The Emerald Rose

This week end the wife and I will go see the new James Bond flick, “Quantum of Solace”. As I was watching a movie “trailer” or two on it, I got to thinking. Do you know how many James Bonds have been in my life time (thus far, I’m up for a few more I hope!) For you “young ‘uns” I’ll recap them for you, although I’m sure you remember to DVD’s from the movie rental places. (Hmmm, used to be video “tapes”,….guess that’s changed too!)
First, last and always is “da man, Sean Connery. You talk about the absolute perfect, believable JB, it doesn’t get any better. He had the “touch” with the ladies that most of the others have never mastered, you know that aloof, yet, “oh well if we must make love” sort of WOW. He had the quirky sense of humor, (always remember him catching Goldfinger cheating at cards and banging the microphone, like he didn’t know he was blowiing out Goldfingers ear drums. Heh, heh, heh)
Then they snuck in a “stealth version” of James Bond, lasted only 1 film, George Lazenby, Australian I believe. He was just “ok”, he didn’t have the “flair” it was like he had to “work at being James Bond”, and he “went walk-a-bout” after one try.
Then Roger Moore took over, now personally I have a problem with him, always behaving like a “frat brother” at a party. He had a real humorous vein to him, but it was too much humor, even when he was in dire straights there was a smirky little remark. He couldn’t pass the “laser test” for me. (That’s when Sean Connery was strapped to the table and Goldfinger had a laser that was cutting a plate of steel he was lying on and headed up to take out the REAL “Crown Jewels”. Connery made that so believable even I remember crossing my legs in the theatre. Roger Moore would have done his little college grin and made some pithy little comment like, “I say chap, don’t I get any Grey Poupon for the bar-b-que?”
Then the number two man of all time Pierce Brosnan. First time I saw him on TV in an old series called “Remington Steele” (check out the reruns and you will agree) I turned to my wife the first night and said, “That is the only guy that could possibly replace Sean Connery as James Bond, he’s perfect!” (Took the producers and casting folks a few years to wise up and take my suggestion.) He had an aloof air about him, a “tad” to much overplay on humorous, but within parameters of excellance, and just an enjoyable Bond.
“Frankly my biggest fear was that they would try and take Harrison ford and turn him into James Bond, that would have been catastrophic disaster. Tom Clany’s Jack Ryan, perfect, James Bond “gag a maggot”!
And now the newest JB.,….what’s his name? Obviously America may be ready for a different ethnicity of it’s President, but is the world ready for a “sandy haired” Bond? I think not! He looks more like a stock broker or car salesman (sorry, but that’s me!) Well i better stop here before I get in deep doo-doo, or I should say , any deeper doo-doo.
But what do you think, who is your James Bond, and who would you replace this guy with, becasue I don’t think he’ll make it past two films,…too much of a “rugger” look.

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