is pretty “for a lady,” Mr. Wint seems jealous.
The homophobia, however, comes from how the two are portrayed. They perpetuate several negative stereotypes, and Mr. Wint is even seen using women’s perfume. That being said, the film ought to be praised for including a queer relationship that doesn’t take center stage. In other words, it’s not a big deal; they’re just gay.
Locking Nick Nack In A Suitcase
Towards the end of The Man with the Golden Gun, Nick Nack attempts to murder James Bond as he and Dr. Goodhead enjoy some alone time together. Understandably, Bond defends himself and is entirely in the right to do so; however, it is how Bond deals with Nick Nack that is so problematic.
Bond traps Nick Nack in a suitcase and then locks him in a cage upon the mast of the ship that Bond is traveling in. Bearing in mind that in this cage, Nick Nack has no access to food or water and is exposed to the sun.
Yellowface Bond
In order to avoid assassins who are trying to kill him, Bond goes into hiding in Japan, living in a ninja training camp. However, after deeming this is not enough to keep Bond safe, his allies suggest that they should make him appear Japanese so that he fits in more easily.
The result of this decision is a racially insensitive attempt at making Sean Connery appear to be Japanese, complete with eye prosthetics, a wig, and a kimono.
Bond’s Manipulation Of Sévérine
In Skyfall, Bond meets with Sévérine, a woman who has been essentially enslaved by the sex trade for all her life, only to be released from the trade by a man who oppresses her with fear, Raoul Silva. Promising to help her escape from this life, Bond asks for her help in reaching Silva’s island.
However, during this time Bond not only walks into her shower unannounced, initiating sex with her, but he also does not attempt to save her on Silva’s island and expresses no grief over her death.
Tricking Solitaire
While Bond is known for being charming and seductive, perhaps he also ought to be known for manipulating women into sleeping with him. One of the clearest examples of this came in the movie Live and Let Die. A fortune-teller known as Solitaire claims that her powers come from her virginity, so she refuses to sleep with James Bond.
However, Bond won’t let that stop him. In order to get have his way with Solitaire, Bond rigs her tarot deck in order for her to sleep with him.
Sleeping With Mental Patients
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is most known for being the movie in which Bond gets married and widowed after his wife is killed by Ernst Stavro Blofeld. However, the movie should also be remembered as the one where Bond takes advantage of the mentally vulnerable in a clinic.
Blofeld’s clinic is housing beautiful women from around the globe in an effort to mentally reprogram them into killing machines. Bond takes advantage of their psychological vulnerabilities and beds several of them, making him very problematic to say the least.
Bond Slapping Women
This is hard to pin down to one particular film as, especially during the Connery era, James Bond made a habit of slapping women. However, the most memorable example of Bond attacking a woman happened during the second movie in the franchise, From Russia With Love.
During this film, James Bond slaps and then threatens Tatiana Romanova on a train in a scene that certainly belongs in the past due to the misogyny entrenched within it.
Bond And The Nurse
James Bond actually tries twice to sleep with the nurse in Thunderball. During his first attempt, he simply grabs her and kisses her, but she pushes him away. However, after this, Bond is attached to a back-stretching mechanism, which a villain takes advantage of by messing around with the buttons, almost killing Bond in the process.
The nurse returns to switch the machine off, saving Bond’s life. However, rather than expressing his gratitude, Bond blackmails the nurse into sleeping with him, suggesting that he would tell the nurse’s superiors that she was responsible for Bond’s pain on the machine.
Bond And Pussy Galore
This one easily takes first place on the list. In Goldfinger, Bond forces himself on Pussy Galore while the two roll around in hay together. As Pussy Galore is trying to fight Bond off, it is clear that she is unwilling to engage in any sexual activity, yet the spy continues to force himself on her until she relents.
This is a very disturbing scene today and it certainly dampens not only the film, but also how we view Bond as a character in this movie.
