Birthday of American Bond girl Halle Berry (Die Another Day)
By: Steven Jay Rubin
Published:
2021-08-14
The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia presents This Day in James Bond Movie History - wishing Academy Award-winning American actress Halle Berry a very Happy Birthday.
Halle Berry made her stunning debut as Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson, an incredibly resourceful NSA agent in Pierce Brosnan’s swan song as 007,
Die Another Day (2002). I say stunning because director
Lee Tamahori decided to introduce her in a terrific homage to
Ursula Andress’s debut in
Dr. No (1962). Rising out of the Cuban surf in an orange bikini, she catches the eye of Brosnan’s Bond, who does everything but sing “Underneath the Mango Tree” to get her attention.
Berry is another 90s woman of action, matching 007 move for move as they track a renegade North Korean general and his main henchman, first to an island off the coast of Havana, then to London and beyond.
Halle is just terrific – her sarcastic banter a throwback to
Jill St. John’s Tiffany Case in
Diamonds Are Forever (1971). And she makes a formidable teammate when Bond and Jinx infiltrate Gustav Graves’ (
Toby Stephens) giant man-made Ice House in Iceland. Berry’s performance was so impressive in this film that MGM considered giving her a “Jinx” film franchise, which unfortunately didn’t fly. But she’s definitely a highlight in a film that many fans felt jumped the shark with its invisible car and a disappointing last third.
So let’s raise a Mojito to Halle Berry on her birthday.
All text. Copyright © 2021 Steven Jay Rubin. All rights reserved.
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