With speculation rife about who will take over from Daniel Craig as the seventh James Bond, we’re polling on which is your favourite movie from the British film franchise to date.
James Bond’s adventures on the big screen started with Sean Connery in 1962. He originated the role and gave creator Ian Fleming (who died in 1964) the idea to give Bond Scottish ancestry. An icon of the Swinging Sixties, he arguably stayed too long in the role and looked bored in his later movies.
Intended as a replacement for Connery, Australian model George Lazenby had virtually no acting experience before taking on the mantle of the world’s most famous spy. The youngest Bond to date, he chose to stick around for only one film, and it’s a great one, with Diana Rigg on terrific form as arguably the best Bond girl. But his brevity in the part means he’s often overlooked.
Roger Moore was an older, more light-hearted Bond, who tended to use his charm rather than blunt force or violence. With seven movies under his belt, he has more titles than any other Bond actor (not counting Connery’s unofficial 1983 return in ‘Never Say Never Again’) but was 57 and a touch creaky by the time he hung up his Walther PPK holster. Some people love his tongue-in-cheek portrayal, but others prefer a more serious Bond. Speaking of which…
Timothy Dalton only played 007 in two films in the late 1980s before a legal wrangle about rights put the films on ice. Alas, the third Dalton movie was never made, leaving fans with only two outings that returned the character to its literary origins. Admirers of the Dalton era point to the actor’s skill in playing the part, and for his welcome efforts in returning the franchise to earth after the high camp of his predecessor. Detractors say he’s too po-faced and didn’t have enough time in the part to fully establish himself as a great Bond.
James Bond returned to cinema screens in 1995 with a new leading man, Pierce Brosnan. His first outing was a critical and commercial success, but re-establishing Bond’s place in the world in the post-Cold War era was a challenge that his tenure arguably never resolved. Rather like the Moore era, Brosnan’s final film took things too far in the direction of parody for some fans.
Daniel Craig established himself in the role with a superb opening gambit that felt like the edited highlights of everything that had worked well up to that point. Like Dalton, Craig brought a multi-faceted acting talent to the part, and none of his predecessors has pulled off a swagger the way he could. But his output has proven hit and miss, with films varying between superb and sub par.
What would you say has been the highlight of the James Bond films to date? Vote below!
