Microfilms and Martini: espionage in cinema
The most famous spy on the silver screen is undoubtedly Ian Fleming’s Agent 007. However, his popularity would probably not be as great without the directors who opened the doors of cinema to him! On September 16, 2022, the second of these directors, Guy Hamilton, would have celebrated his 100th birthday. We take this opportunity to pay tribute to him through a series of documents collected in the Agora of the BCUL, Riponne site. In 1939, Guy Hamilton began his career in the cinema; it was already talking and colorful, but the concept of the blockbuster did not yet exist. He signed his first films as principal director in the 1950s. The thematic selection at La Riponne features several of the director’s films, including his adaptations of Agatha Christie novels. However, his best-known productions today remain the four James Bond films starring Sean Connery and Roger Moore:
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
- Live and let die (1973)
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
In the context of the Cold War, technology and espionage both fascinated and worried audiences, and these themes were given pride of place in the James Bond series. Subsequently, cinema was marked by new uses and new codes. In the 1970s, for example, film studios began casting African-American actors in leading roles, particularly in political productions. While this new genre diffused prejudices, it was also recognized for bringing new points of view and issues to the fore. Guy Hamilton borrowed the codes of this phenomenon called “blaxploitation ” in 1973 for Live and Let Die.
Last year, we took advantage of the release of Mourir peut attendre to offer you a selection dedicated to 007; this time, we’re also looking at the film work, the genre and its parody, as well as espionage in general. The selection is also available on eLecture.
