Sean Connery – Looking to God

Stuck in bed for two days with flu-like symptoms, I had a choice of watching Hogan’s Heroes or 007. Given I’d watched every Hogan’s Heroes episode ever made at least two thousand times, I went for the James Bond marathon. I couldn’t deny myself the pleasure of spy vs. spy while my fever climbed to unprecedented levels.

Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 — Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007

For today’s Wednesday Warriors, I’m going to share a few thoughts about my love for James Bond and the reason why I think this franchise will be around long after I’m gone.

Shaken, not stirred. Tuxedo at the ready. Casino primed for his entrance. Beautiful women pining for his affection. Q. Moneypenny. M. The list goes on.

Every Bond movie has its differences, though. As much as things change, things remain the same. The villain. The Bond girl. The villain’s girlfriend who seems good at the time but changes sides halfway through the story. And let’s not forget the villain’s right hand man who always gets his in the end.

Formulaic. Predictable. Yes, and yes. You know what? Who cares? They’re movies. Eon Productions made them to entertain us. Whenever I pop one into the player, my jaw drops by the opening sequence wondering what else I may have not seen in my lifetime.

Let’s not forget the actors who played (currently playing) Bond. They have their own style and their own unique way of interpreting England’s finest spy. For instance

Sean Connery (Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever): Some may consider him the true Bond of the franchise. Is it because he was the first?

George Lazenby (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service): One shot deal, but he performed as one would expect for the demanding role—perfectly.

Roger Moore (Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View to a Kill): The funny Bond who I grew up with. I used to watch him during the lull times of the Jerry Lewis MD Telethon. He was my favorite until Daniel Craig came along.

Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill): Back to the basics with a darker flavor of Bond. He studied Ian Fleming’s books between takes and brought the literary character to life.

Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day): Hands down, GoldenEye has to be one of the best in the series. Brosnan had Connery’s charm and Dalton’s strength. I call him the balanced Bond.

Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall): I can only describe him as the action hero. Chiseled. Worn. Craig’s Bond seeks to bring justice to an unjust world. A superhero? Possibly.

Certainly, many actors have played James Bond, and I’m sure many more will continue to do so. I don’t see the character dying any time soon. The point of the matter though, has to do with escapism. I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend in bed than with a stack of movies featuring the world’s favorite spy: Bond, James Bond.

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Have you seen any Bond movies? Which ones? Did you like it? What drew you into the story?

No one is above the code, especially the king. When Kara (Dina Meyer) almost kills the king, it’s the heart of a dragon that saves him. But, what may have saved the king’s life may have also destroyed his soul.

In the 1996 movie Dragonheart, a dragon slayer by the name of Bowen (Dennis Quiad) seeks revenge against the beast that had changed the heart of his beloved king, Einon (David Thewlis). For in the days when medicine ran scarce, the dragon’s heart was the only cure to save a life. For Bowen, the salvation of the king came at the price of villainy, a far greater price than anyone was willing to pay except his mother. Bowen travels the kingdom in search of the dragon that had imparted King Einon’s evil soul.

Kara seeks her own retribution against the tyrannical monarch who had done wickedness against her father. During an evening of festivities when the king made merry with his council, Kara slips into the castle with the intention of assassinating the malevolent royal. Into the dungeon she goes, with the king wanting her to be his companion for life.

Escaping, Kara makes it her mission to destroy Einon with every ounce of determination she could muster. She returns to her village inciting those around her to take up arms and fight the king. The people have a different idea, though. They cannot grasp the concept of victory without her father at the helm. Beaten and submissive to the kingdom, the village folk chase her away.

Not one for discouragement, Kara teams with Bowen the dragon slayer in order to destroy the vile wretch who dares call himself king. Having trained under the tutelage of Bowen, Kara strengthens her resolve to commit her life in the hands of faith so as she can rid the land once and for all of injustice.

Kara’s unshakable nature propels her to accomplish things she had never dreamed of on her own, and with the aid of those who have taken to her message, she yields to her compulsion for dispensing retribution.

Always displaying strength, Kara does not break down in tears when confronted with challenges, and she lives every day as if it were her last. Kara’s belief in integrity and honesty solidifies her moral standing as a true warrior. Malicious spirits may abound, yet, to Kara, she shrugs them off like water trickling from her skin. She doesn’t allow them to disturb her countenance as a force of imitable reckoning.

Kara has shown countless times what it really means to be loyal in the face of adversity. She may have unorthodox methods, but her willingness to die for justice and righteousness has given her a place in Women Who Wow Wednesday.

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If you’ve seen Dragonheart, what’s your favorite part? What do you think of Kara?

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