The Real James Bond

[SirAndrewD]

Damn man, what're you doing up at this hour? Don't you have to work for a living or something? Thanks for the answer so fast. I always thought of Bond as kind of giant middle-finger to the uptight establishment types he worked around. And his enemies as well. And I liked Telly Savalas as Blofeld in Her Majesty's Secret Service. But that's just me.

One good thing that comes with age is seniority.  No one gets to schedule any work with me before 11am except my CEO and my office is my own study.

But, to your point, Bond is a bit anti-establishment and a bit not. 

He's a commoner for sure, but he's very wealthy and his parents raised him to be a true English gentleman.  There are a few cute moments largely missing from the movies where Bond shows much more refined tastes and better true English manners than most of the nobility he works for.

And yeah, his rebellious streak is pretty well known.  He got thrown out of Eaton and became a playboy before the structure of the Navy.  He's so rich he was insulted at the £1 million dowry offered to marry Tracy like he'd do it for or because he needed money. 

An interesting thing they can do in new films is a bit of the backstory that Bond actually does have a cover.  He's a well known playboy from before WW2, so he just continues that sham afterwards without it being known he's an agent for MI6.  The Bentley and later Aston Martin, the expensive clothes and the trappings are all things he uses to keep up the appearences that after the Navy he's just gone back to being a social butterfly in the wealthiest corners of the world blowing his family fortune.  It obviously wears out as he becomes one of the most well known agents in the world, but it's a pretense Bond actually does initially try to hold to a bit, even if just to be allowed to drive his beloved Bentley.

[GDS_Starfury]

Astons are cooler.   

[SirAndrewD]

Astons are cooler.   

No argument there from me, but Bond disagrees.

His favorite car is the 1933 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre that was the first car he purchased for himself after his parent's death, kitted out with a union flag and some racing flair. 

He gets the Aston Martin DB3 (changed to DB5 in the movies) from Q Branch in Goldfinger as it fits his cover and has some gadgets installed. 

However even with the DB3 avaiilable he's a Bentley man and goes back to a personal Mk VI later.

His first Bentley is his first car love though.  They do have a throwaway line about it in the Goldfinger film.

[Gusington]

^In proper British racing livery.'

gabba gee

 

[GDS_Starfury]

Bentleys are now made by Volkswagen 
to be fair they also own Porsche and Lamborghini

[Gusington]

^Now, but not in '33 

[SirAndrewD]

^Now, but not in '33 

Could you imagine Bond kicking ass on screen in a Nolan film in that thing?

In the books when it gets destroyed in Moonraker it's like a character died.

[GDS_Starfury]

same with Good Omens.

[Gusington]

I could imagine a whole origin story around that '33 Bentley 

[Sir Slash]

Yeah! I'd watch a movie just about the Bentley.