007 slammed as 'rapist' over 1960s Goldfinger scene
Bond fans around the world will unite this week to share a toast for their favourite sleuth - one that will no doubt be shaken, not stirred.
55 years on from the release of Dr. No, the first film in the mega-franchise, the actions of 007 have been called into question. The spy has been called 'too toxic' for the #MeToo era - critics have called scenes in the films inappropriate for the modern age.
A notorious womaniser, 007's raunchy love scenes have been viewed around the world millions of times. The franchise, which has rolled out 26 blockbusters, has seen seduce women on five continents. But it's a Bond's actions in the USA that have led to some called him a "villain" and not the hero he's supposed to portray.
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In the 1964 release Goldfinger, Bond corners Pussy Galore in a barn on a stud farm in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Accompanied by playful music, the pair engage in a fight as Pussy Galore attempts to escape from the grasp of MI5's most valuable asset. The pair tussle as Pussy pushes Bond away before submitting to him on a haystack in the middle of a barn.
It makes for uncomfortable viewing, drawing many to flag the scene as inappropriate. On Youtube, a clip of the comment is littered with comments calling it a 'rape scene'.
Bond is 'not irresistible to women'
"He's not charming. He's not irresistible to women," says author Daisy Buchanan who believes the scene goes against the principles of the #MeToo era.
"I think it's a dangerous attitude. Rape culture isn't about bad men jumping out of bushes. It's about all of these grey areas where women can't get out of a scenario."
She continued: "We have this massive crisis in male mental health, because James Bond has been presented as this strong silent type and boys look up to him."
Ex-Bond girl says 'world has gone nuts'
Former Bond girl Valerie Leon says she thinks "the world has gone nuts" and fervently protested against the theory that Bond is a bad guy.
"She was a willing woman. She could have protected herself."
The actress, who played a hotel receptionist in The Spy Who Loved Me and later appeared in Never Say Never Again, admitted that during the scene in question Pussy Galore is trying to protect herself. She concluded that ultimately "she enjoyed it."