Perhaps Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond series, never guessed that the mysterious spy he created during the Cold War would remain popular and in the spotlight half a century after his creator's death. Following 'Skyfall,' which was released in 2012 and received a billion-dollar reception from audiences, the twenty-fifth James Bond film titled 'Spectre' featuring Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Christoph Waltz, and Lea Seydoux has now hit the screens. On this occasion, we take a look at some intriguing aspects of Ian Fleming's life and his creation '007' that you may not have heard before:
Fleming wrote 14 stories about 'James Bond'. 1. Ian Fleming, although he placed many women and thrilling events in the path of his main character, sought an Anglo-Saxon name that was both 'short and unromantic' and 'ordinary and mundane.' He accidentally found this name on one of the books in his library, which was written by American ornithologist James Bond about the native birds of the Caribbean and published in 1936.
2. James Bond is one of the 'most English' heroes in cinema history and often does not need much foreign help to save the world from evil. Fleming created this character in post-World War II Britain, when the country was still considered an empire with colonies around the world, but as history shows, the tide gradually turned. He was not optimistic about the United States - which at that time did not have a good relationship with Britain - and believed that despite its increasing influence and power, 'it is in no way ready to run the world.' He stated that American society 'has not drawn clear moral boundaries between right and wrong.'
3. Sex, violence, and numerous chases can be considered common features of all the stories in which Bond has appeared. Excluding the film 'Spectre,' which is currently in theaters, the character James Bond has killed a total of 352 people in 22 main films based on Fleming's stories and has made romantic advances toward 52 beautiful women. Interestingly, three-quarters of these young women intend to kill him, but the hero always escapes these plots. Daniel Craig, who has portrayed Bond for over a decade, described James Bond in an interview with 'Esquire' before the release of his latest film as a 'sexist' and 'misogynist' man who, despite sleeping with numerous women, ultimately feels very 'lonely.' Craig receives every martini he wants for free; an arrangement that the British actor should not be unhappy about.
4. Fleming drew inspiration for creating James Bond from several real characters, including himself; Bond, like his creator, studied at Eton College (Berkshire, UK) and then joined the British Navy. The influence of the author's experiences from his years in naval intelligence and later as a journalist with the 'Sunday Times' can be seen throughout the adventures of James Bond. Additionally, Mr. Fleming, just like his hero, smoked dozens of cigarettes daily and was particularly meticulous about how to prepare his favorite drink, martini.
5. The fame and popularity of 'James Bond' in the United States is largely attributed to an interview that former President John F. Kennedy gave to 'Life' magazine in 1961. Kennedy, who remains one of the most popular U.S. presidents years after his assassination, stated in this interview that 'From Russia, with Love' is one of the best novels he has read. Following the public's reception of this novel, a film adaptation was made in 1963 starring Sean Connery in the United States. It is said to be the last film Kennedy watched just one day before his assassination in Texas.
6. James Bond is defined as much by his love for drinking, smoking, and beautiful women as by his taste in car selection. In Fleming's stories - and on the big screen - he drives various luxurious models of 'Aston Martin'; cars that, given the volume of chases and explosions in the films, many of them did not survive filming. The name of this English car brand is so intertwined with James Bond's name that the company has committed to the current actor in this role, Daniel Craig, that he will receive any model of this brand he desires for free for the rest of his life.
7. Although James Bond is one of the most recognized fictional characters in cinema and literature, he is equally mysterious and enigmatic. In the stories and adapted films, not much is said about his past, nor is there much focus on his family and close ones. However, Fleming briefly explains in one of the 14 stories based on Bond's character that Bond is the son of a Scottish father and a Swiss mother, but lost his parents in a mountaineering accident at the age of 11 and was subsequently raised by his aunt in a small village.
8. During the making of the fifth James Bond film, 'You Only Live Twice' (1967), the Japanese government informed the production team that it would only grant permission to film in the country if the female lead role was played by a Japanese actress. However, 'Mi Hama,' the young actress chosen for this role, was not fluent in English, and the producers' plan for her to stay in Britain for several months did not improve her conversational skills to an acceptable level. When Hama learned of the producers' decision to return her to Japan and replace her with another actress, she threatened to throw herself out of her hotel window; a threat that proved relatively effective: although the female lead role went to 'Akiko Wakabayashi,' she was given the role of 'Kissy Suzuki,' which had fewer lines.
9. It may be hard to believe, but Fleming also wrote a book for children. 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car' is a three-volume book that the author wrote in 1964 for his son 'Casper,' and a musical film of the same name was made in 1968 based on it. Fleming died in the same year this book was published, on the 12th birthday of his son, after years of relentless drinking and smoking, at the age of 53 due to a heart attack.