Cronus wrote:
On this subject, there's been uproar on both sides regarding the suggestion of Idris Elba as the next James Bond.
To me, James Bond is the quintessential white British secret agent as has been portrayed since Dr No. That's not racist, it comes from years of watching white British men playing him. I'm fairly open to a black man playing Bond, but by moving away from the established vision of the character it could become just another action film. Fleming certainly visualised him as white. As it happens I think Elba could probably do a very good job but for me Bond is what Bond has always been.
Him wrote:
I agree re Bond. It's not racist it's just I've always visualised Bond as white. It's the same as if he were to be American rather than British.
Having said that I think it'd be quite good with Elba as Bond. A big change but maybe that's what it'd need when Daniel Craig finishes.
I also think Fleming meant him to be white but that's just because there wouldn't have been a black MI6 officer at the time he was writing.
I tend to agree. Whilst I don't find the idea of a black Bond objectionable, it's just never how I've pictured him and would seem to veer a little from the original idea of the character. Appearance-wise, Fleming's vision of Bond was Hoagy Carmichael.
With Elba in particular, I'd have a different concern, though. I'm more questioning of whether or not he could do the smooth, middle-class operator kind of thing, he's tended to be more of rough diamond from the streets in the things in which I've seen him. Would he look at home at the opera for example, or an embassy function? Another thing is that I'd also like to see them cast a bit younger, personally. I'm not a fan of late 40s/early 50s secret agents, it just looks a bit ridiculous.
I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.
