Born when the Empire, a cornerstone of the British identity, had crumbled in Asia and was crumbling in Africa, Ian Fleming?s James Bond personified the nostalgia for the refined Briton?s power, chicness and aristocratic sense of entitlement. But in a world dominated by two Cold War behemoths, with Britain gradually reduced to just another pawn on the world?s great ideological chessboard, Bond also came to represent the fantastic form such nostalgia could take?a suited-up gentleman, who travels the world, gets the hottest girls, drinks the greatest martinis and beats the baddest villains. Perhaps, this doubling down on personality, as opposed to power, was the only way to mediate between the very real British sense of decline and the audacious dominion that Britain earlier commanded.
But as this suave gentleman?s cinematic avatar turns 50, the marvel is how he has adapted to changing times, especially to gender politics and market dynamics that could barely be imagined when he was birthed. With Skyfall, Judi Dench is playing spy-chief M for the seventh time, authoritatively more than Daniel Craig?s three Bonds! And Craig?s character has (blasphemously?) switched from vodka martinis to beer, because Heineken really made this the healthiest possible deal. Under Sam Medes?s direction, this latest caper keeps a fast pace through Shanghai, Istanbul, Macau and the Scottish Highlands, raking in enough attractions even after abandoning double entendres galore, even after winning the Vatican?s approval (!), to likely become the most successful Bond film of all time. In one of the film?s trailers, Bond says, ?Everyone needs a hobby,? Raoul Silva asks, ?So what?s yours?? and Bond answers, ?Resurrection.? We wish him many of these.
