Bond, James Bond

As a teen, I admired John F. Kennedy. So when he mentioned that Ian Fleming was one of his favorite authors, I immediately spent 95 cents on a paperback edition of “From Russia with Love”.

The President was right; Fleming was an enthralling author.

I next read “Casino Royale”, the novel that introduced James Bond. At this time I had formed a picture of Bond in my mind.

Within 3 months I had read 7 Bond novels. I was addicted.

Then in early 1963 I went to the State Lake Theater in Downtown Chicago to see Dr. No.

Although I didn’t think that Sean Connery looked like the James Bond that I had pictured in my mind, I enjoyed the movie.

I have always said that Connery was the definitive James Bond. Other members of my family prefer Roger Moore.

My opinion changed the other day when I viewed Casino Royale with Daniel Craig as James Bond.

Craig looks and acts as the Bond character does in Fleming’s books.

Another plus in this movie was that it was not loaded with gadgets and special effects. It portrays James Bond the way James Bond should be portrayed, according to Ian Fleming’s novels. My highest respect and regard goes out to the screen writers in their adaptation of Fleming’s Book.

The bottom line is that it is the best Bond movie that I have seen in nearly 40 years! It was very true to the book, except for the fact that they were playing Poker instead of Baccarat.

The Beach Bum