Casino Royale: Has James Bond Finally Met His Match?

Bond girls have forever been the hapless victims, the quintessential 'damsels in distress' who just happen to be stunningly beautiful. Feminists and film critics have vehemently criticized Bond-makers for their shallow portrayals of these women.

Researchers have insinuated that the author, Ian Fleming modeled the character of James Bond after his own personality of a womanizing jet setter, which may explain the nature of Bond's love interests. What was he thinking, one wonders, when naming one of his Bond girls, 'Pussy Galore'! Ironically, however, the fiesty Vesper Lynd of Casino Royale was his first Bond girl creation, leading me to believe that it may have been the filmmakers who slowly catered the portrayal of Bond girls, for the masses. In short, these sirens became the eye-candy assisting a film spiked with testosterone.

Quite refreshingly, the female lead of Casino Royale (2006) went above and beyond just being a Bond-girl. The beautiful Ava Green as Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, brought intelligence, sensitivity, strength and yet shades of vulnerability to the usually uninteresting and one-dimensional persona of a Bond woman. Her spunky and quick-witted character added to the pulsating drama of the latest Bond release, a touch of intellectual feminism by impressing the suave James Bond with her wit as much as with her breathtaking beauty.

Now, let me confess, there was a time during my teen years when I used to consider myself a die-hard feminist. I was under the impression then, that feminism was a man-hating, sexist scheme and only until much later did I realize how extremist, immature and illogical my beliefs were. I have now come to the conclusion that differences between sexes are irrefutable. In fact, I would go so far as to say, that they are even essential for a smooth running social machinery. These gender based individualities are not something we could bridge by rallying and debating endlessly. Modern feminism has been largely tainted with the denial of the differences between the two sexes.

Women are intelligent, beautiful, intuitive, nurturing and sensitive beings and feminism should probably accentuate these unique feminine characteristics. 'Equality of sexes' was not a concept that urged rejection of the inherent character differences between the two genders but instead advocated equal treatment of the two in society. Somewhere along the line, extremism crept in and ill-defined feminism resulted in the rejection of feminist ideas by the majority of the male population, who have now sadly begun to associate the label 'bitchy' with feminism.

I have always felt, that the smarter and the more independent, the woman he loves, the more secure and confident, a man seems to be. As I watched Casino Royale, the new James Bond somehow elevated himself in my esteem, by the smart woman he was drawn to. When Daniel Craig became the first actor ever to receive a BAFTA nomination for a performance as James Bond, I was reminded of the saying, that 'behind every successful man is a woman' to which, over time, I have made a slightly wordy addendum: 'Behind every smart and successful woman is a man who is confident enough of his own abilities to not be threatened by her intellect.'

The persona of Vesper Lynd in this new Bond film has been very smartly designed. In addition to being gorgeous, she has the charisma to win the favor of the new generation. She is a woman one could see being as popular among the men as with women. Her intellect and wit, quite realistically tempered by her feminine gullibility, ultimately brings out the tender, unguarded side of the one man known in cinematic history for his ruthless, detached and sexually driven regard for women.

And for the first time in Bond history, like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, a new James Bond emerged from the ocean, glistening, in a pair of skimpy swimming trunks.

Hallelujah! Finally, some eye-candy for the girls!