“A Bond of a Different COLOR!”

Idris Elba as James Bond 007

“A   Bond  of  a Different  COLOR!”

(A Bold New Step)

By Glenn Peppers 12-30-2014

Wow! Black english actor, Idris Elba is soon to play James Bond, 007! Now that’s pretty interesting! Personally, I think Idris would make a most brilliant James Bond! After Daniel Craig, it appears that the options are vast as far as what or who James Bond could be in this new millennium, outside of Ian Fleming’s physical novel description of his book paged Bond! Dark hair, tall, scottish and english orphaned, white european! Idris Elba of course is English, and is tall, and has that Sean Connery-like air about him! Of course you can’t discount or forget his magnetic good looks that drives women out of their minds. I’d say that is quite indeed a winning formula for a most perfect James Bond! 

One can’t forget that the one thing that has made Bond so work for well over fifty years is the sheer fact that he always came off unscathed, in tact, and always a gentlemen in the process. And most of all, 007 was and always is, Elegant! Yes, elegant! Because of the likes of Sean Connery, the bar was lifted, and every Bond since has had to be more than just an action hero! He had to be sophisticated and poised! I liked the rawness of Daniel Craig in the movie “Skyfall,” but to me Craig's former performances in previous Bond movies were so ruff around the edges that he appeared to be just that. A ruffian! Unrefined and somewhat immature. Yet at the same time, brilliantly much like Fleming's early Bond in his novels. 

For people to say that a black man cannot or could not be James Bond is ludicrous! He’s a fictional character! To put a finer point on it. I also find it spitefully mean and downright hypocritical to say that Idris Elba should not play 007, simply because he is black. Mainly because throughout American cinema history, white actors have always portrayed people or characters who were totally and completely out of their cultural ancestral lineage since the inception of motion pictures! 

And that includes the many screen actors since the dawning of film history playing Black Face, and stealing cultural and heritage valor from people of color! White Hollywood excluded most everyone from cinema (as far as starring roles) for almost 70 years in hollywood! 

Bing Crosby

Al Jolson

At one time, black face was common place in cinema! You know, the Al Jolson’s and Bing Crosby’s and the Bert Williams, and the like. Let’s talk Swedish actor, Warren Oland playing fictional character, Charlie Chan starting in 1931, followed by Sidney Toler as Chan after Oland died! 

Warren Olen as Charlie Chan

There was a northern african and/or middle eastern Moses played by Russell Crowe and who can forget, Charleston Heston. “The Last Mohican” played by Daniel Day Lewis. “The Last Samurai” played by Tom Cruise (So Tom Cruise was a samurai?... and the last one at that. Hmmm)?  Then there is Tonto (of the Lone Ranger) played recently by Johnny Depp. And did you forget about Robert Downey Jr. playing black face in the movie, “Tropic Thunder?” I find it funny, no one thought that this was out of line or insulting? 

Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"

Remember the character, Massai in “Apache” was played by Burt Lancaster. Northern african egyptian queen, Cleopatra played by Elizabeth Taylor. Alicia Nash (of A beautiful Mind) played by Jennifer Connelly. 

Mickey Rooney as I.Y. Yunioshi in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

And who could forget Mickey Rooney’s portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi, the bucktoothed Chinese stereotype of what was known as the Hop Sing/ Chop Socky subservient Asian? Sadly enough, this character made white audiences shamelessly laugh as if there was nothing wrong with this degrading portrayal of race and culture. Yet asian folk weren’t laughing one bit! 

Just below is a very short list of just some of the actors who have played in black face!...

Fanny Brace

Fred Allen

Fanny Arbuckle

Desi Arnaz in the I love Lucy episode: “Lucy goes to the Hospital”

Jack Benny

Milton Berle

Robert Blake

George Burns

Johnny Carson in a 1976 skit

Bing Crosby in 5 of his movies

Dan Aykroyd in the movie “Trading Places”

Just to name a very few!

The list of actors and comedians who clowned black folks in films and on TV, or made out as if the persons they portrayed were white instead of black is so long it isn’t even believable! Once you grasp just how many of hollywood’s most famous stars (movies and television) either played native american indians, africans, asians and more; completely excluding people of color from film and world history (as it were), and stealing their valor, while mocking the heritage of those they portrayed, is astounding! 

And then you have the likes of someone like talk radio antagonist, Rush Limbaugh on the scene condemning an actor and a film company for considering a black man in a role as not only a hero (so to speak), but as an icon! The very idea that this kind of opportunity can happen in this day and times speaks volumes! As a matter of fact, how dare Rush Limbaugh speak on anything! Hasn’t he Svengali’ed american enough with his messages of hate and intolerance enough already?

Limbaugh has already backhanded and thrown the GOP/Tea Party bunch under the bus with his “I hope he fails!” campaign he started against President Obama back in 2008! Still, people mindlessly followed the ranting and ravings of a power hungry madman, and known drug addict down the dark path of hate and intolerance. Lowering the credibility and IQ of those who would have otherwise thought for themselves, and not let a common radio DJ, and Shock Jock control their thinking patterns! Known to speak out of bitter jealously and spite. I can hear Rush Limbaugh condemning Idris Elba playing James Bond! If Limbaugh actually did agree with Sony and Eon’s production choice to play Idris Elba, I’d be shocked beyond belief! The hallways of hell would be freezing over by now had Limbaugh thought for a moment that this would be a good idea! Thus even more so why this should happen! 

I’d love to see the script ideas for such a movie undertaking! One thing is for sure! Box office for a movie featuring a black James Bond would be monstrous! Given Idris Elba’s style and poise, and debonair manner. I think he’d make a most impressive James Bond indeed. Restoring that essence -- that zing missing from the Bond Franchise for so long. And that certain something called, elegance, style and charm! Poor Rush. I’ve got a feeling that as far as this project goes, Idris Elba isn’t heading for much of any kind of failure, anytime soon, whether this pans out, or not! One things for sure. The times, there are a-changing! As the likes of those like Rush Limbaugh, and their mindset fade into the prehistoric age of fear and ignorance! So until this is ironclad in writing, we’ll all have to wait and see, now won’t we?

Glenn Peppers