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Now it's 1989, and Connery is in his late 30s, early 40s, and he's cast in "Licence to Kill". Is the film as good as it is with Dalton? I don't think so. As suave and debonair as Connery may be in the role, I just don't see him pulling off the intensity of Dalton in the scene where he finds Della dead and Felix maimed. Dalton is flat out amazing in that sequence. And what also sets Dalton apart is that the intensity remains throughout the rest of the movie. Even in his relaxed moments, that driving force is ALWAYS lurking underneath. Again, I'm not trying to knock Connery, but i just don't see him bringing the intensity Dalton did to LTK if they flopped roles. I definitely can't see Connery on that rock, after Sanchez is dead and the mission is over, pausing for just a brief moment, so overwhelmed with relief that it seems he's about to cry before Pam shows up and brings him out of it. But I see FRWL being just as good with Dalton as it is with Connery.
Really, "LTK" is the tipping point in a lot of debates, I think. You could put Dalton in any of the Bond films, and I don't think any of them would suffer with his casting. Sure "The Spy Who Loved Me" wouldn't be as funny, but it would still be a great film. But try to cast any of the other Bonds in "Licence to Kill". The only actor who would stand a chance playing Bond like that other than Dalton is Daniel Craig.
Also, I think Dalton deserves the edge over Connery because he gave us the proper follow-up to OHMSS. It wasn't entirely Connery's fault, because the script really doesn't give a proper notice to the events of the prior film, but as others have said, Connery looks bored in "Diamonds Are Forever". The film has no spark in any of his scenes with Blofeld. In fact, if you didn't know Bond's wife was murdered in the film before, you wouldn't know it. I remember enjoying it when I first saw it out of sequence, and I still do enjoy it, but when I saw OHMSS, then watched DAF after, I was watching the scenes between the two and thinking to myself, "You remember this is the man who just murdered your wife, right?" Compared to "Licence to Kill", where Bond sees his fate projected to his best friend. It's not brushed under the rug here.
That's one of the things I love about "Licence to Kill". Dalton's Bond is certainly fueled by getting vindication for Felix, but it's apparent that Tracy is fueling his actions more than Felix. The whole garter scene is there for a reason, and it's telling that, while it seems fairly apparent that Della and Bond may have had a little something before she got with Felix, she has to be told by him that Bond's wife died. That's how raw the memory still is for Bond.
Also, we're given a strong hint to Bond's motivations in the scene with M. He's quick to brush of Bond's assertion that he owes it to Leiter by telling Bond Leiter knew the risks. Then Dalton fires back with "Did his WIFE?" M then pauses for a brief moment, and then shifts tactics to say he's jeopardize MI-6. And that moment I mentioned before, while I'm sure Bond's glad Sanchez is dead, I think his reaction of sorrow and relief comes down to the silencing of the guilt over Tracy's death, more than anything else.
And a final point to Dalton. One of the reasons, I believe, he didn't come back for Bond in 1995 was due to the fact that he was now 50. While he still looked good, far better than Connery and Moore in their later stages, he recognized that he was fast approaching being too old for the role, and passed instead of allowing himself to be lured back for that "Just one more film" that could prove to be embarrassing. (AVTAK anyone?)
I understand your point of view, but for me Connery's first performances were SO incredible that I can ignore YOLT and DAF. I seem to be the only one who thinks that his laziness started to creep in when he made TB. Yes, he has the best lines ever in that film but he was missing that spark that he had in the first 3 films. I'm not suggesting YOLT levels of boredom, but something seemed just a tiny bit off from GF.
:)>-
And @Nick37: Fantastic post. =D>
To quote Ash, "YEAH, BABY!"
In all seriousness, and we've been through it a hundred times, these are so difficult to separate, and no other actor can really come near to what Fleming really intended, but Dalton while my favorite and I say the best, may well have been beaten into second place to true Bond greatness by Connery in 1962 and '63, but both actors, at least, gave two great and outstanding performances of what James Bond should represent, and I thank them for that
In real life Lazenby would kick the living daylights out of mr. Dalton.
And when comparing him with Sean Connery the question would be Timothy Who?
However, Tim Dalton is a great Bond too. Similar (the serious tone, the attitude, the darkness of character, the manly act...) but also quite different (Connery had the cynicism, Dalton his own sense of humour and the closest interpretation to the original character in books)
I love both but Sean wins. He has more charm and he's classier. On average.
Interesting that you say "on average". Connery started off fantastic but then checked out of making an effort in the role. However, 4 good performances and 2 bad is not a bad batting average.
With Dalton, he had two really good films but as much as I love him I say that he gave one strong performance (TLD) and one mixed performance (LTK). All of the charm that he displayed in TLD disappeared in LTK, and he seemed very awkward in the love scenes and with the humour - which is strange as he was fine IMHO in both of those areas in TLD (although some of his detractors disagree).
Yeah when Connery grew tired of the role it showed in his performace in the later fims.
Connery throughout the Bond films:
DR. No - :D
FWRL - :D
GF - :)
TB - :(
YOLT - DX
Agree with you both. As much as I like Dalts, LTK has never been a top table entry for me. It still beats most of what has come since though.
Dalton he tried but he just for me he wasnt tough enough connery he made the and plus he started james bond in dr no so for my view Connery wins