One of cinema’s most enduring franchises is that of James Bond, a secret service agent and all-around ladies’ man. Starting with the sixties suave approach of Sean Connery, to the comedic outlook of Roger Moore all the way to the modern gentleman Daniel Craig, 007 has had several iterations. However, in all, he has come a long way from the original books created by author Ian Fleming.
Even the most hardened of fans may not know all the mythology surrounding this illustrious character. Below, we dig into the misconceptions about everyone’s favourite big-screen spy.
Bond Played Baccarat, Not Poker
The casino is a recurring element in many Bond stories. The glitz, glamour and high stakes were not something lost on Ian Fleming, who often used it as a place to facilitate meetings between Bond and his enemies. His first book, Casino Royale, even centred a whole novel around the concept. Yet in the 2006 adaptation, changes were made that saw Bond play poker instead of his favoured game of baccarat.
Poker, particularly Texas Hold ‘Em, was experiencing a huge surge in popularity at the time. Baccarat was a lesser-known game, not as familiar to the public.
Professor Eliot Jacobson provides an excellent overview of the rules of the game in a blog post, essentially summarising that the aim of baccarat is to guess which of three possible outcomes will appear in the next round. These include the option of bank, player or a tie. Players must also be aware of all the small rule variations that may be taking place.
Avid fans of the franchise may be wondering why the film reboot chose to change things up: primarily, this would have been to create a more tense exchange between the iconic Bond and the antagonist Le Chiffre. Changing the game to poker in the movie not only switched it to a contest where more people knew the rules, but also one where Bond is pitted against other players, not just the dealer as he would be in baccarat.
An Aston Martin Is Not His Only Mode of Transport
The Aston Martin is, of course, synonymous with Bond. First appearing in Goldfinger, the British car manufacturer became a staple associated with 007 just as much as tuxedos and martinis. However, in his outings, Bond has actually driven a wide range of other top-of-the-range cars. These have included everything from Audi’s to BMW and Lotus models. In fact, some of his best chases have come when pitted against the odds in less than desirable vehicles.
In Octopussy, Bond is chased through the streets of India in a three-wheeled Tuk-Tuk. The same actor, Roger Moore, also had a chase in a Citroen 2CV in which the character tips, turns back over and drives off again. Even a run-out in a solidly reliable Renault 11 was included in the movie View to a Kill.
Ian Fleming Wrote More Than Spy Novels
The creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming, did spend most of his career penning 007 novels. Starting in 1953 with Casino Royale, he then proceeded with 11 others and two short story collections. In addition, he occasionally did forays into other genres.
One of his books, The Diamond Smugglers, was a non-fiction piece based on interviews about the international diamond smuggling trade. Another was a diary about his world travels including trips to Hong Kong and Los Angeles. His second most famous creation was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was later turned into a classic movie about a car with a mind of its own.
