RYDER, HONEY

Contributed by: The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia by Steven Jay Rubin

Voluptuous island girl portrayed by Ursula Andress in Dr. No. In Ian Fleming’s original novel, she was referred to as Honeychile Ryder. The only child of a marine zoologist, Honey grew up all over the world, anywhere where her father could find sea life to study—the Philippines, Bali, Hawaii. Her school is the encyclopedia she has been reading since childhood; she’s up to T when she meets Bond.

Honey and her father moved to Kingston, Jamaica, where her father reportedly drowned off Crab Key, though Honey believes that he was actually murdered by the henchmen of Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman). After she was orphaned, her seemingly kindly landlord allowed her to stay on for free—only to turn lecherous and assault her. For revenge, Honey placed a female black widow spider under his mosquito netting. Bitten, he took an entire week to die, a fact that 007 finds unsettling.

Honey knows Crab Key intimately, and she helps guide Bond (Sean Connery) and Quarrel (John Kitzmiller) through the swamps until they’re attacked by Dr. No’s “dragon” tank.

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