Nobody Does it Half as Good as You: A Better Bond Than Craig

By Cindy Davis | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (54)

I knew when I wrote my opinion of Daniel Craig’s Bond portrayal, there were plenty of you who would disagree. What I should have mentioned is that while I’m a Bond film fan, I have never read Ian Flemming’s spy novels. As with other popular book to film/television series (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels), there can be a great divide between what the fans of each medium have in mind. I am in the midst of reading Game of Thrones after having watched the HBO series, therefore I already have set mental pictures of many of the characters based on the actors who played them. I’ve seen all the Harry Potter movies, but never read the books—so I never dealt with my own ideas of what the characters should look like. As far as I’m concerned, Daniel Radcliffe has always been Harry and Emma Watson, Hermione. I’m sure that people who read the books before seeing the movies had some other ideas of what the characters should look like.

For those of us who have seen a group of actors parade through the Bond films, we grew to love some or all of them because of their performances, rather than because they fit our book impressions of the character. Myself, I found Connery and Moore the most satisfying, both in looks and charm. (And make no mistake, charming can indeed be the hallmark of a stone cold killer.) The Bond film fans are just as fervent as the book fans. I don’t think either group can claim it knows best who fits the mold; we’re coming from different angles.

Just for fun, here is Flemming’s picture of Bond as interpreted for a comic strip:

And indeed, there is something around the eyes that resembles Craig.

Here is a picture of the man Flemming imagined Bond resembled (Hoagy Carmichael):

Clearly, Craig has no physical similarity.

Regardless of any of our opinions, eventually Mr. Craig will move on and we’ll all have to change our impressions once again. So at John W.’s suggestion, I’m putting up the top five actors who’d make a better Bond. Feel free to carry on with your protestations and alternative suggestions.

5.: Christian Bale:

4.: Alexander Skarsgård (no, he is not too Nordic):

3.: Clive Owen:

2.: Michael Fassbender:

1.: Ralph Fiennes (on the condition he grows back his hair):

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Comments

Ralph Fiennes is way too creepy to be James Bond. Attractive, yes. Suave, probably. But I can't get pas the creepy.

Wasn't Goran Visnic rumoured to be in play for James bond for a while?

Posted by: Zirze at July 19, 2011 5:06 PM

I'd like to think Voldemort and Magneto are out for Bond, that's just weird. Like Terrance Stamp suddenly playing Pa Kent weird. I never thought of Christian Bale, that'd be creepy good.

Posted by: J Byrd at July 19, 2011 5:07 PM

I think Clive Owen would make a great Bond. He's not quite as...eye candy...as some of the other Bond's, but I think his attitude would make up for it.

I've heard talk of James McAvoy taking over the roll...just like before Craig was cast I heard they were thinking about Rupert Everett.

I think the route they should go though is to cast a nobody. Find someone new, fresh. If he wasn't doing Superman you could say someone like Henry Cavill.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at July 19, 2011 5:09 PM

Christian Bale and his super serious, gravely voice schtick would not be a better Bond than Craig.

Posted by: Will at July 19, 2011 5:11 PM

I say none of the above. I like Craig. Clive Owen would have been good, but he didn't want it. Bale, too much Batman-Terminator-other franchises. Skarsgard and Fiennes just don't do it for me. I think Fassbender would be awesome as Bond, but I actually think he's BETTER than that. He should be doing something even more incredible.

Posted by: MM at July 19, 2011 5:12 PM

I think Clive Owen would be the best pick out of all these, though Fassbender would do an excellent job as well. I can see Bale but he'd be far down the list.

Just last night my mother was having a conversation with my sister about Bond in which she yelled, "Daniel Craig is the worst god-damned Bond ever. Bunch of bullshit!"

She's 75.

Posted by: Paultera at July 19, 2011 5:19 PM

Oh, Clive Owen, for sure. I remember I read that he reportedly turned it down. I guess he didn't want to be a part of some big franchise? Our loss, I think he'd have been great. Fassbender would be good too, because he's good at everything ever.

Posted by: Dorothy Snarker at July 19, 2011 5:25 PM

*ahem* FASSBENDER!...carry on.

Posted by: Joker at July 19, 2011 5:29 PM

Fassbender or Clive Owen because Bale in suit he's Wayne/Bateman ,the nordic guy is too nordic guy and Fiennes is more interesting in bad guy

i like Craig in Casino Royal but he's too serious in Quantum even if it's because the movie is too serious

Posted by: carrie at July 19, 2011 5:36 PM

First, two things:

1. Connery is, to me, the definitive CINEMATIC Bond. He set the standard whether you agree with his portrayal or not defined it. Think about it, if for example Lazenby had started the series I really doubt they'd still be making them today.

2. Dalton had the chops and the look AND the charisma. But maaaaan those scripts SUCKED. Not his fault, I do believe he was robbed of his time to make the character his by shitty productions.

Having said that, I believe Statham could make for an interesting take on Bond. I can also see Bale giving it a nice go, or how about Ewan McGregor (he'd need to bulk-up a bit).

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at July 19, 2011 5:43 PM

I thought Craig was a smart business choice for Bond; the Broccolis clearly wanted to reinvigorate the franchise and said to each other, "We need to go hard or go home. We need a James Bond who could fu*k you up with his bare hands. You know what would be cool? Steve McQueen as James Bond. How can we do that?". I thought Craig nailed it; he looked like he could have been an SAS officer, and he marched every where oozing charisma and arrogance. When I watched Anne of Green Gables I thought, well, she's not my Anne, but she's great in her own way. Maybe that is also the difference between book and movie Bond. Or maybe the Broccolis are cynical schmucks who don't give a toss about Fleming, they have a business to run.

Clive Owen will be too old for Bond by the time Craig moves on, I suspect. Fassbender might be too big a star by then. They usually pick a medium to low fame level person to play him.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at July 19, 2011 5:51 PM

Skaarsgard looks like Big Bird to me.

Wait. I forgot - I'm not speaking to you, Cindy. Not after that last Bond post. As Dwight Schrute would say, "'Shun Mode' back on."

Posted by: klingonfree at July 19, 2011 5:52 PM

I can't play this game. It always takes more than one Bond flick for me to begin to accept a new Bond. Whoever the new one is won't be Bond for a while. I buried The Saint, Remington Steels, and others. Now I need to eliminate another memory. Argh.

Posted by: Nicolae at July 19, 2011 5:53 PM

DANIEL. CRAIG.

Everyone else (with the *possible* exception of Connery) has just been a gadget-happy nancy-boy.

Posted by: PVallery at July 19, 2011 5:55 PM

clive owen would've been ace

Posted by: the chaplain at July 19, 2011 5:57 PM

Let's just haul Connery's geriatric ass out of retirement, slap a coat of CGI Tron paint on him and BLAM-O! Instant classic.

Posted by: Blake Shrapnel at July 19, 2011 6:00 PM

I strongly (albeit respectfully) disagree with Cindy about Daniel Craig. If any actor has been a better Bond than Sean Connery, it is Craig. He carries himself with that quiet, deadly brutality that Connery had. I don't personally find Craig particularly sexy, but objectively he has got that shit down as James Bond. That second movie, Parallax of Quantum or whatever, would have been a complete waste of time without Daniel Craig.

With that coiled-brutality-at-rest thing in mind, Clive Owen is an inspired choice, and one that never occurred to me.

And Christian Bale--well, Christian Bale can be anyone. He could be James Bond the morning after having been the Elephant Man all night following a day of being Joan Crawford. He's Christian fucking Bale.

Posted by: Jerce at July 19, 2011 6:16 PM

Going on the illustration alone - Jon Hamm. Omitted: considerations of national pride and scheduling conflicts. Assumption: he can look completely dispassionate.

Posted by: LB at July 19, 2011 6:17 PM

I actually think Skarsgard would have been too big. I just can't picture Bond looming over everyone around him like that. And while I wouldn't say he's "too Nordic," I would say he's not English enough. Nobody from outside the UK should play English characters. Period.

Posted by: Todd at July 19, 2011 6:30 PM

Matthew Lewis (ne: Longbottom), assuming he continues to mature at the rate he is going, will be perfect in 10 years or so.

Posted by: EJ at July 19, 2011 6:33 PM

I would give all my monies to the studio that cast Fassbender or Owen as Bond.

Posted by: Shadowen at July 19, 2011 6:39 PM

if Brosnan can outstay his welcome by 3 movies then Danny Craig shud definitely and easily be able to make at least 5 films in total before he retires.

and we're not even considering the bullsh*t dat is the delay in between QoS n 23 thx to MGM pulling a McG.

Posted by: haplo at July 19, 2011 7:05 PM

Idris Elba. The man is suave, charming, British, and looks damn fine in a suit. I would be much more easily seduced by his gravelly voiced self than that blue-eyed Speedo-clad dwarf.

Posted by: ohwhitneykay at July 19, 2011 7:10 PM

"Parallax of Quantum or whatever, would have been a complete waste of time without Daniel Craig."

Get your shit straight.

The title was "Quantum of Solarium"

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at July 19, 2011 7:26 PM

I don't know if it's been said yet, cause I haven't read the comments, but honestly, if Roger Moore is one of your favorite Bonds, that's automatic disqualification for pontificating on filling the Bond role. Roger Moore was such a ham. Try as I might I cannot get Moonraker - the first Bond film I saw in theaters - out of my mind.

Posted by: space oddity at July 19, 2011 7:37 PM

What about Richard Armitage? He was a pretty convincing spy on Spooks/MI:5. He's tall, dark and handsome. Serious, rather than charming (but so is Christian Bale). Clive Owen was my first pick when they ended up casting Craig but I heard he turned the part down? And I really don't ever want to hear Alexander Skarsgard's English accent. It's not that he isn't a good actor (I mean: Generation Kill) but... No. 007 is a British institution. I don't want to see a non-Brit playing the part.

Posted by: meilufay at July 19, 2011 7:43 PM

BSlim, I thought about McGregor a lot, but there's something too soft about him.

Whomever is saying that Bale's gravely voice is wrong, haven't you seen him in things other than Batman or Terminator? Dude can change it up.

Posted by: Cindy at July 19, 2011 8:00 PM

Dude, Fassbender is a great fucking pick.

Posted by: superasente at July 19, 2011 8:20 PM

I think Craig's pretty good, actually. He actually looks as though he not only could, but would, beat the shit out of someone in order to protect Britain. Then he'd dump them on a sidewalk two blocks away from the nearest hospital, zip a windbreaker over his bloody shirt, grab some clothing at H&M, and take a commuter train to some unfashionable suburb.

But as long as we're going the "unglamorous Bond" route, may I suggest Martin Freeman?

Posted by: Maureen at July 19, 2011 8:26 PM

Hoagy Carmichael, huh.... That is very interesting.

I love me some Daniel Craig, I think he has made the best Bond since Sean Connery.

Posted by: MRod at July 19, 2011 8:28 PM

1. Sean Connery
1a. Daniel Craig

Posted by: James S at July 19, 2011 8:46 PM

"I don't know if it's been said yet, cause I haven't read the comments, but honestly, if Roger Moore is one of your favorite Bonds, that's automatic disqualification for pontificating on filling the Bond role."

This needed repeating.

Posted by: klingonfree at July 19, 2011 8:46 PM

BSlim, I thought about McGregor a lot, but there's something too soft about him.

Posted by: Cindy at July 19, 2011 8:00 PM

-------------------------------------

Then we are talking about whatshisface....eeeh, Jude Law. Dude seems to have the hard edge McGregor is missing, you can see it in Repo Men ( I KNOW it sucked but still).

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at July 19, 2011 8:58 PM

Yeah, I'm being a copy cat...but was there another Bond in the 60s & 70s BESIDES Sean Connery...

And I am still BEYOND PISSED that they passed up on Clivey...frickin' Broccolis!!!

Posted by: Lala11_7 at July 19, 2011 8:59 PM

I considered Jude--he's a great actor--but he's physically too small. Same with McAvoy.

Posted by: Cindy at July 19, 2011 9:06 PM

Wow, meilufay, good call with the Richard Armitage.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at July 19, 2011 9:09 PM

Wholeheartedly agree with numbers 1,2, and 3.

#4 I'd have to see a screen test.

#5 Disagree.

Clive Owens reminds me a lot Sean Connery (Best. Bond. Ever.)

Posted by: John W at July 19, 2011 9:22 PM

Daniel Craig isn't just James Bond. He's the reboot, the updated Ultimates-style James Bond. He's not supposed to be Sean Connery. As such he's the only actor to play THAT version of the character. Any comparisons between actors MUST involve an examination of the characters.

Personally, while I enjoy the deadpan Brit in a tuxedo trope, I liked the raw, rough, damaged Bond a great deal, mostly due to Craig's performance. The movies on the other hand, weren't great.

Posted by: AmbroseKalifornia at July 19, 2011 10:14 PM

Though I like Craig, I'm willing to give Assbender a shot. But I will not spend one nickel on that fucking guy from "The Hurt Locker."

Posted by: Pookie at July 19, 2011 11:01 PM

I don't know much about Bond movies, as I've only seen handfuls of pieces of different movies, but I'd have to agree about Skarsgard not being "English enough".

...

Although, if I saw him as Bond, my entire Uterus would probably fall out. I've totally got a thing for huge Viking type guys...I wonder if it's because I'm Mexican...dark haired guys just don't do it enough for me. Sigh.

...

Also, my computer auto-corrects Skarsgard as skateboard. I don't know why I find that so funny.

Posted by: Candee at July 19, 2011 11:22 PM

I like Craig as this incarnation of Bond. I say this incarnation because they clearly wanted to move away from the cheesy and not very serious Bond that was the hallmark of pretty much the whole franchise.

Its kind of like they pulled a Nolan/Batman Begins with the Craig films by making them more serious and showing us the origins of the character. We don't see Craig being the charming, womanizing Bond because they haven't build that persona yet. And I think Craig is very good at being the awesome spy who falls in love with one woman. If they ever make another film with Craig I think he will prove capable of being the Bond of old, even though he might not look the part.

Having said that, I like this list of potential Bonds. I think Christian Bale can do anything and I would highly endorse him as the next Bond.

Posted by: Dave at July 20, 2011 1:48 AM

Clive Owen! Does anyone remember him in the Pink Panther movie? Pity he turned the role down.

Posted by: Diviya at July 20, 2011 2:45 AM

I liked Schwarzenegger as Bond in True Lies.

Posted by: Jakob Montrasio at July 20, 2011 3:30 AM

Sean Connery will ALWAYS be James Bond! Especially in the early movies.

Oh, and read the books. Great quick reads. None of the gimmicks or gadgetry. Just good, old fashioned spy stuff.

Posted by: Uncle JR at July 20, 2011 4:00 AM

FAAAAAASBENDEEEERRRRRRR

Posted by: Colombo at July 20, 2011 4:36 AM

We don't see Craig being the charming, womanizing Bond because they haven't build that persona yet.

yet? he wasn't charming wit Vesper? Or womanized the two ladies who ended up dead, covered in sand and oil?

I'm out if he starts doing Brosnan's smarmy fu*k thing in 23 just coz M confirmed him.

Posted by: haplo at July 20, 2011 6:44 AM

Fassbender basically played Magneto in the x-Men as Bond in the 60's. He was perfect.

Posted by: d at July 20, 2011 8:00 AM

I tried to let this go, I really did. I generally don't get involved with these sorts of things preferring to watch these conflagrations from the sideline. (I fulfill my duty contributing page-views and then move on to boingboing etc.) I figured that this wrongheadedness would pass and that would be it.

However today I turned to my favorite page and found no mea culpa or thankfully-disappeared-'neath-the-fold original article. Instead I found Ms. Davis trying to justify her original frappery by pointing out who might better inhabit the role of Bond.

I'll admit that until Casino Royale debuted I had long hoped to see my fave man-crush Clive Owen work the Bond gig like his bitch. But, after seeing Layer Cake, I was comfortable that Craig might be passable. Upon seeing CR, I was blown away with Craig's Bond. Not just because I've read all the novels but because, as I've aged so has Bond. (Neither, in a good way!) This was a reinvigorating of the original character I'd learned to love rather than some mealy mouthed fey shadow of the man who'd drop you off a roof as soon as light your cigarette.

What had once been a smirk of derision on Sean Connery's craggy mug had become a smug and smarmy grin on the chiseled visages of Moore, Brosnan et al. Their Bond's were not only not true to the novels they weren't true to the original presentation of the character on screen. While I respect different actors having their own take on, and in the case of Woody Allen/Peter Sellers taking the piss out of, James Bond. As the movies went on it wasn't about the character of a man who'd lost his wife because of his job who happened to deploy gadgets on behalf of his government and its needs. The movies became so dependent on the gadgets that you could literally plug-in any good looking smirking actor, add a liberal helping of gadgety-goodness and voila(!) BOND!!

But if Bond is supposed to be a testosterone fueled killing machine, a blunt instrument of destruction ,then Bond had fallen far short of that intimidating vision prior to Craig's version. Just as I wouldn't vote for a president that I don't believe is smarter than my smartest friends I won't enjoy a Bond who's ass I think I could kick.

Cindy your strawman argument about not having read the books and therefore making this a lits vs. films debate holds less water than a certain Lotus Esprit Turbo. Friggin' laser duels in space were meant to pander to the Star Wars fanbase and not in keeping with James Bond and his tortured sociopathic self and these were just the begining of Bond's problems. Bond got cute and as soon as that happened he stopped being Bond and became the stereotypical "Secret Agent" character that so many actors (Dean Martin and James Coburn come to mind) have mined for cheap laughs. Hell I'd rather watch Archer than some of the mid-career Bond's.

As someone who has seen and read all the original novels and all the films it is my NSHO that Craig is more Bond, the character as written in the novels and the canonical films that started the franchise, than anyone since Connery. It's not about whether you prefer the films vs. the novels (I prefer the films, overall, as the novels are even more misogynistic and more myopic than the films which have a grander scale and palette and offer a greater depth of character than is present in the novels.) It's about whether you want to see an honestly acted tension filled film where the outcome may actually hang in the balance. There is no willing suspension of disbelief available in the mid-career Bond. There is simply a, "whoa what ridiculous way is he gonna get out of this scrape?"

Put simply Moore, Brosnan et al never had the balls that Craig lost at the hands of Le Chiffre(?)!

God I've gotta get back to work and away from my fanboi obsessions!!!

Posted by: barec2 at July 20, 2011 11:09 AM

Chalk me up as another big fan of Craig. Brosnan was terrible, Dalton's films wer cheesy, and Roger Moore was a hammy, paunchy, creepy old-man Bond. If you can sit through A View to a Kill and STILL like Moore as Bond, I just...

Mrs. J had it EXACTLY right. Craig as Bond is the closest thing to Steve McQueen as Bond. And how is that not awesome?

Posted by: Bert at July 20, 2011 12:37 PM

I have a confession to make: I've never seen any of Fassbender's movies. Clearly, I need to rectify this glaring omission in my cinematic habits.

Posted by: stardust at July 20, 2011 1:42 PM

Wrong, more wrong, even wronger, wronger still and wrongest.

Posted by: sosumi at July 20, 2011 2:51 PM

I think the comic pic looks pretty much like George Lazenby .

I'm also in the Daniel Craig camp. He's brought JB into age of the modern action hero.

Posted by: IneptFake at July 20, 2011 3:38 PM

ha!!! Fassbender as Bond? A german as Bond?!? Fleming would be rolling over in his grave and would in all probability rise again to kick some Broccoli ass... if Cubby didnt allready rise to to it himself.

You can also disregard all americans or nordic types for the role. The role will go to a brit, and maybe end up with someone from the commonwealth. That means all those Aussie actors that are slowly taking over Hollywood would qualify.

Of Course Christian Bale would do a good job, but will he want to do it? Also will the Broccoli's hire someone that has so much star power. Traditionally they have chosen lesser known actors.

Clive Owen wont do it, he was snubbed last time and took it personally. It is clear that Shoot 'em Up was a bit of a middlefinger to the Broccoli family.

The other brits on the list are too old.

My opinion?

Jamie Bamber? Why the Frack not!

And remember that Karl Urban (Bones) was also in the outside track for it a few years ago. he was super Bad-ass in Bourne Supremacy and would not dissapoint.

Posted by: stofjas at July 20, 2011 3:56 PM

All for one, one for all.

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Nobody Does it Half as Good as You: A Better Bond Than Craig

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