Of all the old Sean Connery-James Bond films, Goldfinger is one of my favorites. The plot makes some kind of sense, the villain is properly evil (nothing “misunderstood” or “I see his point” about Mr. Goldfinger) and it features one of the coolest assassinations ever: death by skin suffocation, or death by gold paint (a plot point which has since been debunked). Goldfinger also features a kickass theme song (love Shirley Bassey) and one of the best-named villainess/heroines in Ian Fleming’s canon: Pussy Galore. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard Sean Connery work out her name with his thick Scottish accent.

Anyway, Pussy Galore was played by English actress Honor Blackman. Blackman turns 90 years old this year, and she’s still working and she still has opinions about the Bond franchise and everything. And unlike Roger Moore, Blackman doesn’t have a problem with the way James Bond has changed over the years and how he will continue to change. Blackman gave a lengthy interview to The Daily Mirror about Bond and much more. Some highlights:

Her thoughts on Daniel Craig: “I’m sorry to say he’s a better actor – but I think Sean would acknowledge that. I think Dan is terrific. He’s capable of so much more. Sean was perfection as Bond only as Ian Fleming wrote it. He was a Mr Universe entrant, he was handsome and very, very sexy and had that ridiculous accent. Now it’s no longer like Ian Fleming, it’s more like The Bourne Identity. It’s a different kind of film. But that doesn’t make any difference to the fact they’re super films and Daniel is probably the best actor that ever played Bond.”

James Bond has evolved: “You’re talking to somebody who is terribly biased. Ian Fleming wrote a certain character and it was fun when we accepted he was a misogynist and a brutal fellow, but we loved him just the same. But nowadays, unfortunately, we find that totally unacceptable. Now he has to love somebody, he has to care about women, he has to do all the things Fleming never intended.”

She thinks a black James Bond would be awesome: “I think he can be anything he likes. Why can’t he be a black man? You have to be a good actor and you’ve got to be a very attractive man – that’s half the battle – otherwise you can’t play Bond.”

She’s against the monarchy & the Tories: In 2002 the republican turned down the offer of a CBE. Though she’s a traditional Lib Dem voter she says her sympathies could lie with Labour. “The Conservatives bend like mad to the money and they can’t help it – they’re all those kinds of people.”

[From The Mirror]

Damn, I hope I’m as cool as Honor Blackman when I’m her age. She feels very… spicy. And like she actually pays attention to pop culture and societal trends, enough to reference the Jason Bourne films and talk about Daniel Craig’s abilities as an actor. She’s very sharp. I agree with her that Daniel is a better actor than Sean Connery, but I’m not sure if Daniel is the best actor to every play Bond. Pierce Brosnan was and is a very good actor. Timothy Dalton is a good actor too. Lord, I hope Honor Blackman lives long enough to see Idris Elba playing James Bond!

Photos courtesy of WENN.