istory
1 May 2015
James Bond and the Cold War
During the Cold War, the movie portion of pop culture was not left untouched. The first James Bond film, Casino Royale, debuted in 1953, around the beginning of the Cold War and the battle of communism. Spy films became a common theme in 1960s cinema because the Soviets could be shown as enemies in these films. Movies like James Bond became popular in the United States and other nations and were used as a type of propaganda to portray the Soviets in the worst light possible, James Bond is a British Secret Service agent who battles criminals, and his stories are filled with Soviet spy-types. Casino Royale contained an enemy agent from the Soviet Union, and the Cold War was a backdrop in many James Bond movies. James Bond movies followed the political climate of the type and subsequently painted a certain picture of the USSR.
Upon realizing this, I was surprised. I’d never really pondered how the Cold War influenced the James Bond movies. Yes, the Bond movies contain Russian landscapes and Russian enemies, but I’d never made the connection to the war. Now that I reflect, there are obvious signs that James Bond commented on anti-communism and the Cold War because of the agents he fought. I think it’s interesting that Hollywood used movies as propaganda to pit Americans against the Soviets; however, it’s pretty smart. In today’s times, lots of people, especially the youth are influenced heavily by pop culture. By incorporating elements of current events, pop culture is used to sway the opinion of those that follow it. By including Cold War commentary and elements in the James Bond movies, I’m sure the public was led to believe the ultimate worst of the USSR.