I think that I may have seen a similar thread on here at some point, but I'm not sure and cannot find it. So it is exactly what the title says above. Were looking at each actor's specific performance in each film. We are not judging the film as a whole, strictly on the given actors interpretation of Bond at that given time. I've decided to include NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN.
1. Sean Connery in DR. NO (1962)
2. Sean Connery in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)
3. Sean Connery in GOLDFINGER (1964)
4. Daniel Craig in SKYFALL (2012)
5. Sean Connery in THUNDERBALL (1965)
6. Roger Moore in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974)
7. Daniel Craig in CASINO ROYALE (2006)
8. Roger Moore in LIVE AND LET DIE (1973)
9. Daniel Craig in QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)
10. Roger Moore in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977)
11. Roger Moore in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981)
12. Pierce Brosnan in DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)
13. Sean Connery in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967)
14. Pierce Brosnan in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999)
15. Timothy Dalton in LICENCE TO KILL (1989)
16. Timothy Dalton in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987)
17. Pierce Brosnan in TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997)
18. Sean Connery in NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983)
19. Pierce Brosnan in GOLDENEYE (1995)
20. Roger Moore in OCTOPUSSY (1983)
21. George Lazenby in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969)
22. Sean Connery in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971)
23. Roger Moore in MOONRAKER (1977)
24. Roger Moore in A VIEW TO A KILL (1985)
This is the first time I've made such a ranking, it is definitely still in flux. The area between 11 - 19 seems to be particularly volatile. Biggest surprise to me: Moore's relatively strong showing.
Comments
#1 Tim in LTK
#2 Tim in TLD
No one else comes close.*
*This was more or less not entirely serious, btw.
1. Sean in FRWL
2. Tim in LTK
3. Sean in DN
4. Tim in TLD
5. Sean in TB
6. Sean in YOLT
7. Sean in GF
8. Pierce in DAD
9. Pierce in GE
10. Roger in OP
11. Dan in CR
12. Dan in QOS
13. Dan in SF
14. Pierce in TND
15. Roger in TMWTGG
16. Pierce in TWINE
17. Roger in FYEO
18. Roger in LALD
19. George in OHMSS
20. Sean in DAF
21. Roger in TSWLM
22. Roger in MR
23. Roger in AVTAK
24. Sean in NSNA (yes, this last. Connery gave up on Bond after YOLT. DAF was his camp version (which I still have fun with btw), but NSNA was his paycheck/effue Cubby version more than an actual performance).
2. Sean Connery in Dr. No
3. Daniel Craig in Skyfall
4. Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
5. Sean Connery in Thunderball
6. Sean Connery in Goldfinger
7. Timothy Dalton in Licence to Kill
8. Timothy Dalton in the Living Daylights
9. Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace
10. Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever
11. Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me
12. Roger Moore in Live and Let Die
13. Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies
14. George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
15. Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun
16. Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only
17. Roger Moore in Octopussy
18. Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day
19. Roger Moore in Moonraker
20. Roger Moore in A View To A Kill
21. Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye
22. Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice
23. Pierce Brosnan in the World is Not Enough
1. Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me
2. Roger Moore in Octopussy
3. Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only
4. Sean Connery in From Russia With Love
5. Timothy Dalton in Licence to Kill
6. Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever
7. Roger Moore in Live and Let Die
8. George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9. Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights
10. Pierce Brosnan in The World is Not Enough
11. Sean Connery in Goldfinger
12. Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye
13. Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun
14. Sean Connery in Thunderball
15. Sean Connery in Dr. No
16. Roger Moore in Moonraker
17. Roger Moore in A View to a Kill
18. Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day
19. Daniel Craig in Skyfall
20. Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
21. Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies
22. Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace
23. Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice
I'm trying to rank them myself, but it's very difficult.
1. DANIEL CRAIG in Casino Royale
2. SEAN CONNERY in Dr. No
3. SEAN CONNERY in From Russia With Love
4. PIERCE BROSNAN in GoldenEye
5. DANIEL CRAIG in Skyfall
This is purely 007 performance based (where I personally felt the essence of the character was best captured). The key for me is immense confidence, ruthlessness, sardonic wit, & yet sensitivity, all realistically portrayed - this does not reflect my movie rankings
1. Sean Connery - FRWL
2. Sean Connery - DN
3. Sean Connery - TB
4. Daniel Craig - CR
5. Timothy Dalton - TLD
6. Roger Moore - TMWTGG
7. Sean Connery - GF
8. Timothy Dalton - LTK
9. Daniel Craig - SF
10. Roger Moore - LALD
11. Roger Moore - TSWLM
12. Daniel Craig - QoS
13. George Lazenby - OHMSS
14. Roger Moore - OP
15. Roger Moore - FYEO
16. Pierce Brosnan - DAD
17. Pierce Brosnan - GE
18. Sean Connery - YOLT
19. Sean Connery - DAF
20. Pierce Brosnan - TND
21. Roger Moore - MR
22. Roger Moore - AVTAK
23. Sean Connery - NSNA
24. Pierce Brosnan - TWINE
1. Sean Connery - Goldfinger
2. Sean Connery - From Russia With Love
3. Daniel Craig - Casino Royale
4. Roger Moore - The Spy Who Loved Me
5. Sean Connery- Dr. No
6. Timothy Dalton - Licence to Kill
7. Daniel Craig - Skyfall
8. Sean Connery- Thunderball
9. Pierce Brosnan - Die Another Day
10. Pierce Brosnan - Tomorrow Never Dies
Why not call it your Top Thirteen?
Haha, I guess that's what it is. I'll change it.
And yeah, ranking was extremely difficult. I haven't disliked a performance from Craig, but I wanted to sneak in other Bond actors if there was a tie.
1. Sean in FRWL
2. Tim in LTK
3. Sean in DN
4. Tim in TLD
5. Dan in CR
6. Sean in GF
7. Dan in SF
8. Sean in TB
9. Roger in FYEO
10. Dan in QoS
1. DC in CR (DC has three standout scenes here that proved what kind of actor he was and why Barb and Michael got it right: the bathroom mirror scene after the stairwell fight; the shower scene with Vesper; the torture scene).
2. SC in DN
3. DC in SF
4. SC in FRWL
5. SC in GF
6. SC in TB
7. DC in QoS
8. RM in LALD (The pressure on Moore was intense, and he pulled it off in a film that was a perfect fit for him at the time)
9. SC in YOLT
10. TD in TLD
2. Sean Connery as 007 in, Thunderball
3. Sean Connery as 007 in, Dr No
4. Timothy Dalton as 007 in, The Living Daylights
5. Daniel Craig as 007 in, Casino Royale
6. Timothy Dalton as 007 in, Licence To Kill
7. Sean Connery as 007 in, Goldfinger
8. Pierce Brosnan as 007 in, Die Another Day
9. Roger Moore as 007 in, The Spy Who Loved Me
10. Roger Moore as 007 in, For Your Eyes Only
11. Daniel Craig as 007 in, Quantum of Solace
12. George Lazenby as 007 in, On Her Majesty's Secret Service
13. Daniel Craig as 007 in, Skyfall
14. Pierce Brosnan as 007 in, The World Is Not Enough
15. Roger Moore as 007 in, Octopussy
16. Pierce Brosnan as 007 in, Tomorrow Never Dies
17. Roger Moore as 007 in, Moonraker
18. Sean Connery as 007 in, Diamonds Are Forever
19. Pierce Brosnan as 007 in, GoldenEye
20. Roger Moore as 007 in, A View To A Kill
21. Roger Moore as 007 in, The Man With The Golden Gun
22. Roger Moore as 007 in, Live and Let Die
23. Sean Connery as 007 in, You Only Live Twice
Should I include my reasoning? Nah. I imagine having the Brozz films away from the bottom will cheese a few people off, however.
1. Daltonator in LTK
2. Connery in DN
3. Sir Rog in OP
4. Craig in QOS
5. Brozza in DAD
6. Lazers in OHMSS
7. Sir Rog in FYEO
8. Daltonator in TLD
9. Connery in FRWL
10. Craig in CR
:)>-
@DaltonCraig007 - no love for Sir Rog in TMWTGG?
01. Connery in FRWL
02. Connery in TB
03. Moore in TMWTGG
04. Dalton in TLD
05. Brosnan in TND
06. Craig in QOS
07. Connery in GF
08. Moore in OP
09. Dalton in LTK
10. Craig in CR
2)Connery in TB
3)Craig in CR
4)Moore in TSWLM
5)Connery in FRWL
6)Dalton in TLD
7)Craig in SF
8)Dalton in LTK
9)Lazenby in OHMSS
10)Moore in FYIO
11)Brosnan in TND
12)Connery in DN
13)Brosnan in GE
14)Moore in MR
15)Craig in QoS
16)Moore OP
17)Moore in LALD
18)Brosnan in TWINE
19)Connery in YOLT
20)Moore in TMWTGG
21)Brosnan in TND
22)Connery in DAF
23)Moore in AVTK
I understand that we're not supposed to judge only their acting performance but surely that is one of the factors involved, right?