This week’s ranking category is James Bond 007 performances–that is, the performance of each Bond actor in their respective films. Once again, Never Say Never Again is eligible to be included. Personally, I find this one of the harder categories to judge.
So how do you rank each of the James Bond actors’ performances?
Here’s mine:
- Roger Moore – THE SPY WHO LOVED ME – Growing up, Moore was my favorite James Bond and he is in total command here. Everything he does is suave, confident, and effortless, and his confrontation with Anya Amasova when he admits to killing her lover is spot on. It’s arguably, Moore’s best dramatic scene of the series. With TSWLM, he forever put to rest any doubts of his ability to be 007.
- Sean Connery – GOLDFINGER – Connery stamps his imprint on the series and breaks the mold. His Bond is iconic for a reason and Goldfinger showcases that. Like Moore above, Connery is cool, confident, and effortless. He may be a prisoner for much of the film, but he is still in control.
- Sean Connery – THUNDERBALL – Connery may be even cooler in Thunderball than he was in Goldfinger. Honestly, I could go back and forth regarding which of his performances on those two films are better. In Thunderball, Connery is THE MAN and he is thoroughly enjoying himself for perhaps the last time. Honestly, I think a good case could be made for any of these top three to be named as the best Bond performance of the series.
- Pierce Brosnan – TOMORROW NEVER DIES – This is my favorite Bond performance from my favorite 007. Brosnan is in complete command here, and he has good dramatic scenes with Teri Hatcher, particularly while waiting for her in his hotel room. Like those above, he exudes, coolness and suavity while making everything Bond does look effortless.
- Sean Connery – FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – Connery gives a great performance here. On a straight up acting basis, it’s arguably the best of his tenure and the best of the series. However, I overall rank it slightly lower than those above because he’s not quite as cool or makes things look as effortless in FRWL as the others did in their above films and I tend to like my Bond actors performing like those top four efforts.
- Daniel Craig – CASINO ROYALE – There may have been doubts among some about his casting–I for one was willing to give him a chance even if he wasn’t my top choice–and he came out blazing. This is the best debut performance of any 007 actor. Craig nails Bond in his and 007’s very first mission. It’s not the polished Bond we’ve come to know, but despite the rough edges it’s all there and Craig perfectly hits all the right notes.
- Roger Moore – FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Moore begins to show his age here, but it is not detrimental to the film. This is a more serious, low-key Bond adventure and Moore does a great job in the role. He has great scenes with Carole Bouquet and Topol, but his best comes when he kicks Emile Leopold Locque’s car off a cliff. Moore plays it perfectly, and it is one of Bond’s coldest kills.
- Roger Moore – OCTOPUSSY – Once again, Moore’s age does not hurt the film. He still looks good and has a great rapport with Maud Adams. Moore is in complete control, and had it been his final film, he would have gone out on an all time high. And Bond’s confrontation with Gen. Orlov is terrific. It’s my favorite dramatic Moore moment of the series.
- Pierce Brosnan – DIE ANOTHER DAY – Brosnan’s performance is the best in the film. One of his best scenes is his entrance and confident walk through the Hong Kong hotel lobby despite his disheveled appearance. So Bond. People may have issues with DAD (I have some but not enough to dislike the film), but one shouldn’t have issues with Brosnan in it. He made the most out of what he was given.
- Sean Connery – DR. NO – Connery is firmly in control from the very first second on screen in the first Bond film. Connery IS James Bond and his performance gets the series off to a flying start. And his impeccable delivery of the iconic Bond…James Bond line is the best of the series.
- Pierce Brosnan – GOLDENEYE – Brosnan had to wait eight years to get his dream gig and he nails his debut effort. He has great scenes with Sean Bean and their final confrontation is one of the best of the series.
- Roger Moore – LIVE AND LET DIE – Moore smoothly slips into his 007 shoes in his debut film. Different than Connery and yet he still is his own Bond and proves that one doesn’t have to copy the original 007 to be successful.
- Roger Moore – MOONRAKER – Moore is at his most effortlessly cool and yet he and the film don’t grip me like the others above. Still, it is distinctly, unquestionably Bond. His best scene is climbing out of the centrifuge and collapsing against the wall. Well done.
- Pierce Brosnan – THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH – My least favorite Brosnan performance is still a good one. He is always entertaining, and he has good chemistry with Sophie Marceau.
- Timothy Dalton – THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS – My favorite Dalton performance is his first one. He’s a little stiff on the one-liners, but other than that he is very solid in his performance, which returns Bond to his more serious roots. And his confrontation with John Rhys-Davies’ Leonid Pushkin is a highlight of the film.
- Daniel Craig – SPECTRE – Craig’s most traditional Bond performance is my second favorite of his. In this film, as in CR, his 007 actually looks like he’s enjoying himself–the only two times of his tenure. As a result, they are my favorite performances of his.
- Daniel Craig – SKYFALL – I find myself ranking Skyfall and SPECTRE rather closely in many categories, and while I consider Skyfall the better made film, I tend to enjoy SPECTRE more because Bond seems to have more fun in it and, consequently, so do I. That is the result here. Craig may have acted better in Skyfall, but since he isn’t having as much fun in it, I rank his performance below that of SPECTRE’s.
- Timothy Dalton – LICENCE TO KILL – My favorite Bond film, but, strangely, not because of Dalton’s performance. I love the plot, the villains, the main girl, and the stunts to name a few. Dalton isn’t bad in it, but the revenge plot, while great, leaves him a little too serious for my preference.
- George Lazenby – ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE – Lazenby isn’t perfect, but for a novice actor, he does a really good job. I wish they wouldn’t have dubbed him for a good bit of the movie because I think he was perfectly fine the rest of the film. He has a good physicality for the role and he did a good job with what one-liners he got. And he absolutely nailed the pivotal final scene.
- Sean Connery – DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER – Connery’s first return is memorable and helped set up the more comical Moore years with some witty dialogue. Nevertheless, Connery dominates the screen and is enjoyable to watch. You can’t help but have a good time watching DAF.
- Sean Connery – YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE – Connery’s worst performance, and yet it is not as bad one might think. There are a handful of moments where he seems bored with the role and they do stand out. And yet, the rest of his performance is not that far off from what he’d done before. He still dominates the scenes he’s in and is enjoyable to watch.
- Roger Moore – THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN – Moore does ok with what he’s given to do, but the screenplay is clearly not tailor-made to his strengths. Not helping matters is the small scale scope of the film which is rivaled only by the original Bond film Dr. No. As a result, the film seems a bit underwhelming which inevitably has an effect, for me, on Moore’s performance.
- Sean Connery – NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN – Connery returns one last time to star in an “old Bond” adventure. It’s not as glamorous or as exciting as Thunderball, yet Connery does what he can with it and brings his irresistible Bond charm. His age detracts a bit from his performance for me, but it is still the better “old Bond” one for me.
- Roger Moore – A VIEW TO A KILL – Now it’s Moore’s turn for an “old Bond” adventure. I find that his age detracts even more from his performance than Connery’s in NSNA. In part, that’s because he looks older than Connery (which he was–by about five years in their respective films) and because his stunt team is much more noticeable in AVTAK than any may have been in NSNA. As a result, I have a hard time overlooking either performance-wise, which helps drop him to here.
- Daniel Craig – QUANTUM OF SOLACE – An overly serious Bond out for revenge. Only it was done before (LTK) and done better (Dalton). This time, Craig’s Bond is even more serious and–dare I say it–less fun than Dalton’s was. And the super-quick editing and shaky cam don’t help show off whatever acting Craig may be doing, especially early on in the film. As a result, it’s not my preferred version of 007.
- Daniel Craig – NO TIME TO DIE – An emotional Bond. Again done before and done better (OHMSS, CR). Those two films did it right. NTTD gets it wrong. And Craig seems to be playing more himself than he is Bond. A definite no-no. So with all that being the case, this is my least favorite Bond performance.
So what are your James Bond 007 performance rankings?