Spring Break
Bond girls: beautiful, but deadly
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: Focus
Seductive, elegant, intelligent and deadly are only some of the words used to describe a specific yet iconic type of femme fatale known by the title of "Bond Girl." Though their faces, names and motives vary throughout the 22 Bond films, their iconic stance and strength as sexy, empowering women often outweigh the subject of the film itself - sometimes, even outdoing the performance of dear old Bond, James Bond. However, while some of these women remain a distant memory, some stand strongly in the minds of Bond movie lovers as badass women, standing side by side to Bond.
Honey Ryder ("Dr. No"): Emerging through the water in her skimpy white bikini, Ursula Andress sets the standard for all Bond girls to come, not to mention making the bikini an instant classic and must-have for any fashionable woman. Beautiful and seductive as she sings "Underneath the Mango Tree" on the beach, Bond doesn't have a chance of saying "no" to her.
Pussy Galore ("Goldfinger"): Age proves to be no problem when it comes to this Bond "girl." Honor Blackman was 37 years old when she depicted a villainess with a dislike for men. Though a dominating and intimidating figure to Bond, not even she could resist his charms, and eventually helps him thwart Goldfinger's evil plan.
Jill Masterson ("Goldfinger"): Though she met her death early into the film "Goldfinger," the image of Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) lying on a bed painted in gold is one of the most iconic images of the whole Bond series.
Tiffany Case ("Diamonds Are Forever"): With charm and class, Jill St. John's character is not only an American diamond smuggler but a lively personality to clash with James Bond's sophisticated charm. At first she's a bad girl, presented as tough and opportunistic, taking sides with the bad guys. Later though, she decides that her loyalties lie with the good guys, and with Bond. Even when she's captured, she always takes advantage of her situation.
Anya Amasova ("The Spy Who Loved Me"): A Russian secret agent known as XXX, she often outsmarts Bond. Barbara Bach plays her as a strong secret agent and a damsel in distress. More importantly, she was the first Bond girl to result from the Women's Liberation Movement in the mid-1970s and was the first of Bond's lovely ladies to truly be his equal.
Honey Ryder ("Dr. No"): Emerging through the water in her skimpy white bikini, Ursula Andress sets the standard for all Bond girls to come, not to mention making the bikini an instant classic and must-have for any fashionable woman. Beautiful and seductive as she sings "Underneath the Mango Tree" on the beach, Bond doesn't have a chance of saying "no" to her.
Pussy Galore ("Goldfinger"): Age proves to be no problem when it comes to this Bond "girl." Honor Blackman was 37 years old when she depicted a villainess with a dislike for men. Though a dominating and intimidating figure to Bond, not even she could resist his charms, and eventually helps him thwart Goldfinger's evil plan.
Jill Masterson ("Goldfinger"): Though she met her death early into the film "Goldfinger," the image of Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) lying on a bed painted in gold is one of the most iconic images of the whole Bond series.
Tiffany Case ("Diamonds Are Forever"): With charm and class, Jill St. John's character is not only an American diamond smuggler but a lively personality to clash with James Bond's sophisticated charm. At first she's a bad girl, presented as tough and opportunistic, taking sides with the bad guys. Later though, she decides that her loyalties lie with the good guys, and with Bond. Even when she's captured, she always takes advantage of her situation.
Anya Amasova ("The Spy Who Loved Me"): A Russian secret agent known as XXX, she often outsmarts Bond. Barbara Bach plays her as a strong secret agent and a damsel in distress. More importantly, she was the first Bond girl to result from the Women's Liberation Movement in the mid-1970s and was the first of Bond's lovely ladies to truly be his equal.
Be the first to comment on this story