Pussy Galore 'no bimbo', says Honor

7:31pm Tuesday 14th October 2008

Honor Blackman has praised her Bond girl character Pussy Galore as a strong feminist and not a bimbo.

Blackman was interviewed by the TV Times about her role as the kung-fu kicking character in Goldfinger.

She described her as a career woman who ends up collapsing into Bond's arms.

"In so many of the films, the girls just looked at James and fell flat on their backs," the 80-year-old told the magazine.

"Yet Pussy Galore was a career woman - a pilot who had her own air force, which was very impressive. She was never a bimbo."

Blackman, who features in a forthcoming South Bank Show celebrating James Bond, said Bond movies had to catch up with feminism and Judi Dench playing M was an illustration of women being bright and capable.

Blackman said some American TV interviewers would not even say her character's name. But she insisted Pussy was a realistic depiction of a modern woman.

"Pussy's flying a plane, so she's got to be a strong feminist, but then she collapses into Bond's arms at the end," she told the magazine.

"Deary me. Unfortunately women do do that. We're good at our jobs, but if we fall in love, we're a bit stupid."

She also described former Bond Sean Connery as "the sexiest thing on two legs" and said the chemistry between them was "jumping" from the outset.

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