Nobody Does It Better: Ian Fleming’s James Bond Turns Sixty

Abstract

Most of the world knows Ian Fleming’s fictional character James Bond through the 12 novels, 2 collections of short stories, and 23 films over the past 50 years which have been made of him. However, very few realize that the character began 60 years ago as a pulp hero standing up for Western values against a morally corrupt, vindictive, and spreading communist empire. Ian Fleming created a hero that embodied the West and its ideals of individualism, perseverance, and greatness, and in order to understand the popularity of James Bond, one must understand just what the character represents to the world. In this concise article, a textual and philosophic consideration of the character of James Bond is undertaken by examining Fleming’s original novels, stories, and writings on the subject. It becomes apparent that Fleming’s creation was to stand strongly opposed to the collectivist Soviet Union and its values, as well as be a tribute to Western spies who sacrifice their own happiness in the name of protecting democracy. The continued popularity of James Bond is found in the idea that the character represents the West against those who seek to destroy it and its values.