The Bond Debate

It’s something that a lot of film fans across the world have probably debated at one point in time or another, just who was the best James Bond?

For me it was Roger Moore, due to the fact that was the era of Bond films I grew up with. The younger fans, many of them female I would imagine, would probably go with Daniel Craig who has done a brilliant job in the last two films despite some early criticism. So let’s have a look at each one in order they appeared.

Sean Connery

Films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever

The original and in some people’s eyes still the best bond from the franchise, his suave charming personality coupled with dashing good looks was a sure fire winner. The films themselves for their day were very good, but the special effects would now look very dated. He was lucky in that he was always paired with a very accomplished supporting cast which may have helped his somewhat shaky acting ability.

Connery as Bond is an early iconic action hero, all the ladies loved him and all the men wanted to be him. We won’t go into the disastrous unofficial Bond film Never Say Never Again but let’s just say that money does not buy everything.

Rating: (3/5)

George Lazenby

Films: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Lazenby only made the one appearance as Bond, after Connery quit the role. To be fair he was a distant last resort behind Dalton who was too young and Moore who was unavailable at the time. It was also his first serious film role and he was offered a contract for seven films but his agent told him Bond would become archaic after the liberated 70s and so he left in 1969.

He received mixed reviews for his one off performance, some said that although he fit the role physically he delivered his lines poorly. And after the good run that Connery had it was always going to be a hard role to fill.

Rating: (2/5)

Roger Moore

Films: Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill

The man with the most missions under his belt at seven, would be most people’s choice as their favourite Bond of all time. Moore was the oldest as well and played Bond with a playboy tongue in cheek style. He was certainly the most humorous Bond and throughout his films there were some brilliant one liners. But that is where his portrayal of the character may have had its stumbling blocks, that and Moore’s growing age concerns.

Rating: (4/5)

Timothy Dalton

Films: Living Daylights, License to Kill

After Moore stepped down Dalton was approached to fill the famous tuxedo but had other filming commitments, a certain Pierce Brosnan was approached but he was still contracted to T.V. series Remington Steele. By the time all the screen testing was completed on other prospects Dalton had finished filming and was ready to assume the role.

Unlike the more laid back Bond of the Roger Moore era Dalton played Bond in a darker more stiff upper lip context. He wanted to achieve a greater sense of realism and in the films came across as an agent who didn’t really care about the missions he was on or the authority figures above him.

Rating: (3/5)

Pierce Brosnan

Films: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is not Enough, Die Another Day

Another possible choice for the fans favourite Brosnan appeared in four films, which spanned the late 90s to early 2000s. The films were hits at the box office and Brosnan brought his own persona to the much loved secret agent. Brosnan was set to do four films with an option to do a fifth and he always stated that he would have liked to have done six. Brosnan conducted Bond with a debonair persona tarnished with a  little humour.

He is an assured actor who is certainly very talented, more so than the roles and critics alike gave him credit for.

Rating: (3.5/5)

Daniel Craig

Films: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace

The final and most present Bond, Daniel Craig received a lot of criticism but at the same time a lot of support most notably from many of his 00 predecessors. After the release of Casino Royale Craig’s performance was highly acclaimed. Craig was keen to emphasise that he felt Bond was a bad guy playing for the good side, as he was an assassin after all and that the characters darker side should be explored.

Craig to did a lot of his own stunt work and for that he should be commended, as earlier Bonds tended to rely on doubles. Daniel Craig’s Bond was a determined individual who like Dalton wanted to play the character as a gritty serious agent and to dispense with any humour. A scene in particular illustrates this, when asked by a bar tender whether he’d like his Martini shaken or stirred he’s greeted by the reply “does it look like I care”

Rating: (4/5)

A close one to call then as all the actors portrayed Bond in their own unique way. Each separate Bond that spanned an era will have their own particular unique following. If you’re looking at overall performances and how the films were received in the industry then Connery has to be up there, but I would throw Roger Moore and Daniel Craig into mix as well. It’s always going to be a tough one and it’s better left to other peoples expert judgment than for me to call it.

From a personal point of view it will always be Roger Moore, but more so Daniel Craig who has impressed me greatly and I can only expect that the next Bond installment will do the secret agent proud.