James Bond Turns 50
The world’s most famous spy movie has turned 50. James Bond, 007, an outstanding master spy of her Majesty’s government, started out in “Dr No” in 1962.
Sean Connery was the first Bond, and as many say, the best. At 32 he made his debut next to Bond girl Ursula Andress. Five other Bond actors followed. At present, Daniel Craig takes on the role as Britain’s number one spy.
In half a century the movie franchise has suffered many ups and downs. Many of the films were more or less copies of previous ones and critics often say that James Bond movies are just too predictable. All the movies have revolved around girls, clothes, gadgets and villains. And in all of them James Bond has succeeded in saving the world.
Bond’s creator Ian Fleming wrote 12 Bond novels. When he died in 1964 only two of them had been turned into a motion picture. The most recent film “Skyfall” marks the 23rd Bond movie and no end is in sight.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of James Bond an exhibition has opened in London. It shows over 400 items from over half a century. Among the best known are posters, bikinis of Bond girls, wristwatches, a car and other gadgets.
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Words
- anniversary = birthday
- celebrate = to show that an event is important
- century = a hundred years
- creator = maker
- debut = first film
- exhibition = show
- franchise = here: the movie series and the name
- gadget = small clever machine
- government = the people who rule a country
- item = thing, object
- mark = is
- master spy = number one spy
- motion picture = movie
- novel = story in which characters and events are not real
- outstanding = great
- predictable = you can tell what will happen next
- previous = earlier
- revolve = center, focus
- spy =someone whose job it is to get secret information from another government, organization or person
- succeed = to achieve something good
- villain = the bad character in a book or film
- wristwatch = watch that you wear on your hand