Casino culture within the Bond movies explored
There are few words more recognisable all around the world than “The name’s Bond… James Bond.” An icon of the screen, James Bond is still considered by many to be the epitome of glamour and sophistication – with a little danger thrown in for good measure.
While many associate Bond with his Aston Martin car, his never-ending array of gadgets and his penchant for a Martini, he’s also synonymous with casinos.
From high-end baccarat tables to the gritty intensity of a poker showdown, casinos are intertwined in the DNA of James Bond movies. But how has this relationship between Bond and the world of casinos endured for decades and 25 blockbuster movies?
The early Bond films
James Bond was introduced on film with Sean Connery portraying 007 in Dr. No in 1962. This movie set the tone for Bond’s affinity with luxury and the world of casinos. Lavish environments were the name of the game in the early movies, with casinos appearing as grand, glamorous spaces. These provided the perfect backdrop for Bond’s cool demeanor to be challenged with high-stakes action.
1965’s Thunderball sees James Bond take part in a baccarat game with the film’s villain, Largo. Bond’s composure under pressure only adds to his legendary status as he plays cat and mouse with Largo in the casino as they dance around each other’s true identities.
The casinos in these early Bond movies – especially those set in glamorous locales like Monte Carlo – are always opulent affairs. In these films, the casino is as much a place for socialising and showing off one’s social standing as it is a location for pivotal plot developments. Bond, in these earlier portrayals, is both an observer and a participant in this world of luxury.
The art of the card game
Moving to the 21st century, James Bond was a spy for the new millennium. A grittier Bond was portrayed by Daniel Craig in 2006’s Casino Royale. The title made it clear that casinos would be at the heart of the action.
The villainous Le Chiffre hosts a poker tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro, with a $10 million buy-in. But as fans of Bond will know, the money is of little concern. The tension is ratcheted up as Bond has to rely on a further $5 million from the CIA to continue, but he’s almost taken out entirely after being poisoned during the game. Not letting that defeat him, Bond is saved before returning to clean up at the table.
Poker as the card game of choice was a significant shift for Bond away from the earlier favoured game of baccarat. This change reflected the real-life growth of poker as the dominant card game in casinos all over the world. Skill, psychology and strategy were all on show as Bond didn’t play the cards but played his opponent instead.
The poker game also allowed the filmmakers to showcase James Bond’s remarkable resilience. The game itself was a metaphor for Bond’s struggles against forces he can’t control that have been central themes throughout the Bond series.
Glamour and risk
The choice of showcasing so many casinos throughout the Bond films isn’t just about the action at the table. Casinos are there to convey a level of high society and wealth with the undercurrent of danger always lurking. Enemies have been revealed in casinos while alliances have been made and broken. The settings just add to the tension of these eyebrow-raising moments.
In GoldenEye (1995), James Bond shows a more charming side of his personality to navigate these arenas. Bond is portrayed as a smooth operator and any games he is caught up in prove to be secondary compared to his real motives.
But it’s not just gambling at the casino tables that goes on in the Bond films. Bond is gambling with his life in every installment, as are his high-powered friends and enemies alike.
Inherent in the Bond films and what links them so closely to casino culture is risk. How much are you willing to lose? What are you willing to gamble? Not just in games but in life itself. Casinos are the perfect metaphor for James Bond the spy – the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, as he finds out time and time again.
Modern casinos
Back in the real world, more people are enjoying casino games than ever before. While some still like to get their glad rags on and head out for some face-to-face action that Bond would be proud of, many more are enjoying their thrills with online gaming.
While Bond makes the most of his resources thanks to allies such as M and Q, players enjoying their gaming online are doing the same, thanks to a huge array of bonuses on offer at many online casinos. While Bond was usually playing for much higher stakes than anyone gaming from the comfort of their own home, the same rules of risk and reward apply.
Savvy players look to make the most of any advantage, using sites such as New Casinos to find promotions that work for them. Bonuses give players more chances to win and let them play for longer, things that Bond really could have done with as he fought for his life after his poker table poisoning.
Bond’s legacy
Casino culture in the James Bond films should not be overlooked. These settings are chosen for a reason and are woven into the fabric of Bond as a character as well as the narratives of the movies. Bond isn’t an all-action, gung-ho maverick, he’s a smooth, suave operator, often defeating enemies with his intellect rather than his physicality.
While the early years of Bond focused on the glamour of casinos, the later works showcase the psychological tension and strategy that they offer. From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, casinos have allowed James Bond to showcase him at his best – a first-class spy who’s often shaken but never stirred.
All images: EON Productions, Thunderball 1964, GoldenEye 1995, Casino Royale 2006.
