One of the primary tenets of conservatism is that we sit on the shoulders of giants, and th burden of proof for “improving” a good idea is necessarily and justifiably high.
With that in mind: James Bond is getting a 21st-century update:
In a new book, however, James Bond will be getting a dose of modern morality, as author Anthony Horowitz reveals the tricks he used to drag the spy kicking and screaming into the era of political correctness.
Horowitz, the writer of new Bond novel Trigger Mortis, said he had worked carefully to preserve Ian Fleming’s original character and ensuring his 1950s attitudes remained in tact.
But he has introduced a cast of new characters to point out the error of his chauvinistic ways, including messages about smoking causing cancer, women who give him a run for his money, and an “outspoken” gay friend.
Anyone but me thinking “Will and Grace” with car chases?
If there is one thing in Western Civilization that not only needs no “update”, but in fact
FFS. Might as well call it “James Bond in The PC Harpy Brigade.” I’d give a true Bond about half a book before he joins SPECTRE in disgust.
Like Blofeld wasn’t gay?
No but Pussy Galore and Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd were.
The difference between Fleming’s Bond and Horowitz’ Bond is the authors’ life experience. It shows in the books more than the movies.
Fleming formed commando units in WW II. He knew killers personally and selected their missions. Bond is modeled after hard men fighting a dirty war, an assassin, a killer untroubled by a conscience.
Horowitz grew up a fat kid in a well-to-do family who loved mystery stories and ended up writing them. He’s trying to smooth Bond around the edges because Horowitz doesn’t know anything about people who kill without hesitation or remorse.
Fleming’s Bond would see the cancer ad and think “If I live that long, which isn’t likely in my line of work.” He wouldn’t worry what his gay friend thinks, if he had a gay friend at all (he has no close friends in the books). I’d say “sociopath” but I don’t know any, either. And I’m glad.
“The past is another country, they do things differently there.” No smart writer would lift the WWII era Bond and drop him into today, all you would wind up with would be farce. Better writers, like Ben Coe, Dalton Fury and even Vince Flynn, use the modern version of Bond, SpecOps vets, in their books.
Speaking of spies living long enough to get cancer from smoking, read Vince Flynn. They end up training the next generation of bada$$es.
That might be a better way to go. Drop an elder Bond into today’s world as he attempts to train the next generation. His charges could be the PC, nambi pambi, don’t use he or she but instead ze…Then again, James would put the lot out of his misery by page 10, unless he seduced one. In that case, page 12.
I expect Bond will start wearing skinny jeans and putting product in his hair.
I disagree, Shawnr. The article says:
“Trigger Mortis sees the new couple living in 1957 Chelsea and irritating one another over their boiled eggs, with “an uneasy silence full of dark thoughts and words unsaid”.
Horowitz isn’t dropping a 1950’s Bond into 2015; he’s dropping a 2015 Pajama Boy into the 1950s. This isn’t Austin Powers, it’s Marty McFly without a guitar.