For someone who likes to battle the world’s most deadly villains whilst saving time for a few vodka martinis and some casino games, James Bond has had an incredibly durable movie career.
Ever since Dr No kicked off the Bond franchise in 1962, the British spy has never been far from our cinema screens. And with 26 movies under his belt in 55 years, it seems like a good time to see which Bond films have lived, and which movies should have been left to die.
As Sean Connery is the original and many people’s favourite 007, it’s fitting that his fourth movie, Thunderball, was Bond’s most successful release.
With all of the classic Bond ingredients of speedboat chases, glamorous leading ladies, and insane villains with their finger on the nuclear trigger, it showed that 007 can rack up some massive box office figures whilst delivering plenty of action.
However, it could be Goldfinger that’s James Bond’s most legendary release. With plenty of spy gadgets, the introduction of the iconic Aston Martin, a classic theme song from Shirley Bassey, and the surreal sight of Shirley Eaton painted completely gold, it was one of Bond’s most memorable outings.
Whilst Goldfinger was another one of Connery’s movies, some have speculated that Daniel Craig’s performances could be close to being the ultimate portrayals of James Bond. With a blend of brutal toughness and sensitive sophistication, he brought something new to the role when he first appeared in Casino Royale in 2006.
Craig’s performance opposite the deadly Le Chiffre at the gaming tables in Casino Royale is one of Bond’s most iconic scenes. And whilst it might not have been quite as realistic as the authentic simulations of roulette found at gaming sites like InterCasino, it certainly eclipsed the disaster that was the original 1967 Casino Royale movie!
But special mention must also be made for the much-missed Roger Moore who brought a typically British comic touch to the Bond role in great movies like Moonraker in 1979 and the splendidly silly Octopussy in 1983.
Unfortunately it lies to Timothy Dalton to provide us with the least successful Bond movies. His 1989 outing, License to Kill struggled at the box office as a result of its violence giving it a certificate that excluded younger viewers.
And his debut movie, The Living Daylights, also struggled to win over fans who probably would have more fun playing roulette and waiting to see who will be the next Bond in this incredibly long-lasting film franchise.