Jeanette Winterson: the best Bond girl has always been Bond himself
Jeanette Winterson took an assignment to write about Bond girls, so she rewatched all the Bond movies. Instead, she noticed how effeminate James Bond can be, and decided that the "best Bond Girl has always been Bond himself." This column is filled with wry observations.
He's got more outfits than Barbie. The hand-made clothes, beautifully tailored, are not exactly a he-man pursuit.
Bond has his own espresso machine. Now he is beginning to sound like a homosexual. Nobody had their own espresso machine in the 1970s except James Bond and Quentin Crisp - and, of course, Harry Palmer.
And take a look at that manicure... The hands on the steering wheel are not those of an action-hero. Since when did Terminator buff his nails? Bond drives like a girl. Every time he reverses he crushes someone's bonnet.
Bond makes love like a girl. Whaaaat?? Watch it for yourself. He flirts, he likes kissing necks and shoulders, he sometimes keeps his pyjamas on, he holds hands, he banters in bed, and he makes breakfast. Bond loves pleasure and beauty and softness, and he doesn't just take these things; he offers them. His legendary prowess in bed gives us a clue, because of course, only girls can really keep it up all night long.
