Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond

Recently, on a long flight from London to Singapore, I discovered the BBC America 4-part miniseries, “Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond” and immediately was almost grateful for the 12-hour flight allowing plenty of screen time. For fans of the 007 books and movies, this show is a new window into the life of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. Fleming served in Naval Intelligence with the British government in World War II, albeit in a desk job, but with plenty of imagination and a desire to be thought of as the dashing hero he would one day create. Fleming and Bond had plenty in common – a playboy reputation with women, a disdain for rules, alcohol in copious amounts and at all times, and fascination with the finest things in life: a great martini, a fabulous antiquarian book, Dunhill cigars, and bespoke suits.

The miniseries, which actually premiered in the USA before airing in Britain in early 2014, covers Fleming’s years during the war. While the creators admit they have taken some liberties, the show is largely true to life, including with respect to Fleming’s ideas for subterfuge and deception of the Nazi military machine. One of his concepts may have held some weight with his superiors, who otherwise seemed to view the future author as a dilettante. Fleming suggested using a corpse dressed in British military attire as a plant for the Nazis, leaving it on the beach with fake military papers in its pocket.

The plan as described by Fleming was never enacted, but the British did use a remarkably similar approach in 1943, when they initiated “Operation Mincemeat,” a plan to leave the dead body of a hobo with military documents that suggested the Allies had battle plans which were in fact fake. The plan actually was carried out and was a success, with the Germans believing, as a result of the faked papers, that the Allies were planning to invade Greece and Sardinia in 1943. Instead, the invasion was planned for Sicily, and took the Nazis by surprise.

Whether or not Fleming was really the creator of this wild scheme is uncertain – although he did work in the same room in the Naval Intelligence Unit where it was planned and developed. But it makes for good history, just as “Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond” makes for good guilty pleasure and enjoyment.

from Laura Flippin http://ift.tt/1qv5nXY Laura Flippin's latest blog post: