Shaken Not Stirred:
The Best Bond Girls
Article By: Dan Clark
The term Bond Girl has become as synonymous with Bond as 007 or License to Kill. The crazy names, racy outfits, and sexual promiscuity are a big reason why James Bond became such an instant sensation. As we celebrate Bond this month I have picked out the best to come up with the Top 10 Best Bond Girls. When creating this list I tried to consider a multitude of factors. For one I considered how iconic each character was in Bond lore, and more importantly I considered the performance and the quality of the character. To make it high in this list you had to do more than just look the part.
10. Honey Rider
Actress: Ursula Andress
Movie: Dr. No
Overview: From the moment she emerged from the crystal clear water Honey Rider became an indelible image in the minds of man and boys everywhere. It is not hard to see why, and the film made sure to display her best assets. While her acting and overall character were a bit lacking she did set the initial standard for what it meant to be a Bond girl.
9. Tatiana Romanova
Actress: Daniela Bianchi
Movie: From Russia with Love
Overview: After the sensation that was created by Honey Rider the Bond franchise had to a challenge on their hands. How do they capture the same attention as they did with Honey Rider? Well they went a different way entirely. First they made Tatiana Romanova a far more crucial part of the plot and not just an add-on for Bond to play with. Plus with her classical good looks she gave Bond the perfect motivation to ‘warm’ relations with our Cold War rival.
8. Anya Amasova (Agent XXX)
Actress: Barbara Bach
Movie: The Spy Who Loved Me
Overview: Bond has made a habit of “Keeping the British end up”, especially when it comes to his ambassadorial duties. So he pays no mind with fraternizing with the enemy. Anya Amasova, a.k.a. Triple XXX, was one Bond Girl who could hold her own as a secret agent. No way was she going to let Bond have all the fun. Unlike many other Bond Girls was not easily impressed by Bond’s antics, which of course didn’t slow Bond down one bit.
7. Solitaire
Actress: Jane Seymour
Movie: Live and Let Die
Overview: I grew up watching Jane Seymour in Dr. Quin Medicine Woman with my family long before I ever saw her as the solitary Solitaire in Live and Let Die. Watching her in all her Bond Girl form years later it’s hard not feel a little bit awkward. That aside Jane Seymour does have all the makings of a perfect Bond girl. You have to give her credit for making a ridiculous character like Solitaire seem plausible.
6. Melina Havelock
Actress: Carole Bouquet
Movie: For You Eyes Only
Overview: The Greek vixen Melina Havelock was one Bond Girl who knew exactly what she wanted; revenge for her parents’ death. Her strong willed and zealous attitude made her more than just a pretty face. Even Bond’s advances are met with a cold shoulder until her mission is complete. Until the killers of her parents are put to justice nothing will stand in her way. Not even the classic Bond charm.
5. Octopussy
Actress: Maud Adams
Movie: Octopussy
Overview: Even the most casual movie fan knows the name Octopussy and its relationship to the Bond franchise. Octopussy has the honor of being the only Bond film to be named after a Bond girl. I guess Pussy Galore would attract the wrong type of crowd if it was on a marquee. What is interesting about Octopussy is how she walks a tight line between being a Bond girl and a Bond villain. She has her own secret island, she smuggles jewels, and has a contingent of well trained assassins. However, good looks and a nuclear threat make her the far lesser of two evils for Bond.
4. Wai Lin
Actress: Michelle Yeoh
Movie: Tomorrow Never Dies
Overview: There have been a few attempts to make the female equivalent to Bond and it has led to some horrific disasters. (See Halle Berry in Die Another Day). The one time they pulled of this grand experiment was Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies. Michelle Yeoh can hold her own as an actress and an action star. Her talents allowed her to succeed where so many others have failed. She may also be the only Bond Girl who can convincingly take out Bond in hand to hand combat.
3. Pussy Galore
Actress: Honor Blackman
Movie: GoldFinger
Overview: Before Goldfinger the majority of Bond girls where sex appeal first and not much else second. Pussy Galore came along and changed all that. Instead being a walking pinup cover girl her beauty was natural and subdued. Sure her name is ridiculous and instant fodder for parody, but it didn’t detract from the actual character. Pussy Galore showed that the best Bond Girls are those who have a personality that makes them more than just a pretty face.
2. Vesper Lynd
Actress: Eva Green
Movie: Casino Royale
Overview: In many ways Vesper Lynd was the 21st century response to the male chauvinist ideals that were celebrated by the Bond films of the past. Vesper Lynd was not willing to just accept the female role simply based on viewer’s expectations. She is her own person with her own goals and aspirations. We see her coarseness towards Bond soften not because of Bond’s wooing but because of her own desire to change. Instead of being a random fling she establishes a ligament relationship with Bond that has a deep impact on both characters. Her character is such a part of Bond’s life she inspires most of the events in Quantum of Solace.
1.Teresa di Vicenzo
Actress: Diana Rigg
Movie: On her Majesty’s Secret Service
Overview: We all know that Bond is a ladies man, but one lady was able to capture his heart enough to cause him to take the plunge into marriage. Teresa di Vicenzo isn’t just number one on this list because she got Bond to ‘put a ring on it’. First the character is played by a great actress in Diana Rigg. When George Lazenby took over as Bond the filmmakers were taking a risk casting a first time actor. Smartly they surrounded him with loads of talent like Rigg. In a way On her Majesty’s Secret Service is more about Teresa di Vicenzo than it is about Bond. It is her character moving the story forward and when she is not the center of the story the movie suffers. Many Bond Girls have come and gone, but few have had a lasting impact on Bond like Teresa. Multiple films and incarnations of Bond’s later we see how her fate has forever changed 007.
