Creator loved cars and women just as much as James Bond does
By Channel NewsAsia's UK correspondent Paul Burge | Posted: 10 May 2008 1417 hrs

	Photos  of
	Related Videos HIGHLIGHT:Creator loved cars and women just as much as James Bond does

LONDON: An exhibition is opening at the Imperial War Museum in London, marking the centenary of the birth of writer Ian Fleming, the man who created the world's most famous secret agent - James Bond.

Not just James Bond, but the man who created him also loved fast cars, dry martinis and beautiful women.

At the exhibition "For Your Eyes Only," the parallels between Fleming's own life and that of his 007 creation are on display.

007 Magazine editor Graham Rye said: "It's small, it's compact, but it captures everything you need to see and know about Fleming and the way that Bond developed from him."

On display are gadgets galore, vintage posters and clothes worn by characters in the Bond films.

The latest actor to play Bond, Daniel Craig, has even given his blood stained shirt from the film "Casino Royale."

Ann Carter of the Imperial War Museum said: "Definitely, (it is) the first time the Ian Fleming material has been brought together in one place. There have been other exhibitions, but our exhibition is really looking at how Ian Fleming himself influenced the character, his most famous character - James Bond."

The showcase also traces Fleming's life, from a privileged childhood through his early career as a journalist to his days working for British Naval Intelligence. It was from this colourful life that Fleming drew inspiration to create his world famous Bond character.

Lucy Fleming, the author's niece, said: "If you look through the exhibition, you can see where Bond came from. You can see the influences, the things he knew about, the tortures and things, the people and the gadgets. And you can see from his life where things like the skiing came in, which obviously are in the films and was in the book. And when he was at GoldenEye, he loved his underwater swimming. So all the ingredients that make up Bond are in Ian's life."

Many personal items on display chart the days that Fleming spent writing his bestselling novels at GoldenEye, his house in Jamaica. It was there that he created the world of intrigue, glamour and danger - a world where James Bond battled Cold War villains and seduced women, all with that unmistakable 007 style. - CNA/ac