James Bond is the GOAT when it comes to secret agents. Based on Ian Fleming's novels from the 1950s, Bond is a British MI6 spy with a license to kill. Ever since he appeared on our movie screens in 1962 -- dressed in a dapper tuxedo, playing cards while coolly lighting a cigarette -- the 007 secret agent has become a cultural phenomenon. The numbers behind him are impressive. The Bond franchise has produced $7.8 billion at the worldwide box office, $19.2 billion when that number is adjusted for inflation, a whopping twenty-five films, six different actors as 007, and another two movies that are considered non-canon. Each actor has put their own spin on this classic character, leading to a fierce debate over who is the best Bond.
Regardless of your choice, one fact remains: James Bond is timeless. It's been 61 years, and his franchise shows no signs of slowing down. With Daniel Craig's recent retirement from the series, a search is already under way for the next 007, and plans for the next film are being developed. But what makes him James Bond? What separates him from his secret agent counterparts? During his 61-year film career, there have been many key moments that have come to define the character. Here are ten moments that shaped James Bond into the charming, womanizing, and martini-sipping spy that we all know today.
10 Shaken, Not Stirred - Goldfinger (1964)
Goldfinger is a legendary installment in the Bond franchise. Regarded as one of 007's best films, it played a huge role in shaping the character and films over the next 59 years. For example, it was the first movie to feature an extensive and stylized opening title sequence, which has kicked off every 007 film since. There are several moments that defined Bond in just this movie alone. One of them is Bond's instructions on how to prepare his signature drink, a martini. Although he drinks two martinis in his first film, 1962's Dr. No, Bond never actually vocalizes his order. It's here in Goldfinger that Bond (played by the 007 original, Sean Connery) first provides his iconic order: "A martini. Shaken, not stirred." It's a line that 007 would repeat countless times over the next 59 years. Whenever there's a glass in Bond's hand, you can usually expect it to be a martini. But remember: it has to be shaken, not stirred.
9 James Bond's Childhood - Skyfall (2012)
Over the course of 25 films and 61 years, very little is known about James Bond's origins. Who was he before becoming a secret agent? Where did he come from? The Daniel Craig films set out to address that. In Craig's first movie, 2006's Casino Royale, there's a line that casually calls out Bond as an orphan. 2012's Skyfall expands upon this, shedding more light on Bond's mysterious past. As it turns out, Skyfall isn't a codename for some government operation. It's the name of his family's ancestral estate. For the first time, we're invited into the sprawling home where 007 grew up. But you can tell from Bond's grim expression, as he gazes upon the mansion's grounds, that he has more bitter memories of this place than happy ones. The Bond family resided at Skyfall, until their untimely demise. James hadn't returned since, leaving Skyfall to crumble over the years. It's a poignant moment that highlights the tragedy of Bond's past and how it still haunts him today. Skyfall is regarded by many as one of 007's best films.
8 Unique Henchmen - Goldfinger (1964)
The older Bond movies tended to be more campy. They were packed with wacky gadgets and weapons and strangely named villains and love interests. 1964's Goldfinger features two of 007's greatest foes: the titular megalomaniac Goldfinger and his right-hand man Oddjob. The latter's introduction in Goldfinger is an iconic 007 moment. With just a fling of his bowler hat, Oddjob demonstrates that he's a powerful adversary with a lethal toss. His silence makes him feel even deadlier; he doesn't need to utter a word for you to know that he means business. Oddjob is the OG of James Bond henchmen and is arguably the greatest one in the 007 franchise. Thanks to Oddjob, the Bond films started pumping out henchmen with extraordinary features or capabilities and weird names. Over time, the character of Bond became defined by his villains: it was rare to see a movie where the secret agent wasn't going toe-to-toe with a unique henchman. Iconic 007 characters like Jaws, Tee Hee, Nick Nack, and so many others all owe something to Oddjob and his bowler hat.
7 A New M - Goldeneye (1995)
Regarded as one of the best films in the series, Goldeneye saw a few changes to the Bond franchise. It brought in a new actor to play 007: Pierce Brosnan, whose portrayal often tops the rankings of Bond actors. Goldeneye also introduced a new M, the codename for Bond's boss and the chief of MI6. Here, M turned out to be a female, a great contrast to the womanizing Bond. Played perfectly by Judi Dench, this new version would go on to become thedefinitive M of the franchise. Dench's role was even carried over into the Casino Royale reboot. Although their relationship was tense at times, M became a sort of maternal figure to Bond. Their relationship became central to 007's identity, especially in the Daniel Craig films.
6 Earning his 00 status - Casino Royale (2006)
As mentioned earlier, the Daniel Craig films set out to address Bond's origins. Casino Royale, which is actually the first Bond novel by Ian Fleming, was a reboot and a new direction for the series. It focuses on a grittier, more realistic, and less experienced Bond than we've seen before. As such, Casino Royale kicks off with arguably the best opening scene in the franchise, showing us how Bond earns his 00 agent status. Or in other words, his license to kill. Two different sequences play out simultaneously: a black-and-white flashback showing Bond's first kill and a colored, present-day sequence that leads up to his second. By the end, he's officially 007.
That first kill ties brilliantly into the iconic shot (literally) that precedes every Bond film. A circle, representing a gun barrel, follows an oblivious Bond across the screen. An unseen foe has Bond in his scope -- until 007 suddenly spins around and shoots his enemy down. This opening has been a staple of the franchise ever since Bond's first movie. Casino Royale did a great job tying it in, turning it into an iconic moment in 007's story.
5 Blofeld and Bond Finally Meet - You Only Live Twice (1967)
Every great hero needs an arch-enemy, an antithesis to everything that hero stands for. Batman and the Joker, Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. And here, James Bond and Ernst Blofeld. As mentioned earlier, Bond became defined by the villains he went up against. And no villain in the 007 rogue's gallery is more famous than Blofeld. He's the criminal mastermind behind Spectre, the villainous organization that aspires to world domination. After being shrouded in mystery for several films -- seen only as a bald head from behind, or as a hand petting a fluffy cat -- Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) finally comes face-to-face with Bond in 1967's You Only Live Twice. Similar to Judi Dench's M, the character of Blofeld was carried over into the Daniel Craig series. Played by Christoph Waltz, Blofeld was once again established as Bond's arch-nemesis, the hand that's been pulling the strings ever since Casino Royale.
4 The Bond Girl - Dr. No (1962)
Another key player in most 007 films is the classic "Bond girl." She's often a beautiful love interest, sexual partner, or adversary (or sometimes, all three) of James Bond. The Bond girl can of be any race and ethnicity, though most of them have been white. These characters usually have names that are sexual puns, such as Holly Goodhead or Xenia Onatopp. As the first Bond film, it's only fitting that Dr. Nointroduces us to the very first Bond Girl. The beautiful Honey Ryder, played by Swiss actress Ursula Andress, is widely regarded as the first Bond girl, even though she's not the first woman to be with 007 in that film. The shot of her emerging from the ocean -- soaking wet and wearing a bikini -- is iconic in Bond mythology.
Since Dr. No., 007 has become a notorious womanizer. His sexual appetite is one of his defining characteristics, and it shows throughout the franchise. Almost every movie introduces a new gorgeous woman that Bond pursues, fornicates with, and then discards by the next film, never to be seen or mentioned again. The Daniel Craig movies, though, flipped this formula on its head. For the first time, James fell in love with Casino Royale's Bond girl, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). Her murder set 007 on a vengeful warpath, which defined and consumed Bond for most of the Daniel Craig series.The most recent Bond girl, Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), even married 007 and became one of only two Bond girls to reappear in a movie. More often than not, you just can't have Bond without a Bond girl.
3 Q Briefings, Zany Gadgets, and Aston Martins - Goldfinger (1964)
This is perhaps Goldfinger's biggest contribution to James Bond lore. Prior to this film,Desmond Llewelyn played Major Boothroyd, the equipment officer who works closely with James Bond. It's in Goldfinger when this character gets his iconic codename of Q. It's also in Goldfinger where Q briefings become an integral part of the James Bond movies. In each briefing, Q presents 007 with his latest and zaniest weapons and gadgets, from explosive toothpaste to hookah machine guns. It was always exciting to see what dangerous invention Q would hand to Bond next. Between the crazy gadgets and Q himself, these scenes became central to James Bond's identity.
Goldfinger, though, set the bar impossibly high for the rest of the franchise. Here, Q presents Bond with the Aston Martin DB5. This car would do down as one of the most famous vehicles in cinematic history, right up there with the Batmobile and the Millennium Falcon. Not only is it a beautiful car, this particular Aston Martin is suited up with gadgets and weapons, such as an oil dispenser, ejector seat, and machine guns. Like the martini, the Aston Martin DB5 became Bond's signature car for the rest of the series.
2 A New Face for 007 - Live and Let Die (1973)
For eleven years, the world had only known one James Bond: Sean Connery. When Connery refused to reprise his role, the producers found themselves in a unique situation: they had to find a new 007. After an exhaustive search, Roger Moore was cast as the new James Bond in 1973's Live and Let Die. And this certainly wouldn't be the last time this happened. Every ten years or so, when the actor reached their physical and mental limit with the role, a new actor would be cast as the secret agent. Seven different actors would play James Bond over 27 films and 61 years. Moore would go on to star in seven Bond films, the most of any actor.
1 "Bond. James Bond." - Dr. No (1962)
You knew this one was coming. Before 1962's Dr. No, most of the world didn't know who James Bond was. This movie was our introduction to this iconic character, and they only had one shot to do it right. We're brought into a casino and meet a character who's playing cards, though we see only his hands at first. When the game finishes, the hands whip out a fancy-looking cigarette holder. His contender introduces herself and asks for his name. The camera then pans up, and we see Sean Connery lighting up a cigarette. And then he says it for the first time, delivering it with all the confidence and coolness that we've come to expect from 007: "Bond. James Bond." Even cooler is that Connery improvised this line. This quote is how Bond would introduce himself for the next 61 years and would go down as one of cinema's most famous lines.
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