In a beach paradise, with the background of rustling palm leaves caressed by the wind, an enchanting voice draws Sean Connery, aka James Bond, from his dreams… Back in 1962, this scene was from the release of the first film, Dr. No, in a long series of the James Bond franchise that is still thriving today. This enchanting voice belongs to Ursula Andress, a then-unknown actress who would reach world fame thanks to an memorable scene and an unforgettable piece of clothing. Emerging from the water in the manner of Botticelli's Venus, Honey Ryder reaches the shore dripping, tanned and sculptural in a bikini that has become legendary. To create this legendary piece, Ursula Andress and costume designer Tessa Prendergast collaborated closely. The two-piece bathing suit consists of a bra tied at the chest and a triangle bottom, all in ivory cotton. The signature of this extremely simple bikini: a belt adjusted on the hips and a sheath on the side to hold a dagger. This detail gives establishes the femme fatale concept embodied by Honey Ryder.
The revolutionary bikini
Asked years later about the impact of this scene, Ursula Andress admitted that while Dr. No opened so many doors for her, she didn't understand the craze around this moment in the film. To understand all the issues surrounding this cultural milestone is a matter of context. In France the bikini was already well established on our beaches, thanks to the icons Brigitte Bardot and Dalida. The first James Bond film made a large impact in the United States since puritanism still reigned. Released in the early 1960s, at the dawn of the sexual revolution, the film reveals the bikini worn by Ursula Andress as a call to discover the female body. Since that scene, the two-piece swimsuit spread like wildfire on beaches around the world. On February 14, 2001, the famous bikini worn by Ursula Andress sold for almost $150,000 in an auction hosted by Christie’s.
Tributes continue
While tributes to the Jamaican beach scene continue, the James Bond franchise best recreates the thrilling and seductive atmosphere of this suspended moment on screen in subsequent films in the series. In 2002, in Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Halle Berry embodies the new Bond Girl at the height of her fame. The gorgeous actress emerges from the water in a similar iconic scene, wearing a bright orange bikini adorned with a belt and a dagger on her hips. Emerging from sea dripping wet has become a signature of the James Bond film series as Daniel Craig shows in Casino Royale. In this 2006 film, the British actor soars to the water surface and walks to the shore like the iconic Honey Ryder, showing off his sculpted figure in light blue swim shorts.
Translated by Constance Caiola.
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