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Who is the best James Bond?
Quantum of Solace is the only new wide release today (although it should be noted that the Neon in Dayton opens Mike Leigh’s acclaimed Happy Go Lucky, while The Little Art in Yellow Springs has The Duchess and Barry Levinson’s Hollywood insider comedy What Just Happened).
So since Bond is the big news this week, two things are in order. My review of the new film can be found by clicking here - and it’s also time to ponder who the best James Bond was. Here are mine, in order of preference:
Sean Connery: I suspect I’m not going to get much disagreement on this. One could argue Daniel Craig is the best actor to play Bond, but Connery was and is the legend, and he is the Bond everyone will forever be measured against.
Connery’s best: Godlfinger - Everything comes together perfectly.
Connery’s worst: You Only Live Twice - He’s all too obviously bored in the movie, which made this the first 007 film to misfire.
Daniel Craig: Simply put, what he managed to achieve after just one film was astounding.
Timothy Dalton: You read that right, I’m placing him third. So when EW writer Benjamin Svetky claims that Bond has “survived … even being played by Timothy Dalton,” he can take a flying leap, and so can everyone else who slams him. True, Dalton was a bit lacking in movie star charisma, but if you look at his two films - The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill - you’ll see Dalton played him rather close to Ian Fleming’s rough and ready spy - which is exactly what Craig is being praised for now. It’s time Dalton got his due.
Pierce Brosnan: In light of Craig’s success, fans seem to decry most of Brosnan’s films as some sort of horrid era that’s best forgotten. That’s not Brosnan’s fault. Maybe Brosnan didn’t get the best scripts or directors, but he did play 007 with a smooth mix of Connery’s bravado and Roger Moore’s suave glibness.
Brosnan’s best: Die Another Day - The movie made some questionable choices (digital 007 surfing!) but people seem to forget what a thrashing Bond took early in the movie - and Brosnan played off that very well.
Brosnan’s worst: Tomorrow Never Dies- Not bad at all, but not exactly great either. Compared to Brosnan’s other turns, this one was a little indistinct, kinda like the movie itself.
Roger Moore: Although he’s toward the bottom of the list, I like Moore a lot. He did some great work as Bond in some of his better films, but he simply hung around one movie too long.
Moore’s best: For Your Eyes Only, which proved that even Moore could be a bit tough and mean.
Moore’s worst: A View to a Kill - He made Bond look old and feeble here. Sad, really.
George Lazenby: He’s better than many people like to admit, and his movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is one of the best. In fact, it might well have been THE best - if Connery had done it.
So who is your favorite Bond, and why?
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Ask the Audience
Comments
By Erica
November 15, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
I like Daniel Craig as a superspy action hero perfectly well. But Brenda hit the nail on the head when she said his Bond lacks the essential elements, most notably the “intellectual eloquence.” My vote is definitely with Sean Connery.By George in Trenton
November 14, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
Daniel Craig has potential as James Bond, but Casino Royale was one of the worst Bond films ever. Sean Connery will always be THE definitive James Bond, but I am in agreement with Mr. Robinette’s assessment of Timothy Dalton. Some have called his performance in The Living Daylights “forced,” but I disagree. It’s his personality, which was appropriately subdued after all those Roger Moore films. If only he had been able to do one more film. Goldeneye was clearly the best of the Pierce Brosnan era; the rest are forgettable fluff. George Lazenby, the non-actor, did a remarkable job in his one film. Roger Moore had a lot of hits and a lot of misses. I don’t think A View to a Kill is as bad as Mr. Robinette is saying and I don’t know if the one-film-too-many theory holds water. There are indisputable faults, chiefly that Tanya Roberts, while great to look at, is probably the most annoying Bond girl ever and that obviously fake Bond with the bad wig driving the half-taxi in Paris. Sir Roger is in his 50’s, but age only really comes into play during the Eiffel Tower scenes. Look at the upside: Christopher Walken’s Max Zorin is a great Bond villain, the title song is catchy, and the locations are wonderful.By Me
November 14, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
Sean ConneryBy Brenda
November 14, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
Daniel Craig is the worst. He looks nothing like the Bond in the books, he neither has the stature, animal grace nor the intellectual eloquence the real book Bond has. It amazes me how Hollywood just takes a book then changes everything but still calls it by the original title. STUPID PLUNKERS.By ron rollins
November 14, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
bravo … you nailed it.By Rick Burkart
November 14, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this
“Sean, Sean Connery”.By ed
November 13, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
I agree with your line of Bonds from top to bottom.By Kim
November 13, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
Sean Connery was the only James Bond - the rest are just imposters. I have seen all of the films through Goldeneye - all of them multiple times in fact - but that was the end of the series for me. I like Pierce, but I just couldn’t take it anymore! I’ve had zero desire to see blondie in the role - he has zero appeal to me. I dunno - maybe I’ll give it another chance - but it’s with a “whatever” kind of attitude…By Cathy
November 13, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
You’ve already rated them your way, so I’d like to rate them my way - by cuteness: 1) Pierce Brosnan 2) Daniel Craig 3) Sean Connery 4) Timothy Dalton 5) Roger Moore 6) George Lazenby