Best James Bond

[Ten oz]

Who was the best James Bond? Below are my impressions of all 6 who have played bond.  

 

Sean Connery - Everyone's default #1 choice. While Connery had the most impressive body of work through his long career his Bond films themselves often appeared cheaply made (Thunderball being an exception) and were rather silly. Austin Powers satire of them was so hilarious in part because of how accurate it was. Sean Connery in my opinion is far and away the best actor to play Bond but wasn't the best Bond.

George Lazenby - I have never seen his Bond film in its entirety so I can't judge. 

Roger Moore - First Bond I saw. I think who was Bond in the first Bond movie or two one saw impacts who they think was the best. As a kid Roger Moore's Bond films had made there way to TV and were the first Bond films I saw. Moore's Bond was less physical than Connery's. For Connery gadgets often seemed like an after thought but with Moore's Bond gadgets were critical. Lacking Connery's physicality gadgets saved Moore's butt many times. Roger Moore was good Bond. 

Timothy Dalton - If Bond were a real person Timothy Dalton is exactly who I'd imagine him to be yet Dalton's Bond films lack Bond-esque storylines. They felt as if action films written for an American action hero had been recycled and Bond's name tossed in the mix. For the first time Bond was primarily motivated by things like Revenge rather than his mission. Neither Connery or Moore's Bond  took things personal to the distraction of a mission. Dalton's Bond films are among the worst despite Dalton himself being a good fit.

Pierce Brosnan - He was the best of Connery and Moore. Plausible as a form Naval Commander yet pretentious and snooty. The Brosnan films remembered that Bond stories are playful while at the same time making sure to keep high stakes. However they failed to deliver quality villains. Overall Brosnan's films were my favorite. It I had to sit down and watch just one actor's Bond films back to back it would be Brosnan's. The last one left a lot to be desired though.

Daniel Craig - I can't stand him as Bond, lol. Bond is suppose to be to life long professional. Bondis suppose to be intelligent, persistent, well trained, classy, and clever. In Craig's films Bond is clumsy, moody, raw, indifferent, and dry. As with the Timothy Dalton films the Craig films give Bond strange emotional motivations which compete for his attention and focus equal to the mission at hand. I don't them. 

[MigL]

Definitely S Connery. Its no coincidence Swansont picked him for his avatar.

Only good thing about G Lazenby was the fact that D Rigg was the co-star.
( fell in love with her while she was Emma Peel on the Avengers )

R Moore was a good Saint but a joke as Bond. Much too 'cheesy'.

T Dalton wasn't bad, but I expect Bond to be larger than life.

I actually liked the P Brosnan films, but you're right about the last one.

Don't really mind D Craig, although the plotlines seem a little convoluted.
Would have loved for the old man taking care of Bond's ancestral home in Skyfall to have been played by S Connery, but he was already retired, and the 'differences' between him and the Broccolis are too deep to cross.

Wonder who will play Bond next.

[John Cuthber]

The best  Bond was the one in the books.

[swansont]

As MigL has observed, and as anyone who has been here a while might guess, I vote for Connery. (also concur with observations about Diana Rigg)

 

The original list omits the oft-forgotten original Casino Royale with David Niven, since it's not considered canon.

 

[Ten oz]

18 minutes ago, swansont said:

The original list omits the oft-forgotten original Casino Royale with David Niven, since it's not considered canon.

I would like to see a none satirical version of that made. The Craig films have changed so much about Bond's back story and motivations it only makes sense to continue the pretense Bond is a single person.

5 hours ago, MigL said:

Definitely S Connery. Its no coincidence Swansont picked him for his avatar.

Only good thing about G Lazenby was the fact that D Rigg was the co-star.
( fell in love with her while she was Emma Peel on the Avengers )

R Moore was a good Saint but a joke as Bond. Much too 'cheesy'.

T Dalton wasn't bad, but I expect Bond to be larger than life.

I actually liked the P Brosnan films, but you're right about the last one.

Connery is definitely the best actor to have ever played Bond and From Russia with Love might be the single best Bond film. However You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever were poorly made films. The Moore film contained some of the best stunt work for their time. The opening plane scene in Octopussy is possibly still the best Bond opening to this day with the Snowboarding chase scene from View to a Kill being a close second. Brosnan's films did a good job capturing those great Moore openings with Goldeneye's being the standout.

5 hours ago, MigL said:

Don't really mind D Craig, although the plotlines seem a little convoluted.
Would have loved for the old man taking care of Bond's ancestral home in Skyfall to have been played by S Connery, but he was already retired, and the 'differences' between him and the Broccolis are too deep to cross.

I didn't like Skyfall. I don't like what they have done with Bond's backstory in the new films. Bond was supposed to have been a Naval Commander. That is a fairly aristocratic position where one is well educated, disciplined, and experienced. 

5 hours ago, MigL said:

Wonder who will play Bond next.

I would really enjoy a one off film where they bring back Brosnan or Dalton and do an old man Bond story. One where a retired Bond is forced back into the mix. As for a replacement to Craig the only 2 British actors I think have the correct levels of masculinity and oration are Christian Bale and Idris Elba. However I doubt either would be selected. Bale possibly being too well known and Elba being black. 

[MigL]

Used to love the old Equalizer TV series with an aged E Woodward helping out people in trouble.
Kind of what J Bond would be doing once he 'retired'.

Unfortunately the Equalizer movie reboot with D Washington, while excellent, changed the back story and got rid of the British accent.

[Airbrush]

On ‎6‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 10:06 PM, MigL said:

Wonder who will play Bond next.

Theo James

https://www.movienewsguide.com/theo-james-confirmed-new-james-bond-actor-star-next-emilia-clarke/221217

[DrmDoc]

Peter Sellers, primarily because he was a brilliantly funny actor...IMHO.

[swansont]

50 minutes ago, DrmDoc said:

Peter Sellers, primarily because he was a brilliantly funny actor...IMHO.

But he didn't play Bond. He played someone who pretended to be Bond.

[DrmDoc]

2 hours ago, swansont said:

But he didn't play Bond. He played someone who pretended to be Bond.

Indeed, in Casino Royale Sellers played the character Evelyn Tremble, a baccarat master hired to pose as James Bond as portrayed by David Nivens.  A funny addition was Woody Allen who played Jimmy Bond, James' villainous nephew. 

[Moontanman]

Pierce Brosnan

Sean Connery

Roger Moore

In that order, the rest are either jokes or in the case of Daniel Craig a demented asshole. (he looks too much like Putin) Seriously he simply has no Bond traits and he can't even act like he does. Of course that could be the director... 

[Ten oz]

13 hours ago, Airbrush said:

Theo James

https://www.movienewsguide.com/theo-james-confirmed-new-james-bond-actor-star-next-emilia-clarke/221217

I hope this is not true. James Bond as a character is not suppose to be a junior unseasoned operative. He is supposed to have been a Commander in the Royal Navy well experience in Intelligence and espionage. A quick ascension to Naval Commander  takes 12yrs post Academy. Then Bond needs time to have become a seasoned spy. Theo James is 33yrs old but typically place characters in their mid 20's and the account of his youthful looks. It doesn't fit in my opinion. While true Sean Connery was only 32yrs old when the series began Connery carried a unique sense of strength and maturity about himself. Plus Connery appeared to age into the role quickly. By the time You Only Live Twice came out he already had peppered gray hair and was noticeably heavier than in the initial outings.