We all have are fandoms that we obsess about. For some it’s Star Trek or Star Wars, others it maybe Doctor Who, and for some a particular genre of film such as horror. While I obsess about many aspects of movies, the one that holds true above all else is the James Bond franchise.
This past Tuesday the franchise lost one of its biggest icons: Sir Roger Moore. He was the third actor to inhabit the beloved character, and to date the actor to make the most appearances, totaling seven.
I credit Sir Roger Moore as the individual who kept the James Bond franchise alive, not just during his tenor from 1973’s Live & Let Die through 1985’s A View to A kill but alive and well today. What he did with the role was prove that the franchise can continue with out Sean Connery. George Lazenby initially stepped into the role but left after one film and Sir Connery returned to the franchise. When Sean Connery left again, after making Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore had the 007 tux tailored and kept breath in the franchise. The James Bond mantle is one of the biggest mantles to inherit, in all of cinema, and he did it with grace, class, and wit. For that, my inner cinemaphile is eternally grateful.
On a personal note, it is strange mourning the passing of someone who I never met or knew personally. To be completely honest I’m not sure what to make of this feeling of sorrow. On one hand, the passing of an individual is tragic. On the other we never met, talked to each other, or shared any experience. Yet I feel the loss on a very personal level. In time, and in my own obsessive way, I will process this emotion.
I will always love the 007 film (and book) series. Though he left the role over three decades ago, and three others have since tied the Bond tie, I miss the charm and class that Roger Moore so eloquently brought to the role.
