Michelle Sloey

3/23/14

Dr. Karl

Article Synopsis
                                                                 Strong Females Prevail

The article I read for this week was "Shaken and Stirred: A content Analysis of Women’s Portrayals in James Bond Films" by Kimberly A. Neuendorff et al. and this article greatly encompassed the use of women and how these women’s characteristics attributed to the way women related to beauty. The article discusses the "Bond Girl" throughout and relates her to the ever so smooth and violent Bonds of the Bond films. While the article still does an insufficient job of persuading me to believe the authors complete argument there were still aspects of the article that stood out to me especially while watching the film Goldeneye, which portrayed Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. I personally saw this film as a step in the right direction for the woman displayed within the Bond films, and I found it rather suitable to cast "M" as a female. Although, despite my own opinion of the article, it does straightforwardly address the concept that the authors of the article focused to shed light on - that Bond was a "…sexual predator and gentleman" (748), and with his character noted in this light casts the need to have only"…heavily attractive female counterparts to his character" (747 ). As the article kept on the use of the ‘Bond Girls’ throughout the different films displayed the knowledge for me to be able to gather the concept that viewers could ultimately observe the interactions between Bond and these different female characters in a positive manner and then want to act in such a mirroring way. The article recounts the idea that when juxtaposed against a particular theory ‘Social Cognitive Theory’ that viewers of the Bond franchise are going to subconsiously absorb the idea that these woman are what viewers need and should be aiming to be like, ...suggests that individuals will observe, imitate, and learn from others, including fictional others, in a way yo provide a monitoring system for their own behaviors, attitudes, and values" (748 ). For me as a viewer and a reader of this article although I could see that the "Bond Girls" are obviously showing more skin off then covering up I personally do not believe that too many individuals are going to view the Bond series and feel as if they should go out and dress and walk in the footsteps of these woman. The article does place the concept that the "Bond Girls" within the films are recieving more "masculine and powerful" roles and this does help with off setting what viewers are going to take away when seeing these woman and their lack of "masculine and powerful" contributions due to their dress and appearance. Within the film "Goldeneye" the female character that stood out the most to me was that of "M" and I found that having Bond's boss potrayed by a female really was used to open the eyes of the viewers and could be used as a tool to inform individuals that woman can do any job that men do. I really found the dialogue between the two characters 'M' and Bond within this film as a rather pivotal point within the Bond franchise for "Bond girls" or females within the series themselves. One of the converations amongst the two characters M and Bond allude to the point that 'M' is displaying authority over Bond and despite her being a woman she does not buckle when it comes to addressing her point, "Not quite, 007. If you think I don't have the balls to send a man out to die, your instincts are dead wrong. I've no compunction about sending you to your death. But I won't do it on a whim. Even with your cavalier attitude towards life". I found this to be such a powerful statement within the Bond films and it needed to be made by a woman, when she was able to address him by saving "If you think I don't have the balls..." that really allows for female viewers to gather that woman despite their sex should be able to hold authority over their male coutnerparts. M's way of communication within her dialogue with Bond would allow for viewers to demonstrate that woman were capable of attaining infomation like men and that they were able to excute their knowledge in a prestine manner and therefore able to function when running their own business. Although this article greatly addresses the lack of intelligent and "useful" female counterparts to the Bond character I do believe that the article fell short with completely addressing the significant changes the Bond franchise has made thus far within the film Goldeneye with displaying strong independent female roles.

Work Cited
Neuendorf, Kimberly, et al. "Shaken And Stirred: A Content Analysis Of Women’S Portrayals In James Bond Films." Sex Roles 62.11/12 (2010): 747-761. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.