Martini Monday - Written by Leslie Fishlock on Monday, May 19, 2008 15:05 - 10 Comments

The Vesper Martini - Who is the Best James Bond?

If you are a James Bond fan like I, and especially a Casino Royale and Danel Craig fan, then you will remember this martini in the movie. I didn’t remember all the ingredients so I had to look them up. Granted, I was staring at Daniel Craig’s “perfectly formed ass” at the time, and through much of the movie. Just like Vesper herself. No, I am not a sexist. I am just an admirer of fine…pieces..of art and other things…

James Bond is without a doubt one of cinema’s most enduring characters. From villains like Goldfinger, Odd Job, and Dr. No, and beautiful Bond Girls such as Mary Goodnight, Holly Goodhead and Pussy Galore. James Bond is an icon.

The Vesper Martini is the first martini James Bond ordered in Casino Royale. The Kina Lillet Bond speaks of can be found today labeled as White or Blanc Lillet. It’s a brand of dry vermouth made in France since the late 1800’s that is often referred to as “the apèritif of Bordeaux”. Bond’s glassware of choice for the Vesper is a deep Champagne goblet. But of course.

Which brings me to the survey:

Who is the best James Bond ever?

Here are the actors who have played James Bond, starting from the first to the most recent:

1.) Sean Connery - Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever

Scotland Forever and so shall Sean Connery. He was my all-time favorite - until Daniel Craig.

2.) George Lazenby - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

George who? What a stiff. I’ve seen planks of 2×4’s that were more pliable. Hence, his foray into James Bond ended at “1″.

3.) Roger Moore - Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, View to a Kill

Less wooden then George, but definitely not as manly as Sean. To prove my point, last movie I saw him in was on a gay cruise in Boat Trip. Say no more.

4.) Timothy Dalton - The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill

Not even his charming Welsh accent could help Timothy Dalton. Or his bad acting.

5.) Pierce Brosnan - GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day

Better actor than most, however I kept thinking of Remington Steele. Best movie he was in was The Matador, not a James Bond movie.

6.) Daniel Craig - Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace (in production)

Woweeeeee! Did you see him come out of the water in those tight bathing trucks? I thought I heard angels singing…

So cast your ballot for the Best James Bond Ever and relax with the

Vesper…Got it?

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 measures of Gordon’s Gin
  • 1 measure of vodka
  • 1/2 measure Kina Lillet
  • lemon peel for garnish

The Vesper according to 007 author Ian Fleming and James Bond is as follows in Chapter 7 of Casino Royale:

“Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”

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10 Comments

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Ryan S
May 19, 2008 15:07

Roger Moore, hands down, is the best Bond

Adrienne
May 19, 2008 15:14

Sean Connery had a good run as holding the “best Bond” title until Daniel Craig. Craig has that bad-ass factor but also a wee bit of vulnerability that makes him even more endearing to women who want to “fix” men

Bert Jackson
May 19, 2008 15:57

Craig has the advantage of building on the Bonds who came before. His character seems the most real. He is flawed, vicious at times and vulnerable. We started to see this with the last Brosnan outing. I never cared for the silliness of the Moore series, though Roger was the perfect foil. And so much of picking the best Bond has to do with the best Bond movies. If Connery had done Living Daylights and License to Kill, would we think so highly of him? So my list…

Craig- most believable, plus he’s new blood
Connery
Brosnan (pick a different day and 2 & 3 might be reversed)
Moore
Dalton
Niven (Casino Royale v1 - remember?)
Lazenwho?

Chris Corriveau
May 19, 2008 16:06
Chris Corriveau

Tied: Connery and Craig

Can’t wait for Bond movie coming up soon.

Dave Fravel
May 21, 2008 6:09

I think Bert has provided the perfect commentary on the way that I view the Bond role.

Craig is #1 in my book, and since this is a different day from yesterday, I’m going to give #2 to Brosnan and #3 to Connery/ : )

Mark
Jul 9, 2008 5:08

The likes of Moore, lazenby, dalton, Brosnan and craig all played Bond, where as Sean Connery IS James Bond.

Steve MacIntyre
Jul 21, 2008 14:47

Lazenby was stiff? I suppose that’s the conventional wisdom. But it’s wrong. People think this because they haven’t seen “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, and figure, “well, if he did just one, how good could he be?” Well, he was great. And so was the Bond movie he starred in. And that’s not just my opinion. A sampling of reviews:

- “Any Bond fan will tell you this is the best film in the series. It’s my all-time favorite movie.” Northwest Journal
- “Might have been the best Bond” San Francisco Examiner.
- “Best of the Bonds” Mountain Express

And so forth. Salon.com got it right, noting, “Lazenby had a thankless task, stepping into a role that was defined by one of the most charismatic actors in the history of movies…. But it makes sense to have a new face here…”

Anyway, Lazenby was most excellent, and the reason he made just the one Bond movie is that, astonishingly, he figured the Bond franchise was tapped-out. Years later he said, essentially, “I should have made a second Bond movie because that would have led to making five or six.”

So here’s how I rank ‘em: Connery was best. Lazenby and Craig tie for second/third. Brosnan is fourth, Dalton is fifth, and Moore is sixth. Moore was good in “The Saint” though.

Steve MacIntyre
Jul 21, 2008 14:54

I forgot to note above: Lazenby wasn’t fired. He foolishly walked away from the role. Oh well. We all make mistakes. No pity for the guy, though, because he’s a gazilionaire who owns private estates all over the world.

mario
Aug 25, 2008 17:10

the best and the real james bons is ¨SEAN CONNERY¨

1 SEAN CONNERY : the best and the real james bond

2 PIERCE BROSNAN : the second best james bond

3 ROGER MOORE : the very good bond

4 TIMOTHY DALTON

5 GEORGE LAZENBY

6 DANIEL CRAIG : IS UGLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NOT BOND

Flo
Oct 6, 2008 15:22

Ryan, thank you! I totally agree: Roger Moore - no one else

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