A non-Bond fan watches all 25 James Bond movies.
Finally, I made it to the Pierce Brosnan era…GoldenEye, Brosnan’s first Bond film. It’s my 17th Bond movie since I started this James Bond movie-watching journey in July 2022.
Two reasons I was looking forward to GoldenEye: 1) A woman, Barbara Broccoli, is now a full-time producer, and 2) Pierce Brosnan is the best looking Bond, ha!
After seventeen movies, I’m still not a James Bond fan, but I crowned Timothy Dalton my favorite Bond after I watched Licence to Kill. Will he be dethroned by Pierce Brosnan?
Let’s see…
The Women In GoldenEye Have a New Attitude
It looks like secretary Moneypenny took a women’s empowerment training course. She’s no longer sucked into or tolerating James Bond’s flirtatious behavior. This time when he flirts she tells him, “this sort of behavior could qualify as sexual harassment.” Just a couple of movies ago, in The Living Daylights, she was thrilled when Bond smacked her on the bottom.
The Bond franchise pays attention to real life happenings in the world. Only three years before GoldenEye was filmed, Clarence Thomas (U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominee at the time) was publicly accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill in 1991.
Anita Hill’s shocking testimony was televised around the world and had an impact on work culture everywhere, including the Bond films, obviously. What was once considered workplace fun and humor by some was now deemed sexual harassment.
Moneypenny isn’t the only one challenging Bond about his attitude towards women. He now has a female boss played by Judi Dench who also confronts him about his misogynistic ways. She wasn’t too happy that the female psychologist she sent to evaluate Bond was seduced by him instead.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond…I’m Disappointed
I thought for sure Brosnan would be my favorite James Bond actor. But now that I’ve seen Brosnan’s first Bond film, I’m disappointed.
Of course Pierce Brosnan is handsome. But as Bond, he’s just okay. He’s very similar to Roger Moore, and maybe not as good. I’m not sure. I’ll have to watch the next movie to decide. And I didn’t like the movie so that didn’t help.
I wanted to like Brosnan in this movie. But there was nothing about him that stood out. As Bond, Sean Connery had flair and turned the heads of women. Moore was a British gentleman with silly humor. Dalton brought grit and emotion.
I saw nothing about Brosnan that made him unique. I felt the same way about George Lazenby in his one and only Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Each Bond actor should bring something special to the role, and looks are nice, but not enough.
Barbara Broccoli’s Impact on GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the first Bond movie with Barbara Broccoli as a full-time producer. Her dad, Albert R. Broccoli, resigned due to illness, leaving Barbara and her half-brother, Michael G. Wilson, in charge as co-producers.
Barbara, being in her early thirties at the time, brought a fresh new mindset, making changes that should have been made years prior. Making Moneypenny Bond’s boss comes to mind. When Lois Maxwell (the original Moneypenny) was let go ten years prior she suggested that she become Bond’s boss. It would’ve been a bold move, but Albert Broccoli couldn’t see James Bond taking direction from a woman.
I doubt Bond would have a female boss in this movie if Barbara wasn’t a full-time producer. And Moneypenny would still be enjoying Bond’s over-the-top flirtatious behavior.
Filming, Production & Other Info
Another new actress, Samantha Bond, is playing Moneypenny, making her the third actress to play the role. Lois Maxwell, the original, was in fourteen Bond movies so it’s surprising they’ve already had two actors since she left.
This was the first Bond film not produced by Albert Broccoli. Like I mentioned, he turned the reigns over to his daughter, Barbara Broccoli, and stepson, Michael G. Wilson because of illness. He died in June of 1996.
This movie came out in 1995. Because of legal issues, there was a six year gap between Licence to Kill and GoldenEye. That’s the longest gap between Bond films.
GoldenEye, the name. I don’t recall any mention of that name in the movie. There’s no Bond novel written by Ian Fleming called GoldenEye. But it is the name of Ian Fleming’s estate in Jamaica where he wrote all of his Bond novels.
If you’d like to know why I, a non-Bond fan, am watching all 25 James Bond movies you can read about it in detail here: Who Is The Next James Bond? A Non-Bond Fan Makes Her Prediction.