Building a Better Bond

The name “James Bond” is synonymous with action, espionage, sex and swagger. While the man of mystery is truly one of a kind, his essence is a pastiche of Ian Flemming’s original literature and the eight men lucky enough to don the moniker in cinema. Join Rupert Carmichael and Mr. 007 himself, George Lazenby, in an eight-episode series investigating the Tux, Talk, Tech and ‘Tini of each legendary actor who once called himself Bond, James Bond. ***** 26 films. 5 decades. Two zeroes and a seven. History’s most iconic secret agent and a timeless gift to the silver screen. Rupert and George delve into the prologue of the greatest franchise in cinematic history.

The King of the One-Liner. The Eyebrows from Edinburgh. The British rogue with the Scottish brogue. A man who once famously said never say never again. Sean Connery cemented the vision of Bond in the eyes of the world, and in doing so, built the foundation for what would be considered one of most influential franchises in the history of film.

The model. The anomalous adventurer. The only Bond who was a bloke. Our own George Lazenby burst from obscurity into the throws of espionage and the world was never the same. Number of Bond films to his name? Just one. But that was all he needed to take the franchise from Down Under, to Over the Top.

The classic Brit. The blithe Bond. If Connery brought the swagger, it was Roger Moore who brought the smile. His jubilant approach to playing the iconic secret agent was—and is—a controversial interpretation of the role. With seven outings as Bond, he became the spy many loved to the Moonraker and back, and many...did not.

The iconoclast intimidator. The stalwart spy. The killer Welsh. Timothy Dalton harkened back to literary inspiration for a Bond that would scare the living daylights out of his foes, and stir the hearts of his fans. In the pantheon of Bond, Dalton’s stay may have been short, but he surely earned his license to thrill.

Tall, dark and deadly. The tech-savvy sleuth. Debonair style from the Eyre Isle. Pierce Brosnan’s suave diction and smooth operations earned him a place in the crosshairs amongst his fellow MI6 admirables. This storied stage master’s tenure as 007 ushered in a new era for the franchise, and continually ensured that Bond would live another day.

The bad boy. The blonde Bonde. The stoic sleuth with the steely blues. Daniel Craig may be the newest addition to the Bond name, but in terms of making his mark on the franchise, he’s certainly no spectre. His films have boldly reinterpreted the origins of 007 and modernized the story for a new generation.

Infinite insights. 8 Episodes. 1 legendary actor. As our analysis of each performance draws to a close, we must explore the future of a franchise with open minds. 007 is just a code name, after all. For it’s the man behind the moniker with whom we build our Bond. James Bond.