BLOGGING THE VIEW: James Bond in cinemas: 007 interesting Bond facts

FINALLY, after the cinematic release was delayed more than a year-and-a-half, the latest James Bond instalment is out on the big screen.

No Time to Die will be the last time that Daniel Craig will reprise the iconic role of England’s deadliest secret service agent, and the story sounds like it won’t disappoint.

Having retired from active service, Bond, James Bond is relaxing in Jamaica, but gets an unexpected visit from CIA friend Felix Leiter, asking for Bond’s help.

As it so happens, a kidnapped scientist needs to be rescued from a mysterious villain armed with dangerous technology.

But before we get wrapped up in the exciting release starring Oscar-winner Rami Malik as the villain, here’s a look at 7 interesting facts about this time-defying character.

Bond Fact 001:
Roger Moore still holds the record for most Bond movies made, at seven, starting with 1973’s Live and Let Die through to his 1985 A View to a Kill. He’s followed closely by Sean Connery who played in six films, while Daniel Craig has just starred in his fifth and final. However, Craig is the longest-running Bond actor, having played the character for 15 years of his career. Pierce Brosnan played Bond in four movies, Timothy Dalton in two, while George Lazenby played him only once, in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Bond Fact 002:
Author of the Bond series, Ian Fleming, used real people as inspiration for the character of Bond. These included individuals he’d served with in the Naval Intelligence Division in World War II. But the name of Bond came from an ornithologist – the name was perfectly ordinary for a man who had to hide in the shadows to perform extraordinary feats.

Bond Fact 003:
Bond’s fellow secret agents – the other 00s – were all killed off in different movies. 002, 003, 004 and 009 were mentioned while the assumed dead 006 supposedly returns in Goldeneye as the villain…before being killed. 001 and 005 haven’t been mentioned, and 008 is referred to as Bond’s replacement in case he’s ever removed from a case, or killed.

Bond Fact 004:
James Bond is a well-known British hero, but his heritage is actually Scottish. This was inspired by Sean Connery who played Bond in Dr No, which was a huge success. Fleming then wrote Bond’s ancestry in his next book, You Only Live Once – which Connery eventually played in the film adaptation.

Bond Fact 005:
The Bond theme song is always a highly-anticipated number, but only two of them have won Academy Awards. Both of these were recent songs – Adele’s Skyfall and Sam Smith’s Writing’s on the Wall (from Spectre). Other well-known Bond theme songs include Shirley Bassey’s Goldfinger and Paul McCartney and Wings’ Live And Let Die.

Bond Fact 006:
James Bond is a renowned womaniser, but the character was actually married at one pint and even had a child. During On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond was briefly married to Teresa di Vicenzo who was later assassinated by Blofeld in a drive-by shooting. In You Only Live Twice, Bond also had a son – James – with Kissy Suzuki. She too died, but of natural causes.

Bond Fact 007:
In addition to penning the Bond series, Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for his son Caspar, which would later be turned into a hit film. Fleming was a heavy drinker and smoker, and died of a heart attack in 1962. Fleming’s books sold more than 30 million copies during his fairly short life and more than doubled in the two years following his death. To date, his novels have sold in excess of 100 million copies.

No Time to Die, the 25th Bond film, is showing in South African cinemas from 1 October.