IAN FLEMING AND THE CURSE OF JAMES BOND

Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond explores the enduring appeal of the world Fleming created and how the books and the character of James Bond reflect his own life and the top-secret Naval Intelligence operations in which he played a leading part during World War II.

Fleming’s enormous success as a writer led him to the edge of a precipice. Like one of the duels to the death in his books he tried to rid himself of 007, only to find that Bond always struck back. Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond explores this paradox. The film establishes the importance of Jamaica in Fleming’s life; all the James Bond books were written at Goldeneye, his house on the island. 

Connecting the books, the feature films and rare archive footage of Fleming and his era brings depth, glamour and excitement to the documentary - with contributions from Ralph Fiennes, Kate Mosse, Percival Everett, Marlon James, Alexis Albion, William Boyd, and Ian Fleming biographer Nicholas Shakespeare. Readings from the books are by Helena Bonham Carter.