When it came to his attitudes to women, meanwhile, Palmer was seen as a more progressive man than Bond. Michener approvingly observed that "Palmer likes girls, but he also likes to find out if they"re willing, instead of assuming as Bond does that any normal girl should be so lucky". And Variety noted the contrast with what it called "the Bond razamatazz" and said that Caine"s "consistent underplaying adds considerably to the pull of the picture". The same review dubbed Palmer the "anti-Bond".