Ilustrador, Wawawiwa

sometimes being conflicted, is also one of mutual respect and value in the early novels. Bond, in particular, talks regularly in the early novels about how he loves, honours and obeys M creating the idea that the relationship is similar in many ways to a husband and wife relationship. 'Bond looked across the desk at the man who held a great deal of his affection and all his loyalty and obedience/29 The parallels with marriage would be an interesting interpretation of the Bond - M relationship especially as Bond seems to be incapable of actually having a spousal relationship. What their relationship does demonstrate is that for Bond, an orphan who cannot hold down a successful romantic relationship, perhaps the most important person and relationship in his life is with M.

Bond earned his 00 status through two kills which had occurred during the Second World War: a Japanese cryptologist breaking British codes and a Norwegian agent who was actually a double agent for Germany.30 His position means that he has earned the respect of the department and M. He is a valued member of the organisation and at the end of the novel Casino Royale, when Bond has been left for dead from torture, M is concerned for his health and phones personally to make sure he is well cared for. In a rare show of pride it is reported to Bond that: 'He simply said to tell you that he is much impressed.'31 Bond is secretly pleased to hear this because it proves he is important both to the organisation and also personally to M. There are also several occasions when M confides in Bond about a personal problem and seeks his help. This distinction is usually made when M invites Bond to his office and uses

29 Ian Fleming, Diamonds Are Forever (first published: London: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1956 edition used: London: Penguin Group, 2008), 16.

30 John Griswold, Ian Fleming's James Bond: Annotations and Chronologies o f Ian Fleming's Bond Stories (M ilto n Keynes: Authorhouse, 2006), 14

31 Ian Fleming, Casino Royale (first published: London: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1953 edition used: London: Penguin, 2002), 152.

his personal name rather than his professional handle 007. 'He was mildly intrigued because M had addressed him as James and not by his number- 007. This was unusual during duty hours. It sounded as if there might be some personal angle to this assignment- as if it might be put to him more as a request than as an order.'32

However, there is also continuous tension between Bond and M in the novels. M is constantly trying to rein Bond in from his Maverick activities and punishes him heavily when he fails M, and by extension the department, in any way. This can be seen in the 1957 novel Dr No when M sends Bond to Jamaica on a very basic mission, because he had allowed himself to be compromised in the last mission.33 'He's got it in for me over the last job. Feels I let him down. Won't trust me with anything tough.'34 M's desire to keep Bond in check was continued into the early Bond films of the 1960s where Bernard Lee played M much in the same way as the character features in the novel. As Steven Rubin argues, he continued 'the serious, efficient, no-nonsense authority figure' that had been established in the novels.35 Yet Tony Bennett and Janet Woollacott note that the films allowed Bond to develop as an opposition figure to M creating a distinction between the two and casting M as a far

more 'fuddy-duddy Establishment figure'.36 Both interpretations of M as an

authority or establishment figure showcase the difference between him and Bond and highlight M's role as an Organisation man.

32 Ian Fleming, For Your Eyes Only, (first published: London: Jonathan Cape, 1960 edition used: London: Penguin, 2006), 52.

33 Fleming, D r No. 34 Fleming, D r No, 28.

35 Steven Jay Rubin, The Complete James Bond movie encyclopaedia (N ew York: M cGraw-Hill, 2003), 227-228.

36 Tony Bennett and Janet W oollacott, Bond and Beyond: The Political Career o f a Popular Hero (London: Macmillan Education Ltd, 1989), 34.

Bond's relationship with M changed dramatically in 1995 with the new Bond film

Goldeneye.37 Judi Dench was hired to play the new M making her the first

intelligence service head to be portrayed by a woman in popular culture; in an intentional parallel to the employment of Stella Remington as head of MI5 in 1992.

Goldeneye also marked the first Bond film after the end of the Cold War and

therefore the relationship between Bond and M had to be re-defined to fit in with this new world.38 The relationship does not get off to a good start with Bond viewing this new M as more of a bureaucrat, assuming she lacks field experience. M is colder towards Bond than her predecessor-not impressed with his Maverick personality and actions and wants him to be part of an obedient and efficient team. She believes that Bond has not moved with the times: 'I think you're a sexist, misogynistic dinosaur, a relic of the Cold War', seeing him as too caught up in Cold War politics and attitudes to be a good spy.39 Their relationship is a constant battle for superiority and M makes a point of stating that she does not view Bond as irreplaceable and will quite happily send him out to die. Yet for all this talk of Bond being replaceable, M's last request before Bond goes out on his mission is for him to come back alive. This reveals that the degree of care that has always existed between M and Bond has still continued into this new relationship.

Nonetheless the level of disobedience that Bond shows in both the novels and films for his superior is also an important part of the relationship and a clear indicator of his Maverick personality. Bond dislikes working in teams and prefers to go off his

37 Michael France, Jeffrey Caine, Kevin W ade and Bruce Feirstein, Goldeneye. Directed by M artin