Whilst the Covid pandemic maybe lessened its global grip in 2022, it was another hard year for the globe. However, life and that of happier things like Bond and Bond movies did continue to navigate forwards. EON Productions and our man James celebrated the onscreen 007’s sixtieth anniversary in various bespoke ways and reminded audiences of the fever for Bond 26 and the next spy to don the tux.
Yet, some Bond alumni were unable to witness 007’s celebrations. Fate had other plans in 2022 as the passing of 007 alumni, creatives, friends and vital sparks added shadows to a celebratory year…
“I hear the new M is a lady!?”
ROBBIE COlTRANE, GOLDENEYE
One of Britain’s best, Robbie Coltrane was the first clever, nuanced and inventive casting of a new era for Bond movies – and one that soon enabled the likes of Dench, Fiennes, Whishaw and – arguably – Mendes and many more to add to the franchise. With faux Russian wit and a very real Glaswegian bite, he helped launch the new Bond, its tone, politics and fandom.
With ‘The James Bond Theme’ composer Monty Norman gifted 007, cinema, music and pop-culture an immortal signature. John Barry may have stitched and styled the theme into perfection. But it was Monty Norman who gave him the cloth, texture and notes. He also proved the soundtrack might and jukebox potential for Bond, and his name deserves to be on every 007 movie until all our end credits roll.
With its deathly purples, amber dawns, sumptuous dusks and its late 1960s pull focus romance, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is not just one of the best photographed Bond bullets, it’s a cinematographic work that still resonates through cinema today. Rest in peace to its masterful lensman, Michael Reed.
Other sad losses from the Bond world in 2022 also included music editor Dina Eaton (Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace), veteran Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang (General Moon, Die Another Day), comic book artist Neal Adams (The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Roger Moore / Bond edition), actor David Warner (Spymaker – The Secret Life of Ian Fleming), actor Bernard Cribbins (Casino Royale), and stuntman Doug Robinson (Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only, A View to a Kill, Never Say Never Again).
Perhaps the biggest loss for the Bond world this year was also one shared by Britain and the world. A premiere patron, Bond knight-maker, cultural attache and faithful co-star, Queen Elizabeth II’s seventy-year reign always paralleled that of Commander Bond’s.
HM Elizabeth II became monarch in a Commonwealth outpost the very same 1952 February as Fleming began penning Casino Royale in the Commonwealth mainstay and societal bolt-hole that was Jamaica. Seventy years on, No Time to Die returned Bond to that world, Union flags on yachts, British Land Rovers the monarch herself would drive, a lagoon home dripping in Commonwealth trappings, awareness and sentiment, a burst of The Mall and Trooping the Color, and a World Royal Premiere attended by two future kings of the realm.
When Bond’s debut novel is published a year later in 1953, ER II is then crowned amidst a new televisual era of colour – one that sees Britain and its new literary and cinematic heroes step on from a war-framed nation to a revived era of internationalism, globe-trotting adventure, technology and politics.
“We join the world in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family.”
– Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli
The two Britannic icons concurrently navigated the same eras, political backdrops, new technologies and global history. Both were shaped by a post-war, jet age and jet-set Britain, both began in a time of Churchill and rationing, both were Christmas Day TV idols in the UK, both had a founding father with a naval history, one allowed the other filming permissions and granted royal performance status, whilst the other continues to visually allude to all things Britannic.
It cannot be over-stressed how – until Paddington Bear shared the bill with ER II in June 2022 – it was Bond that was granted the first royale decree of sorts when The Queen wholeheartedly agreed to appear in director Danny Boyle’s ‘Happy and Glorious’ short film for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympiad. Whilst Her Majesty was doubled up by actress Julia Mackenzie for the helicopter scenes, ‘One Take Liz’ (an affectionate nickname for her savvy camera skills down the decades) was first presented with a wider populated script featuring more British elements and figureheads.
She allegedly scaled it down to just her, James Bond and one of cinema’s greatest signature tunes. As ER II and 007 parachute over a July London amidst that red, white and blue pageantry, the world looked on and realized that has never happened to any other pop culture fellow.
Purported to have watched all the Bond films and visually referenced in many a movie bullet, on Her Majesty’s 70-year Service always included Britannia’s strident trident, James Bond 007.
And as Bond’s inadvertent Royal warrant extended to Commanders of the British Empire status to producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in the series sixtieth year and Daniel Craig’s recent royal honours, the very phrase ‘For Queen and Country’ has now changed. The 007th Bond will be the first to work for a different monarch in a different Britain. Yet, any future British monarch will also be very familiar with the franchise and the cultural reach of the Palace of Bond. The Queen didn’t just grow up with 007. Her heirs did too. The reign of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is over. Operation London Bridge will eventually be replaced by Operation Spring Tide and major Bond supporter and fellow owner of a DB5 King Charles III will be the new Bond’s new monarch.
Cheers Ma’am. Long live the King.
