I Never Wanted to be a Bond Girl. I Wanted to be Bond.

Michele

I was born to be a spy. I realize that now. I am studying National Security Studies and this is where my suspicions were confirmed.

But I can’t be a spy because I realized it too late. I’m too old by just a year.

I'd rather be Bond than a Bond girl

When I was 14 and I had just become a teen my mom asked me what I wanted to do. I told her I wanted to go see a Bond movie. Luckily the summer movie season was in full swing and I got to see everyone’s favorite spy. It was The Spy Who Loved Me.

I remember feeling a little uncomfortable with the romantic scene. I was a little of a late bloomer, I had not really discovered boys yet. After all what other 14 year old girl wants to see an action adventure spy thriller? Me. I still want to.

Last week my boyfriend came over and while I was making chicken fettuccini alfredo the advertisement for Skyfall came on and he blurts out excitedly. I want to go see Skyfall!

I was shocked and excited “Really!” It just shows that you can date someone for years and still be surprised by him or her, which can be a good thing. Then he says “We are gonna go see Skyfall baby!” I loved the Bond movies then and now. I drink my version of a martini when I watch them at home. I don’t really like gin so I use vodka and Cointreau or Vodka and White Rum with a few olives.

I want to be solving the mystery. That is one of the reasons I love Bond movies. It is not for the glamorous lifestyle or suave sophistication; it’s for the action and adventure.

I never wanted to be a Bond girl. I wanted to be Bond.

I cannot say I really want to be shot at by the bad guys or killing people but just like Bond in Quantum of Solace I would have left the bad guy out in the desert to fend for himself.

One of the other things I love about Bond is how tough he is. Although a woman, I want to be that tough.

My favorite Bond scene is when M takes away Bond’s gun and strips him of his 007 designation and he is going to be sent back to London. Armed men from MI6 escort Bond into the elevator and he beats them up and takes their guns. I took my mom to see this movie and afterward I told her “Bond doesn’t a gun. A gun is convenience for Bond!” We both laughed. My next favorite scene is when M says “God I miss the Cold War!” In a bit of life imitating art we had to write a paper, which analyzed a piece entitled ‘Why we shall soon miss the cold war!’ It was about how difficult controlling terrorism is in comparison to the cold war. That seems strange but it is true. In the cold war we knew exactly who the enemy was and where they were. Now with terrorist cells the asymmetric means of operation it is difficult to know who the bad guy is and where the bad guy operates.

My favorite Bond is Pierce Brosnon at least in terms of looks. My favorite in terms of character being most like the books is Daniel Craig.

My least favorite Bond was Timothy Dalton. I have seen him in other films and thought he was terrific. I love his accent it much more properly British but shows a Bond who would have attended private schools and Oxford vs. Public schools and public university.

With Roger Moore’s cockney accent he shows Bonds lower class origins; Sean Connery’s Scottish brogue shows a Bond that is a bit of an outsider and the same can be said for Bronson’s Irish/English hybrid accent.

Craig shows another lower class outsider in his combination of Cockney and central country accent. I like the idea of a Bond from humble beginnings, a scrappy outsider of the establishment who works not just for Queen and country but also simply because of ethical foundations-he is going to get the bad guy because not only it is his job but it’s the right thing to do.

Solving mysteries is why I study National Security Studies. However, in reality it’s nothing like Bond. It’s studying about intelligence analysis and about how to improve it. It’s incredibly academic. It’s reading and papers and research and more papers and more papers. The real world of spy-craft is much more like Moneypenny or M than Bond or even Q.

However, the training once you get past the physical part is not much different that the educational experience.

Like most of us, I will not get to work for MI6 or even the CIA but that is OK. Because in reality I would much rather be M; she is the coolest women in film. I found out that the skills I learned from national security studies will be valuable to any real work situation especially in business, which is where I plan to head next in my career, but I still love a good mystery and any Bond film!