Rank the Bond actors

Discussion in 'TV & Media' started by Captrek, Nov 16, 2012.

  1. Captrek

    Captrek Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Let's limit this to the Broccoli series – no Barry Nelson or David Niven. I'm asking your opinions of the actors, rather than the films in which they appear. Hence Lazenby ranks last on my list, despite OHMSS being one of the better films of the series.

    1. Craig
    2. Dalton
    3. Connery
    4. Brosnan
    5. Moore
    6. Lazenby​
     
  2. Captaindemotion

    Captaindemotion Admiral Admiral

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    1. Tie - Connery and Craig. Never thought that the great Scot could be matched but Skyfall confirmed what Casino Royale hinted at - that Craig has made the role his own and completely reinvented the part.

    3. Brosnan. The populist all-rounder Bond, mixing Connery's Celtic charm, Lazenby's vulnerability, Moore's smoothness and Dalton's humanity.

    4. Dalton. The prototype for Craig, but lacking DC's way with a one-liner and intensity, also hampered by his films not being as good as Craig's. And frankly, he's not as good an actor as Craig. But let's not forget what a breath of fresh air he was at the time and what a relief it was to see a Bond who looked like he could hold his own in a fight - the first in a decade and a half, in 1987.

    5 & 6. Tie between Lazenby and Moore. If I had my druthers, in an ideal world, George would have carried on in the role into the mid-1980s. He'd only have been in his mid/late 40s then, not an awful lot older than Dalton. For all the criticism of his acting, he could hold his own physically, looked more comfortable in a love scene than Dalton ever did and he knocks the final scene out of the park. I think much of the flak he got at the time was due to him opting to play James Bond and not simply recreating Sean Connery. I think he would have gotten better and better in the role.

    But - he didn't. One movie is his lot and ultimately, I don't think it's fair to put him ahead of Rog on that basis. I'm no fan of the humour Moore brought to the role but in fairness, the series was clearly already headed that way with Diamonds Are Forever. And it was just symptomatic of 70s movie sensibilities as oppose to those of the 1960s - in the 1960s, curt macho actors like Connery and Steve McQueen were in vogue, in the 1970s, it was smart alecs like Burt Reynolds and Moore. He outstayed his welcome by at least 2 movies but in Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me and even bits of For Your Eyes Only, he's very watchable. So I give him equal billing with Lazenby.
     
  3. od0_ital

    od0_ital Admiral Admiral

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    Just as actors? That's too easy...

    Sean Connery
    Daniel Craig
    Timothy Dalton
    Pierce Brosnan
    Roger Moore
    George Lazenby
     
  4. Relayer1

    Relayer1 Admiral Admiral

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    Craig
    Connery
    Brosnan
    Lazenby
    Dalton
    Moore

    Struggling to separate Craig and Connery though...
     
  5. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

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    Craig
    Connery
    Brosnan
    Dalton
    Moore
    Lazenby
     
  6. Gary Mitchell

    Gary Mitchell Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Connery, Craig, Lazenby, Brosnan, Moore, Dalton.
     
  7. Caligula

    Caligula Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Connery
    Craig
    Brosnan
    Dalton
    Lazenby
    Moore
     
  8. gblews

    gblews Vice Admiral Admiral

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    This again? :rolleyes:

    Connery by a hair over Craig. The others aren't worth mentioning.
     
  9. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    Brosnan will always be "my" Bond.
     
  10. Kirkman1987

    Kirkman1987 Commodore Commodore

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    Connery
    Moore
    Craig
    Brosnan
    Lazenby
    Dalton

    My list differs from many here. He's not the Bond of the books, but I love Roger Moore in the role. I also don't care for Dalton very much. He lacks any charisma.

    No one tops Sean Connery for me though.
     
  11. Lonemagpie

    Lonemagpie Writer Admiral

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    As Bond

    1- Connery/Craig tie
    2- Brosnan
    3- Moore
    4- Dalton
    5- Lazenby

    As actors in general

    1- Connery
    2- Craig/Dalton tie
    3- Moore
    4- Brosnan
    5- Lazenby
     
  12. barnaclelapse

    barnaclelapse Commodore Commodore

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    I like this approach.

    1. Connery
    2. Craig
    3. Brosnan
    4. Dalton
    5. Moore (I actually like Roger Moore as James Bond, but I freely admit he was in some of the stupidest movies in the series)
    6. Lazenby

    1. Connery
    2. Craig
    3. Dalton
    4. Brosnan
    5. Moore
    6. Lazenby
     
  13. od0_ital

    od0_ital Admiral Admiral

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    My rankings of the actors as Bond -

    Roger Moore (he was my first & favorite)
    Sean Connery
    Daniel Craig
    Pierce Brosnan
    Timothy Dalton
    George Lazenby
     
  14. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    Craig is a good actor and the movies are well made, but I don't feel like the last three movies were really James Bond. He's too dour and serious and grim. Bond is supposed to be suave and dashing and funny.
     
  15. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Connery and Dalton. Moore's not bad (and underrated actor) but Brosnan is dull and Craig is ok-ish.
     
  16. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    There'll be threads like this one every time there's a new Bond movie. :p

    1. Connery
    2. Craig
    3. Brosnan
    4. Dalton
    5. Moore
    6. Lazenby
     
  17. Venardhi

    Venardhi Vice Admiral Admiral

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    There are hints of it here and there, but overall I agree. I haven't seen Skyfall yet, but there is a definite lack of opportunities for his Bond to enjoy himself thus far. We may enjoy watching his adventures and his action and whatnot, but he never seems to be having a good time and it brings the character down.

    For me the top two are Connery and Brosnan, Craig and Dalton would stand a bit above Moore and Lazenby in my book.
     
  18. Lonemagpie

    Lonemagpie Writer Admiral

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    He only became that in the 70s, because Moore made him that in the public eye.


    Ian Fleming's creation is very different.
     
  19. Venardhi

    Venardhi Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Connery's Bond always seemed to be having a good time until the final act when things got serious. It wasn't just a result of the more light-hearted Moore-era scripts. It is that sort of casual confidence in knowing you have a few aces up your sleeve, and it let him enjoy the job rather than be consumed by it like Craig's portrayal so often is.
     
  20. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    But weren't the last three films suppose to make Bond a more realistic character?