If you didn’t know already, it is International James Bond Day. What does that mean? It means that today is the day we celebrate our favorite 007 agent, our most beloved member of MI6, or undeniably stylish fashion inspiration. Why is it October 5th? I am glad you asked. On this day in 1962, Sean Connery donned the suit and tie, grabbed the Walther PPK, and uttered for the first time the iconic line, “Bond, James Bond.”
Now, if you know me, you know that this is a day I always look forward to. There are always launches, celebrations, and announcements to look forward to. If Batman Day is my Christmas, this is my Super Bowl. And, since I now have an inarguable reason to talk all things James Bond, I felt it was time that I dropped a ranking of all the men who portrayed the character, and I expect you to argue with me until your dying breath. Over martinis, of course, shaken…not stirred.
A little context and an honorable mention
So, most people think about James Bond in the form of the six men who have assumed the role for an Eon Production under the direction of the Broccoli’s banner. And that is what I am looking at as well. This list is restricted to the performances in the 25 films released to theaters starring the main six. They are evaluated by quality of performance, quality of film, and cultural impact.
Having said that, if I could add Patrick Gibson to the list, I would do so in a heartbeat. Taking on the role for this year’s video game 007: First Light, he was the perfect combination of action, charm, rogue arrogance, and style. Not to mention a pretty fantastic watch. He even had the scar on his cheek (the opening of the game gives us the origin of the wound) from Fleming’s original description of the character. While I would vote enthusiastically for Amazon to adapt this game, storyline, and lead actor for Bond 26, he is not on the list.
6. George Lazenby
There is an undeniable truth that Lazenby’s turn as James Bond is criminally underrated. While his predecessor brought a cool detatchment to the role that became the prototype for the agent, Lazenby brought a vulnerability that remained unmatched until recent years. He was a broken man who ended up dealing with the death of his wife. A huge departure from the previous Bond, as he was a different woman-every-movie kind of man.
So, why is he last? It simply comes down to tenure. Following bad advice from his agent, telling him the counterculture was killing the spy genre, and being intimidated by a seven-picture deal, Lazenby walked away. His Bond never got a fully fleshed-out storyline. And, even today, only Bond faithful remember his name. Casual James Bond fans often have a hard time coming up with that one guy who had a movie in the middle of Connery’s tenure.
5. Timothy Dalton
Many of our candidates for James Bond bring a charm they have used to accomplish the mission. Before resorting to violence or physical prowess, charm is the ultimate tool in Bond’s arsenal. Timothy Dalton, following an era of Bond that didn’t double down, didn’t triple down, but quadrupled down on the campy charm of the franchise, brought a darker and grittier edge to the role. Based on revenge and feeling more anger than loyalty to King and Country, Dalton’s Bond was 100% 80s.
Why is it in the bottom half? Similar to Lazenby, his tenure just wasn’t long enough to give him a solid character with depth. Only two movies of his dark version left the franchise feeling a little uninspired. While he was set to star in the next film, it just took too long to come together, and he and the studio moved on.
4. Roger Moore
Out of all the James Bond actors, none of them matched the level of charm Sir Roger Moore was able to bring. Seven movies of pure Bondian charisma gave the 70s and 80s a handful of style and elegance. From his first film, Live and Let Die (1973), to his final film, A View to a Kill (1985), we got twelve outings that separated the franchise from the iconic beginning and proved that the character was bigger than one actor.
Why is he in the bottom half? Ironically, this is also based on his tenure. While Lazenby and Dalton didn’t serve long enough, Moore was way too long in the tooth by the end of the journey. A 57-year-old Bond in his final movie, he was past his prime and usefulness. And by dropping Moonraker into that filmography (not just his worst, but the franchise’s worst), Moore’s camp did a lot of damage to the franchise.
3. Pierce Brosnan
Now we’re in the top half of the list, and Brosnan is the logical Bond to kick this off. Let’s start with the reason he is above the other three. The truth is, nobody on this list was better at portraying James Bond than Brosnan. He was the only one who was able to find the mix between the charm and the vulnerable and gritty. He had the charm of Moore. He had the grit of Dalton. He had the detached coolness of Connery.
So, why is he third and not first? His films fall short. Goldeneye was the revitalization of a franchise. When Dalton pulled out, they nailed the casting with the perfect Bond. The problem is they never recaptured it. Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day simply don’t hold up to his maiden voyage as 007, and by the end, Bond needed a hard reboot.
2. Sean Connery
The prototype. The James Bond franchise is one of the most popular of all time, and it wouldn’t have been anywhere close without the stellar performance of Sean Connery. He built Bond for the screen. While he is a smidgen different from the book version, the man he brought to the screen would endure for six decades. A cool story: There is a line in his first movie that wasn’t in the script. And, when he delivered it the way it was written, a bodybuilder, not an actor, said that it didn’t work. So he reworked it, and he delivered it his own way. That line? “Bond, James Bond.”
So, what kept him out of the top spot? Simply being beaten by someone else. There weren’t many flaws with Connery outside of him leaving the role only to return after Lazenby for one more. He also despised the role throughout his career based on feeling typecast. In any case, almost all his movies rank in the top of the franchise, with Goldfinger and From Russia with Love both being in the top five.
1. Daniel Craig
The new gold standard of James Bond came in the form of Daniel Craig. After Die Another Day, the production team stepped back and realized they needed a fresh take on the character. The answer was finding someone who could have a little bit of charm, a little bit of vulnerability, and a lot of gritty action. The latter of which was something the movies of the aughts leaned towards in droves. While he took the reins of a dying franchise, he breathed new life into a character to ensure there are another six decades in front of him. While his biggest knock will always be that he never found the weaponized charm possessed by Moore and Brosnan, he was the only one to give us a legitimate reason for his alcoholic womanizing, and the only one who got a complete arc, ending in a death to close out his tenure.
With Bond 26 on the horizon and a new cast coming any moment, looking back on these men who wore the tux with grace and elegance serves as inspiration for who we need in the future. Someone with charm, wit, physicality, and most importantly, impeccable style.
