Corinne Dufour was a fictional personal pilot to wealthy industrialist Hugo Drax, in the employ of his Drax Corporation. Portrayed by French actress Corinne Cléry, the character appeared in the 1979 James Bond film, Moonraker. During the film’s production, the character was adapted from blonde American pilot “Trudi Parker,” who continues to appear in Christopher Wood’s accompanying novelization.
Biography
As James Bond begins his investigation into the theft of a Moonraker space shuttle by meeting with its creator, Hugo Drax, he is collected from Los Angeles International airport by the industrialist’s personal helicopter pilot, Corinne Dufour. She gives him an aerial tour of Drax’s property and flies him to his wealthy Californian estate. After the meeting concludes, she escorts the spy to meet with Dr. Holly Goodhead. While staying at Drax’s châteaux, Bond visits the seemingly innocent Corinne in her bedroom to elicit information. She hesitantly tells Bond what little she knows, and they sleep together. During the night, Bond sneaks across the hall to investigate Drax’s study. Corinne wakes and follows him there, telling him to get out of the office. She inadvertently reveals where the safe is located and stands by as Bond photographs the documents it contains.
After Bond departs for Venice the following morning, Corinne is summoned by Drax while he is out hunting. He informs Corinne that her employment has been terminated due to her involvement in Bond’s safe breaking the previous night. As Corinne walks away, Drax sets his trained hunting dogs onto her. Unfortunately for Corinne, she is unknowingly witnessed by Drax’s henchman as she leaves the study. She flees into the woods, where she is subsequently mauled to death. Bond remains unaware of her demise.
Behind the scenes
Screenwriter Christopher Wood originally wrote the part as a “sassy” and “slightly ditzy, southern Californian valley girl” named Trudi Parker. Still, a French actress subsequently played the character due to film production moved to Paris for budgetary reasons. Wood later remarked that he would have liked to have been able to “tweak the dialogue” to better reflect the changes. Wood remarked that her response to Bond’s question of why she is ignoring her mother’s list of things not to do on a first date – “I never learnt to read” – is his most hated line in any Bond movie and suggested that it “makes her sound like an imbecile.” During production, the line was changed from his original choice of “What mother?” Such cinematic changes are not present in Wood’s accompanying novelization. Interestingly, prior to settling on the name “Corinne” – presumably after the actress who would play her – a screenplay dated 19th May 1978 lists the character’s name as Sylvie Dufour. Subsequently, in Wood’s novelization of the film James Bond and Moonraker, Corinne’s character is named Trudi Parker.
