In 1987, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the release of Dr. No (1962), producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli donated newly made 35mm prints of all 14 Broccoli-produced James Bond feature films to The Museum of Modern Art. With this extraordinary gift came a promise to provide MoMA with a new 35mm print of each subsequent Bond film. To date, this collection has grown to 22 films—all of the James Bond films produced by Eon Productions—and since his passing in 1996, “Cubby” Broccoli’s daughter Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have generously continued this tradition.
Created by novelist Ian Fleming in 1953, the iconic James Bond, 007, is among the few MI6 agents with the “00” grade—a license to kill. In addition to his deadly skills, the sophisticated, suave, and impeccably dressed Bond remains a loner, despite countless romantic encounters with stunning female spies, voluptuous assassins, provocative party-girls, and a charismatic psychopath or two. The alluring aura of danger and self-confidence he exudes is irresistible to women, but none are allowed to get too close.
Whether portrayed by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig, Bond is forever loyal to Queen and country, possessed of a martini-dry sense of humor, considerably stylish, and eternally enigmatic. When his boss, M, is in need of a formidable agent to quell a globe-spanning espionage crisis, 007 is sent into the field with his trusty Walther PPK, an array of handy spy gadgets, and an unwavering commitment to his mission.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Dr. No and the extraordinary open-ended donation from Albert R. Broccoli, Barbara Broccoli, and Michael G. Wilson, MoMA presents all 22 films in its James Bond collection.
Organized by Anne Morra, Associate Curator, Department of Film.
The exhibition is supported by BNP Paribas.