‘Severe’ alcoholic James Bond needs help — and a less stressful workplace, paper says
James Bond might be shaken to learn he’s a “severe” alcoholic based on his drinking habits across 24 films, but he should instead be stirred to seek help, advises an academic paper.
Researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand penned the analysis, published Monday in the Medical Journal of Australia as part of an annual holiday competition for quirky studies, reported the New York Post.
The study, titled “Licence to Swill,” won first prize. While previous analyses have examined Bond’s propensity for violence and treatment of women, researchers say they chose to focus on his drinking habits in this paper.
Based on an analysis of 24 Bond films dating back to “Dr. No” in 1962, 007 meets the criteria for a “severe alcohol use disorder,” according to the study.
Researchers say Bond has so far consumed 109 alcoholic drinks across his cinematic outings, averaging 4.5 drinks per movie — peaking at six martinis in “Quantum of Solace” in 2008, which would have given Bond an estimated blood alcohol content of .36, which can be fatal, reports the paper.
He frequently engages in risky behavior after drinking, including car chases, fights, gambling and operating heavy machinery, reports the paper.
And it’s not uncommon for Bond to have sex with known enemies after drinking, “sometimes with knives or guns in the bed,” researchers found.
On the other hand, researchers admit, Bond also has succeeded at such tasks as operating a nuclear power plant, assassinating enemies and escaping exploding facilities after drinking.
“Bond has consumed a diverse range of drink types, indicating that he is happy to drink whatever is readily available,” researchers wrote, though he tends to be fond of cocktails such as his signature martinis, which account for 55 percent of his alcohol consumption.
Researchers suggest that Bond seek professional help for his drinking.
“He should avoid drinking on the job, in particular when anticipating a gunfight or if he is likely to be drugged (as these are problems he frequently encounters),” researchers wrote. “Complex tasks, including aerial combat in helicopter gunships and deactivation of nuclear weapons, are best done with a zero blood alcohol level.”
Bond’s employer, spy agency MI6, also should be more supportive, offering Bond counseling for his alcohol problem and taking steps to reduce his workplace stress, researchers advised.
“More training in how to negotiate with enemies may also reduce the need for killing them, as might MI6 placing limitations on his ‘licence to kill,’ ” researchers wrote.
Two researchers watched 24 Bond films from Eon Productions, skipping 1967’s “Casino Royale” and 1983’s “Never Say Never Again,” which were produced by other companies, to compile the data, reported the paper.
A third researcher served as a tie-breaker when the first two disagreed about Bond’s alcoholic intake in a particular scene.
Bond’s 24th film, “Spectre,” took in $880 million worldwide in 2015, according to Box Office Mojo. Early work has started on the as-yet untitled 25th film featuring Bond, with Daniel Craig set to return as 007, reported The Verge.