James Bond (Sean Connery)

D: Terence Young

United Artists/Eon (Harry Saltzman & Albert R. Broccoli)

UK 🇬🇧 1962

111 mins

Action/Thriller

W: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood & Berkeley Mather [based on the novel by Ian Fleming]

DP: Ted Moore

Ed: Peter Hunt

Mus: John Barry & Monty Norman

PD: Ken Adam

Sean Connery (James Bond), Jack Lord (Felix Leiter), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), Ursula Andress (Honey Ryder), Zena Marshall (Miss Taro), Eunice Gayson (Sylvia), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny), Bernard Lee ('M')

The first official venture of James Bond may lack the gadgetry, expensive stunts and over-the-top adventure which became prevalent in later films, but still serves as a great introduction for British spy 007 to make his big screen bow.

Sean Connery oozes charm & charisma and truly makes the role his own. 

The story isn't as memorable as his later missions, but the film features a few iconic scenes, most notably Bond's introduction around the casino tables and Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder emerging onto the beach in a skimpy bikini (often imitated, never bettered). Joseph Wiseman also provides a menacing portrayal as the eponymous villain.

As an introduction to the character, it serves its purpose well, but looking back on it after the action & adventure of modern films, it may feel a little underwhelming.

7/10

D: Terence Young

United Artists/Eon (Harry Saltzman & Albert R. Broccoli)

UK 🇬🇧 1963

110 mins

Action/Thriller

W: Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood [based on the novel by Ian Fleming]

DP: Ted Moore

Ed: Peter Hunt

Mus: John Barry

PD: Syd Cain

Cos: Jocelyn Rickards

Sean Connery (James Bond), Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana Romanova(, Pedro Armendariz (Ali Kerim Bey), Lotte Lenya (Rosa Klebb), Robert Shaw(Donald 'Red' Grant), Bernard Lee (M)

Bond's second outing has a bigger budget, bigger set pieces and a bigger villain (played memorably by Robert Shaw) who joins international crime organisation SPECTRE, hatching plans to both kill 007 and steal a top secret coding  machine.

While the franchise as a whole didn't really pick up momentum until Goldfinger was released a year later, From Russia With Love remains amongst the best of the lot, featuring climactic scenes including a speeding train & a helicopter.

For many, this is where Bond's adventures really begin following the rather low-key Dr. No.

7/10

D: Guy Hamilton

United Artists/Eon (Harry Saltzman & Albert R. Broccoli)

UK 🇬🇧 1964

112 mins

Action/Thriller

W: Richard Maibaum & Paul Dehn [based on the novel by Ian Fleming]

DP: Ted Moore

Ed: Peter Hunt

Mus: John Barry

PD: Ken Adam

Sean Connery (James Bond), Gert Fröbe (Auric Goldfinger), Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore), Shirley Eaton (Jill Masterson), Tania Mallett (Tilly Masterson), Harold Sakata (Oddjob), Bernard Lee ('M')

Arguably the best and easily the most memorable James Bond film, pitting the British spy against not one, but two of the franchises most iconic villains, the razor-tipped-hat throwing Oddjob and gold smuggler Auric Goldfinger, whose plans to perform a heist at Fort Knox must be thwarted by 007.

Though this was preceded by Dr. No & From Russia With Love, this was the Bond film which set up the franchise as a genre unto itself, with fantastic set pieces, stunts and visual effects, as well as introducing the "Bond song" by a world-famous singer, this time Shirley Bassey warbling the notes of the iconic title song.

8/10

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