Which Bond Actor is Closest to the Books? | Ranking James Bond Actors | Most Fleming 007

Part two of three in a video series ranking the James Bond actors! This was a tough one!
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[@KlausSgroi]

The fact that Dalton tried (successfully) to bring Fleming's Bond to the screen isn't really his biggest achievement, but the fact that he did it right after the "light" Bond played by Moore... THAT took a lot of guts. I deeply respect Dalton for choosing the hard way.

[@btf_flotsam478]

On the other hand, given there was something of a backlash against Roger Moore's lighter take on Bond, it may not have been that hard.

[@spacemann1425]

People always tend to resist change.

[@spacemann1425]

@@btf_flotsam478 then why didn't people like Dalton's Bond that much lol(or did they?) if anything it was a breath of fresh air. The Living Daylights reinvented Bond in almost the same way that Goldeneye did. People still had the Moore hangover.

[@btf_flotsam478]

@@spacemann1425 It's also worth noting that people preferred Never Say Never Again to Octopussy.

[@spacemann1425]

@@btf_flotsam478 they did? Damn.

[@mrsmirnoff8715]

On Timothy Dalton, "It's a great shame we didn't get more from him". That's the biggest understatement of the Bond film franchise I've ever heard.

[@eddieworkman5855]

he was a brilliant bond i think worst was piece brosnan

[@theoconstantinou2839]

Brosnan is seemingly the full package but he chose to play it tongue in cheek & in the style of Connery & Moore plus none of stories were Fleming’s 💥💥🔫

[@MattMcIrvin]

It's interesting that when Dalton was hired, I remember most people basically thinking of him as a lookalike substitute for the unavailable Pierce Brosnan, who had been a popular favorite to play Bond for a while. Yet the Bond films they actually made are regarded so differently.

[@subarnosinha8042]

@@theoconstantinou2839 except Pierce never wanted to play the constantly quipping Bond that he became later. On numerous occasions he had voiced his displeasure to the scriptwriter and the director for overabundance of quips and snarks and how it wasn't the right way, only to be rebuked by them and proven right by the critics and fans alike.

[@theoconstantinou2839]

@George Gershwin Dalton turned it down @ a time long before Briosnan was was even considered for the part back in the 68/69 Remington Steele wasn’t until 82 to 87

[@autoavids]

There is a reason why Cubby pursued Dalton for years. He was fist asked in 69 and turned down the roll saying he was too young. That alone shows how true to character he was. Definitely an excellent Bond.

[@rikiishitoru8885]

Dalton was asked again in the 70s and he turned it down because he didn't like the direction the movies were taking. Love that guy

[@spacemann1425]

@@rikiishitoru8885 I think after OHMSS he was straight up asked before Octopussy.

[@rikiishitoru8885]

@@spacemann1425 He was, but they went with Moore again to compete eith Never Say Never Again, which was coming out with Sean Connery

[@spacemann1425]

@@rikiishitoru8885 yeah I think.

[@julianmhall]

Dalton isn't the only actor to be pursued for Bond. Brosnan was much earlier as he had done Remington Steele well.

[@theknightowl728]

Watching Calvin praise Dalton is so wonderful because i would never expect Calvin from the early 2010s giving such praise.

[@DaveTravelsinTime]

People's opinions can change

[@patwaters-actormoviereviewer]

TBH Timothy Dalton is probably the best version of Fleming’s character, Bond isn’t a wisecracker, he’s dangerous, nervous about what is around the corner and cool but 1 thing people forget he loses his temper and can flip on anyone.

[@spaceodds1985]

Yep I agree

[@tcaudiobooks737]

The distilled essence of Fleming's Bond was captured perfectly by Dalton in the Prater Cafe scene in The Living Daylights.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Connery certainly brought a lot of humor to the character [he had a gift with one liners even in his non-Bond films] and Moore ran with it, so it become an established part of the cinematic character with the public.

[@christianemden7637]

I feel the thuggish character of Bond is actually very well captured by Daniel Craig, i will always love Sean Connery, but the cold killer is something Craig does Better.

[@Steve-wo7gt]

Dalton definitely acts like the Bond of the early books but I think that Fleming started to change the direction of the character a bit once the Connery movies hit the theaters. The plots became more outlandish and Bond was bit more jokey(?) . Talk about weird synergy: the books are the inspiration for the movies and the movies began to inspire the books. I never really thought about that before.

[@raymondxadrian]

Dalton was ahead of his time I feel he truly shocked the system in his performance. People weren't ready for that introspective Bond until Craig .

[@GeneralMajorMarc]

Im not ready for Craig

[@jcw9539]

Oh Craig ugh!

[@julienmuller4460]

Dalton was definetly the best

[@erikk1820]

Craig wasn’t introspective. He was depressed. And a thug.

[@RuiLuz]

Dalton to me is the raw version of Bond, he has the sort of tension and sometimes neuroticism that comes with the job, your nervous system is always alert and that creates that sort of "pressure", he does it damn well.

[@BitcoinMotorist]

Timothy Dalton definitely read the novels. His take on the character in TLD press conference is lifted directly from one of the books. Fleming spells it out.

[@nerdfatha]

Love to see T-Dalt getting the respect he deserves. even outside of the 007 franchise, he is usually the best thing in whatever he does.

[@MAMoreno]

When I read Fleming's works, I switch between Connery and Dalton in my head as the scene dictates. Connery is Bond's cool exterior. Dalton is Bond's troubled interior.

[@ocuboy8006]

Makes sense

[@sampuatisamuel9785]

Great comment

[@ourcorrectopinions6824]

Perfectly stated. Dalton and Connery are the best and way ahead of the pack.

[@SolarDragon007]

I picture the Literary Bond as looking a bit like a young Jason Issacs

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Anthony Horowitz's said when writing his Bond books he heard Sean Connery but saw Daniel Craig.

[@joemax4]

Despite only two films, Dalton showed a far greater range of emotions than any other Bond actor IMO. In one scene we saw him go from hopeful and enjoying himself, to pure anger and rage, and then to cool and calm. Yet his version almost always seemed to be on edge (as Dalton mentioned taking from the books), as he had a feeling he constantly had a target on his back.

[@michaelschramm1064]

IMO, George Lazenby accomplished all that Dalton did some 18 years prior. Both were superb though.

[@tcaudiobooks737]

Prater cafe scene right? So many insights into the character in that scene. Bond vaulting the wall, and his reaction to startling that mother and son, it's just perfect.

[@joemax4]

@@tcaudiobooks737 yep that’s the one, and it remains one of my favorite scenes from the Bond franchise. Bond finally felt “safe” enough to let his guard down for a few moments, and because of this his ally/friend is killed. Bond let’s his rage take over for a few moments, only to startle the mother and child before regaining his cool. I don’t think any other scenes from the Bond franchise display so much character emotion as that one.

[@marksieve7734]

@@joemax4 Yes he startles the mother because he pulled his PPK! A great scene for sure. A little earlier, he kept winning stuffed animals for Kara shooting that rifle in the arcade game. A classic moment, and no over the top humor involved. This moment was one of the best in the franchise IMO. Bond wins another stuffed animal and the arcade employee yells "oh no not again!"

[@Whoa802]

I don't know about that, Dalton's Bond seemed a bit too defined by his intensity and angry outbursts. True, Fleming's Bond could certainly be an angry character, but he could also be sad, melancholy, and even kinda funny sometimes. Craig's Bond had all these traits down, whereas Dalton mostly just showed the angry side of the character.

[@akivaraza946]

I loved Timothy Dalton. He brought something to the screen that no one could.

[@BenCol]

Credit to Brosnan, on the GoldenEye poster he has the comma of hair over the forehead that Fleming describes Bond having. I know it’s a very minor point, but considering how particular Fleming is about it, it’s cool that they called back to it.

[@RighteousBrother]

That comma of hair makes a guest appearance throughout Goldeneye, I think it even has a cameo in TND!

[@mike91mdk45]

Sometimes it's the little things

[@phazonlord0098]

Exactly, I always hated people saying his hair was "too long" in GoldenEye. For me, it was perfect and it really suited Brosnan better than his shorter hair on the latter films.

[@dieanotherdaydefender7938]

@@phazonlord0098 Too long? Goldeneye was peak Bond hair

[@tcaudiobooks737]

@@phazonlord0098 Jealousy. It's not only the best Bond's hair has looked, but the best any mans hair has looked in any film, period! His hair was nothing short of magnificent in that film.

[@Bond8789]

I love the archive stuff with Dalton. He might have been uncomfortable with the fame side of Bond, but listening to him talk about the literary Bond.... he really did his homework. Talking about which books would have been appropriate for Dalton, I think a reworked OHMSS/YOLTT/TMWTGG trilogy would have been suitable for Dalton.

[@rankartde163]

Seeing this I always have to say that Dalton's performances are so underrated.

[@darkhall8227]

Dalton is very underrated

[@Miller1989]

At this point, I don't think that's true anymore. Used to be overlooked, for sure. But the Bond fandom in this day and age far and away agrees that Dalton is a great Bond and has great performances in his two outings.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@Miller1989 When I was growing up in the 90's, Brosnan was generally viewed as 'best Bond since Connery' and Dalton was considered a miscast. Now, Dalton is highly praised, especially from die hard Bond fans and Brosnan's usually ranked low on the scale [a newspaper ranked him as worst bond fairly recently].

[@codpro627]

@@jamesatkinsonja tbh Brosnan was mediocre in GoldenEye and TND.

[@simonbutterfield4860]

@@codpro627 and those were Piers best outings as Bond, when he was cast and I saw Goldeneye I really felt that that story was written for Dalton and while I think Craig recollects Tim's performance the two of them give my favourite performances as Bond.

[@andrewchapman4267]

I think the fact that Dalton only portrayed Bond twice works both for and against him. He put in two fantastic performances that brilliantly portray Fleming's literary creation on screen, but he didn't really get the scope to address the subtle changes to the book character, which as you say Fleming did throw into his series.

[@utkarshkumar4990]

If he would did the third one, he would have gotten away with the image of Fleming's bond he worked so hard to mould himself in TLD and LTK so you can say destiny didn't want that.

[@jasonotoole1822]

Totally agree with your list. Dalton in TLD is what I think of as Bond. But Connery just started the role in such an amazing way and he's just an incredible actor on top of everything...I think most guys would all like to resemble his version of Bond at some time in our life.

[@brettmanus7904]

@Jason O'Toole I think you make a good point. However, after 45 years of being a Bond fan, I have to say that I cannot picture any of the other actors being able to take Craig's part on screen. None of those other actors could display the shear physicality of the action sequences that Craig pulls off. Moore was an old man. I think about Connery. Every fight was slow running, really fake punches and that horrible, silly upbeat dee-dee, dee-dee, deeeee music that was in ALL of his films. If you think hard, you can hear it . Dee-dee, dee-dee, deeeee...

[@richardfuchs3690]

Dalton is still the closest for me by a long shot. He was also the first actor to hit his stride in his first minute on screen.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Connery's intro is iconic for a reason...

[@richardfuchs3690]

@@jamesatkinsonja Yes, but he didn't really hit his stride until the next film, and especially Goldfinger. In Dr. No he was still findng his way in the part and his coaching by Terrence Young was pretty apparent.

[@groovesinman9112]

I felt my body tense when you named the top three. The fear of Dalton not being number 1 on accuracy was great for me.

[@stevenmara1025]

To borrow a phrase from another British franchise - Splendid fellows. All of them.

[@crazypomp927]

And one of those fellows, Jon Pertwee, served in the same military unit as Ian Fleming and was one of the real-life inspirations for the James Bond character!

[@Renfield97]

@@crazypomp927 Where did you hear that from?

[@crazypomp927]

@@Renfield97 Jon Pertwee's IMDB page. First item in the trivia section.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@crazypomp927 IMDB is a bit dodgy as a source given anyone can edit it [Peter Dinklage is on there as cameoing in a Seinfeld episode despite that being an internet hoax for example]. In fairness, I think a lot of people are considered as inspiring Bond but I've always seen him as an idealized version of Fleming himself with elements of other people thrown into the mix.

[@Rhubba]

@@crazypomp927 There is a Bond flavour to Jon Pertwee's Doctor...more like a mix of Bond and Q rolled into one. Pertwee loved gadgets and fast cars in real life and would add more action, fighting and chases into his era of Dr Who. Whether he was an inspiration for Bond is doubtful, but it's true Bond had an influence on Pertwee's portrayal of Dr Who.

[@jonathanfurzeland4740]

Dalton. Definitely

[@asifkhan4822]

I have to agree Dalton is the actor who most closely conveyed Ian Fleming’s Bond, even though he only did 2 Films. Dalton laid the groundwork for Craig’s turn as Bond and it’s nice to see him make No.1 for a change as usually Bond rankings normally tend to have Craig and Connery at the top.

[@rossfindlay7760]

Dalton, Craig, Connery, Moore, Lazenby and Brosnan. Timothy Dalton was the real deal and with a third and maybe fourth movie would be considered as the greatest ever Bond hands down.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I do wonder if people assume a third Dalton films would be similar in tone to his first two films when the available scripts indicate they were going for a lighter tone [more similar to Brosnan's earlier films] because of Licence to Kill underperforming which might not have suited Dalton. I'm sure he would have adapted but it was going in a different direction.

[@darrensmith6999]

For me Its Timothy Dalton (: Timothy Dalton made a Mini series called " Framed" were he plays a criminal turned informer and puts in a very impressive performance and somewhat flip side of Bond. Well worth a watch if you are a Dalton fan its out on DVD.

[@tcaudiobooks737]

Christ, if Dalton had brought some of the humour of that part to Bond he'd have been perfect.

[@davidguru4512]

Dalton, without a doubt!

[@johnsimmons831]

If Flemming were alive today and had been asked to write a Bond screenplay, I think it would look an awful lot like Skyfall. After seeing it, I described it to someone as the most Flemmingesque of all the films. The physical transformation DC undergoes from refined spy to looking like a dog's breakfast and back again is impressive.

[@spacemann1425]

Damn. That's crazy.

[@erikk1820]

Skyfall might be the worst Bond movie of them all. Just dreadful.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Liking all Bonds will make your life happier and stress-free.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

16:55 Very good point. People always say Diamonds are Forever should have been a 'roaring rampage of revenge' or Licence to Kill's revenge plot is 'so Fleming' yet in the books Bond's reaction isn't really like that. He's a lot more depressive about it [especially after Tracy's death where he suffers from PTSD] and while he will work towards revenge, it's more about Bond finding himself again and the ability to move on.

[@blainesavini3403]

I agree. I read YOLT as a full out nervous breakdown. Bond was salvaged by both M and Tiger with help from Blofeld turning ip. Kissy of course set his recovery back more than a sight bit though I feel his amnesiac life with her to be his real second life...the type of second life his nature forbade him from having with Tracy. Nor does this interpretation stray from Bond's haiku as confronting Blofeld certainly qualified as looking death in the face on more than one level.

[@michaelschramm1064]

@@blainesavini3403 As I read Fleming’s YOLT I realized that this is one novel that would make for an interesting remake if faithfulness to the story was adhered to. It’s truly one of the author’s finest in the Bond oeuvre.

[@gr81disp]

I would just point out that Fleming was so taken with Connery as Bond he ret-conned Bond to be half-Scottish...

[@mikhailvasiliev6275]

People love pointing that out like it's relevant

[@gr81disp]

@mikhailvasiliev6275 Can't see how an author changing a book character to match an actor would have relevance to...*checks notes*...which actor is closest to a book character...

[@mikhailvasiliev6275]

@@gr81disp *Smacks notes out of your hand* No I can't. It just means he liked Connery.. not that Connery was the closest. That's sheeple thinking.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@mikhailvasiliev6275 It made sense given the film would probably attract new readers to the novels to make the character resemble the film actor [similar to how Bernard Cornwell gave his character Sharpe-originally from London-a stint in Yorkshire to match Sean Bean when he was cast]. Fleming of course only got to see two Bond films before he died so we'll never know what he would have thought about the other actors to take over the part of Bond.

[@mikhailvasiliev6275]

@@jamesatkinsonja I don't deny that it was probably a good decision for the franchise. The problem we run into is when it's used as an argument for Connery being either at or near the top of a list of best actors. Fleming was only alive long enough to see Connery, unfortunately.

[@simonrichards6739]

Finally a fellow bond fan said it, as an 80’s kid I grew up watching him as bond. I love Dalton and find him the most realistic to the books!

[@MementoMorituri]

Timothy Dalton is still my favorite. His two movies are gold. When John Rhys-Davies as Pushkin says "You're a professional, you do not kill without a reason." you can believe it.

[@PhantomObserver]

I personally would put Connery as the closest to the books, if only because Connery was performing while Fleming was still alive. He was therefore in a position to actually influence the evolution of the literary Bond. The portrayal of Connery in the first two films gets some reflection in the Fleming novels from OHMSS, YOLT and TMWTGG.

[@NoobZxReviewZ]

I wouldn't say it was the closest. Fleming was actually against Sean Connery because he was too tall and muscular (and Scottish). However, after Flemings wife said he was dashing and would be a good, believable spy, he changed his tune a bit.

[@mohammedashian8094]

@@NoobZxReviewZ no I think He changed his mind after seeing FRWL

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@NoobZxReviewZ He said Connery 'wasn't what I had in mind but would if I started over again'. Hence why OHMSS gives Bond a Scottish father to tie the book in with the films.

[@Lynnamon]

I'm a simple woman. I see a Calvin Dyson upload and proceed to immediately watch it.

[@TheRageaholic]

Physically, Bond is closer to Sherlock Holmes or Lamont Cranston/The Shadow: Thin, waspy lips, aquiline profile, high forehead, widow's peak, cleft chin. Most of the cinematic Bonds are cast too young, as well. Bond is middle aged. Timothy Dalton comes closest, but even he isn't that close. Roger Moore in some films isn't far off. (He was closer to the *real* Bond in A View to a Kill, physically speaking) The way Bond is described and illustrated, he is closer to a Basil Rathbone type. Think... Bob Peck. (R.I.P.) Or, as far as modern, living actors: Tobias Menzies or Tom Hiddleston. It might not be very 'Hollywood' to cast someone like that... but it would be an interesting experiment to try a 'proper' literary Bond for one film. See how it goes. Who knows? Could be a surprise hit.

[@ccateni28]

Maybe with the next reboot if we're lucky...

[@maniaccop3403]

Dalton, Moore and Brosnan all had high foreheads

[@OfWhatsToCome]

Didn't expect you here, dope.

[@Roboshi2007]

I think making bond younger is purely a business one, it means you can get more movies out of your actors as they age and of course there's the simple fact hollywood likes attractive people in their leads.

[@tcaudiobooks737]

Bond is commonly referred to as handsome in the books.

[@cvbelmont4766]

I can't picture anyone other than Connery in Dr. No when reading the novels. Minus a few quips, he just was Fleming's Bond.

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

Yes, that's exactly how I picture him too. I think it's pretty reasonable, since Fleming was still alive and writing the novels when Connery was portraying Bond onscreen. I have read that Fleming had Connery in mind when he was writing the last couple.

[@BillLaBrie]

I agree, though he was an enormous Scot. He was really just Cubby Broccoli’s Bond, but that’s kinda great in itself.

[@Lupinthe3rd.]

Bond was physically modeled after American Songwriter Hogie Carmichael in the novels it is said that bond resembles Carmichael.

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

@@Lupinthe3rd. Yes, his resemblance to Hoagy Carmichael is mentioned in Casino Royale and again in Moonraker, though Bond doesn't see the resblance himself. Those two novels were written quite a long time before Connery was cast as Bond in Dr. No though.

[@davidmitchell7181]

I’m biased and have to say Sean Connery. But only because my mum knew him when he grew up in Edinburgh

[@CRITTERBUSTERS]

Timothy Dalton for me, he's just such a tremendous actor, there's a raw sincerity to his performance that is both theatrical and realistic all at once. Not to mention he also closely resembles Fleming's bond physically. Wether or not Dalton would've lightened up in his 3rd and 4th film we will never know, Although I do believe Dalton could play that charismatic ladies man side of bond if he wanted to. If you see his performance in The Rocketeer and Tales from the Crypt he can effectively do it! Hell the Lark Cigarette Ad he did for Japan showed him playing a more smug version of bond! I reckon it would be awesome if they did graphic novels of Dalton's 3rd and 4th Films with dalton's likeness or maybe an audio book with him voicing bond.

[@Love-Sensibility]

Omg a japanese cigar ad? I need to watch that ASAP! AND AUDIO BOOK WITH DALTON?! AAAAAAA

[@justice4all72]

Lazenby has always been Fleming's Bond to me. The emotional side of Bond is straight out of the first chapter of Goldfinger where Bond contemplates life and his career

[@spaceodds1985]

Or even the first chapter of OHMSS, when there is a mention of Bond visiting Vesper’s grave and paying his respects.

[@TPDManiacXC626]

Zenigata from Lupin III Part 2: GEORGE LAZENBY?! GEORGE LAZENBY?!?! When I first heard that little rant, I thought Zenigata said George Lazerbeam.

[@mattacks1655]

For better or worse, Fleming said Lazenby was his version of Bond. He wasn't really a fan of Sean Connery. I think most people are answering this question with a subconscious bias towards the Connery interpretation, that wasn't what Fleming wanted. (Full disclosure, I myself have a bias to the Connery version)

[@ShauingOfficial]

@@mattacks1655 What are you talking about? Fleming was dead before Goldfinger was released in theaters.

[@sampuatisamuel9785]

@@mattacks1655 Fleming initially had reservations but after getting to know Sean Connery, he was so impressed with Connery that he rewrote the origin story for James Bond as a Scotsman as Connery is.

[@JTCurtisMusic]

1. CONNERY - It's hard to argue with that when you consider Fleming himself inferred Bond's character from Connery's first film (giving him Scottish heritage). As Calvin said, you can really see those inner-monologs going through his head. I can't help but picture Connery when I read Fleming's books. Even with the sillier moments in the later films, you get a sense that he's still willing to do whatever he can for the mission. 2. DALTON - When reading LIVE AND LET DIE and some of the colder Bond books, it is hard not to picture Dalton's brooding demeanor. Credit to really tapping into this character. Dalton has the uncanny ability to convey every emotion on his face to give you an idea of what he's about to do next. 3. BROSNAN - Maybe a controversial pic, at times he might be a bit too wise-cracking for Fleming's bond, but there's so many moments in his first three films where he nails the cold nature of his character (the contemplative beach scene in GOLDENEYE, the cold murder of Kaufman in TOMORROW, so much of TWINE, even the scenes of his torture in DIE ANOTHER DAY feel very Fleming). He's still got the vulnerability, when he takes a hit, he makes you feel it, but he's still ready to get back up and take care of business. 4. CRAIG - Yeah I just don't see Craig as Fleming, never have. He definitely has his moments in CASINO ROYALE and SKYFALL, but even then he just feels too thugish, too overpowered (like nothing can stop him) and emotionally disconnected. I don't get the sense of inner-monolog in his performance (especially in QUANTUM). There's also been too many times when he's going over MI6's head and it doesn't feel like devoted secret agent. Where it felt like a big deal in LICENSE TO KILL, it feels like a Tuesday to Craig. 5. MOORE - Yeah he's just playing Roger Moore, no big surprises here, but as Calvin says, he has his moments in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and a couple things here and there. 6. LAZENBY - Sorry, I just don't get any sense of this guy being Ian Fleming's character and he almost sinks what should have been the best 007 film. Even the more human side everyone credits him with just feels very underwhelming. He simply doesn't have the acting chops to make this epic story work.

[@scottcarroll9201]

Your point about Craig disobeying M and it being no big deal is a brilliant point. I've never thought of that before. You're right, in License to Kill the scene between Dalton and M has huge emotional weight to it.

[@TheGavrael]

Lazenby no acting chops? Yeah I guess I agree. But man, he really puts his whole body into those uppercuts.

[@declangill5138]

Lazenby - On what we were given I agree, he was screwed because he didn't get to stamp HIS Bond onto the world because Peter Hunt told us they were looking for "another Sean Connery" that being said Lazenby did get a bit big for his shoes with Cubby and Harry which he says he did

[@Rhythmattica]

As the character.. you maybe right, though I disagree... But IMO, GL OHMMSS and DC CR, was bond.

[@menkomonty]

For me whenever I read a Bond book, I always have Dalton in mind. That deleted scene from Licence to Kill of Bond in his room just feels like a moment from the books coming to life.

[@gregorysowten1196]

Totally correct

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I took that more as a reference to the Professor Dent scene in Dr No [which they also do with Pierce in TND] which was film original but did feel very true to the book counterpart.

[@austinslater530]

Man, Timothy Dalton can SPEAK. Those press conference answers were things of beauty!

[@christopherwilson3754]

Its refreshing to watch a viewer who not only knows their stuff but actually seems to enjoy it. To many reviewers just seem to exist to bash everything and be negative. Even when you don't like something you always seem to find something positive to say. Lord knows we need more positivity in our world today. Thank you.

[@calvindyson]

This is quite a compliment, Christopher and I thank you for it a lot! I'm happy the positivity comes through even when I'm being a little critical at times. Thanks very much again and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Agreed. These videos are so entertaining. Many videos are either political, mean spirited or just plain nasty [cinema sins especially as the majority of there claims are just lies].

[@rlkinnard]

Hard to take Lazenby seriously.

[@paulmonahawk4921]

I love Dalton and bet he went to the the pinewood cafeteria every morning and ate green figs and scrambled eggs! On the other hand in the novel OHMSS it is revealed JB is from Scotland so by then even Fleming understood that Sean Connery IS James Bond 😀

[@tintomara6209]

"I believe no one could sort of, wear a safari suit with the same degree of casuality as Roger.'' Not my words, but the words of Alan Partridge...

[@HighHoeKermit]

I hated the Dalton films when they came out, I think largely because they strayed so far from what I had known Bond films to be as a kid. Having re-watched all the films in order during lockdown, with a previously uninitiated bubble buddy, it became obvious to us both how much better Dalton played the part. His films didn't really fit what the franchise had become, but looking back their less silly and more serious approach makes them feel less dated now than even some of the Brosnan ones do.

[@spyboy1964]

One of the things that some bond fans overlook when describing Fleming's bond is his fastidiousness when it comes to his food and drink. Dalton displayed some of that in The Living Daylights when he changed the "grocery list" he brought to the safe house due to its "questionable taste" as he puts it, but Connery on the other hand does it through out his run as bond albeit as farce ( particularly in his later films). The "red wine with fish that should have told me something" line in From Russia with Love is a classic example.

[@simontchang]

Love that moment from Living Daylights when M sees Bond's replacement options and realizes he's probably blown through the dept. budget in that one basket.

[@sebastianfitzptraick7395]

I would say that Connery in Dr. No and FRWL, Lazenby, Dalton and Brosnan in TWINE are the most faithful Bond performances.

[@RanjitSingh-em7lx]

I totally agree with you. I would also add Brosnan in TND.

[@joeofmacabre07]

Wish Connery stick to his ruthless version of Bond like in FRWL. It would be awesome to see his ruthlessness against Oddjob.

[@jeopardywinner8799]

My Dad (RIP) had all of Ian Flemings novels in his bookcase. As a young boy he allowed me to read all the James Bond stories starting with Dr. No. My introduction to James Bond on the big screen was Sean Connery. Nostalgically speaking I was raised on Sean Connery in my formative years and chose him. I don’t remember the Timothy Dalton James Bond movies. I will see if I can stream them or take them out of the library so I can make a more informed decision.

[@Laukki]

Great video and great analyzing, thx! Dalton is my absolute favourite as Bond and one of the many reasons is that he truly is Fleming's Bond and takes the responsibility seariously

[@fusedarchive]

Absolutely agree with every one of these rankings. Dalton IS the definitive Bond IMO and glad he ranks as top here, but like you, who can't just absolutely adore Roger Moore as the most enjoyable movie romp Bond?

[@christianemden7637]

I‘m afraid i have to disagree about Roger Moore, a lot of his movies were to focused on gadgets and by todays standards cringeworthy humor. For your eyes only is the one standout movie from the Moore era, perhaps because that one has aged the best.

[@cha5]

For me Connery was "the most enjoyable movie romp Bond." I grew up with Moore's Bond in the seventies but these days his movie performances are just too hammy for me.

[@christianemden7637]

@@cha5 i couldn’t agree more, while i get older the Moore Bonds get sillier, and on her majesty’s secret service matures like fine wine.

[@palimpalim5291]

I could also not agree more. Moore is actually a comedic actor and his entire performance is so tongue in cheek that it is always a pleasure to watch. Also I think Moore has the "English Gentleman" vibe better on that any other candidate - except David Niven, but he is not canon.

[@palimpalim5291]

@@christianemden7637 Rewatch the Man with the Golden Gun. Bond has no gadgets whatsoever, the villain has them.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Dalton is an easy choice for me. He has the dark looks of Lord Byron, the introverted nature, he became cross with his superiors when he was ordered to kill in cold blood, and he didn't relish the action despite being more than capable of performing various physical feats.

[@codpro627]

I'd argue Connery in Dr.No.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@codpro627 Connery reminds me of Mike Hammer in Dr.No

[@palimpalim5291]

Dalton even did most of his own stunts - a staggering difference to the laughable back projection studio stunts of Moore.

[@viveviveka2651]

SC's acting, to me, has not held up well to the test of time and my own changing perceptions. TD may have been faithful, but I do not particularly enjoy watching him. For me, Daniel Craig is true Bond, and I enjoy watching him. I also enjoy watching Brosnan. After all, we are spending time with these people when we watch the movies, and we might as well enjoy spending time with them. Eva Green and Daniel Craig were extraordinary, both alone and together. An interesting second question: Which actor do you most enjoy watching?

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@viveviveka2651 That's too bad that you can't appreciate something before your time. Brosnan always struck me as Moore redux, a wimp. Craig was constantly whining and moping. I really wish there were more male actors like Connery around so young men have something to look up to. Today it's muscular stuntmen and wimpy theater students. Where's the new Lee Marvin ? Where's Connery ? Where's Bronson ?

[@vladpiranha]

There's just something about Dalton that always stood out to me. Maybe it was the toning down of the camp, but there's something about the way he played Bond that made my suspension of disbelief much easier. He just WAS Bond to me and he was the fourth person I saw play the character.

[@stephanmartini4514]

Calvin, we've all had to endure the pain of creating this list, even if for most of us, it is in our minds. Completely 100% agree. Dalton was the most faithful, Connery benefits from being both the 2nd closest in part due to time period of his first two films, as well as having two of the most literary pure scripts in "Dr. No" & "From Russia With Love". Craig is a very honourable 3rd for myself as well. His character depth and complexity of portrayal have reset the expectations. As for Brosnan, his looks are, like Dalton's closest to the source but the deviation from available source material hamper any claim to authenticity although perhaps I'd put him ahead of Roger Moore - as much as I enjoy Moore's films and his persona.

[@WhiteJarrah]

Here's an interesting thought: Pierce Brosnan was originally supposed to play Bond in The Living Daylights, but scheduling conflicts with Remington Steele caused him to lose the part to Timothy Dalton. While Dalton was certainly more familiar with the source material, he didn't write the script. So it would have been interesting to see how Brosnan would have handled a more intense screenplay than the ones he ultimately got.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

They might have kept some more lighter moments [possibly that Magic Carpet scene] as Dalton's weakness was the one liners which Brosnan was more comfortable with.

[@WhiteJarrah]

@@jamesatkinsonja True, that's magic carpet gave me flashback of Brosnan adjusting his necktie underwater in TWINE. Another interesting thought would have been how long Brosnan would have lasted as Bond had he got the part back in 1987. Had he done both of Dalton's movies and the four he got in real life, Brosnan would have played Bond for fifteen years - the same length of time as Craig. Unless you count voicing video games, then he would have been Bond for the longest time at seventeen years. He also would have tied with Connery, having shot six films (Dalton's two plus the four he got). On the other hand, going further down the rabbit hole, if Dalton's cancelled Property of a Lady had been greenlighted with Brosnan as Bond, he would have tied with Roger Moore. There's an argument to be made that audiences were all geared up for Brosnan as the new James Bond. When Dalton got the role instead it was almost blasphemous to them. Would a Licence to Kill starring Brosnan have performed so much better at the box office that Property of a Lady getting made would have been a given? There's so many possibilities to think about how differently things might have gone.

[@qwertymanor]

They re wrote some scenes to accommodate Dalton though.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@WhiteJarrah The reason why there wasn't a Bond film for 6 years was more due to legal issues Eon was experiencing at the time so they might have still had a new Bond for what became 'Goldeneye' [similar to the 4 year gap between Quantum and Skyfall being due to MGM's financial situation]. There are so many 'sliding door' situations with Bond, it's fascinating to look at.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@qwertymanor True. Michael G. Wilson said that they wrote Bond fairly 'generically' so they could adapt to whoever was eventually cast, though they wanted a more serious plot as a reaction to 'View' [who'd earned less than Octopussy].

[@kevindorn]

Very well done and I agree that it's difficult to rank the actors in this way, as there are so many different (and conflicting) aspects to Bond's character in the books. He's a depressed and brooding assassin, but he also has an almost childlike enjoyment of certain things. Great to hear your thoughts on this!

[@andrewvenables255]

What's also interesting is what aspects of Fleming's Bond the actors don't portray or highlight. In the novel Thunderball, for example, the high life has cost him his health with only Bond in Diamonds are Forever being a bit out of shape. Connery in the beginning , I think, threw out a lot Fleming snobbery stuff and streamlined the character for the cinema. It's fascinating to see Moore comment on how Bond doesn't like killing which each actor conveys in a different way. Brosnan has the 'filthy business' line in The World Is Not Enough, Craig brilliantly shows Bond losing his soul and I think Dalton's burnt out Bond is built entirely around his moral conflict. Dalton, for me, makes the most interesting choices as a Bond actor. But going over some of the books it is by no means an open and shut case as to who is the closest.

[@pzingh3663]

I wish Timothy Dalton would have delivered his dialogue in the two films the way he spoke at the press conference. A little louder, a little clearer and a little more relaxed and natural. It seemed to be closer to what Bond might have been like. I think he may have been trying to be a little too suave and sleek but it made me strain to understand what he was saying some of the time. I'm surprised the directors didn't notice this and try to get a correction for it? Otherwise I thought he played the character very well. You are right about "From Russia With Love". It was the quintessential Bond in most of all the aspects. Let's face it, Fleming's character is truly a product of the cold war era. And, it is never portrayed better in any other film than here. Connery's Bond has one distinct advantage. He actually worked with Fleming as well as the original film productions. They were truly responsible for molding Connery into the Bond he was. The only difference is that they created a Bond adaptable for the screen which I think was perceived from the characters in the book. It was that suave classy superspy "visually" that you can't really see in print, only imagined in the mind. The element that didn't carry over as much and was slightly watered down was that tough two fisted element of ruthlessness and violence that so many people heralded Daniel Craig for bringing to the franchise. As much of what Daniel Craig did with his physicality I think he tended to back away from that kind of molded suave classy superspy element that was so much of the previous Bonds.

[@chaynebutler9572]

One of the reasons for the more fantastical stuff in some of the later books is because Ian Fleming felt like he had to compete with the movies, which emphasized a lot on action, the women, and the gadgets. In fact, I think Fleming became rather frustrated with the adaptations and how that reflected upon his character.

[@Floorguy1000]

Excellent analysis. ...and yes very tough deciding between the top 3. I do think that "Dr. No" and "From Russia With Love" are the best cinematic portrayals of the Fleming Bond. I will also add that while Ian Fleming at first thought Connery miscast, he came to like him so much that in "You Only Live Twice" , (written in 1964), he gives Bond a Scottish background.

[@scoobers90]

I don't even need to watch the video, it's my boy Timothy! When I read the books I read them in his voice.

[@Geezer-yf8hv]

David Niven WOULD have been interesting playing a serious James Bond. He looked like a more handsome version of Fleming himself! I just never pictured him as much of an action hero, but think he could have pulled it off. (Still wouldn’t trade off Connery for him, though)! I agree that Dalton put in the most work, so sad he didn’t get a couple of more movies under his belt. He should have been brought in for VTAK, since Moore seemed really too old to keep playing Bond, (although I will always loved Moore as Bond)! If they had kept Dalton for Goldeneye, he very well could have had a longer career as 007! This was mostly the writer’s fault for failing Dalton when Bondmania was at an ebb ride. The same could be said for Lazenby. It would have been interesting to see him develop into a better actor if he got more experience, and more comfortable playing the role! STILL amazing that he turned down a SEVEN FILM CONTRACT!!! If he hadn’t, we never would have got Roger Moore as Bond! Moore and Connery were the 2 most charismatic and charming Bonds, Moore the most refined and light hearted, while Connery the more dangerous one! It Brosnan, who I would say was as good as the rest, he just suffered after Goldeneye. The series had got so far away from the novels by this time, (well, this had been going on for a while)! The Bond series never failed due to any of the actors, I personally felt all did a good job! The series only faltered due to sub-par writing, plots, and direction. It always returned to greatness when they had a good story to tell!

[@stevensanna3651]

Been a Bond fan all my life, but I've never read any of the novels. As much as I love the Connery films, Dalton was always my favorite and License to Kill has always been my favorite Bond Film. HE never got the recognition he deserved. The man is an incredibly talented actor and the Bond he portrayed called out to me the most.

[@pennysmith6727]

It is Sunday and what is better then cooking and watching a Dyson video? I absolute agree with your list! Thank you for sharing your video with us. Always a pleasure to watch you and your thoughts.

[@calvindyson]

Thanks very much, Penny! As someone who also frequently has KZbin videos on while cooking, I’m happy to hear mine get the same treatment 😁😁 thanks again!

[@thommysides4616]

No actor could say, "Bond.... James Bond" better than Sean Connery. He was truly the master Bondsmen!

[@MarkmanOTW]

This is the most considered and thorough appraisal I've seen when it comes to 'ranking' actors that play Bond. I would agree with your assessment and your final line-up. Yes, we all have our personal favourite screen Bond, but I think this is fair. Connery himself favoured 'From Russia With Love' as his quintessential performance and story, and the other actors own view of how they approached the character stack up with your critique. Good job!

[@BenCol]

My gut instinct was to say Dalton, but I will give Connery some credit that he did influence how Fleming wrote the character after he watched Dr No, so that’s got to count for something. And while Craig’s hair isn’t how Fleming described it, he does have the cold blue eyes Fleming described - besides, none of the screen Bonds have had the literary Bond’s cheek scar, not even Dalton (and he claimed to have studied the books, tsk). But yeah, I think your list is on the money. I certainly agree with you more than Britt Ekland who said Roger was the closest to Fleming (I mean, everyone’s got their own opinion, but… really Britt? You sure?) Truth be told, I need to go back and reread Fleming - I haven’t properly read some of his books cover-to-cover in many years, so my perception of what Fleming’s Bond is like is probably shaped by Casino Royale and From Russia With Love because they’re the ones I’ve reread the most. But I’m currently on my mad quest to read every Bond novel, including all the continuations and spin-offs, and there’s a whole mass of books outside of Bond I want to read that I haven’t yet (my to-read pile is currently eight books high, and only seems to get higher) so that probably won’t be happening soon. I swear, one day I’ll get round to it…

[@calvindyson]

HA! I'd never heard that from Britt Ekland... Maybe she only read Fleming's TMWTGG and Bond's character is quite all over the place in that one... Good point about how Connery's performance actually ended up influencing Fleming's own writing. Though it was obviously published before production of the film was started, Dr No is definitely a gear shift moment for the character and then you can sense it again once Fleming had seen Connery in the role towards the end of the run.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@calvindyson Britt Ekland read 'Golden Gun' and asked Eon if she could play Mary Goodnight. She was told it was an 'in name only' adaption so Mary Goodnight was likely not going to be in it...only for them to realize a fairly biggish name at the time wanted to be in the film so Mary Goodnight was added into the script [this is how the 'inside' documentary on the DVD tells it anyway].

[@johnrigs6540]

I echo Calvins thoughts on your great point about Fleming being influenced by Sean Connery’s performance as his creation !! We always forget that Fleming was around and still writing Bond when Dr No came out and there is no question that his Bond was influenced by what Sean Connery did in the books he wrote after that! I think I remember reading that he initially did not like the casting - thinking Connery was not quite sophisticated enough to play James Bond - but then quickly changed his mind after seeing him on screen. I think he was eventually so pleased with him that he also may have given Bond a bit of a Scottish background after that as a tip of the hat! (am I remembering this correctly?? Think I am quoting Tom Mankiewicz from an interview I read in Bondage magazine here! Lol)

[@BenCol]

@@johnrigs6540 Yep, that’s correct. OHMSS was the first book written after the films began production, and that’s where Bond’s Scottish/Swiss heritage is first brought up (later expanded upon in Bond’s obituary in YOLT). Ursula Andress also gets name-checked as a guest at Piz Gloria in another little nod to the films.

[@saidi7975]

Dalton did study the books. But you really expect them to add the facial scar? Cus I don't think they ever will...

[@LucasBenderChannel]

Jeez, you are so creative! You inject so many great scenes and funny moments into these videos. Amazing. 👏 I'm only a casual Bond-Fan and yet I return to your channel very regularly.

[@aaronleverton4221]

Craig in Skyfall felt like I was reading the start of Dr No or You Only Live Twice or The Man with the Golden Gun again. The last mission nearly destroyed Bond and now he has to pick himself back up and get on with the job again, despite not being at his best. Craig in Spectre was a mood and that mood was "let's go down the list of all the things that people think make up the film series, just to put smiles on the audience's faces." It wasn't just Connery's performance in Dr No, it was what the script had him do. There was actual spy novel/film stuff that you might have seen in a more serious (but, perhaps not as serious as Le Carre) affair. The hair on the door, the powder on the suitcase. No other script ever gave those moments again. Once they were jettisoned, it was natural that Connery's performance would veer away from that kind of "realism". Despite there being no novels left to film, Dalton was given a number or genuine Fleming-written moments (or incredibly heavily Fleming-inspired moments) to put directly from the page to the screen. The sniper scene in Living Daylights, the whipped wife on the Wavekrest, Leiter fed to the shark. Given his very serious training as an actor and his (to that time mostly) very serious acting, it's hard to see how he wouldn't want to make them as true to the page as possible. He was also given some actual secret agent stuff to do, tailing Kara around Bratislava, avoiding the KGB etc and then there's the hotel scene with Pushkin. Efficient in action, calm in demeanour, only as violent as necessary.

[@waltervontageniii4660]

Totally agree with your rankings. Tim was the closest. Of course, Sean had the opportunity to talk with Fleming for the first three films, and had the guided hand of Terence Young, much like George had the guiding hand of Peter Hunt. But Dalton's film really wish he had done more.

[@maineswampman407]

I'm excited for when CGI gets to the point we can just fully replace actors in films- I wanna see Dalton in Casino Royale and Craig in License to Kill

[@spaceodds1985]

You can already see Dalton in Goldeneye. Sure it is Brosnan’s voice…

[@tcaudiobooks737]

Connery in Live And Let Die has been done.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@spaceodds1985 Goldeneye is a lot more lighter to me than if Dalton did it [and apparantly Dalton would have only done it as his final Bond] and feels tailored to Brosnan's take on the character. Hence why it's Brosnan's best Bond.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

In fairness most Bond actors if they get more than two films find there own interpretation of the character. As you say, would Dalton be 'pure Fleming' if he'd done a third, lighter film?

[@jamesatkinsonja]

In 'Golden Gun' they tried to have Moore doing some of the harder edge stuff and it just didn't work. When they let him do his own thing in 'Spy who loved me' it was a much better performance and film.

[@scottcarroll9201]

Dalton was only under contract for two films. If the filmmakers had sent him a script for a third that he thought was too campy he wouldn't have done it. So that particular hypothetical is impossible in my view.

[@stevensanna3651]

It seems like the more Bond films an actor gets to do, the crazier they get. While I would have liked to see more Dalton films, I'm glad he quit while he was ahead before we got too campy.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

​@@scottcarroll9201 According to Dalton himself he was contracted until 1993 [in time, not films] so would have done it if they had been made in that timeframe. In fairness going lighter after LTK doesn't mean full Roger Moore esq camp but It probably would have been closer to Brosnan's earlier films in tone [rather than similar to Licence to Kill] and Dalton did film the eventually deleted 'flying carpet' scene in Living Daylights. Skyfall is a bit lighter than Quantum [especially with the reintroduction of Q] was but is still pretty serious.

[@johnaguiar7679]

Moore is so underrated as an actor...

[@edsonnunez6531]

Totally Agreed

[@leojf1ca1]

I agree... My favorite Bond of them all.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

He was an adequate actor. I put him in the same category as David Niven and William Powell, romantic leading men with some skill.

[@jfarmer1711]

I always had the feeling the Moore was playing the role as Simon Templar went legit and was given the code name of James Bond...

[@feliscorax]

I agree. He plays an actor pretending not to be able to actually act to a tee.

[@smithwesson7765]

Well done Calvin. I'm an old guy who grew up with the early Bond movies and you make some very astute observations. I very much liked Connery and Moore but, ultimately I would say that Dalton was the closest. He was raw and edgy, he looked dangerous and unpredictable. Brosnan was darn good as well but, Brosnan has an innate gentleness that he can't hide. It was widely rumoured that Jeremy Brett was considered for the role at one time. That would have been very interesting.

[@captainbrodude8251]

One of your best videos in a long time, the (long) wait was definitely worth it. Keep it up you legend!

[@chris_stokes]

Excellent video and you're right, it's a harder question to answer than you might think. I think that's down to Fleming writing an ordinary man to whom extraordinary things happen and the Bondmania when the films took off is associated with the character being extraordinary too. Like Dalton once said, "He isn't a superman," and it's why Fleming would put Bond through the ringer so much that the idea of a 'torture scene' became almost commonplace in the books. To make his ultimate triumph more triumphant. My own thoughts on which actor most closely resembles the Fleming character in their performance were challenged by your video because I'd always taken it for granted as well but I did have to give it far more thought than I'd anticipated. So... 1) Dalton - yes, I think ultimately this is hard to argue with and who I definitely thought i would have put up there anyway. His approach feels like the deliberate aim was to get into the character which Fleming wrote rather than picking up the baton of the character 'Movie Bond' had come to be known as. 2) Lazenby - it's where we divert slightly but the vulnerability is a key factor here, which I always think is enhanced by George's slightly inexperienced performance. I've personally never seen it as wooden, but I will admit I don't think some of his performance is entirely deliberate, even though I do end up enjoying it. 3) Connery - You're dead right that he changes as his era goes on, probably buoyed by the public's very obvious association of him with the role. Relaxing into the notion that he *is* James Bond, he does start doing his own thing and in doing so creates Movie Bond, his performance being a touchstone of many of his successors and, let's face it, what most people think the character should be like. But yes, those early performances are very Literary Bond to me. 4) Craig - I adore Craig in the role but I find Fleming's character hard not to consider a period character, which Craig's Bond resolutely isn't. Dalton's is obviously not from the same period but I find his success in channelling more facets of the literary Bond than anyone else kind of overcomes that. Craig nails Bond for the 21st century in my opinion and is a great interpretation of Fleming's character for our age, I just struggle to reconcile them as the same character like I can with the other three. 5) Moore - so now we come to agree again. Moore's reimagining of even what the Movie Bond was like is another step away from Fleming's character as written. There are definitely moments and I agree with the commenter who said that A View to a Kill is his most Fleming like performance. Yes, there are supremely daft moments in that movie but his clear and obvious dislike for Zorin feels torn straight from a Fleming book. For Your Eyes Only also sees him quite Flemingy as well, as you say, which is why I place him above Brosnan in this regard. It's just there aren't enough of these glimpses to place him higher than any of the others... 6) Brosnan - You nail it when you say that his performance is very much informed by Movie Bond. This felt like the right choice to make in the 90s with the change in geopolitics from the 80s but again, it's another slight step away from the Fleming creation. I can't help but see him as a Connery/Moore hybrid so before I even consider the literary character I can't really see a unique stamp on the character anyway. Which sounds meaner than I intended it to now I read it back... But great video again, looking forward to your third actor ranking, even though for the life of me I can't remember what you said the criterion would be. I'll have to go back and rewatch the first one. Excellent work as always!

[@alexbudpink]

I didn't know there was a channel dedicated to James Bond, I've been missing out

[@rushstone5670]

Totally agree Calvin. This was something a bit different for me because we're all so used to raking our own favourite Bond actors, rather than a critical look at who best represents Flemings idea of Bond. Great video as ever!

[@leitercia]

Nailed it! Calvin really brings depth to this debate and I have to concur with his conclusions!

[@calvindyson]

Thanks, Joe! Very happy you enjoyed it 😁😁

[@vDomMusic]

Got to be Dalton for me as the most similar to the books. Next I have to agree and say early Connery, especially Dr No I completely agree. Third I am going to be a little against the grain and say Lazenby. He's a colder and more emotional Bond than he get's credit for. Given even just one more movie, he would have been highly regarded generally I think. In 4th position I will say Craig. Looks aside of course, he has that sharp edge of the books but sometimes maybe a little too sharp if that makes sense. 5th I am going to say Brosnan . I actually think he does have a few some book-like moments but I think he was given too many flimsy scripts and wasn't allowed to show the book side too often. Finally I have to say Moore. I love the man don't get me wrong but I don't think he has the acting chops to be so intense (even though he really does in some instances) and I think some of his movies got too silly. Overall, I actually think every one of the 6 main Bond actors had various moments where they could be considered "book-like". It's funny comparing my personal favourite Bond actors and the list I just wrote out. :)

[@vDomMusic]

I should clarify on the Lazenby part a little. I mean to say that he is colder to his enemies (fight scenes and such) and more emotional to the people he is close to.

[@calvindyson]

I totally get what you mean about Craig being a bit 'too sharp' in places. A lot of his QoS performance is in that territory for me where he's so angry and so vengeful that it goes beyond the literary character and feels like something else, I think.

[@marksieve7734]

Good points and well said. Yes Lazenby was underated at the time. One scene that stands out is when Bond meets Tracy's father, Draco. Bond tells him that she needs a psychiatrist and that he prefers a bachelor's taste for freedom. Tough role to take over though, as Connery was very much associated with Bond. George did however do an excellent job. For me Connery nailed it in Dr. No and FRWL. But Dalton portrayed the Fleming Bond very well in both of his films. It's all right there on display when Bond shoots Kara's rifle instead of HER.

[@Playhouse76]

Well considered. Wasn't a competition for me; Dalton was clear tops. And I think I'd have to slide Craig into second position. But Connery isn't far off. And I think you bring up an interesting point about Fleming's writing. Notoriously, Fleming hated the Connery casting for Dr. No at first. He came around on it and came to embrace Connery as the character. So much so that he incorporated aspects of Connery's Bond into his writing, in particular providing Bond with a part Scottish background. But I also believe that literary Bond's personality starts to shift toward Connery a little more as Fleming's writing went on. (Though, never really straying too far from being a fantasy version of himself.) Running into trouble deciding between those three actors doesn't feel too surprising because I think they reflect on the books well.

[@cincinnati6595]

I've always said that Connery's Dr. No is the quintessential version of Bond from the books. It was so spot on, it was like the character was lifted from the page directly to the screen. I think what Craig has brought out really well is he projects Bond's inner monologue from the books very well in his performances -- you're able to see what he is thinking, which is such an important part of the books. Time and time again, you get the opportunity to hear Bond's doubts about his own abilities (in the books) which are trumped by his tenacity and dedication to the mission. You see that clearly in Craig's Bond. That is soooo on display in the scene with M's Tennyson reading in Skyfall. That always gives me chills. Dalton has always been just a little too "cold blooded" for my taste. It's too hard for me to read his inner dialogue.

[@normandduval8472]

Thanks Calvin, as a teenager reading those action novels, I did create an idea of the character that Bond was suppose to be. So I have the same top three as you. But my order is Craig, Dalton and Connery. The cynicism of Craig, his rawness and physical abilities win the day. So what if he is not quite 6 feet...

[@matthewbuzzell8601]

This is an extremely compelling and well-substantiated examination. Well done!

[@lionspawfilmandphoto]

I was convinced that Moore would be dead last, but your discussion really showed off that it's true about Brosnan's portrayal being dominantly a hybrid of Connery and Moore. Moore does have a shadow of a presence of Fleming's Bond whereas Brosnan has virtually none.

[@johnrigs6540]

Sunday js just not Sunday anymore without a brand new Calvin Video! Excellent, brilliant analysis as always - and I think this one is actually one of the best you've ever done. Not sure I'd put Pierce below Roger as closer to Fleming though...but your observation that Pierce uses previous actors as influence more than anything by Ian Fleming is right on the money and something I never put together before! The closeness to Flemings Bond between the three you chose is excellent- Personally, I think I'd probably put Dalton as the closest to the written Fleming probably because his version has the least amount of humor and the Bond of the novels is usually pretty humorless. And he also looks the most like Flemings physical description of him. There is no question, though, that Craig's Bond has more depth and emotion than all previous Bond actors combined. So because Flemings Bond has tremendous depth and character Craig's Bond feels much closer than the others in that aspect as well. But still.... just like you... when I read the novels ... It is usually Sean Connerys image and voice that I see and hear the most! Particularly in his first two films - that's Ian Flemings James Bond 007 right there on screen - about as close as could possibly be!

[@calvindyson]

Thanks for a great, detailed and thoughtful comment as always, John! Really enjoyed reading this :D Looks like we share a lot of the same opinions on this!

[@johnrigs6540]

Calvin yep! I also agree Craig’s Blonde hair is completely irrelevant in the conversation! In every other way he probably looks more like Flemings Bond -or like a real secret agent- than any of the others. Brosnan and Moore are probably too movie star good looking to be realistic… Connery has too much charisma and presence so would not blend in like they have to.. Lazenby looks too young.. Dalton probably too thin and not in real secret service type shape…. So that leaves Craig as the most physically realistic British secret agent of them all - despite his blonde hair! lol

[@philippeh3904]

Definitely when I was a younger, stupider person. I stubbornly would state that Dalton was obviously Flemings Bond. Mainly due to myself being a Dalton fanboy. But overtime, and reading the novels again I feel Connery in From Russia with Love is the perfect Fleming Bond. Charming, intelligent, Funny, feels like a killer, but a friend and lover. Dalton still comes close, but I feel Connery had the advantage of playing Bond in the 60s where we had no previous cinematic interpretation

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Connery, at that point, really did not behave like Fleming's Bond. The character in the book never came off as a charmer or even remotely charismatic. He struck me as a grouchy alcoholic who frequently cursed his job out of moral outrage. When he helped Kerim assassinate Krilencu, he didn't make a quip. Instead he yelled at Kerim and excoriated himself because of the life they took in cold blood. This is Dalton all over.

[@luizneto727]

He also has the advantage to be the only one of them who actually met Ian Fleming. The author himself did say that Connery WAS James Bond after seeing his performance in the first two movies.

[@brokendairy]

@@luizneto727 Early Connery also had the definite advantage of actually being dressed closest to Bond in the 50's books. And he had the requisite high levels of smoking. So in terms of period-correct lifestyle, Connery is the only choice really.

[@luizneto727]

@@brokendairy true.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@brokendairy That's why I think the character peaked in the 1960's.

[@sorscha1308]

As far as the films go, i think fitting in with the zeitgeist of films in general is also an important aspect to consider. Roger Moore is well loved by a lot of Bond 'film' fans as his character fits really well in this weird 70s kooky niche that those films slotted into. They could have gone really really hard edged with Bond in the 70s but that obviously wasn't the plan or they would never have picked him in the first place. Each man fits the films he's in very well and it seems like Dalton and Craig were just given more involvement and latitude during their tenures to actually explore Bondian aspects from the book character. Brosnan probably would have been too if he'd cared to but he was happy in his filmic sandpit. Connery made Bond his 'own' as he got more latitude, rather than going back to the source material and poor Lazenby got what he got. The top 3 Bonds on your list are also my favourite Bonds (and probably in that order) so i guess i like the 'real' Bond best. I do enjoy Roger Moore's films though - i don't really think of them as 'Bond' films but i like RM. I was disappointed with Brosnan aftet a strong start in Goldeneye & i think the best bit about his whole tenure was probably the first 15-20 mins of Die Another Day. Other than that i didn't really like his Bond or the films that much (still went to see them all at the cinema, as they were the first ones i was able to do that with).

[@Andrew-bn7rr]

I always smile knowing someone else out there appreciates Roger Moore as much as I do.

[@sashaking1115]

Your videos are absolutely fantastic, Calvin!!

[@stellatomeckova7363]

Is it Christmas already? I've been waiting for this one ever since your first James Bond ranking video, can't wait to see it! (And as a Dalton fan, I hope you chose wisely:))

[@jeffmelchior8573]

Very thoughtful analysis, as usual, and I think you’re more or less spot on. I’m glad you mentioned Bond’s lightening up as the book series went on. The last time I read Goldfinger I kept on picturing Roger Moore of all actors as Bond. Fleming really wrote Bond as a smartass in that novel and the dialogue just seems like it would have been natural out of Moore’s mouth.

[@dcyates]

I 100% agree. Despite everyone around me not liking Timothy Dalton’s portrayal of 007, I’ve always maintained that he came closest to depicting on screen the James Bond I had in my head as I read Ian Fleming’s books.

[@bolajialli8226]

The analysis is brilliant from Calvin! Well done.

[@bonghunezhou5051]

1) Dalton; 2) Connery in the Terence Young entries (all 3); 3) Craig in CR and Skyfall; 4) Brosnan in TWINE; 5) Moore in FYEO; 6) Lazenby I generally concur with Dyson's ranking, though the order for the lower portion diverges from his. Hopefully the wait is less seemingly terminal for the next part. Cheerios!

[@ProfessorEchoMedia]

Another absolutely terrific video essay, Calvin, and yet more proof that you continue to produce the best combination of erudite, illuminating and infectiously entertaining and enthusiastic videos of the Bond subject anywhere online. Like my all time favorite Bond film, GOLDFINGER, your videos have just the perfect balance of dramatic, adventurous fun. Ok, enough of my adjective mining, just know that my wife and I are huge fans of your Bond geometry and geography. Anyway, in a word, thanks. More on topic, in all your research have you ever come across confirmation for the oft told account of Fleming visiting the set of DR. NO and becoming so impressed with Connery he actually began to tailor the literary Bond in his image? It's been awhile since I read some of the later novels, but I do seem to remember latter day descriptions of Bond favoring Connery. Also, didn't Fleming inject the character with a bit of heretofore unmentioned Scottish ancestry in one of the last novels? (Apologies if this has already been covered in other comments on this video).

[@twilliamspro]

I've always thought Each bond is a portion of Flemings bond You stick them all in the machine from the fly and book bond steps out

[@scottmackenzie62]

It's rare I'm ever in total agreement with rankings like this, but hearing your list, and your arguments for and against each actor, it was like you were reading my mind.

[@LeonWick526]

Timothy Dalton is the Fleming Bond. Daniel Craig is the real life version of James Bond. Dalton shows a wide range of emotions as Bond where Craig is much more stoic (though still emotional in some scenes). Craig behaves exactly how a real life black ops intelligence officer would in real life. He's no nonsense, brutally efficient and saves his emotions for when he's off the job. Dalton does something similar but has more of a sophisticated way about him which echoes Fleming's Bond much more.

[@HunterJ1999]

Goodness that’s a tough list to make! I was legitimately wondering how you would rank the top 3, and I agree with your reasoning. It seems Craig may bring some of Fleming’s YOLT & TMWTGG to NTTD which will be interesting to see!

[@calvindyson]

Indeed! Quite looking forward to see what Fleming inspirations make it into NTTD. Definitely been getting YOLT vibes from the promo material. Thanks for watching, Hunter!

[@HunterJ1999]

@@calvindyson hopefully not long to go but very intriguing to see what they do!

[@GodsMistake]

It's easily Daniel Craig for me. What a relief when I saw Casino Royale. Bond was best described in (the book) The Spy who Loved Me. Weirdly so because the book wasn't about Bond at all. I don't even watch the other Bonds anymore because how the movies, as a whole just stray so far from the source.

[@mr.sand7899]

I always thought that Dalton looked the closes to how Bond is described to look in the books while Crags movies are more the tone to the books.

[@kjek1]

Can’t believe I’m just now seeing this. Brilliant stuff Calvin