An Examination of Sexual Deviance in the James Bond Franchise
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Feature 02 below Figure 1: Colonel Rosa Klebb (Lotte Len- ya) caresses Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) in From Russia with Love (Eon Productions, 1963) When Can Homophobia Live and Let Die?: An Examination of Sexual Deviance in the James Bond Franchise By Lauren Spungen keywords: James Bond, Skyfall, homosexuality, LGBTQ+, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger THERE ARE CERTAIN fall in love with him, rescues her from a sexually deviant villains have been present ExPECTATIONS – necessities to dangerous villain, and saves the world – all throughout the films. From one of the first many fans – that come along with the within the course of a two-hour screening installments, From Russia with Love (1963), to release of a James Bond film. As a result time. But there is one aspect of this formula one of the most recent, Skyfall (2012), many of the fairly predictable nature of the that goes mostly unacknowledged by fans: of Bond’s enemies fall on the LGBTQ+ films, the franchise has become a popular many of the evil geniuses Bond faces spectrum. phenomenon, evidenced by total box office off with are minorities in terms of their As of 2015, in which the most recent earnings of over $7 billion (“Box Office sexuality. Christine Bold, a professor of Bond film, Spectre, was released, about History”). Beginning with a silhouetted, English literature, notes about the franchise, 60% of Americans were in support of hyper-sexualized credit sequence, Bond “beauty, heterosexuality, and patriotism go gay marriage, a 200% increase since only is equipped with unrealistically high-tech together; ugliness, sexual ‘deviance’ and 2004 (Koplowitz). The same holds true in gadgets and sent on a top-secret mission in criminality are linked equally irresistibly” Britain: since legislation has been passed an exotic, jaw-droppingly beautiful location. (174). Although Bold primarily focuses on in 2013 allowing same-sex marriage in the He makes an impossibly gorgeous woman the book series authored by Ian Fleming, UK, approval of gay marriage has risen 12 Film Matters Spring 2017 Feature 02 When Can Homophobia Live and Let Die? But when examining the conflict between Bond and Klebb – good and evil – the film reveals a simultaneous battle between heterosexuality and homosexuality. to 60% in 2015 (Bingham). Despite the non-heteronormative character be viliFied of the second Bond film, From Russia with rapidly expanding societal acceptance of yet again? Love, directed by Terence Young, Eon sexual minorities, however, the Bond series Vilifying characters that present as non- Productions was able to set a precedent For seems to be stuck Following an outdated heteronormative can be traced back to how the film franchise would play out. At formula. The Franchise attempts to Fill a the very beginning of James Bond: the this point, the “Bond Formula” had not yet predictable trope by portraying characters 1953 novel Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. been cemented; the classic plot staples and in a comedic fashion, but, underneath the The story’s arch-villain is Le Chiffre, an viewer’s expectations were flexible since lighthearted tone, the villains are depicted agent of the USSR who enjoys high-stakes there had only been one previous Film, Dr. in a manner that perpetuates anti-LGBTQ gambling. In the beginning of the novel, No (1962).1 The impressionable nature of the sentiments by vilifying sexual minorities. It M16 (Bond’s agency) receives a dossier series at this point made it easy For tradition is important to note that I am not claiming describing Le Chiffre’s physical appearance to start within the Franchise. UnFortunately, that the antisocial nature oF the villains is a and background, detailing the villain’s the initial choice to make Bond overly result oF their sexuality – that the series is habits as, “Mostly expensive, but discreet. masculine and have him Fight against a portraying the characters as evil because they Large sexual appetites. Flagellant” (14). non-heterosexual villain began a trend are homosexual – but instead I argue that, This characterization of Le Chiffre as into throughout the Films. within the context of the franchise, there BDSM appears later in the novel too; Bond In From Russia with Love, Bond (Sean exists a correlation between homosexuality and is captured by the villain and seated in a Connery) is painted as a champion of evil that perpetuates ideas oF homophobia. bottomless chair, and his wrists and ankles heterosexuality; within a mere two hours This link between deviant sexuality and are tied in a manner reminiscent of bondage. of film, he has sexual relations with four morality is more distressing now than ever Le Chiffre enters the room with a carpet- different women. Although humorous, this beFore; the most recent Bond film, Spectre beater and a cane and begins to torture Bond extreme manifestation of a heterosexual (2015), did not introduce any new villains by thrashing him through the hole in the Bond is problematic because his arch- to the Franchise, simply showcasing the chair. As Bond cringes in pain, Le Chiffre nemesis in the film, Colonel Rosa Klebb notorious villain BloFeld in a new manner. seems to derive enjoyment from the torture, (Lotte Lenya), is overtly depicted as lesbian. However, as the series continues to grow, merging his non-heteronormative expression The film’s plot revolves around Bond trying the introduction oF new villains is inevitable. of sexuality with an evil to oppose Bond’s to retrieve an important device stolen by And as Eon Productions continues to make good. Klebb’s criminal organization, and Bond’s more Films and the population grows in The same pattern oF linking deviant arch-nemesis, SPECTRE. But when support of the LGBTQ+ movement, the sexuality and evil emerged as the book examining the conflict between Bond and liberal Bond Fan is compelled to ask: will a series was adapted to film. With the release Klebb – good and evil – the film reveals a below Figure 2: Colonel Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) in From Russia with Love (Eon Productions, 1963) 13 Film Matters Spring 2017 ➜ Feature 02 Lauren Spungen Pussy Galore is a lesbian until she falls in love with Bond and simultaneously becomes “good.” simultaneous battle between heterosexuality Bond fight, and Tatiana, using the gun that appear more forceful since Klebb’s victim and homosexuality. Klebb dropped, shoots at the colonel. Klebb is visually below her. After Silva stands over Klebb’s lesbianism becomes apparent collapses to the ground as Bond walks away Bond for a minute, just long enough to assert when she invites the film’s “Bond girl,” from her, unscathed. In Tatiana’s actions to that he is in charge, he pulls up a chair and Soviet intelligence agent Tatiana Romanova protect the man she loves, she kills Klebb, sits down in front of Bond. The two men (Daniela Bianchi), into her office to explain restoring the heteronormative balance of the begin to speak about M (Judi Dench) – 007’s her mission. Almost immediately, Klebb, film. boss – and the villain becomes touchy. He a butch-presenting woman sporting a When From Russia with Love was released undoes the top few buttons in Bond’s shirt, masculine haircut and a light brown suit, in theaters, homosexuality was officially revealing a scar from a previous bullet tells Tatiana to take off her jacket and turn categorized as a mental disorder in the wound. Silva begins to caress it with his around. Tatiana sits in a chair in Klebb’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual, a psychologist’s hand; an image comparable to the careful office and the camera is positioned at eye tool for classifying and diagnosing mental way that Klebb touched Tatiana’s shoulders level with her, making the viewer aligned disorders (Drescher). If homosexuality almost fifty years prior. As Silva’s hand grazes with Tatiana rather than Klebb. “You’re were still classified as a disorder today, the the wound, Bond, defending his boss against a fine looking girl,” Klebb comments, growing number of people who support the villain’s criticism, says, “She never tied her eyes scanning Tatiana’s figure. Klebb gay rights would be outraged. Bond fans me to a chair.” “Her loss,” Silva replies as he explains that Tatiana is supposed to seduce that fall under this category still should remains focused on the scar. As they further Bond and give him false information, but be – even though society has changed, discuss M, Silva moves his hands from Bond’s while discussing this assignment, the villain the James Bond franchise still employs the chest to his neck and eventually to his legs approaches her and rests a hand on Tatiana’s same formula as seen in From Russia with (Figures 3 and 4). With his hands still on bare leg. Tatiana flinches out of discomfort. Love when characterizing their villains, Bond’s thighs, Silva’s dialogue continues to Later in the scene, Klebb positions herself only adapting the archetype to the plot of take a sexual undertone as he says, “there’s directly behind Tatiana; she then initiates each individual film. Upon the release of a first time for everything,” implying that physical contact again by putting her hand the twenty-third installment in the series, he would like to be the first man Bond has on Tatiana’s shoulder. Tatiana consistently Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes, the arch- sexual relations with. Unlike Tatiana was, demonstrates resistance to Klebb’s sexual villain was, yet again, portrayed as non- Bond is unable to defiantly glare out of advances by avoiding eye contact, instead heteronormative. the frame – the way in which Craig and gazing at the floor out of the frame. “You The arch-villain of Skyfall is Raoul Silva Bardem are staged forms an inevitable eye are very fortunate to have been chosen for (Javier Bardem), a former M16 operative contact between Bond and his tormentor.