Why not shoot a James Bond movie in Alsace?

Tourner un James Bond en Alsace ... L'idée se relie à des allusions, mentions, moments liant Ian Fleming ou James Bond à l'Alsace. C'est le sens d'un courrier - bouteille à la mer, adressé cet été aux producteurs du plus célèbre agent secret au monde... On ne vit qu'une fois !

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am taking this opportunity to share with you the content of an article which I am transforming into a letter as food for thought on the future of James Bond, Ian Fleming’s hero by evoking links with Alsace and, more broadly, this heart of Rhineland Europe.

Dear Fans, here I share some thoughts and research.

In No Time to Die, the latest instalment of James Bond's adventures, his Majesty's secret agent will have taught his fans patience. I would like to point out some connections which link James Bond and Ian Fleming, the author, to Alsace.

There, we may be surprised not to see a possible link between agent 007, the actors who interpreted his role, the author and Alsace. Yet there is one, and not just one.

“ Foie Gras…from Strasbourg”

The most vivid memory, due to the fact it is cinematic, is this flirtation scene where Sean Connery shares foie gras... "from Strasbourg" in "Never Say Never Again". Purists will remember that the original mention of the most famous Strasbourg delicacy appears in "Casino Royale".

-         “Dipping the blade of his knife into the glass of hot water which stood beside the pot of Strasbourg porcelain, Bond reminded himself to tip the waiter doubly…”.

So here we are yet again, immersing ourselves in the re-reading of the adventures of 007 to find even more traces of Alsace.

Traces of Alsace

So "Le Chiffre", one of James Bond’s first enemies, again in "Casino Royale" is the treasurer of the "Syndicat des Ouvriers d'Alsace", a union controlled and manipulated by the SMERSH organisation. An acronym for "Smiert Shpionam!" ("Death to spies"), SMERSH will become Spectre in the British agent’s continued adventures.

Strasbourg will return naturally in the written and English version of "On her Majesty’s Secret Service". There, James Bond married Tracy Draco, played in the film by the irreplaceable Diana Rigg.

On 27 December 1961, the agent then stayed at the Hotel Maison Rouge before, the next day, following the men of Marc-Ange Draco, head of the Corsican Union, to a castle located "not far from Strasbourg". It is with him that he shares Knacks, the famous "Strasbourg sausages" and a glass of Riquewihr wine.

Later on, John Gardner the author of 16 novels around 007 including Goldeneye and Licence to Kill, will allow James Bond to make a stopover in Strasbourg in "Nobody lives forever". Here he is, this time, residing at the Sofitel Hotel in Strasbourg, Place Saint-Pierre le Jeune in the heart of the European capital.

How can one not perceive, when reading Ian Fleming in particular, real Francophilia in both the author and the agent? The latter would naturally master French, a language undoubtedly inherited from his mum, who was Swiss, if we are to believe the notes and biographies.

Sources of James Bond’s adventures, the12 novels and 9 short stories written by Ian Fleming are related to the Cold War.

And we are almost surprised to see Strasbourg appear in a literary genre, espionage, which is generally touted by Vienna. From James Bond's links with Alsace, we now move on to those of Ian Fleming.

There too France and Alsace have their place.

Back to reality

A friend met at Eton, the renowned military high school, Ivar Bryce was born on 10 June 1906. He is Ian Fleming’s best friend. He inspires the latter to create Felix Leiter, an accomplice of James Bond.

Ivar will later become OSS 991, a real secret agent!

Ivar Bryce will often enrich Ian Fleming’s work. He is undoubtedly the one who also introduces him to France and, by extension, to Alsace.

In his work “You only live once : Memories of Ian Fleming", he talks about his studies in Strasbourg, his learning of German in an Alsatian family and some "headroom" to discover Parisian nights with "Fine Lingam", a perfect anagram of Ian Fleming.

Together, he and Ian invent the legendary Vesper cocktail, this Vodka Martini which is "shaken, not stirred".

At the heart of History

The other reappearance of Strasbourg in Ian Fleming's biography connects to reality and to our contemporary history. Because long before creating James Bond, Ian Fleming was himself part of his Majesty’s secret service.

An agent of the Naval Intelligence Division, he is at the heart of the mission "Alsos" (no, not Alsace), he’d take part and prepare operations of the American and British commandos in Strasbourg, in order to locate, undoubtedly neutralise, the work of German researchers including at least one Nobel Prize.

The physics department of the Institute of Medical Research of the University of Strasbourg, its skills and advances on nuclear power are then clearly a target for the allies. The race towards the bomb had already begun.

This is what, between novels and realities, weaves some links between the most famous secret agent in the world, its creator and our region.

There may be only one other thing missing: a shoot between Petite France and the Cathedral, a nest of spies between Strasbourg and Baden-Baden or a chase in the hairpin bends of Mont Sainte-Odile or those of the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg... A man can but dream.

I mention this for all intents and purposes and why not, dreaming that one day, a James Bond scene goes through Alsace or between Baden-Baden and Strasbourg.

Looking forward, hopefully, to hearing from you,

Yours respectfully,

Stéphane Bourhis

About the writer : A communication consultant, Stéphane Bourhis is passionate about spy novels and James Bond. Reading all Ian Fleming’s works and the biographies devoted to the author was a trail of breadcrumbs in weaving the link between 007 and Alsace.