Top Ten Best Bond Performances
Jimmy Bond
Posts: 324MI6 Agent
Well, we've had this topic before, I thought I'd bring it back.
Ties are allowed, but only one.
Now, here's my top ten (mind you, some of my opinions about this may change):
1) Sean Connery - FRWL
2) Sean Connery - Dr. NO/GF -- the only tie
3) Timothy Dalton - LTK
4) Pierce Brosnan - TWINE
5) George Lazenby - OHMSS
6) Roger Moore - FYEO
7) Sean Connery - NSNA
8) Roger Moore - TSWLM
9) Timothy Dalton - TLD
10) Pierce Brosnan - GE
Of course, I must say that Moore's Bond in OP and LALD is excellent, despite each film's weakneses, as is Connery's Bond in TB (as great as the last four of my top 10) and Brosnan's Bond in DAD, but the above I think are the golden performances out of these actors, for me.
In my opinion, there hasn't been a bad Bond performance, except YOLT (a bored Connery, while a treat, is still a bored Bond), MR (I realized this is not as good as I remembered, except for that scene where he passes out, on the rest of the film he is mechanical - not Bond for me) and maybe AVTAK (he was too old to be convincing, yet I liked him and the film - despite its badness).
OK, now its your turn.
What do you say?
Ties are allowed, but only one.
Now, here's my top ten (mind you, some of my opinions about this may change):
1) Sean Connery - FRWL
2) Sean Connery - Dr. NO/GF -- the only tie
3) Timothy Dalton - LTK
4) Pierce Brosnan - TWINE
5) George Lazenby - OHMSS
6) Roger Moore - FYEO
7) Sean Connery - NSNA
8) Roger Moore - TSWLM
9) Timothy Dalton - TLD
10) Pierce Brosnan - GE
Of course, I must say that Moore's Bond in OP and LALD is excellent, despite each film's weakneses, as is Connery's Bond in TB (as great as the last four of my top 10) and Brosnan's Bond in DAD, but the above I think are the golden performances out of these actors, for me.
In my opinion, there hasn't been a bad Bond performance, except YOLT (a bored Connery, while a treat, is still a bored Bond), MR (I realized this is not as good as I remembered, except for that scene where he passes out, on the rest of the film he is mechanical - not Bond for me) and maybe AVTAK (he was too old to be convincing, yet I liked him and the film - despite its badness).
OK, now its your turn.
What do you say?
Comments
1. Pierce Brosnan- TND
2. Pierce Brosnan- TWINE
3. Pierce Brosnan- GE
4. Roger Moore- OP
5. Sean Connery- YOLT
6. Sean Connery- TB
7. Sean Connery- DR. NO
8. George Lazenby- OHMSS
9. Roger Moore- TSWLM
10. Roger Moore- LALD
1. Dalton in TLD
2. Dalton in LTK
3. Connery in DN
4. Connery in FRWL
5. Brosnan in TWINE
6. Brosnan in GE
7. Brosnan in TND
8. Brosnan in DAD
9. Connery in TB
10. Connery in GF
10. Moore in LALD
My top 10: (for now)
1)Sean Connery-GF
2)Sean Connery-TB
3)Sean Connery-FRWL
4)Sean Connery-DN
5)Pearce Brosnan-TWINE
6)Sean Connery-DAF
7)Roger Moore-TSWLM
8)Pearce Brosnan-GE
9)Roger Moore-LALD
10)Sean Connery-YOLT
10)Roger Moore-FYEO
Honourable Mentions:
1)Roger Moore-MR/OP
2)Pearce Brosnan-DAD
3)Pearce Brosnan-TND
2: Connery - GF
3: Brosnan - GE
4: Moore - TSWLM
5: Brosnan - TND
6: Brosnan - TWINE
7: Moore - LALD
8: Connery - Dr. No
9: Connery - FRWL
10: Dalton - LTK
1) Sean Connery - GF
2) Sean Connery - FRWL
3) Sean Connery - Dr. NO
4) Sean Connery - Thunderball
5) Timothy Dalton - TLD
6) Timothy Dalton - LTK
7) Sean Connery - NSNA
8) George Lazenby - OHMSS
9) Roger Moore - FYEO
10) Pierce Brosnan - GE
2. Connery in FRWL
3. Connery in GF
4. Brosnan in TWINE
5. Moore in TSWLM
6. Brosnan in GE
7. Moore in FYEO
8. Dalton in TLD
9. Brosnan in TND
10. Lazenby in OHMSS
I must stress here that I consider numbers 1 and 2 on my list to be WAY out in front. Connery in TB is magnificent - simply the finest incarnation of an alpha male in cinema history.
2.Sean Connery GF
3.Roger Moore TSWLM
4.Pierce Brosnan TWINE
5.Timothy Dalton LTK
6.George Lazenby OHMSS
I just felt bad for having Connery of TB neglectfully left out. I put him back and thus, two ties are allowed... But no more!
And the reason I do this, is because I believe that maybe two performances out of one actor, may be equal, despite the obvious fact that no performance is the same... Just the same in effect.
So here's my list, revised:
1) Sean Connery - FRWL
2) Sean Connery - Dr. NO/GF -- tie
3) Timothy Dalton - LTK
4) Pierce Brosnan - TWINE
5) George Lazenby - OHMSS
6) Roger Moore - FYEO
7) Sean Connery - TB/NSNA
8) Roger Moore - TSWLM
9) Timothy Dalton - TLD
10) Pierce Brosnan - GE
And, to follow Dan's pattern, my honorable mentions are:
Roger Moore - LALD and OP
Pierce Brosnan - DAD (simply as perfect as in GE)
Other than the above, the rest are the same, medium style for me... Average, serviceable to the film's plot. The above are either Fleming or a great blend of Fleming and EONian Bond (like TSWLM for instance).
2) Connery- TB
3) Brosnan- TWINE
4) Moore- FYEO
5) Dalton- LtK
6) Moore- TSWLM
7) Dalton- TLD
8) Connery- FRWL
9) Moore- OP
10) Brosnan- TND
2)Sean Connery:Thunderball
3)Sean Connery:Dr.No
4)Sean Connery:Goldfinger
5)Timothy Dalton:Licence to Kill
6)Timothy Dalton:The Living Daylights
7)George Lazenby:OHMSS
8)Roger Moore:For Your Eyes Only
9)Pierce Brosnan:The World Is Not Enough
10)Roger Moore:Octopussy
2)Sean Connery TB
3)Sean Connery FRWL
4)Timothy Dalton TLD
5)Pierce Brosnan GE
6)Pierce Brosnan TND
7)Sean Connery DN
8)Sean Connery GF
9)Roger Moore FYEO
10)Pierce Brosnan TWINE
2) Sean Connery: Goldfinger
3) Sean Connery: From Russia With Love
4) Pierce Brosnan: Tomorrow Never Dies
5) Pierce Brosnan: Die Another Day
6) Sean Connery: Thunderball
7) Pierce Brosnan: Goldeneye
8) Sean Connery: Diamonds Are Forver
9) Roger Moore: For Your Eyes Only
10) Timothy Dalton: The Living Daylights
Edit: Thanks for letting me know
So far, the surest best performances are Moore's FYEO, Connery's first four Bonds, and Brosnan's TWINE and GE.
That must mean something...
2)Connery - GF
3)Connery - TB
4)Connery - DN
5)Dalton - TLD
6)Moore - FYEO
7)Brosnan - TWINE
Seven
2) Sean Connery in From Russia With Love
3) Pierce Brosnan in The World is Not Enough
4) Sean Connery in Thunderball
5) Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights
6) Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me
7) Sean Connery in Dr. No
8) Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies (extra points for being such a cunning linguist!)
9) Roger Moore in Moonraker
10)Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye
Near miss: Sheriff J.W. Pepper in TMWTGG ;%
Honorable mention: Dalton in LTK, and Connery in DAF
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2)Sean Connery in GF
3)Sean Connery in FRWL
4)Sean Connery in DN
5)Timothy Dalton in TLD
6)George Lazenby in OHMSS
7)Roger Moore in TSWLM
8)Pierce Brosnan in TWINE
9)Roger Moore in MR
10)Roger Moore in LALD (Purely for the line "Just being disarming..." No one ever did the quips quite as well as Roger).
This is my top 10 (or top 11) from before however I've included a few words about each of the performances:
1)Sean Connery-GF: one word. Perfect. I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with Connery's performance and to this day it is an absolute joy to watch him. Two great examples of Connery's masterful performance in GF come to mind: The conversation scene with Goldfinger and the introduction to Pussy. The scene with Goldfinger in which they discussed his plan was absolutely fantastic. Bond admired Goldfinger as a fellow professional who is superb at his work. In what must surely be considered one of the greatest Bond moments of all time, watching Bond work out Goldfinger's plan and his amazement was IMO quite extraordinary. The introduction to Pussy was also brilliant but in another way. Connery's response "I must be dreaming" not only showcased hs delight but also a naturalness that I believe to be a distinguishing aspect of Connery's portrayal. I loved Connery's performance in GF and I don't believe it has ever been surpassed.
2)Sean Connery-TB: Connery descibed it as his favourite performance. I am not suprised. Fresh off GF, Connery was arguably still at the peak of his absolute powers and would deliver the last truly great performance before he either became bored or stopped looking so great. My four favourite films are the first four Connery's and a major reason was Connery's performances. Connery's performance in TB is a key reason why I consider it to be the third greatest Bond film of all time, although I think that TB would still be almost as brilliant even without Connery's performance, but that's for another thread.
3)Sean Connery-FRWL: What can I say? A beautiful performance from a beautiful film, Connery was heading towards his absolute peak. FRWL features near to the top in almost all of my best-of lists, and it is no exception when it comes to the greatest Bond performances. I actually consider FRWL to be the measure in that only absolute and complete masterpieces are superior to it (I don't think it would be a suprise to state that FRWL is second on my list.) Connery was brilliant in FRWL. His being IMO better in GF and TB speaks volumes to just how good he was in those films. BTW, I think that Connery's entire performance on the train was among the very best pieces of acting in the history of the Bond films.
4)Sean Connery-DN: Featuring arguably the greatest introduction of any Bond in the entire series, Connery never put a foot wrong in DN. Granted, he would be better in his next three films, but in DN Connery laid the groundwork for his masterful portrayal; one which would feature an equal amount if suaveness and ruthlessness combined with his naturalness and panther-like grace. The perfect example of this combination of ruthlessness and suaveness was when Bond turned Miss Taro over to the police, but only after having his way with her.
5)Pearce Brosnan-TWINE: Arguably the finest non-Connery performance of all time, TWINE was the film which convinced me that Brosnan was my second favourite Bond after Connery. I thought that Brosnan's performance in GE was brilliant, and I also really liked his performance in TND, but IMO Brosnan's performance in TWINE was Brosnan's masterpiece; an brilliant combination of suaveness and ruthlessness and a performance in which Brosnan revealed Bond to be human yet never lost the qualities that makes Bond stand above us mere mortals. A magnificent performance.
6)Sean Connery-DAF: Yes, Connery's physical appearance wasn't as good it had previously been, but IMO Connery produced one of the series's finest performances. As an example of his brilliance, the final scene with Wint+Kidd was in terms of his acting almost as good as the "No red wine with fish" scene in FRWL. If one of the measures of a good performance is control (which is why I do not consider Lazenby's performance in OHMSS to be good as Lazenby IMO never had control) then Connery's performance in DAF was one of the best. Since the moment he walked onto the screen there was never any indication that he had been away for 4 years; the quality of his performance was such that I consider Connery's performance to be perhaps the most underrated performance of all time and easily one of the very best.
7)Roger Moore-TSWLM: The ultimate Moore performance. In his third Bond film, Moore IMO established himself as one of the truly great Bonds. Although he was terrific in LALD, he was a little disappointing in TMWTGG, but in TSWLM, Moore's blend of humour, suaveness, style and ruthlessness were expressed perfectly in a film which I consider to be the greatest non-Connery Bond film of all time.
8)Pearce Brosnan-GE: Brosnan was under great pressure; it was the first Bond film in 6 years, the previous Bond film was a box office disappointment and Brosnan was originally slated in to play Bond in the 80's. He was under presure to perform, and IMO perform he did. When it comes down to GE, I think that one has to take sides: One might either love Brosnan's performance in GE, which means that one is almost certainly a Brosnan fan, or might hate Brosnan's performance in GE (one would therefore be anti-Brosnan). I know that these might appear like generalisations but I think that Brosnan, in GE, introduced a style that would remain with him for the rest of his career and I would contend that those who have formed definite opinion of Brosnan generally did so upon seeing GE. Now I personally loved Brosnan's style and I loved Brosnan's performance in GE; it was IMO the best Bond performance since TSWLM.
9)Roger Moore-LALD: Perhaps no other Bond film were better suited for its lead. LALD was pure Moore; suave, cool, witty with a ruthless streak. The crocodile scene, one of Moore's very best moments, might't have worked if someone else (Connery even) had done it. As it was, it was arguably one of the best Bond moments of all time.
10)Sean Connery-YOLT: Yes, he was bored, but a bored performance from Connery is still superior to the best performances of many other actors. In fact, Connery's performance is the major reason why I rank YOLT as high as I do (it's 5th on my list.)
10)Roger Moore-FYEO: By this stage, in his fifth Bond film, Moore was already a veteran and heading towards to end of his 007 career. That however did not stop him from producing arguably the best Bond performance of the 8's and the third best of his career. In fact, his performance in FYEO was quite extraordinarily when one considers just how different it was to several of his previous performances, less humerous and more realist, yet he still triumphed. (I think that Moore showcased ruthlessness in each of his performances, but I consider his performance in FYEO to be his most serious.)
Honourable Mentions:
1)Roger Moore-MR/OP: I can't separate them, although if I had to pick, I would choose MR over OP. What I love about these performances is that although both films were relatively silly (MR more so) Moore was still able to produce consistent and IMO very impressive performances.
2)Pearce Brosnan-DAD: One of my least favourite films, Brosnan's performance remains my favourite element of the film. It has been said that the mark of a great performance is one which is able to rise above a terrible script. IMO Brosnan succeeded.
3)Pearce Brosnan-TND: I don't think that TND was a great film, but Brosnan managed to truly impress me. From the moment I first saw him, I was taken in by his absolute control and relaxation, as well as his sense of fun. I don't love TND but I love Brosnan's performance in TND.
2) Brosnan - TWINE
3) Connery - DrNO
4) Moore - FYEO
5) Connery - TB
6) Dalton - TLD
7) Brosnan - TND
8) Connery - GF
9) Lazenby - OHMSS
10) Moore - TSWLM
I can't really argue with your choices except for a couple.
I am Connery/Bond fan from way back in the day, so I will defend the big Scot against any and all criticism, but even I concede that Connery coasted through YOLT. A film I adored as a kid and defend to this day. Sure, Connery as Bond in half-gear is still watching the master at work...but a better performance than Dalton? Or even Lazenby?
Of course, its all subjective. Connery is the Man...always has been...always will be. The prototype of 007.
Pick any performance from the first four and put it at the top of the list.
Roger's best? TSWLM, of course. And I would nominate OP as an underrated performance. What a shame that Roger, once considered one of the best-looking men in film history, had to suffer the slings and arrows of criticism directed towards his fading looks.
Roger started too late for Bond at 45. By the time of OP he had perfected his Bond to the point where it was second nature.
Roger developed a presence, a world-weariness combined with that incomparable charm. In short, by the 80's Roger had become a very good 007. But what do the fans harp on? His fading looks. There are a wealth of subtleties in his seven films...and Roger's type of leading man is going the way of the dodo bird. Believe me, sophistication and light comedy will be hard to find in future stars.
Roger's 007 legacy has to deal with two stigmas. The frist, his fading looks. The second is his lighter approach to Bond. For some fans, there is not one kind word for Roger. Too comical, they sneer. And, yes, they have a point, but weigh in the totality of Roger's tenure and his Bond takes on added weight. He is flat-out superb in certain scenes in every film, and even more, Roger became Bond to the world. Worthy enough to be mentioned alongside Connery.
As for Pierce. No question, he is terrific in TWINE. I would argue its the single best Bond performance since TB. What a shame DAD wasted Pierce's momentum. An absolutely impeccable performance in TWINE.
"Such a helpful chap."
I can't really argue with your choices except for a couple.
I am Connery/Bond fan from way back in the day, so I will defend the big Scot against any and all criticism, but even I concede that Connery coasted through YOLT. A film I adored as a kid and defend to this day. Sure, Connery as Bond in half-gear is still watching the master at work...but a better performance than Dalton? Or even Lazenby?
Of course, its all subjective. Connery is the Man...always has been...always will be. The prototype of 007.
Pick any performance from the first four and put it at the top of the list.
Roger's best? TSWLM, of course. And I would nominate OP as an underrated performance. What a shame that Roger, once considered one of the best-looking men in film history, had to suffer the slings and arrows of criticism directed towards his fading looks.
Roger started too late for Bond at 45. By the time of OP he had perfected his Bond to the point where it was second nature.
Roger developed a presence, a world-weariness combined with that incomparable charm. In short, by the 80's Roger had become a very good 007. But what do the fans harp on? His fading looks. There are a wealth of subtleties in his seven films...and Roger's type of leading man is going the way of the dodo bird. Believe me, sophistication and light comedy will be hard to find in future stars.
Roger's 007 legacy has to deal with two stigmas. The frist, his fading looks. The second is his lighter approach to Bond. For some fans, there is not one kind word for Roger. Too comical, they sneer. And, yes, they have a point, but weigh in the totality of Roger's tenure and his Bond takes on added weight. He is flat-out superb in certain scenes in every film, and even more, Roger became Bond to the world. Worthy enough to be mentioned alongside Connery.
As for Pierce. No question, he is terrific in TWINE. I would argue its the single best Bond performance since TB. What a shame DAD wasted Pierce's momentum. An absolutely impeccable performance in TWINE.
"Such a helpful chap."
Simply put, this performance is Fleming's Bond on screen. His demeanor is more toned down and laid back at parts in this film in line with the literary 007, whereas at parts in TLD, he seemed a bit wirey or gittery at times. One of the things that goes unnoticed about this performance is his range, which really displays the range of the literary character. He is typically labeled as the "angry Bond" in this movie, but he goes through great range: he pulls off light-hearted expertly at Felix's reception, somberness in the garter toss, horror at finding Della dead and and Felix maimed, vengence in killing Killifer and avenging Sharkey's death on the Wavecreast, indifference to watching Krest's unjustified violent death at his hands as he makes sure his job is done and his plot can continue, his gentlemanly cool in his scenes with Sanchez, and his masterful manipulation of Sanchez all the way. His adversarial relationship with authority is shown well.
2) Connery- FRWL, DN
I grouped these two together because I consider them to be nearly identical performances. Perfectly done. Connery nails the role in three films: DN, FRWL, and TB, while I think he goes too over-the-top in GF, YOLT, and DAF. In these two movies, he is just in the zone. He nails the literary 007's demeanor and choleric personality perfectly. FRWL is the perfect Bond film and greatest Bond story ever told, and Sean's performance is an integral piece in making it work so well.
4) Dalton- TLD
Very much like LTK in that he nails the spirit Literary 007, but there were some moments of "wiriness" where you sense he hasn't qutie gotten comfortable yet. Nevertheless, he captures the Literary 007 terrifically, which is enough to bump this one to #4 in my book, and he works terrifically within the story.
5) Connery- TB
Connery is in absolutley fine form here. He retains the demeanor, thoughness, and cold ruthlessnesss of Fleming's Bond. One scene I find that was very well done was the parade scene in Nassau, when Bond limps through the crowd to evade Volpe and her gang. Two moments that were great: the stretcher scene, and the parade chase scene, both of which were moments of mortality for Bond that were very Flemingesque in which Connery excels.
6) Brosnan- GE/TND/TWINE
I honestly can't decide which of these three is better, as I think he really just generally nails it in all three in similiar performances. He had the gentlemanly demeanor, cold efficiency, adversarial relationship with authority, and dedication to the job of Fleming's Bond. His scenes of introspection (beach scene in GE, hotel room scene in TND) are terrific. His relationship with Elektra (who bares some similiarities with his long deceased wife, which Brosnan brings out quite well) is expertly pulled off. The only thing I would ever fault Brosnan for is the action scenes. I don't find him terribly athletic, and I think he looked silly when he ran. He pulled off the fights well, but the action scenes, IMO, were a different story.
9) Lazenby- OHMSS
The more I watch Lazenby, the more I come to appreciate him. IMO, his look is the closest of any to Fleming's Bond. His movements, his physicality, his demeanor, his relationship with Tracy, his ruthless/predatory swagger: these are all very Fleming aspects he does a good job with. The final scene of the movie is perfectly played.
10) Brosnan- DAD
Brosnan was very good in this. He played a tortured Bond with a chip on his shoulder, out to get the person who set him up and ruined his career. The only things I fault him for here: there were times when he started to show his age, and he had some pretty akward moments with lines (which is partially a fault of the scripts). Still great performance.
HOnorable Mentions:
Connery- GF
This is the performance that set the mold of expectation for the cinematic Bond, in a movie that did the same. It's a departure from Fleming in that its less edgy, less dark and human, and more of a superman type of performance. But it is still fun and enjoyable, and he gets points just for the impact of the performance.
Moore- TSWLM
Moore didn't bear much resemblance to the Fleming Bond, but the man was just flat out fun to watch. He gets big points in this movie, which is flat out fun to watch like Roger, and for the impact he made with this movie.
TD in LTK
SC in GF
TD in TLD
SC in YOLT
RM in OP
RM in LALD
SC in FRWL
RM FYEO
SC in DAF
2. Sean Connery- GF
3. Sean Connery- TB
4. Sean Connery- FRWL
5. Sean Connery- Dr. No
6. Pierce Brosnan- TWINE
7. Roger Moore- LALD
8. George Lazenby- OHMSS
9. Roger moore- TSWLM
10. Sean Connery- DAF
Was really pleasantly surprised by how I enjoyed CR. Wasnt convinced about the DC choice for the Bond role. But I was immediately sold when I saw the 1st preview
2) Sean Connery(GF)
3) Pierce Brosnan(GE)
4) Pierce Brosnan (DAD)
5) Timothy Dalton (LD)
6) George Lazenby (OHMSS)
7) Sean Connery (FRWL)
8) Sean Connery (DAF)
9) Roger Moore (LALD)
10) Roger Moore (TMWTGG)
About my first pick...Yes, I believe Daniel Craig gave the best Bond performance I have ever seen(even though he is NOT my favorite Bond...he's my SECOND favorite
Honorable Mention:
George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service:
No actor in the world could have played 007 as successfully as Connery did in 1969, even if Ian Fleming's literary 007 character were to come to life and take the role. To be an untrained, unknown actor and have to perform in one of the series most layered Bond roles with all that pressure behind him is no small feat. Lazenby, for whatever problems occurred behind camera, needs to be given a positive nod for helping hold up what is one of the series classic entries. A lot of the credit goes to Peter Hunt, and that’s why I can't put this into the 10 best Bond performances, but Lazenby responded very well to Hunt's direction and one of the series most unique 007 characterizations occurred as a result.
10. Timothy Dalton in Licence To Kill:
Dalton's performance plays to his strengths and cements his much needed desire to bring an edge back to Bond. His performance plays off of Robert Davi very well, but looses a bit of class and sophistication necessary in Bond.
9. Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only:
The most faithful Sir Roger ever got to Ian Fleming’s original character. What makes the performance surprising and enjoyable is how natural a seasoned, yet ruthless 007 comes from Moore, as his career as 007 would make one think doing this type of characterization would look forced. He shows his age a bit too much for me, but well done indeed.
8. Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me: I rank this performance above For Your Eyes Only simply because this is the first time Moore makes the role his own rather than trying to just be the "anti-Connery" Bond. He effectively balances his sophisticated comedy with the role of 007, even adding a few emotional moments with Anya. Very impressive, especially after the awful performances of Live And Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun.
7. Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye:
As the first Bond I ever saw (this being the first Bond film I ever saw), I have a high sentimental regard for Brosnan's freshman take on Bond. The years between when he was first offered the role and now adds a lot of weight to his portrayal, and it cannot be understated that his performance as Bond was central to saving the series in this film. It layered a great foundation upon which he would develop his own Bond characterization, and popularized a more layered 007 character. Well done, Mr. Brosnan.
6. Sean Connery in Dr. No:
Like Brosnan in GoldenEye you simply can't understate how key Connery was in this films (and the series) success. His introduction is the best in the series by a long shot, and he successfully molded Ian Fleming’s character (and the countless perceptions of him across the world), with a wit, physical prowess, and encyclopedic knowledge that would go on to be the series gold standard. Still a little rough around the edges, but this performance is classic.
5. Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights:
Had I answered this a week ago, this performance would not have been as high. But this performance re-defines 007 after a near generation of unfaithful stories and 007 interpretations. He was the only Bond actor right for the role at the time, and the film is greatly in his debt for what was (up to this film) the most faithful "Fleming" Bond performance. This performance set the tone for a generation of Bond films that would seek to get back at Bonds roots. Very influential and well done.
4. Pierce Brosnan in The World Is Not Enough:
On the road to getting back to Fleming's Bond, this is one of the high points. Here, for the first time in the modern era of Bond films, 007's character is put at the heart of the story. Brosnan plays the role of a character so infatuated with Elektra (playing off the "bird with a wing bent down" mentality of Fleming's 007) that he is used as a pawn in her plot. A great twist on usual events that's played with great poise and maturity by Pierce Brosnan.
3. Sean Connery in Goldfinger
Like the film's conventions and title, Connery's performance here is the gold standard that all other Bond actors recognize. Shades of emotion surround the character, with a great balance of what Young and Connery crafted in Dr.No with the ruthlessness of the novels. Pure Gold.
2. Sean Connery in From Russia With Love:
It's a real injustice Connery did not receive an Oscar for this film as he really brings Fleming's character to life. He is at his peak physically, displays great range in character, and comes off as both a gentleman and a killer. Not to mention Bond is used fantastically in the story to advance the plot. Bottom line, when I visualize Bond in the novels, I see Sean Connery in this film.
1. Daniel Craig in Casino Royale:
Talk about defying odds. Next to no one thought Craig would be anywhere near decent as 007, or that a 53 year old novel could be appropriately adapted into a film faithful to its source material and appealing to the action/adventure audience. Yet Craig gets it better than right, exuding a tightrope performance of arrogance, fatalism regarding his own life, true love, dry humor, and the best physicality of any 007. He is also quite sophisticated as well, he moves with cat-like grace in the Casino, and the scene where he views himself in the tuxedo for the first time is already a classic. He was the first Bond actor I genuinely believed was in a class of his own, mostly because he was the first Bond actor to not be cast in the mold of Connery. As a result, he has been allowed to shape the role his own way, and he does so. It's a way that's more faithful to Fleming than any other Bond in the series. A gifted actor and a great Bond lies in Daniel Craig. With any luck, it's a sign of more performances to sit in this top ten!
1. Daniel Craig- CR
2. Timothy Dalton- LTK
3. Sean Connery- DN and FRWL
5. Timothy Dalton- TLD
6. Sean Connery- TB
7. Pierce Brosnan- GE/TND/TWINE
10. George Lazenby- OHMSS
Honorable Mentions:
Pierce Brosnan- DAD
Sean Connery- GF
Roger Moore- FYEO, TSWLM
2. Pierce Brosnan-Tomorrow Never Dies
3. Sean Connery-Goldfinger
4. Sean Connery-From Russia With Love
5. Roger Moore-The Spy Who Loved Me
6. Pierce Brosnan-The World Is Not Enough
7. Timothy Dalton-The Living Daylights
8. Roger Moore-For Your Eyes Only
9. Sean Connery-Thunderball
10. Roger Moore-Moonraker
And the Worst performance goes to...Roger Moore-Octopussy
Here's my new top 10:
1.Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
2.Timothy Dalton in Licence to Kill
3.Sean Connery in Thunderball
4.Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights
5.Sean Connery in From Russia With Love
6.Sean Connery in Goldfinger
7.Sean Connery in Dr. No
8.George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9.Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye
10.Pierce Brosnan in The World is Not Enough
2. Roger Moore - FYEO
3. Sean Connery - GF
4. Roger Moore - AVTAK
5. George Lazenby - OHMSS
6. Pierce Brosnan - TWINE
7. Roger Moore - TSWLM
8. Pierce Brosnan - DAD
9. Roger Moore - OP
10. Roger Moore - LALD
Worst:
Timothy Dalton
Honorable Mentions:
Connery - FRWL
Moore - TMWTGG
Pierce - TND