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Order Jamie Glazov’s new book, United in Hate: The Left’s Romance with Tyranny, Terror, and Hamas: HERE.
The Oscar nominations were revealed two days ago. As such, the film industry and movie fans once again are ripe with speculation about who will win an Academy Award. One of the most enduring movie franchises ever is that of the James Bond series, featuring leading actors such as Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig in the title role.
When Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie was released, an acquaintance and I discussed who might replace him. My conversation partner suggested that it was time for a woman to take on the role of 007. I found this view to be odd; James Bond, in Ian Fleming’s series, unquestionably is a man. My colleague contended that whether it’s James Bond or any superhero, it’s important that characters evolve over time to reflect diversity.
Spare me!
If someone wants to devise a female spy character, they are free to create their own novel, screenplay, or play. To claim that Bond needs to become a woman in the name of diversity is essentially saying that those who want a female Bond lack the creativity to create their own, original character.
As you guessed, my acquaintance is on the left politically. I said that if we start down the path where major characters from books, movies, theatre productions, etc., throughout history, must change their gender, race, or some other core trait to promote diversity, we are undermining the integrity of literature, the arts, and entertainment as a whole.
Inappropriate Appropriation
Why are Leftists so eager to appropriate and alter existing stories, changing characters’ identities or roles, rather than writing their own new stories? Is it a lack of imagination, a lack of talent, or just a lack of creativity? One immediate conclusion: it is all three. Mostly, Leftists can’t create anything enduring – what they can do is latch onto, and invariably destroy, what others have already built.
If you survey popular culture, it becomes apparent that the Left’s lack of originality and independent thought is on display everywhere. One result of this ineptness is that they seek to reshape other people’s fictional works to suit their own agenda.
My colleague pointed out that “M,” the head of MI6 in the Bond series, was a male character for many decades before Judi Dench was given the role. I agreed that it’s feasible for a female to hold such a position within Britain’s spy network. Such a role assignment doesn’t materially damage Ian Fleming’s original creation. Claiming that James Bond must be female, however, is a complete distortion of the author’s intent.
Compromising the Author’s Intent
Fleming supposedly modeled Bond after himself, a man. If so, he had every right to create the character as he did. If publishers sought to publish his books, and they did, that was their choice. If movie producers wanted to make films about Bond, and they did, that was and is their prerogative. If audiences want to watch those films, that’s their right as well.
Today, there are endless vehicles for creating artistic works and countless opportunities for promoting them. If someone on the Left, or any political ideology, seeks to create their own female British spy character, or any other character of any other origin, that’s their right and the opportunity awaits. Nothing is holding them back.
From my experience with others on the Left, apparently their basic mode of engagement in the arts (certainly not exclusively) is to alter, contort, homogenize, or destroy — not to create. Many are predisposed to tear down what came before them, often without contributing anything of their own, and certainly not offering anything better instead.
En masse, they come off as uninspired and largely unoriginal – contributing little to either the arts or to society in general.
Reverse Roles
To gain a clearer perspective, reverse the roles. Imagine if the heroine of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (or the rest of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy) were changed into a young male character in future books. How would fans of the genre respond?
What if the Laura Croft series was re-written to feature an adventurous young man? Would it be considered acceptable? Would the Left not loudly exclaim that it is a bastardization of the author’s original work? We know the answer: they’d be screaming at the top of their lungs.
If someone were to write a compelling novel, screenplay, or play featuring a female British spy, I would support it as a customer or patron. As a case in point, Cate Blanchett’s role as a spy in the recent movie Black Bag could be worthy of spinoffs.
Respect for Original Intent
The world doesn’t need more artistic destruction; it can use original ideas. The issue that the Left perpetually faces is respecting the original work and the intent of its creator.
To those who would rather distort and diminish what has come before them in popular culture, instead of seeking to hijack other people’s work, either strive to be creative and devise something of your own, or get the heck out of the way.
I saw “Black Bag” the other day. It’s alright. The only thing I didn’t like was the casting of Cate Blanchett. She’s so ugly and annoying that I never buy her as the characters she plays. She’s not Tilda Swinton ugly but she’s definitely ugly.
I hope a movie with a female James Bond just so normal people can laugh when it flops.
I dare say ol’ boy, you say what is first impulse that we push away to watch the movie., LoL
In both the novel Bonfire of the Vanities and the film, the judge at Sherman McCoy’s trial is portrayed as a blunt-spoken man of courage, professiomalism, and absolute integrity. But in the film, he is played by the great Morgan Freeman. The performance is magnificent, but TOM WOLFE VISUALIZED THAT JUDGE AS A WHITE JEW. Morgan Freeman is Black. I saw him in Shakespeare’s play Coriolamus, by the way. Some characters don’t have to be played by actors of the race the original playwright had mind
Perhaps, Miranda, but a writer’s vision should usually be respected. There may be good reasons for a character to belong to a particular demographic but they might not be obvious to the casual reader or viewer.
How about Beethoven, Mozart or Bach as women. Can you imagine the musical dreck that would be created
Now that would be a challenge for any actor. And if a female actor could pull it off so connected and transparent to the great ones you say, that’s a challenge for any actor. Good actors act. That does not change that they were men being played by women or women being played by a male and you get lost in the roles. It is also not to say that created great things is not a male or female thing. The great things to create are out there waiting for someone to snatch it up and use it. There is a perpetual supply of great things to do.
So how many fewer people will be watching those rigged award shows? The Grammies, Golden Globe, Peoples Choice, and the Oscars as well as the Emmies. Save your peace of mind and skip them and wait for the Razzies(Golden Raspberry)Awards for the Worst
The Great Orson Welles used a 100% black cast for “Othello” during the dadgum depression on Broadway that was sold out night after night with roaring standing ovations that the blown away crowds were so overwhelmed night after night, performance after performance by what they just saw that they joined the cast on stage while the thunderous ovation continued. Orson Welles was maybe about 25 years old then. And the movie studios were vying for Welles.
I think a black or Asian or come now, whoever can play the role of 007 you’re seeing 007 James Bond and the challenge for the actor to make the audience have fun seeing different actors playing James Bond. But a female James Bond — not for me – even if the prosthetics and the acting and camera angles can make you think that’s James Bond, just knowing under all that is a female, albeit good actor, but James Bond is a dude. Sean Connery’s musk is forever on James Bond!
Othello was portrayed by Shakespeare as a Moor with “dark skin.” It would not betray Shakespeare’s intentions by casting a black actor to play him..
Fleming gave the male Bond a pale complexion. Bond is not Bond any other way.
It is quite likely that Shakespeare (or Edward deVere?) never laid eyes on a Moor or a black person. Elizabethan slang often described a dusky complexion as “black” (Rosalind in “Love’s Labours Lost”, for example). And Arab Moors were referred to as “Blackamoors”.
The other night I saw on TV streaming on YouTube:
Totie Returns!
Who was Totie Fields:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=totie+fields
I saw Totie Fields on TV as a kid.
I could see a gay guy playing Totie Fields.
All gay guys seem to be playing Totie Fields.
The most doggone videos pop up on YouTube.
This has already been tried. Do you remember Modesty Blaze? Or Honey West? Neither do I…
Personally I was a boy when I saw Sean Connery’s James Bond and that’s tatted in my brain the image of James Bond.
Daniel Craig in my middle age and later and is in the image of Sean Connery’s James Bond with Daniel Craig’s own spice.
That’s just me now, so if any you swabs get off dock work and want to join me at the tav where we can carry on which ones of us is likely a James Bond and which ones of us are Mossad?
I’m 74 now, and have watched ALL of James Bond’s movies since “Dr. No”. “No Time To Die” will be the very LAST 007 movie I’ll ever watch. No “Jane Bond” will ever replace James.
Gee, not even if they made her trans? (Just kidding…)
Go ahead and make Buffy the Vampire Slayer a gay, black soy boy—-maybe like little Donnie Lemon.
Instead of a small gorgeous blonde who really kicks ass….
Hollywood can’t resist being woke, though. The new Odysseus movie (coming this summer) trashes the story with–get this–a black actress as Helen. Not Calypso, but Helen. A total trashing of the story. Maybe we’ll also get orientals and Africans for Odysseus’ crew. Too bad so much money and opportunity is wasted by bankrupt directors and producers.
Here’s my suggestion to the Leftards for their next 007:
Instead of a handsome, suave, white, conspicuously “straight” Englishman fighting the Soviets and their KGB, their new version should star a Somali “Tranny” in a burkha valiantly fighting the Evil Orange Man, MAGA, and I.C.E.
Oops! Shouldn’t have given them that idea, even sarcastically–they might take take it!
Leftists are parasites who depend on hosts they despise.