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1. Sean Connery
He defined and created the cinematic James Bond, and if it weren't for him, there wouldn't be any of the actors playing Bond. He was probably the only person of his time who could've ensured Bond's longevity, and he brought Bond into a period of immense critical and commercial strength, which is saying something when you basically had to start from scratch. He was hugely popular in his time, but more importantly, the fact that so many people today still regard him as the unassailable best speaks for his profound legacy. For the same reason, I don't think I really need a giant paragraph to explain why he's the best.
2. Daniel Craig
We've only seen this once (Casino Royale), but when Craig's empowered with the right script for him, he's just as good a Bond as Connery in his prime, and an even better actor. He's extremely capable physically, and like Dalton, he also does many of his stunts. There's not much separating the two, but I think Connery is probably the more appealing Bond and is certainly more suave/effortless in the way he does things. Craig certainly has class but not the effortlessness that Connery or Moore had. In the end, I think Craig is the best actor out of all the Bond's, but not necessarily the best Bond (though he's not far behind Connery, for sure). That being said, Craig's hit the Fleming Bond perfectly (I now think he does it even better than Dalton).
3. Roger Moore
A lot of people now dismiss him as too tongue-in-cheek, but when the moments required it Moore was one of the coldest Bonds. Had he taken the role more seriously, I doubt there would be as many people doubting his ability to be #3. In his prime (shame that didn't last long), Moore was just as handsome as Connery, and he was the only Bond other than Connery to appear gracefully effortless in his portrayal of Bond. I take his landmark humour quite well (with a few exceptions), and contrary to popular belief, he played the most diverse range of Bond films (along with Craig). Not all of them were cheesy Moonraker's. Moore also deserves credit for downright beating Connery as Bond during the 70's and 80's - again, he doesn't have too many fans in this day and age, but he was immensely popular in his time. And unlike Connery, his Bond didn't deteriorate so drastically as a result of age (it actually got better, IMO, until AVTAK). Most of all, though, Moore was the reason that Bond lasted the 70's/80's and the rest of the Cold War since Connery's time.
4. Pierce Brosnan
I think that like Moore, Brosnan's unfairly belittled as Bond quite a lot. Brosnan is obviously handsome and charming, and he has an elegance about him. Like the three above him, Brosnan definitely has class. I think two things keep Brosnan distinctly below Moore. Firstly, it's the fact that Moore was always in control of his portrayal as Bond, while Brosnan only really had GE and select parts of his other films - otherwise his Bond basically caved in on itself trying to be a blend of all the previous Bond's. Secondly, his acting is not effortless at all; in fact, in quite a few scenes it's obvious just how forced Brosnan's acting is. He's also the only Bond to visibly overact, and he does it quite a bit. That being said, he played one of the best Bond's in GE and he acted brilliantly in all the cold-kill scenes. Otherwise, there's not too much to be said. Brosnan was more fit for the big screen than Lazenby and Dalton, but his faults were just too obvious compared to the above three. All the same, though, he was my childhood Bond and he was essential to the survival of Bond in the 90's just as Moore was in the 70's/80's. I'll always have a soft spot for him.
5. Timothy Dalton
This is hard to explain because I think Dalton isn't far off from Brosnan at all. In his Bond films, at least, Dalton is definitely the better actor than Brosnan, and when scenes call for it (Saunder's death in The Living Daylights and "Don't you want to know why" in Licence to Kill), Dalton can be really terrific, and he can genuinely sell that cold, hard Fleming Bond. Physically, I like Dalton's slimmer build compared to the rest of the Bond's and the fact that he attempted his stunts deserves credit. Dalton's downfall is just his lack of charisma. He's just not fit for the big screen, and sometimes I get the sensation that Dalton is overacting like Brosnan. As I said, it's hard to explain, but Dalton's just more fitting for television than these big movies. He never feels charismatic enough to play the leading role, and the fact that he was given so many aftermarket Moore-lines/circumstances when it just wasn't right for him is disappointing. Had Dalton truly been given his way (and had he made films in 1991 and 1993), he might've surpassed Brosnan on this list. But he was never really given a good chance, and I feel sorry for him in that regard.
6. George Lazenby
As a fellow Australian, I don't abhor Lazenby, but I can say that he comes in last with certainty. He deserves credit where credit is due. He had the physical build that was needed for Bond, and he could certainly fight - his action scenes are all great, particularly the hand-to-hand ones. He was also good in the more romantic scenes, particularly the final one. But the rest of the time, his inexperience showed when he was playing alongside such an experienced cast. I understand that the circumstances weren't favorable towards him, but his delivery of most lines are cringeworthy. He's the only Bond that visually appears uncomfortable in several scenes, and like Dalton, he didn't really have the charisma to play the leading role, except he didn't have the raw acting talent/experience to make up for it either. Unlike Dalton, however, he wasn't just uncharismatic - he was basically a charisma black hole.
Even though i dont agree very much with your Ranking, I apreciated reading it because you still wrote about all the Bond actors strenghts and showeed respect to all of them
Hehe seems like for better or worse Spectre made an impact in all of our rankings of the actors.
The ones who have always had Craig in their first spot it changed nothing but for all the others he made our rankings move a little
I personally don't think Spectre has been too detrimental to him, but I agree that he isn't far from Moore (none of the actors are that far from the next). Regarding Dalton and Brosnan - they're probably the closest consecutive actors. I think Brosnan just succeeded more in the charm and humour departments, but Dalton's acting was better.
2. Sean Connery
3. Timothy Dalton
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. George Lazemby
6. Daniel Craig
Craig really needed Spectre to cement his popularity between audiences for many he went up and for many others went down.
i don't want him to go now but the pass of time well tell his final position between audiences.
a fifth film could change a lot of opinions again.
I guess will know where he really stand among audiences when leaves the part.
Right now when I check polls the top 3 most of the times are, Connery, Craig and Pierce followed by Moore and almost no votes for Dalton and Lazenby.
But those are not exactly the reflection of the fans, since general audiences don't know about Fleming and for most Bond is just a ladies man with some action.
For some of us, that isn t true. There is a huge gap the size of the galaxy between no 5 and 6 for me.
I was talking about my opinion. There's people who think Connery is untouchable at first.
lol
Anyway, I made that response because I was under the impression that you thought I was insinuating my opinion as fact, which I'm not.
You must've been practically biting yourself during the 90's.
Forever the optimist, I watched all those Brusman films. Should have played solitaire instead, with a deck of 51.
Umm, no, sorry- I love that movie. You are NOT allowed to like a movie I like.
Lazenby
Craig
Dalton
Brosnan
Moore
This definately deserves an eye brow raise.
1. Sean Connery
2. Roger Moore / Daniel Craig
4. Timothy Dalton / Pierce Brosnan
6. George Lazenby
2. Craig
3. Moore
4. Dalton
5. Brosnan
6. Lazenby
I like them all, only reason brosnan is so low is because i dont think he really "brought" much to the role, unlike all the others including lazenby in my opinion. He was still a good bond though
Exactly.
1. Dalton
2. Brosnan
3. Moore
4. Connery
5. Craig
Lazenby, obviously will always stay 6th because it's only one movie.
But now my list would look differently. If I "calculate" a list from my Top Bond movie list it would look like this:
1. Craig
2. Dalton/Moore
3. Brosnan
4. Connery
Performance wise I'd always put Connery on top.
So you see it's difficult.
If I was forced to give a list today, even if I'm not entirely happy with it, it'd be this:
1. Dalton (The one I wish there would be more Bond movies existing, imho Dalton was the most "real" and "flemingish" Bond)
2. Craig (I haven't been that excited about a Bond movie (SP) since GE and TLD!, if SF would only have half of the greatness of SP, Craig might just be my No 1 now)
3. Moore (by a hair, because there are 7! movies and overall he is my favourite of them all, also outside the Bond franchise, Persuaders and The Saint are two of my all-time favourite TV-Shows)
4. Brosnan (a solid 4th, almost 3rd place, as I said only because of the reasons I gave above with Moore)
5. Connery (objectively he was the best, but personally, besides GF and FRWL, I always preferred the other ones)
6. Lazenby (there would be potential for him to be my second favourite after Dalton, OHMSS objectively is the very best Bond movie, I have no doubt about that, imagining that there would be one or two others like that, he'd have made the public forget Connery, I'm sure of it)
Poor Pierce he went so down on your list but I can't blame you. Dalton was my number 3 and just after Spectre he went fourth because of Spectre which made Daniel go third.
Spectre changed a lot of things and made many of us move our Bond rankings
Mine was just
Craig 4th and Dalton third and now its Craig 3rd and Dalton 4th.
My ranking before Spectre
Pierce Brosnan
Sean Connery
Timothy Dalton
Daniel Craig
Roger Moore
George Lazenby
My ranking now after Spectre
Pierce Brosnan
Sean Connery
Daniel Craig
Timothy Dalton
Roger Moore
George Lazenby
Like you still love, i do still love Dalton its Just Craig showed me he can be the Classic Bond and that made him go higher on my rankings and i think he has a bitt more screen presence than Dalton but If it wasn't for Dalton we wouldn't have Craig and he made a terrific Bond.
The cinemmatic way/ The Bond created by Terrence young which is the more common belief.
That perfect Bond would be : the man every man wants to be and every woman would like to be with. He is a Gentleman: charming, sophisticated, great sense of humor, Handsome and enjoys the luxuries of Life.
The Fleming way. The Fleming purists say Bond is more like a blunt instrument in the hands of the goverment, a very unlikable guy Sexist, womanizer , an alcoholic, he can be chaming once in a while and even though he is great at his job he hates it.
Your very subjective favorties the Bond actors you enjoy the most to watch with the traits you care the most for to make the Perfect Bond.
Here my Three Rankings based on this new i theory
The Cinematic Bond
1 Sean Connery
2 Pierce Brosnan
3 Roger Moore
4 Daniel Craig
5 Timothy Dalton
6 George Lazenby
The Pure Flaming style of Bond
1 Timothy Dalton
2 Daniel Craig
3 Sean Connery
4 Pierce Brosnan
5 George Lazenby
6 Roger Moore
My own subjective personal perfect Bond
1 Pierce Brosnan
2 Sean Connery
3 Daniel Craig
4 Timothy Dalton
5 Roger Moore
6 George Lazenby
2. Brosnan
3. Connery
4. Craig
5. Dalton
6. Lazenby