Who doesn’t love a great hero? Whether you’re an Indiana Jones fan, or one who roots for James Bond — or both, like me — those movies just wouldn’t carry the same impact if the heroes weren’t as wonderfully bold as they are. But, while these two characters can both equally claim the moniker “hero,” their personalities and styles are distinctly different, which provides fertile ground for each character to own their individually specific thrilling adventures.
When I set out to write my novel, The Byzantine Cross, I looked to Indiana Jones and James Bond to find their most intriguing characteristics. I aimed to create an protagonist that could take on bad guys, complete the mission, and end up in a romance with a glamourous lover. One that would carry on the tradition of a smart, relentless, bold protagonist that was based on both Indiana Jones and James Bond. This is what I came up with—
The Way They Look
With the required movie-star looks, both Ford and Connery were perfect for their roles as dashing men of adventure, but the themes of their handsomeness contrasted greatly.
Indiana Jones was a working man. He wasn’t afraid of getting down in the muck if it that’s what it took to get his prize. Barely noticing the filth, he’d simply wipe his brow, push back his hat, and dive right into danger.
James Bond, on the other hand, was, and still is, a prototype for the sleek and sophisticated modern man. He wore the best suits, drank the best liquor, and drove the best car. Even when he was walking away from escaping a bomb blast, he still took the time to adjust his cuffs under his jacket.
In my book, I wanted to marry these two styles and adapt them for my female protagonist, Sarah Kraft. Glamour is almost required for a woman of her caliber. She’s educated, sophisticated, and beautiful, but she’s also rugged, cunning, and brave. I wanted her character to include this dichotomy, and she needed to be seen as capable of pulling off both styles. So, just like James Bond, I dressed her up in the finest clothes for a special event, and when it came time for her to get dirty, her rugged clothes showed the wear and tear of someone who’s had to fight to get to her goal.
Their Motives
Persistence is a character trait shared by both Indiana and Bond, as well as a certain amount of ruthlessness needed to get the job done. They know the mission, they stick with the mission, and they deliver on the mission. It’s as simple as that for both characters. It’s a job, and so much more for these two.
As a MI6 agent, James Bond is beholden to the Crown of the British Empire. Not that he doesn’t want to save the world, but, as much as it’s a matter of “wanting to,” it’s also his job. However, at some point in some of his films, it does become personal, and the change is noticeable in the way his personality shifts from lightheartedness to focused determination.
Indiana has no problem with focused determination. He has the weight of the world on his back, and he knows it. Spurred on by his reverence for saving history, he faces down his enemies and pushes their men out of his way to ensure that the prize is safe in the right hands.
In this regard, Sarah Kraft is more similar to Indiana Jones. Once she realizes what’s at stake, she doesn’t think about reward, or recognition, or getting her job in intelligence back. To her, saving a priceless artifact and protecting it from the evil forces that want it is her only mission. And she’ll do everything she can to get the job done.
Their Fights
Do you like it sleek and precise, or do you like it down and dirty?
Fights reign supreme in both the Indiana Jones and James Bond franchises — as they should. However, even though both men are ruthless during their fights, their styles are vastly different.
James Bond is trained to fight. His MI6 training has made him an expert in different fighting techniques. Jujitsu, gun play, car chases with special weapons built into the car, and so many other tricks provided to him by MI6 has given him the upper hand. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t, but with his keen mind and quick reflexes our hero still gets the job done.
Indiana Jones, on the other hand, is an academic. His training is as far from spy craft as it can possibly be, but that doesn’t stop him. He improvises. He goes for a cross-punch when you think he’s going to throw a jab. And he uses what he finds to get the job done. Sometimes that means he foregoes the whip and pulls out a gun at a sword-fight.
My character, Sarah, pulls from both styles of fighting. Her formal training in the US Operations of Strategic Services is fortified by her childhood growing up on a Colorado ranch. She can break a neck with a leg hold, and she can choke a Kremlin guard with a knot she learned roping cattle. Using her imagination and knowledge to thwart her enemies may mean running a jeep up the side of a cliff, or it may mean getting the attention of enthusiastic shop owners to get in between her and her enemies.
Their Romances
What would a James Bond movie be without a Bond girl? She brings the feminine glitz and glamour to match Bond’s uber masculine, “modern man” character. They can be ruthless, too, but always letting Bond lead the way. Or if the woman is an enemy, their attraction is part of the game the two play. Whether it’s Bond’s true love, Tracy in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE, or his feminine equal, Pussy Galore in GOLDFINGER, the roles women play in the James Bond series are a signal to the type of man James is. A lover, a fighter, a realist, and a man who takes chances.
Indiana Jones, on the other hand, is accompanied by women who show a more realistic image of womanhood, while still remaining tough. They either accompany him into danger (Willie in TEMPLE OF DOOM), or they oppose him (Elsa in THE LAST CRUSADE), but they stand beside him in his adventures, not behind, and they have their own adventures, too. Ultimately, his true love is not a weak woman fawning after him, as James often ends up with. Indy’s Marion is a brash, unpredictable, intelligent and persistent woman who assists Indie, but does not fall for his bullshit. She knows she has something valuable to give, and she does not hold back making it known she has an opinion.
By creating a feminine character for the role that would traditionally be held by a man, new storytelling doors are opened. It’s a woman’s point of view that we follow as she discovers her relationship with her “Bond boy,” Nicolai, and he is pulled toward her as more of her personality is revealed. He wants to help her but realizes it’s her mission to complete, not his. He stands beside her as Marion did for Indy, and he brings the glamour of the Bond series by being similar to Bond himself — only this time he is in the supporting role. He inhabits the world of the elite, he’s poised, he fights, but he’s also real. He gets mad at Sarah, but he can’t deny his feelings for her or for the cross.
The Locations They Inhabit
Exotic locations are the backdrop in both the Indiana Jones and James Bond franchises, and I was happy to follow that rule when writing my book.
If I worked at MI6 and had to find Bond, the first places I’d check are the backrooms of the most exclusive casinos. They are Bond’s favorite places to hang and often prove valuable to his latest mission. Flashing lights, high-stakes games, beautiful women, international intrigue, and always a martini waiting for him — shaken, not stirred.
Indiana Jones, on the other hand, mixes in with the locals. He sleeps where they sleep, eats what they eat, and is interested in and respects the local culture. Indiana naturally portrays a deeper level of recognition and understanding of the local customs and people, which surely comes from his professional life as a teacher of archeology and all the global miles he’s logged through the years.
After my character’s years of study and service during World War II, Sarah shares the same world view as both Indiana and Bond. She’s comfortable moving between the worlds of sophistication and grace found in the capital cities of Europe, and she’s just as capable of mixing in with the locals of small Turkish towns where the streets are dusty, and people live in caves carved by ancient people.
The recipe for a great leading character in an action/adventure movie shares the same characteristics you’ll find in a thriller novel. You want a charismatic, bold, motivated main character who will stop at nothing and allow nobody to get in the way of completing the mission. These are the traits I turned to develop the character Sarah Kraft in The Byzantine Cross.
I hope you enjoy The Byzantine Cross! You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Google+, Kobo, Hoopla, Ingram, and other places where you order books.
Tags: Action Film, Books, Dena Weigel, indiana jones, James Bond, Novels, Publishing, Writing
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