Yes, Helen Mirren, James Bond is profoundly sexist. But more than a telling off, he needs a face-off

Outdated attitudes to women are so deep in 007’s DNA that it couldn’t be a female role, but a female villain could shake him into the 21st centuryHelen Mirren has said that there is no earthly point in getting a woman to play James Bond because the world’s most famous fictional spy was “born out of profound sexism”.The first thing to say is that of course she is right. Of course Bond was born of reactionary attitudes and only a bore would point out what the DBE stands for in Mirren’s title. If you doubt the truth of what she says, watch the cringeworthy moment in Goldfinger when Sean Connery’s Bond dismisses his poolside masseuse Dink (played by Margaret Nolan) because he needs to discuss important stuff with Felix Leiter, and as Dink obediently leaves he slaps her behind and says: “Man talk …” Obnoxious. Continue reading...