The rain pounds against the window as legendary superspy James Bond looks out across the bins of the Wimpy on Bognor High Street.
Miss Moneypenny sits in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin.
An awkward silence hangs in the room.
James stubs his cigarette and makes to leave “I’m terribly sorry Moneypenny, I’ve-“
“Fine. Its fine,” insists the secretary, through watery eyes.
“Its just- there’s a meeting. Q. He’s got an exploding butter dish.”
“Really James, just go.”
With a weak smile 007 leaves.
The rain beats harder against the window.
It was the sixties and a new era of social realism had entered British cinema. Films such as Saturday Night, Sunday Morning and A Kind of Loving were proving hugely popular with cinema goers and so the producers of the spy series made the decision to take the James Bond and Moneypenny’s relationship to the next level, albeit with incredibly awkward consequences for the characters.
“Everyone knows that Moneypenny is smitten with Bond”, explained producer Cubby Broccoli in a 1974 Wogan interview, “and we thought it was about time that we developed that storyline.”
MI6 decide to celebrate a successful infiltration of Smersh with staff trip to Bognor. Bond wins Moneypenny a soft toy and a kiss-me-quick hat on the pier and they go for a drink together.
Moneypenny, unused to quite as many port and lemons, begins to feel a little lightheaded so Bond suggests he rent her a room at a local B&B.
A disastrous liaison then occurs in which the couple undertaking brief, perfunctory intercourse in which Bond alone climaxes, before then getting out of bed and heading to the off-license for some cigarettes. He returns and immediately goes to sleep.
The morning sees the heart-breaking moment as the dashing spy leaves to catch the 7.42 into London.
“It was a hell of a moment,” recalled Broccoli. Gone was the glamour of the previous film’s love scenes. This showed the gritty, dismal side of an office love-affair and it’s tragic ramifications.
However, it was the ending that really gave the film its emotional heft.
“What a moment,” said Broccoli, with a hint of pride.
“Miss Moneypenny emerges from the sexual health clinic with a single tear running down her cheek. Is it a pregnancy, or an STI? Then fade to titles.”
The intention was continue Moneypenny’s story into the next film, however it wasn’t to be. After Shaft became a huge hit, it was decided to take the series into the blaxploitation genre with Live and Let Die.
“Hell, it wasn’t any more crazy than a kitchen sink drama bond. Possibly.”
James Bond: A Swallow’s Broken Wing remains the popular series’ only foray into social realism, but with Bond 25 currently slated for a 2019 release who knows what that might bring.
While I always thought Bond and Moneypenny were great together this storyline seemed to suggest that Bond may have unintentionally taken advantage of her after that drink. The only way I could see them really together would be after he retired from the service and took her with him.