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Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

"I think you're a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the Cold War." The words of Judi Dench's M in GoldenEye, and she had a point.

James Bond is a true cinematic hero, and a character we clearly can't get enough of after more than 50 years. But there are still certain moments in 007's past that are hard not to wince pretty hard at today.

Going back through old Bond films can be like listening to an old uncle you don't see very much – some fascinating war stories and some corking scrapes interspersed with the most dreadful sexism and racism known to man.

Such as…

1. Turning Japanese in You Only Live Twice

Oh dear. James is sent undercover in the Far East and needs to blend in. How the hell does a tall Scotsman do that? Well, just give him a slight tan, a dodgy wig and eyebrows. Yeesh.

2. Not taking no for an answer in Thunderball

Oh James indeed. Our hero decides to crack on to a female doctor, only for her to turn him down. But that won't see off James Bond, oh no…

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Erm, as this Family Guy clip says, "50 no's and a yes means yes."

3. Flagrant use of national stereotypes in Octopussy

As you'll come to see, Bond has a bit of a weak spot for casual racism. Handing an Indian man a load of cash, James quips, "That'll keep you in curry for a few months!"

Honestly, he does. No, we didn't remember it either.

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Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

4. Locking a dwarf in a suitcase in The Man with the Golden Gun

Sure, Nick Nack was trying to kill Bond, but to shove the height-challenged fella in a suitcase and chuck him about was a bit of a dick move, even for him.

"You'll be sorryyyy!"

5. Telling a black man to 'fetch' his shoes in Dr No

As the first Bond movie was released just when Jamaica was emerging as an independent nation away from the British Empire, there's still an uncomfortable air of racism throughout.

It's subtle at times, but when James instructs fisherman Quarrel to "fetch" him his shoes, it's pretty obvious.

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6. "Turning" Pussy Galore in Goldfinger

It's bad enough that he hurts Honor Blackman's character, and that it's made to look like she kind of likes it, but then Pussy forgets she's a lesbian because James is that irresistible.

In the book, it was clear that Galore was gay, but in the film it's very much more up in the air – even though it's heavily implied when she says she's "immune" to his charms.

7. Insulting the whole of Asia in Moonraker

Somehow, the racial quips are not over. As the '70s became the '80s, James threw a Japanese henchman into a piano and said, "Play it again, San." Come on, man.

8. Oh, and all those times he beats women

It's hard to avoid that James has a nasty habit of... well... being a bit slap happy. Even as late as GoldenEye in 1995 he was punching ladies to get what he needed.

The most uncomfortable of the lot was in From Russia with Love when Bond slapped his love interest Tatiana, who was being used as a pawn by SPECTRE.

Not everything about the sixties was great…


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From: Digital Spy