Think of a spy, any spy. Who comes to mind? You might have pictured the classic debonair of James Bond. Black and gray tuxedos, crisp white shirts, cufflinks, and aviators for a touch of ruggedness. When I think of a spy, however, it’s less of a person than a color. Orange, to be exact. For spies in Matthew Vaughn films, orange represents transformation and coming into one’s own, a connection I drew after watching his latest spy-satire, “Argylle.”
“Argylle’s” Elly Conway leads a quiet life writing espionage novels, until her latest book leads an actual spy syndicate to her door, and she learns that her stories may be more reality than fiction. Unlike Vaughn’s spy franchise, “Kingsman,” which follows a half-satire, half-serious structure, “Argylle” takes this formula a step further, placing the stereotypical spy narrative within the real-world espionage of the film. Vaughn reinforces this paradoxical structure through costuming and, less conspicuously, the color orange to express Elly’s character evolution throughout the film.
In “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” we learn that “a suit is the modern gentleman’s armor.” It seems “Argylle’s” Elly Conway didn’t get the memo. Elly sports an olive cardigan, jeans, and ginger fringe when she meets her soon-to-be spy mentor, Aidan Wilde. At this point in the film, the color of Elly’s hair (orange!) seems inconsequential, just another facet of her modern, cottage-core look that screams “not-a-spy.” But when Aidan goes full-on “Bullet Train” in his New Balances and prescription glasses, taking down a swath of mercenaries, we’re left to question what a spy really looks like.
If spies can wear plain tees and orthopedic shoes, then they could be anyone, even a cat-obsessed novelist, right? Of course, Elly refuses to believe she’s a spy, even after she discovers her long-repressed identity as agent Rachel Kylle. It’s too late, however, for Elly to return to her secluded life as an author. So, she assumes the spy facade with Aidan, and in a gold gown and sleek, blond wig, Elly bluffs her way through enemy territory. While posing as her past self, Elly’s memories come flooding back, and her inner-world fractures. She’s neither cat-loving, bookish Elly Conway nor slick Rachel Kyle anymore but someone else entirely.
It’s not until we see Elly, post-spy-syndicate take down, back in her twee clothes and ginger fringe that we know who she’s chosen to be. Returning to her orange roots is a full-circle moment for Elly, who’s embraced both versions of herself. She’s a spy, an author, and a devout cat mother, and by becoming all of these egos, she’s challenging our perception of what a spy may look like and what kind of person they can be. It’s not much different for “Kingsman” agent, Eggsy Unwin, who transitions from regular bloke to gentleman spy, all while staying true to his roots. At his most confident, Eggsy wears a velvet orange dinner jacket inspired by his favorite track suit, symbolizing where he’s been and who he’s become–just like Elly.
The color orange holds diverse meanings beyond the screen–creativity, warmth, optimism, confidence, enlightenment, and transformation, to name a few. Whether or not Vaughn intended such deep orange symbolism, I cannot say for certain. Nevertheless, he has seared the color along with his eccentric storytelling into my brain for good.
Words by Alex Armbruster
Graphic by May Avramovitz