Holly Goodhead

What do we think of her? She used to be bottom three for me, but I've since warmed to her. Still not the best, but not the worst.

I want to like her more. She has the makings of an iconic Bond girl with a Pussy Galore-esque coldness toward Bond, brains... I like her in her Drax Industries getup, and she looks gorgeous in some scenes, e.g.:


 
But not so much like this:

https://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Moonraker/pages/Moonraker-415.htm

So I wouldn't place her alongside the likes of Ursula Andress, Claudine Auger, Izabella Scorupco or Sophie Marceau as one of the sexier Bond girls. 

Her the name is one of the best in the entire canon, but Chiles' isn't the most competent of actors, and fails to convince me that she's worthy of the iconicity her name demands.

I've always had a begrudging liking for her. Fine, she's not a top 5 Bond girl but she's not bottom five neither. There's a beauty to her that yes, as you say Fields, wouldn't place her alongside those you mention but it's almost secondary to the fact of what she does and can do. From the off she seems not to have time for Bond or rather what he expresses, she's no dumb bell. Her knowledge of the shuttle, the fact she can fly it and then the fact she can handle herself in a fight. She might not be the best, the hotel scene in Venice is a touch awkward I think in parts but overall, there's something about her.

Who else would we have had in 1979? One's tempted to suggest Raquel Welch

She's middling, but she works quite well for the kind of film MR is.

Hilly KCMG wrote:

Who else would we have had in 1979? One's tempted to suggest Raquel Welch

I was thinking about this too. Farrah Fawcett?

Raquel Welch was 39 in 1979 and EON hasn't very often gone for Bond girls who are pushing forty or beyond. That would have been one year older than Maud Adams was for "Octopussy".

I guess but I'm probably influenced by watching the Musketeer films when I was younger which I knew were a few years before Moonraker but even so.

Farrah's a good shout Fields, the Charlie's Angels aspect might have helped her.

Raquel Welch was originally cast as Domino Derval in "Thunderball". But since this came in conflict with another obligation (which ended up being "The Fantastic Voyage") she was replaced by Claudine Auger. Since Claudine as Domino is one of my favorite Bond girls, I'm not sad at the change. But I think Raquel Welch might have made a good Bond girl herself.

Salomé wrote:

Raquel Welch was originally cast as Domino Derval in "Thunderball".

Which would have been something:



This was Welch at the 1979 Oscars. She would have been much more age appropriate for Moore, too. She's certainly someone who would have given Goodhead the presence the character deserves. 

Speaking of, her mouth seems to be just the right size, too...

What might've been. In a way it's a shame she never did a Bond film. Not the worlds greatest actress but she had a presence in her heyday.

A 1979 Welch opposite Moore intrigues in its weird way. I almost imagine her more as Octopussy.

A better character and performance than given credit despite being a CIA XXX makeover just as MR is a TSWLM remake.

I like the developed rapport between Chiles and Roger as it is reminiscent of both TSWLM and classic screwball comedies/battle of the sexes-AND IT'S FUN! Roger does this beautifully and it even serves plot purposes! AH!
At first the character seems throwaway but it is interesting how they developed her into mutual antagonist and eventually into partner/love interest. As with many things in MR if you go along with the film it has great riches.

The staging of the ending and the lines are IMO incredible and one of the series great endings yet again-AND it works even with the disco revision of the title song! I think Chiles' final clinch with Roger and "Take me around the world one more time." --"Why not?" is icing on the cake of an unfairly maligned film.

This is one of the most beautiful shots in the series coupled with Roger's absolutely perfect knowing smile. I think Chiles comes across as quite attractive and gutsy which is nice but it does show that she was viewed more as a TV actress than a film lead. The scene in her Venetian hotel room with the characters checking on one another is the best Goodhead scene in the film; and Bond's leaving in the night with Barry's score-like Bond's night with Corinne-is some of the most eloquent cinematic moments of the series.

The biggest problem is that MR is so clearly based around TSWLM and they shot in France due to the tax problems and it makes the whole film more leisurely and differently paced than any other. But it gives MR an identity that is solely its own and I wouldn't have it any other way. If the pace were a bit faster and the silly humor removed I think MR would be as revered as TSWLM. If the lasers were removed the entire space sequence would be held as a intricate action film version of 2001. (Which it is. Incredible stuff.)

I agree. She works better than Barbara Bach because her character is never required to go through some kind of personal strife. In many ways I consider MR to be a major improvement on TSWLM and that's just one of the reasons.

A lot more should have been done with Anya. The idea that Bond killed the Bond girl's lover and then they must team up should mean crackling tension throughout the film. It demanded a better actress and the script needed a rewrite. 

Toning down the character arcs works for MR, but I still think it's a missed opportunity for "Holly Goodhead" not to have had better treatment in terms of performance and writing.

Find myself thinking if only Felix was in Moonraker. Could picture Hedison's Felix sort of palming Holly off on Bond in Venice. "She's not one of my best, but she does the job."

^ Good one.

What and have poor Felix pop out from under the bed? Low places remember. They can't plant bugs anymore since Bond will grape them out.

I've always felt Anya comes across perfectly well in TSWLM as the character is built up well across the film and done so over time. She is a more effective character in the film when compared to Holly who merely disappears from events on several occasions.

CJB wrote:

Hilly KCMG wrote:

Find myself thinking if only Felix was in Moonraker. Could picture Hedison's Felix sort of palming Holly off on Bond in Venice. "She's not one of my best, but she does the job."

"Don't worry, Felix, I won't let her mouth off."

CJB wrote:

Hilly KCMG wrote:

Find myself thinking if only Felix was in Moonraker. Could picture Hedison's Felix sort of palming Holly off on Bond in Venice. "She's not one of my best, but she does the job."

"Don't worry, Felix, I won't let her mouth off."

The more I watch the movie the more I like Holly. She is like that girl in real life that for some reason at first you don't notice how beautiful, intelligent and charming she is then one day it hits you.

the cute expression on her face after he sprays the flame thrower perfume...little moments like that are very endearing and she has many of them

I'm warming to her. She'd sit alongside of Christmas if I did a ranking, I'd say.

I would rank her in the top 5 if I went by how formidable she is and important to the main plot line. She infiltrates Drax organisation long before Bond even knows what is going on, she's CIA, a fully trained astronaut, can fight and is often ahead of 007 in the spy game. She is one of the very few Bond girls you can make the argument that she is as effective as he is while facing one of the most diabolical plots and villains. Whereas with Anya in TSWLM ...I'm not sure she was even really needed all that much and did very little in terms of helping anything.  That's what makes ranking the women almost impossible because I can't decide on the criteria. I mean I rank Honey way higher than Holly and the reason is well, boobs, bikini....lol It might not be quite that simplistic or pathetic on my part but it does play a huge role in my decision and I like that type of girl. And they are fantasy movies so I don't see it as all that ridiculous.  All the other reasons aside to prefer the Moore movies over the Craig ones is the women. They are everywhere in most of Rogers movies even just as extras. Pools, bikini girl's everywhere,parades,circus girls, all girl Island in Octopussy on and on the women never seem to stop. And I would make the argument it's not a sexual thing but an aesthetic thing as well, part of the beautiful landscape as much as the exotic locations. Cutting out the beautiful women is like cutting out the forests, mountains or any of the other beautiful natural scenery and I fear that's what all future Bond movies will be in this sterile feminist environment which is not surprisingly anti woman in attitude. Yes I like the formidable women characters too but there is no reason for the dislike or outright hatred that hot fun babes in bikini's get and that has been going on for some time now in the media. It's not like they can write a decent plot anyways so let's drop the emo garbage and go with the fun, adventure, bikini's and... More, More boobs!

 that's a fight I can get behind 

She's pretty, but could use a charisma transplant. And her acting: "Something must have gone wrong with the controls!"

Ugh.

That's why I used to really dislike her. And her "I'm sure I shall" used to really grate. Now part of her... charm, I suppose. She's more convincing than Bach as a spy.

She does have the chops elsewhere. She's quite good in Broadcast News and her cameo in Say Anything is brilliant.

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wrote:

She's more convincing than Bach as a spy.

Talk about damning with faint praise! Next you'll say she's more convincing than Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist.