# Bond, James Bond...Which one is best?



## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

My son bought me the BD box set commemorating 50 years of Bond. I just got thru watching the whole box.

Couple questions for everyone: 1) Who played Bond the best? 2) Which movie is the best? I realize this will be purely subjective, but I asked myself those questions (and several more) and kinda surprised myself.

At first, I thought Sean Connery had to be the best choice for question #1 above. That seemed like a no brainer. Got thru all of the Connery's movies and then Roger Moore appeared. He actually seemed better as Bond. As time went by, that didn't hold true, he aged really fast (or so it seemed) and at the end of his run...well he was pretty bad. Surprisingly, I thought Timothy Dalton did a pretty good Bond. Then came the shocker...Pierce Brosnan. Really? Really! He was really good as Bond and the movies had gotten much better. The worst? Easily George Lazenby. And I think the worst movie was _On Her Majesty's Secret Service_. Lazenby's only (thankfully) Bond movie.

My son told me he'd advise watching the Daniel Craig movies first because they were intertwined as none of the others are. Once I started watching I could see what he meant. All the Craig movies should be viewed as a series.

The second question, which movie was best? I think _Die Another Day_ has to be strongly considered as the best. Wonderful cast, spectacular scenes and a surprisingly good storyline. Good gadgets too. And Halle Berry in all her glory.

So, in short, I think the Brosnan part of the box set was easily the best of the bunch. Believe me, it surprised me.

Oh, almost forgot. _Casino Royale_, the one with David Niven, wasn't in the box and neither was _Climax_ with Barry Nelson. I had no idea that Barry Nelson had ever made a Bond movie. And, I guess, _Casino Royale_ with Niven was considered somewhat of a parody of the Bond movies. I guess that's why it wasn't included. The Craig series does have its own _Casino Royale_.

Rich


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Overall, my favorite movie is probably Skyfall, but that might be mainly due to Judi Dench. But Bond will never be the same without Desmond Llewelyn as Q.

Casino Royale isn't in there as it's not an Eon film and not considered "canon", similar to Never Say Never Again.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Over time "who I like" and "which I like" have changed. Partly as I rewatch them, partly as my tastes change, mostly as I change. I rarely can pick a "favorite" of any list, I typically can point to a couple--then another would come to mind.

Generally speaking my least favorite Bond would be Daniel Craig. I don't care for the direction the movies have gone. My vision of Bond has always been a stuffed shirt battling incredible villains. Each played it differently, I was ok with that. But the villains are harder and harder to go extreme. Dr. No was pretty out there even by today's standards. 

I'm glad Pierce Brosnan didn't play Bond any earlier. He needed the time to age into the role--and he did so beautifully. I would have like a few more with him. Roger Moore got too happy/slappy. He had been awesome, as had Sean Connery. Timothy Dalton was ok. Better scripts would have helped.

Favorite Movie: _Octopussy_ might be the one I've enjoyed the most for the longest time. One of the first I saw in the theatre, "_Live and Let Die" _has also been a favorite.

Best Bond villain? Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo in the non-Eon _Never Say Never Again_ was perhaps the scariest crazy (or craziest scary?) villain. Beyond that, several really, really great villains. I can't pick one.  Odd Job and GoldFinger are pretty high on the list. 

Best Bond Girl? I plead the 5th... 

Peace,
Tom


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## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

Connery defined the role. His very first, "Bond (Pause), James Bond", was the best introduction of any character ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1P7B_urjE5Y#t=17

Lazenby never really was Bond. He was like John Hart, the actor who filled in as The Lone Ranger for a year when the producers and Clayton Moore had a salary dispute.

Roger Moore was too klutzy to be Bond. Plus, he already had an identity as The Saint.

Timothy Dalton's Bond wasn't a womanizer, which takes him out of the running.

Pierce Bronson was made for the role as the plausible anti-Connery Bond. Suave rather than brutish.

I can buy Craig, except he seems to lack humanity.

1. Connery
2. Brosnan
3. Craig
4. Moore (sorry Simon)
5. Dalton
6. Lazenby


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond and always will be. As for the best Bond movie I choose "From Russia With Love". Great story without overwhelming special effects and gadgets.


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## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

I would say MR. CONNERY is my favourite!! (Followed by Mr. Moore)


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## PCampbell (Nov 18, 2006)

Connery
Brosnan
Moore
Craig
Dalton.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

I'll just reply with youtube links....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnseiOJ2jGQ

Need a Ghetto Blaster? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8o41DrVy8


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Pondering on this, I can't help but wondering if the quality of the movies biased my opinion of who did the best Bond. That last Pierce Brosnan movie was the best of the bunch, I think, but I can't help but wonder what Connery would have done (if the technology for that movie was available when he was still young enough to play Bond) in that movie. Would he have been better than Brosnan? We'd need time travel to know for sure.

Rich


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

It depends on what one is looking for. Movies have become more openly violent over time and the Bond films have followed the trend. Bond films have been notorious for pushing the envelope sexually - but the early films were done at a time when outwit and outsmart were promoted more than surviving torture. The older movies had more threats than on screen violence (a sign of the times they were filmed in).

An older Bond film would attract a different audience than the latest film.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

The earlier films had much smaller budgets than the latest big screen spectaculars.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Mark Holtz said:


> The earlier films had much smaller budgets than the latest big screen spectaculars.


While the early Bond films had smaller budgets they were unique in many ways. They introduced us to a character (Bond) who had a license to kill who he wants, when he wants, where he wants. That was quite a topic of conversation back then. For the times the early Bond films were considered very risqué because of the suggested sex beginning with Maurice Binder's opening titles and the beautiful women who became to be known as "Bond Girls" with their sexually suggested names like "Pussy Galore"! How they got that past the censors back then is beyond me. They were filmed in exotic locations and introduced us to the now classic "James Bond Theme" and the beautiful music scores by John Barry. And last but not least were the gadgets, Dr. No's hands, Grant's wrist watch, Bond's attache case, Odd Job's hat and the now famous Aston Martin DB5. Given the aforementioned the early Bond films are in a class of their own considering the time when they were made.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

^ Thanks for the memories.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Remember how Playboy used to do those Bond issues whenever a new Bond movie came out? I really looked forward to them. 

Rich


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

MysteryMan said:


> I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?


Goldfinger keeps playing in my mind. Wish it would go away...

Rich


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

MysteryMan said:


> I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?


Depending on the day of the week, for me either _Live and Let Die_ by Wings or _For Your Eyes Only_ with Sheena Easton. Though the Monty Normal original James Bond Theme and _Goldfinger _are both high on the list. 

Peace,
Tom


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Perhaps it is just recent, but Skyfall pops in to my mind. I do know more lyrics to Goldfinger.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Skyfall, Live and Let Die and Goldfinger for the songs. The one I hate the most was for Spectre.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I think all the actors who played Bond did a fine job in the role, each having their plusses and minuses. I could pretty much say the same thing about the movies (haven't seen Spectre yet). And I would enjoy that boxed set (green with envy  )

If I know my wife - she's a big Sean Connery fan , and for Bond villian - Sean Bean.

Missed Desmond Llewyn as Q, but John Cleese filled in nicely. Always enjoy Judy Dench's work, whatever role. And there was lots of great music for the movies, I could agree with any of the ones listed so far.


And the Bond girls HMMMM. Halle Berry did an excellent breakthough on that. Jane Seymour as Solitaire. Maude Adams in Octopussy.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> Skyfall, Live and Let Die and Goldfinger for the songs. The one I hate the most was for Spectre.


Just watched _Spectre _a couple weeks ago and don't remember what it was about. Not a big fan of the Craig-Bond movies.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

scooper said:


> I think all the actors who played Bond did a fine job in the role, each having their plusses and minuses. I could pretty much say the same thing about the movies (haven't seen Spectre yet). And I would enjoy that boxed set (green with envy  )
> 
> If I know my wife - she's a big Sean Connery fan , and for Bond villian - Sean Bean.
> 
> ...


How about the George Lazenby Bond portrayal? That left me wondering what they were thinking when they used him.

Sean Bean would have made a great Bond. One of my favorite actors. I forgot about Jane Seymour's Solitaire. She was a real beauty. I don't think I'll ever forget Halle Berry in that bathing suit coming out of the sea. Good stuff!

Rich


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## SamC (Jan 20, 2003)

IMHO,

Connery was Bond. 

Brosnan was the next best to him. Very similar styles. NBC did him wrong by holding him to the Remington Steele contract and by the time he got the role he was almost aged out of it. Imagine what he would have done with the role had he had 7 or 8 movies.

Moore was good early, but then the movies got unrealistically science fictional and cartoonish, and he kept the role until he was too old.

Lazenby, who is the "forgotten Bond" having done one movie during the Connery era when Connery was holding out, did a fine job actually.

Dalton just did not have the talent to go very deep with it.

Craig just is not Bond at all. They have taken all of the whimsy out of the role with this dark, self-hating guy who seems to not like what he is doing.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

SamC said:


> IMHO,
> 
> Connery was Bond.
> 
> ...


I agree with all your assessments though I somewhat disagree about the timing of Pierce Brosnan. I don't think he was ready for the role when they first asked him. I think he aged nicely into the role--perhaps a few years earlier. And I think he still could do the role well. 

Peace,
Tom


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Rich said:


> Just watched _Spectre _a couple weeks ago and don't remember what it was about. Not a big fan of the Craig-Bond movies.


I tend to agree. While I did not mind Dame Dench as "M" having Moneypenny as a field agent in Skyfall before becoming the secretary administrative assistant in Spectre. The new "Q" is a stereotype.

The older movies seemed simpler ... not trying to be "politically correct" but just a story about a man who makes life and death decisions while romancing a few girls, fighting a few villans and (usually) doing the right thing for Queen and Country.

I watched Spectre out of duty ... I have watched all of the Bond films and had a PPV coupon.


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## jerrylove56 (Jun 15, 2008)

I can enjoy just about all of the Bond films with the exceptions of the Dalton and Lazenby ones. To this day I have never completed “On Her Majesty Secret Service” (1969). 

The criticism of Craig seems somewhat unfair. He is a talented actor and has given us a version of Bond that reflects our times, I believe. I just can’t see Connery and Moore pulling off a “modern-day” Bond persona. 

The “tortured” soul that Daniel Craig plays so well seems to be the norm these days. Though I have grown weary of so many characters being unhappy or tortured in TV and Movies. It’s rare in a drama that someone plays a “normal” person. (Normal of course is open to one’s own perspective.) One of my favorite dramas recently was Downton Abbey. With all the high drama associated with this show there were still moments of lightness incorporated in most of the characters. Maybe this added to the popularity of the show.

The only time I remember Craig smiling in the Bond series was when he saw a bomb blow up one of his adversaries. (Casino Royale – 2006)

Best Bond: Craig – He looked like a cold blooded killer, which Bond is.
2nd – Pierce Brosnan – Bought a heightened sense of sexuality and youth to role.
3rd – Sean Connery – Was the standard for the series. Got a little to old for part.
4th – Roger Moore – Made Bond a little too light hearted. He too played part too long.
Others don’t count.


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## jerrylove56 (Jun 15, 2008)

MysteryMan said:


> I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?


No particular order: Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, A View to a Kill (Duran Duran) - "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell from Casino Royale - Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

jerrylove56 said:


> I can enjoy just about all of the Bond films with the exceptions of the Dalton and Lazenby ones. To this day I have never completed "On Her Majesty Secret Service" (1969).
> 
> The criticism of Craig seems somewhat unfair. He is a talented actor and has given us a version of Bond that reflects our times, I believe. I just can't see Connery and Moore pulling off a "modern-day" Bond persona.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I don't blame Daniel Craig so much as I don't see him in the role nor do I like the direction the role has taken. He is a good, perhaps great actor--in the wrong role, written wrongly. 

Peace,
Tom


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

I just finished watching _Never Say Never, Again_ and Connery, at 53, performed very well. The movie itself was kinda shabby compared to the movies in the 50th anniversary box set, but Connery was good. The casting was poor, the guy that played Q was awful and the female villain overplayed her role. All in all, a good watch.

Rich


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Rich said:


> I just finished watching _Never Say Never, Again_ and Connery, at 53, performed very well. The movie itself was kinda shabby compared to the movies in the 50th anniversary box set, but Connery was good. The casting was poor, the guy that played Q was awful and the female villain overplayed her role. All in all, a good watch.
> 
> Rich


Never Say Never, Again is based on Thunderball. The title is a reference to Connery declaring in 1971 that he would "never again" play that role. I agree, all in all it's a good watch.


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## jerrylove56 (Jun 15, 2008)

Rich said:


> I just finished watching _Never Say Never, Again_ and Connery, at 53, performed very well. The movie itself was kinda shabby compared to the movies in the 50th anniversary box set, but Connery was good. The casting was poor, the guy that played Q was awful and the female villain overplayed her role. All in all, a good watch.
> 
> Rich


I thought that "From Russia with Love" and "Goldfinger" were his best while "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Never Say Never" were his worst. Technically, "Never Say Never" is not a "true" Bond-007 movie.


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## timpiker (Aug 18, 2007)

Daniel Craig, hands down.


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## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

My favourite is Sean Connery and Roger moore as #2


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## Cavicchi (Oct 28, 2008)

Sean Connery


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Craig is growing on me, toss up between him and Connery.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

My vote for Sean Connery, secondary - Brosnan.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

P Smith said:


> My vote for Sean Connery, secondary - Brosnan.


I think Brosnan was about as good as any of them, perhaps the best. That kinda surprised me.

Rich


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