587 replies to this topic

[Blox]

Come on guys...Who dreamed up "Had Connery done OHMSS that clearly would have been his best, so I say none of the above"? He didn't do OHMSS -- so none of his other films rank as his best? Hello...

FRWL. Best Connery Bond. Best character-driven Bond. Best Bond Bond. (<; Best adaption of a Fleming novel (with the advantage of having Fleming reviewing the script and contributing bits.) As M would say, the list is endless.

Blox

[CommanderBond]

Goldfinger and From Russia With Love are almost tied. But i know which one is going to win. FRWL!!!

[Jarvio]

I voted YOLT. This is the first facial appearence of Blofeld, one of the most memorable Bond moments ever. Also, the plot is pretty good, the volcano lair is awesome, and who could forget LITTLE NELLIE!

[Bondian]

Hi Zencat,

Great question, but also a very hard one to answer. Are we talking 'overall' performance or best film?.

I'd say that his best performance has got to be FRWL and the best Bond that had all the right Bond elements was Goldfinger IMO. But then it wasn't because Sean was in it that it was a great Bond film.

Like all the Bonds I don't think that any of them excelled in any one film. Although George only did one and probably 'cracked' it first time, all the films have had great moments and bad moments.

All the best John,

Cheers,


Ian

[CommanderBond]

good choice Bondian

[Luds Incognito]

Goldfinger just edges Thunderball for me

[Johnboy007]

Thunderball, classic Sean.

[CommanderBond]

I voted for FRWL. I love the characters and the plot. It wasnt about world domination. To me Connery did his best performance in this one. Although im not surprised that GF is in the lead.

[White Tuxedo]

My rankings:

1) Dr. No
My favorite Bond film. Just feels different and fresh to me. There was no formula to contend with, which is a very good thing IMHO.

1) Thunderball (tied with DN)
Yeah, I know it could have been reedited. I just simply enjoy the film. The scale, the plot, the women are the best of the series. Fiona Vople. The whole film symbolises what I like in a Bond film: intrigue, sexuality, and confidence. LAcks the bizzare, which I really like in Bond, but still. Largo is great too.

3) Goldfinger
Would be FRWL, but I'll explain that next. The Fort Knox deal is a little daft to me, but the film has class and and great feel.

4) From Russia With Love
It's just that they cram action into the last 15 minutes. I like consistancy. I would have preferred a simpler ending.

5) You Only Live Twice
Used to hate it, now I like it. Great score too.

6) Diamonds Are Forever
Still a fun Bond film. Great score and sets.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

I vote for TB. With the addition of Panavision, this was the first widescreen epic Bond film and the first to have a truly larger-than-life feel that just about every Bond film since has had. Yet unlike many later films, this manages to be faithful to the Ian Fleming book. Sean Connery gives his best performance as Bond in this one, his confidence and comfort in the role is at a zenith yet he's not yet bored with the role as he would later appear in YOLT. All of TB's women are amazing with Domino and Fiona the best Connery-era Bond girls. Domino is great as a "bird with her wing down". Fiona puts all other Bond villainess to shame by comparison and the onscreen sparks between her and Bond are incredible. I also enjoy how Largo foreshadows such villains as Scaramanga, 006 and Graves by not being an armchair villain but by being one who fights alongside his men. Terence Young gives the film a classic touch and "feel" that makes the written words of Fleming just come alive. I particularly like the casino scene. It just epitomizes Bond-era "coolness". The pre-title sequence is also the best one of the 1960s.

All in all, TB is a Bond cinematic masterpiece.

[Bond_Bishop]

I voted for Thunderball. I like Thunderball best. I don't know why but I'm just enjoying it. But if Connery should have done OHMSS it would have been the best Bond movie ever!!!

[Agent 76]

From Russia With Love.

[dajman_007]

Dr. No. It started it all, I know about the novels, but had Dr. No not been made, James Bond probably wouldn't be near as recognized as he is today. Plus although its dated and theres some cheesy acting, its just a great movie.

[Gebruder Gumbold]

YOLT. Which one could be better than that?

[Loomis]

I'm now convinced that DR. NO features the finest Connery performance and is the best Bond film he ever did. Not only that, but I also now feel that DR. NO is the best Bond movie, bar none. But it's always an uphill struggle trying to convince others of that, since many fans are unsurprisingly unwilling to admit that it was essentially all downhill for the series after the first film!

However, I certainly won't budge on Connery's performance in DR. NO. Watch the film and you'll find it's all there, everything you could possibly want from an actor playing Bond on the big screen. No one has even come close to Connery in 1962, and no one ever will. Sure, Connery isn't terrific only in DR. NO, but even in a film as early in the series as GOLDFINGER there are signs of his growing boredom with the role.

[Qwerty]

Well I'll agree that his performance in the first film is rather terrific, but I couldn't call it the best Bond film simply because it was only starting off the series and many more films to come had much more to offer. However, I do respect your opinion and it is indeed a great film!

[bryonalston]

I picked You Only Live Twice because it's the closest Connery got to being in an epic, outrageous Moore-type Bond film.

I think that Thunderball was THE epic Connery film, just like Moore's epic was Moonraker.

[Qwerty]

I picked You Only Live Twice because it's the closest Connery got to being in an epic, outrageous Moore-type Bond film.

I think that Thunderball was THE epic Connery film, just like Moore's epic was Moonraker.

While that may have been the case, I'd think Thunderball and The Spy Who Loved Me can be quite strong contenders against those two mentioned.

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

FRWL is the best Connery film. It's Connery's best film just like Moore's was TSWLM. Whoever says Moore's best film was Moonraker must be a stand up comic...an unfunny one!

[Qwerty]

FRWL is the best Connery film. It's Connery's best film just like Moore's was TSWLM. Whoever says Moore's best film was Moonraker must be a stand up comic...an unfunny one!

I know some fans who call Moonraker Roger's best. I see nothing wrong with that, there's an excellent film in there.

[dr.doak]

Connery did not do OHMSS . And i hate "what if's" . The film OHMSS is fine the way it is. FRWL is the Best Bond , i love Thunderball also. But FRWL a little more. The film has age very well. Best cast hands down. In Goldfinger Connery just looks "Real Cool" , which mean he does nothing to help the plot along . His Bond spend the whole time reacting to Goldfinger's plans . It was great product placement for Aston-Martin. Who ironical want nothing to do with Bond . My how times have changed.

i agree. FRWL will always be the best bond film........

[Brian Flagg]

THUNDERBALL is Connery's best Bond film because it has the best Connery performance AND it is an over-the-top spectacle (SPECTRECLE?). I agree that GOLDFINGER has those legendary iconic moments that are burned into our collective mind, but as noted earlier, Bond doesn't get to be the centerpiece of that film. But if you love Golf, then GF is definitely for you!

With THUNDERBALL, Connery's Bondian Brilliance manages to stay ABOVE the massive spectacle, something he didn't rise to when it came to YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. As I am fond of saying, Sean Connery's performance has a proverbial "Spring in it's step" in TB and I am constantly amazed at how he did it. The choppy editing and continuity problems aside, Connery's performance works as the catalyst for the film. Add beautiful tropical scenery, the best Bond girls, a cool looking villain and some sped-up fights and you have what has been my favorite Bond film since the day I first saw it 24 years ago.

[Jim]

Spot on.

Thunderball is the James Bond film

[Loomis]

I now think that DR. NO is Connery's best. His best performance as Bond, and the best Bond film he appeared in. I also feel that DR. NO may very well be the best Bond film ever made. What's more, it happens to be among my top five favourite 007 outings, so, really, it does for me very nicely - always gets a warm welcome chez moi, DR. NO does.

[YOLT]

I think that Connery made 3 more action-full films ( GF, TB and DAF ) and more espionagek-full films ( DrNo, FRWL, YOLT ). I prefer the more espionage biased films to the more action biased films.

[Qwerty]

Spot on.

Thunderball is the James Bond film

It's the Connery Bond film at the very least. Thunderball has easily become my all time favorite from Connery, which was before Goldfinger. Goldfinger may be that movie that pops into most heads when you hear James Bond, but Thunderball, IMO goes even further. Goldfinger seems actually stale at times when I compare it to the grandiose of Thunderball.

All of the characters are magnificent, from Fiona Volpe to Paula Caplan. The score, the locations, the plot, a grand movie.

[The Dove]

Thunderball would be my second all time favorite Connery film after You Only Live Twice.. It was the first Connery film I ever saw, and the whole cinematography of Japan, the gorgeous score by John Barry and of course the awesome helicopter battle with Little Nellie, just made it the perfect Bond film for me.

[Turn]

I think that Connery made 3 more action-full films ( GF, TB and DAF ) and more espionagek-full films ( DrNo, FRWL, YOLT ). I prefer the more espionage biased films to the more action biased films.

How does YOLT qualify as an "espionage-full" film? The thing is pure spectacle and little story. Bond is so busy zipping from location to location, from vehicle to vehicle, fight to fight, the only question is which gadget will he use next and which form of transportation will he use to get him there?

Also, I agree with most of the last few posts, TB rules.

[Qwerty]

I think that Connery made 3 more action-full films ( GF, TB and DAF ) and more espionagek-full films ( DrNo, FRWL, YOLT ). I prefer the more espionage biased films to the more action biased films.

How does YOLT qualify as an "espionage-full" film? The thing is pure spectacle and little story. Bond is so busy zipping from location to location, from vehicle to vehicle, fight to fight, the only question is which gadget will he use next and which form of transportation will he use to get him there?

Also, I agree with most of the last few posts, TB rules.

Have to agree with Turn. You Only Live Twice is clearly a Moonraker or The Spy Who Loved Me style film, but I couldn't see it as a dark and moody From Russia With Love. The Little Nellie, Outer Space, just seems larger than life.

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

Thunderball would be my second all time favorite Connery film after You Only Live Twice.. It was the first Connery film I ever saw, and the whole cinematography of Japan, the gorgeous score by John Barry and of course the awesome helicopter battle with Little Nellie, just made it the perfect Bond film for me.

Well I agree those elements that what makes YOLT good, but the film is not the kind of Bond film I personally like. There are so many high-tech gimmicks, and such an outrageous, and unlikely plot to comprehend with. Connery gives his most tiring performance ever. I can't blame him.