Who Was The First Bond Girl
Who was the first Bond girl? Ursula Andress is widely recognized as the original Bond girl in the 007 franchise, thanks to her role as Honey Ryder, as she was the main actress in the first Bond movie, Dr. No.
But there’s two other actresses also deserving of a shout at the right to be recognized as the first Bond girl: Sylvia Trench and Miss Taro.
It’s a question that can only be answered by one’s own interpretation, as there are three valid claims to the throne: Sylvia Trench, Miss Taro, and Honey Ryder.
All three were prominent members of the Dr No cast, and each one has a valid claim. The debate will go on forever, but in this blog post we’ll take a look at the claims of each character and lay out their validity of being the first Bond girl.
Sylvia Trench
Played by Eunice Gayson, Sylvia Trench has a valid claim for being the first Bond girl as she is the first female Bond gets caught up with.
They meet at the casino where she and Bond are playing cards, and it leads to the iconic ‘Bond, James Bond’ introduction scene. She’s obviously interested in James and follows him out of the casino after he’s whisked away.
The two arrange a meeting the next day, but that night she breaks in Bond’s home to surprise him. As Bond gets home, Trench is seen wearing only his shirt and a pair of high heels using Bond’s golf clubs to practice with.
He’s in a rush as he has to fly out to Jamaica and tells her he has to leave immediately. They get close and they start kissing before the scene closes out with Bond saying ‘almost immediately,’ making Eunice Gayson and Sylvia Trench’s claim a strong one.
There’s no evidence to suggest they end up in bed, but it can be conferred that they do. Trench also returns in From Russia with Love as part of the cast, and a similar thing happens to her again as Bond is called on business as they’re getting close.
Miss Taro
Miss Taro also has a claim to being the first Bond girl as she definitely ends up in bed with Bond. Played by Zena Marshall, Miss Taro is the secretary for Pleydell Smith, the British Chief Secretary for colonial affairs in Jamaica.
It’s here where the two meet, and Bond is obviously attracted to her in her white uniform dress. Bond goes into Smith’s office for the rundown, and Miss Taro tries to see through the keyhole. Bond catches her, and she says she was looking for the Dr. No files.
It becomes clear that Miss Taro is also an informant for Dr. Julius No and she sets Bond up by inviting him to see her in her room. She tells Bond the route and sets up some henchmen who try to run him off the cliff.
Bond eludes the and surprises Miss Taro at her apartment, dressed only in a towel and nightwear. They start to kiss and Bond unzips her top, to which she enquires, ‘What’s going on behind my back?’
Bond, looking innocent, shows her his hands as they fall down onto the bed kissing. The next scene she’s putting make up on with her dressing gown on, while Bond is laid in bed naked smoking a cigarette.
So, with Miss Taro and Bond definitely getting naked and in bed, there should be no doubt they have sex, and so Zena Marshall’s claim to being the first actress to play a Bond girl is also valid.
Honey Ryder
Honey Ryder is one of the most iconic characters in the whole Bond franchise, and many consider her to be the original and first Bond Girl.
Her entrance where she walks out of the Caribbean Sea on Dr. No’s Crab Key Island is one of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. From this moment, the plot revolves around Bond and Honey Ryder as she helps him investigate Dr. Julius No.
The two are arrested by his henchmen, and taken to Dr No’s lair, where they learn of his plans. The film ends with Bond saving Honey Ryder from a certain death and the two getting off the island just in time, as they sail off alone in a small rowing boat.
Felix Leiter comes with the Navy to tow them back to shore, but Bond unties the tow so he and Honey can spend more time together. They both kiss passionately and slide down in the boat as the tile credits signal the end of the film.
Who Was the First Bond girl?
The debate over who the first Bond girl is has been ongoing for many years, with each character having a valid claim to the title. Sylvia Trench, who made her first appearance in Dr. No was the first Bond girl to share a kiss on screen with James Bond, but dressed only in Bond’s shirt, she’s there for more.
Zena Marshall’s character Miss Taro had a larger role than Eunice Gayson’s character Sylvia Trench and there is more evidence to suggest that the two have a sexual relationship.
Honey Ryder, the iconic Bond girl from Dr. No, is another character who is considered the first Bond girl. She played a larger role which fits the typical image of a Bond girl, making her a strong candidate for the title. That said, we don’t see her in the film until after Bond has spent time with both Sylvia Trench and Miss Taro.
Despite the arguments, we believe Sylvia Trench should be considered the first Bond girl. That said, the only thing we can be sure of is that Sean Connery was a lucky guy!
