Sir Sean Connery is a legendary actor who was the first to star in the long-running Eon series of 007 films, being the first actor to take on the role of James Bond, the British superspy with a license to kill. It’s a role he would later become associated with, becoming a cherished and iconic part of his legacy. He starred in six canon films for Eon, as well as one non-canon film in the 1980s, making for a grand total of seven.
The movies are based on a series of novels and short stories by Ian Fleming, a British author who passed away in 1964, just as the third film based on his beloved books was coming out. While Sir Connery is often considered one of the best actors to become the distinguished MI-6 agent, not all of his films hold so well when compared to each other. The following is a ranking of all of Sir Connery’s Bond films, both canon and non-canon, from worst to best, or at least, according to this author.
7
‘Never Say Never Again’ (1983)
Never Say Never Again is one of those non-canon 007 films, which are never really all that good. Granted, this one is probably the best of the non-canon films, even though it’s still not that great. It’s a film that’s commonly forgotten by fans, and for good reason. Number one, Sean Connery just didn’t really have the same energy he brought 20 years earlier, and he doesn’t quite feel like the same James Bond we all knew.
Secondly, the story is kind of a rehash of Thunderball since it’s based on the same book. Weirder still, it tries to make itself part of the canon by adding this storyline about Bond aging and being past his prime. The title comes from the fact that Sir Connery reported he’d never again play 007 after Diamonds Are Forever, yet here he is in the role once again. That’s probably why he lacks the overall energy he used to, because it’s likely that he didn’t really want to be playing the role yet again. In short, it’s just not a very interesting movie, it’s not super exciting, and it’s not even a part of the established canon.
6
‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (1971)
Diamonds Are Forever marks Sir Connery’s final appearance as Bond in the Eon canon. Unfortunately, he kind of goes out with a whimper rather than a bang. In truth, he had to be begged to come back, as the film prior to it was shot with George Lazenby in the titular role. He does an alright job, but many agree that he’s certainly no Sean Connery. There’s a lot that went wrong for this movie. First and foremost, the dialogue is exceptionally corny, even for an early James Bond film.
On top of that, the addition of Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) was a bit of a detriment, and something of a slap in the face to Ian Fleming. In the original novels by Sir Fleming, Tiffany Case is actually a very intelligent character. In the movies however, she’s portrayed as a ditzy gold-digger, which is kind of insulting. Yeah, this one could have been a heck of a lot better. It has an interesting plot, but the production hit too many bumps and made too many bad decisions for it to be anything more than average.
5
‘You Only Live Twice’ (1967)
You Only Live Twice would actually be an awesome movie if it hadn’t aged so poorly. The action is great, the adventure is great, the characters are pretty solid, and it’s a really impressive film for its time. Unfortunately, it does a lot of things that would never fly in today’s world, and for good reason. To put it mildly, this movie is incredibly racist. From caricatures of Japanese people to Sean Connery in yellowface, a lot of the things in this movie make it a bit of an uncomfortable watch by today’s standards.
If you’re the type of person that gets uncomfortable for that sort of thing, it’s probably best to just steer clear of this one. But for others, it’s easier to look back on it as a restropective piece on how blatant prejudice was at the time. Aside from these glaring issues, everything else about the movie is actually pretty fun. The final action setpiece is super exciting, unique, and interesting, which makes it an essential piece of the 007 collection.
4
‘Thunderball’ (1965)
Thunderball is one of the most adventurous films in the series, coming in as the fourth entry in Eon’s canon. First off, the standard action scene at the beginning involves a jetpack, making for one of the greatest escape Bond has ever made. Secondly, the final action scene is almost entirely underwater. Spec ops forces in scuba gear do battle with each other under the waves, shooting spearguns at each other and attracting sharks. Ridiculous? Yes. Awesome? Also yes.
Like the first movie in the series, this takes place in the Caribbean Sea, with the gorgeous tropical islands providing some of the most sweeping scenery ever committed to film. While it remains a little bit over-the-top, as is to be expected with many of the older Bond films, it’s still a pretty distinct movie, one that experiments a little bit and is made even better for it. It’s not as good as some of the other Connery flicks, but it’s still pretty great.
3
‘From Russia with Love’ (1963)
From Russia with Love is absolutely a product of its time. Like all the other films on this list, it came out during the Cold War, but this one is particularly focused on the Soviet-American tensions at the time, centring on themes of KGB operatives, encryption devices, and political assassinations that were common themes of the time. Despite being heavily influenced by its era, it still hasn’t really aged much, and is, to this day, one of the best films in the entire franchise. Pretty impressive considering it was the second one ever.
It’s got some great action setpieces, including one involving a train and a Soviet helicopter. Lots of tropes of the franchise were established in this movie, which is why it’s had such a long-lasting legacy. Though the original Cold War themes of the novel were toned down a bit in order to not scare the audiences due to rising global tensions, From Russia with Love is still an amazing film from start to finish that demands to be seen.
2
‘Dr. No’ (1962)
Dr. No is the first Eon film, which means it’s also the first to star Sir Connery in the role. This one is actually a little lighter on the action, which you might think would be a recipe for disaster. But it’s not. This movie is truly remarkable in pretty uch every way, with many long-term fans of the series considering this to be the greatest of them all. You can’t beat the original, right? Admittedly, while I do love this movie, it’s not quite my absolute favourite.
So what really makes this movie great? Well, its characters, its sweet spy gadgets, its scenes of tension and drama, and of course, the 007 romance between a one-off character that happens every movie. This is one of the most singularly unique films in the franchise, and bears a distinct vibe that doesn’t feel anything like the other films. From its picturesque Jamaican backdrop to its introduction of Spectre and the establishment of the tropes that would appear throughout the series, this movie really delivers.
1
‘Goldfinger’ (1964)
Goldfinger has got to be my favourite from the Connery era, and it stands as a favourite for many. There are many reasons for this, including the introduction of iconic characters like Oddjob (Harold Sakata) and his bowler hat with a blade inside, and some of the most quotable moments from the entire franchise. It’s also got one of the simplest, yet most intriguing plots, involving a conspiracy to bomb Fort Knox, Kentucky, increasing the value of Goldfinger’s (Gert Fröbe) personal gold and strengthening Chinese influence over global politics.
This movie even pulls off an impressive ending, making the audience think everything is fine, only to have the villain return for one last fight. Everything that this movie did arguably made it one of the most important spy movies ever made; a testament to the legacy of the genre. Plus, the song used in the opening credits is an absolute killer. This movie is pretty much perfect. It’s my favourite from the Connery era, and I’ll happily die on that hill.
Goldfinger
- Release Date
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September 20, 1964
- Runtime
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110 minutes
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