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Roger Moore was the best James Bond...

I agree that Roger Moore for me was the best JB for that era (70s' to 90's) and he brought a lightness as well as a little depth to the character.

I don't post this purely to mention he shook my hand once, [did I mention I shook his hand once?] and had driven his former wife and their adult daughter several times.

What was doubly sad about his passing though (as is often the case I guess) was he died the day after the late evening Manchester Arena attack at the Ariana Grande concert, killing 22, which rightly filled the news all day.
 
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Great:
Sean Connery - First played Bond in 1962

Good:
Daniel Craig - First played Bond in 2005

Okay:
Roger Moore - First played Bond in 1972

Interchangeably mediocre:
Timothy Dalton - First played Bond in 1986
Pierce Brosnan - First played Bond in 1994

Who remembers?:
David Niven - First played Bond in 1967

Who cares?:
George Lazenby - First played Bond in 1969
 
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Great:
Sean Connery - First played Bond in 1962

Good:
Daniel Craig - First played Bond in 2005

Okay:
Roger Moore - First played Bond in 1972

Interchangeably mediocre:
Timothy Dalton - First played Bond in 1986
Pierce Brosnan - First played Bond in 1994

Who remembers?:
David Niven - First played Bond in 1967

Who cares?:
George Lazenby - First played Bond in 1969

What about Bob Holness?
 
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The best spies, are the ones you never hear of.
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Fleming was reported to be unhappy with the casting of Connery, and had actually wanted Roger Moore in the first place. But I understand that this was largely because Fleming was a dreadful snob and thought Connery not enough of a "gentleman" for the role.

Personally I generally preferred Connery's films over Moore's for precisely the reasons that Bobby prefers Moore's: fewer gadgets, though they became more prevelant with time, and less funny. No disrespect to Roger, the series was evolving that way before he took over the role, and he did what the producers were looking for.

As Bond, I find Craig most convincing, and least "fantastic". In part because they do allow him some weakness in places, and to show that there is more behind the facade, in part because his physicality and taciturn manner make him more convincing as a cold-hearted killer, which if you are honest is what Bond is. Because I'm not a fan of camp I also prefer early Connery to later.

As for who is the most authentic Bond, in the sense of truest to the character in the books, I'd say probably Craig in the first act of Casino Royale, before he meets Vesper Lynd. The Bond of the books may be an expensively-educated "gentleman hero", but he is also a bastard with a sizeable streak of cruelty, and I always felt that any screen presentation of him had to be sanitised since a straight portrayal would be too unsympathetic.

I've actually never seen either of Dalton's films, and though I've seen parts of some of Brosnan's films I'm not sure I've ever watched one all the way through (too reliant on set-pieces and gadgets for my tastes).

I'm going to be controversial and say that I think that the consensus is too harsh on Lazenby. Coming straight after Connery, who was not only a popular and charismatic Bond but the first one, was always going to be a tough gig, and while he was a bit unthreatening for my tastes (as noted above, Bond is really quite an unpleasant character, and I prefer at least some of that to be present, even if only emerging at times) I do sort of wish he'd had a second chance, just to see whether he could develop the role. Of course I like the fact that they played that film quite "by the book" with no gadgets, and the ending, rather than some tacked-on "Bond saves the world then snuggles down with the girl as we cut to the theme music", was straight out of the book and IMO the most powerful ending of any Bond film (even if it may not have gone down well with audiences who were expecting an adventure romp). The fact that it faded to Louis Armstrong is also a massive point in its favour. ;)

So overall, I'm inclined to Craig over Connery, then Moore, then Lazenby (with the caveat that there was only one film to judge on, and I preferred it in some ways to many of the others), then Brosnan, and no opinion on Dalton.
 
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Roger Moore was the best Bond by far, however I really liked Pierce Brosnan. He brought a nice sense of humour to Bond and was the last one to actually feature in what could be described as a "Bond" film.

Not a fan of the recent Bond films, all very so so. They could be any non-descript action film now. They have improved a little in recent films, but not a great deal.
 
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i like Connery.. rough with a sense of style.

Roger.. he was too.. clean.
i liked his movies. and gadgets...
but he never gets dirty!!! suits are always clean.. even after a fight.

i like the new movies.. with the action and fights...they have lost the Bond-ness of it.
so. I want more gadgets.
i grew up with Roger .. and 007 was about the gadgets and women.
 
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I think @Hadron had a great post, very informative, and I agree about Lazenby in particular.

Roger Moore's "reign" for me occurred at an impressionable age, (where I was too young for Connery), and you knew you were in for a treat each movie and were never disappointed with gadgets (@dontpanicbobby), visually perilous situations and dastardly villains.
I like Connery's interpretation and performances to a degree, but you feel you would never be in his company, or league, so to speak. if that is closer to the books I cannot remember reading, then fair enough.

My opinion of Connery is tainted by people I met over several years and their personal experiences with him in real life, for example staff and fans, where his dining buddy Michael Caine has been much more approachable and considerate (that however is obviously vastly unfair and should not be taken as actually true).

I think Craig is a superb and physical actor, and suits the role well. Losing the "real" Q, and the earlier Moneypenny's, count against his movies though. Xavier Bardem and to a lesser degree Christopher Waltz were good villains, but for me Judy Dench's M was too heavy and dreary a character (lovely though she herself is).

As others have said they were brilliant of their time. Geeorge Lazenby's OHMSS , with Diana Rigg (who I also briefly met in a service situation), was quite a good and emotive movie, also of it's time ( better described above by Hadron)

My best memories are of the Roger Moore movies, they had the right combination for me.
I would have to watch Connery's roles yet again to be more positive on his movies - and the inclination to revisit those times is not there any more.
 
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