As arguably one of the widest-reaching, longest-standing and most influential film franchises of our time, it is important to interrogate the James Bond series and the ideas it conveys to audiences. Of particular interest to me is the representation of James Bond as a British hero: the construction of his character in the context of national identity and the implications for this portrayal. As the contemporary Bond, Daniel Craig’s inaugural interpretation of the role, in Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006), had scholars claiming ‘Bond is now a global, hybrid composite with a dominant strain of American’ (Goggin and Glas, 2009: 73). However, in Craig’s most recent outing as Bond, Spectre (Sam Mendes, 2015), his character feels decidedly different and reminiscent of the quintessentially British hero defined by the older films of the series. This leads to several questions: How has the representation of Bond differed throughout Daniel Craig’s tenure? What does this mean in the context of the character’s national identity? What might be the influences on and implications for these shifting representations? This paper will attempt to answer these questions through close analysis of Craig’s portrayal of Bond, particularly in Casino Royale and Spectre, and through reference to relevant literature on this subject.
About the presenterSarah Louise Kelley
In 2014, I graduated from the University of Bristol with a master’s degree in film and television studies. I am interested in transnational representations of Britishness in media and popular culture: the influences on their construction and the ideas they convey to large and multiple audiences. In this regard the James Bond film series is of particular interest to me. I would like to pursue this research through doctoral study.