Features Film

Best of Bond: Ranking Each Actor’s Best Film

This month marks the return of the much-loved super spy James Bond with the 24th film in the series: Spectre. The character has had his ups and downs with regards to films released over the years. Here we have a look at this young writer’s favourite film of each of the six Bond actors.

6. Sean Connery – Goldfinger

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Goldfinger, released in 1964, was Sean Connery’s third outing as James Bond. Sean Connery is mine and many peoples favourite Bond; he was cool, suave, and looked like he could handle himself in a fight. He kick-started the long-running Bond franchise with Dr No. and followed that up a year later with From Russia With Love, both great films. But it was Goldfinger that really started the Bond franchise, introducing key elements that would shape the film canon from there on, such as introducing the beloved Aston Martin DB5.

This film saw Bond face off against the memorable Goldfinger and contained one of the most famous scenes from any of the 23 films, featuring Bond strapped to a table with a laser pointed at him. This film was the benchmark for future films. There’s the memorable Pussy Galore, the great scenery such as Fort Knox, and Shirley Bassey’s classic rendition of the soundtrack.

5. George Lazenby – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

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Now this one is a no-brainer as it was actor George Lazenby’s only outing as the spy. Released in 1969, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service follows Bond, who once again faces off against longtime enemy, Ernst Stavro Blofield. The film is one of the most underrated films in the series. Lazenby was a decent Bond who added a bit of vulnerability to the character. It would have been great if he would have chose to stay on and continue with the story instead of quitting after the one film.

4. Roger Moore – The Spy Who Loved Me

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Roger Moore, love him or hate him, was Bond for seven films starting with Live and Let Die in 1973 to A View to A Kill in 1985. Moore’s films are often criticised for being too lighthearted and comical compared to the rest of the series. I liked Moore’s outing as Bond, he wasn’t the toughest fighter, but he had enough charm and charisma to carry even the weakest of films (Moonraker).

The Spy Who Loved Me, released in 1977 saw a more serious turn of Moore’s Bond. Gone were the silly characters from his previous two films and in turn we were introduced to one of the best Bond villains in Jaws. The Spy Who Loved Me was full of memorable scenes and gadgets that make it the actor’s most memorable and enjoyable film, from the underwater car sequence, to the introductory iconic scene of Bond skiing off a mountain only to open a parachute with the Union Jack on it, which remains one of the greatest stunts in the series.

About the author

Josh Sammons