Solitaire (James Bond)
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| James Bond character | |
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| Solitaire | |
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| Gender | Female |
| Affiliation | Mr. Big/Dr.Kananga |
| Portrayed by | Jane Seymour |
Solitaire is a fictional character in the James Bond novel and film Live and Let Die. In the film, she was portrayed by Jane Seymour. At the age of 22, Jane Seymour became the youngest actress ever to play a Bond girl.
[edit] Novel biography
In a relative rarity for the James Bond franchise, there is little difference between the film and novel in the treatment of Solitaire's basic character and role. The novel reveals that her real name is Simone Latrelle, that she is of French stock, and she was born in Haiti; the name "Solitaire" is given to her by the Haitians because of her apparent exclusion of men from her life. The only physical difference appears to be that Solitaire is stated to have blue-black hair; she also possesses pale skin reminiscent of the tropical planter class. When Bond meets her she is twenty-three years old and described as "one of the most beautiful women Bond had ever seen." On a later occasion Bond describes her as looking "rather French and very beautiful." At their first meeting, in the presence of Mr. Big, she comes across as superior, cold, and disdainful, an attitude reflected by her face, which Bond finds beautiful partly because of its lack of compromise and its hint of both cruelty and command. Once Solitaire has escaped from Mr. Big, she immediately becomes warm, open, and passionate towards Bond. Despite her obvious Gallic-Haitian heritage, there is no mention of her having any French accent.
Solitaire was initiated into some of the practices of Voodoo while still a child in Haiti. Either naturally or through this initiation, she has an extrasensory ability both to foretell the future and to judge the veracity of others, even if they converse in a language that she does not speak. These gifts instilled great fear of her among those who know her. Mr. Big discovered her doing a mind-reading act in a Haitian cabaret and, recognizing the value of her abilities, took her into his employ, using her in his espionage operations and planning for her eventually to have his children. Solitaire becomes, more or less, his hostage, with little or no autonomy, and when he uses her to interrogate Bond, her mental abilities immediately tell her that he is the one who will rescue her. She thus covers for Bond by lying to Mr. Big, telling him that Bond is not out to get the gangster. She later escapes from Mr. Big and accompanies Bond on his assignment, though the gangster locates and kidnaps her, ultimately attempting, unsuccessfully, to kill both her and Bond by towing them over a Jamaican reef (a scenario adapted for the film version of For Your Eyes Only). The effort fails when Mr. Big's boat is destroyed by a mine Bond had earlier planted. The novel ends with Solitaire preparing to accompany Bond on his post-assignment recuperative leave.
Unlike in the film, there is no evidence that Solitaire would lose her psychic powers after sexual congress, an eventuality that does not appear due to a broken finger Bond sustains and his need to stay vigilant during their only night together. As is the case in the film, she is apparently a virgin, and she gives every sign of wishing to have a sexual relationship with Bond, going so far as to initiate their first physical contact and later teasing him with her nudity. While the culmination never comes to pass in the novel, the indications are that it will happen during their shared vacation as the story concludes. Unusually for one of Fleming's heroines, what becomes of Solitaire after Live and Let Die is never explained; in Dr. No, when returning to Jamaica, Bond finds himself wondering about her whereabouts.
[edit] Film biography
Solitaire is a psychic in the employ of Dr. Kananga. As Bond travels to New York by plane, Solitaire describes his journey to Dr. Kananga through the use of Tarot cards. The one drawback to her ability is that she must remain a virgin in order to preserve it.
After Bond follows Kananga to the Fillet of Soul restaurant, he meets Solitaire. After a rather brief encounter with Mr. Big, Bond asks Solitaire about his future. When instructed to pick up a card Bond quizzically comments "us?” after picking up the lovers card.
When Bond and Rosie Carver visit San Monique, Solitaire tells Kananga the future, once more picking the lovers card in regard to Bond. Later that evening Bond returns to the island. After convincing Solitaire they are meant to be lovers, with odds stacked in his favour, Bond succeeds in seducing her. After losing her virginity to Bond, Solitaire loses her psychic power, which endangers her life. Bond discovers Kananga is hiding vast areas of poppy fields. Bond and Solitaire evade Kananga's men, escaping in Quarrel Jr.'s boat.
After arriving in New Orleans, Bond and Solitaire are captured and taken to Mr Big. Before Bond can be given his skydiving lesson without a parachute, he manages to escape. Solitaire is recaptured by Kananga's henchmen and taken back to him.
Later, Felix Leiter informs Bond that after a raid on the Fillet of Soul, Kananga has taken Solitaire back to San Monique, leaving three Tarot cards: the high priestess, the moon and death. After travelling to San Monique, Bond rescues Solitaire and kills Kananga while Quarrel Jr. destroys the poppy fields.
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