Is Sean Connery the greatest 007? For decades, this has been a subject of debate with James Bond fans, and while each actor has their fans, it’s always been clear that Connery is among the most popular. There is now some data that backs that up as a new study crunches the numbers, from “the suits and watches to the movies and female admirers,” to dub Connery as the ultimate 007.
The study is published by Luxe Watches, and it does factor in the “watch value” of the different Bonds into consideration. Mason and Sons, the original tailor of James Bond, also helped British tailors Church and Clements analyze the functionality of the different suits each Bond would wear, seeing if they were the right fit for Bond to do his job as a superspy. The ratings of the movies on IMDb were also used along with the ratings typically given to them by female viewers.
Low and behold, Sean Connery topped the list in the No. 1 spot. He ranks first as most popular James Bond ever based on online search terms, reaching around 135,000 per month on average. Connery’s Bond was given a perfect score for his “expert style,” with the data noting, “If you can make a towelling onesie look acceptable, then you will clearly have no problem looking the part in a bespoke suit tailored by Anthony Sinclair. Connery looked effortlessly cool in everything he wore as James Bond.”
Concerning Daniel Craig, he comes in at No. 2 on the list overall, though he did earn some top honors in particular categories. Craig’s Casino Royale is the highest rated James Bond movie, topping Connery’s Goldfinger. The actor, who recently wrapped his run as 007 in No Time to Die, was also named as having the most female fans analyzed by the study.
Rounding out the rest of the list are Roger Moore at No. 3; Pierce Brosnan at No. 4; Timothy Dalton at No. 5; and George Lazenby at No. 6. Brosnan also has the distinction of starring in the lowest rated Bond movie in Die Another Day. Lazenby’s run in the role as the star of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was very brief, which likely contributes to why he fell to the bottom of this list, though that movie did score the highest with male and female fans over the age of 45.
Of course, this is all just one way of determining the best James Bond, and many fans would argue that this is far from definitive. Fans of Daniel Craig might insist he’s the best of all, while the same goes for the other Bond actors on the list. The debate will certainly not be settled with the publication of this analysis, and for as long as people are still watching movies, fans will forever argue for their favorite as the ultimate version of 007.
Perhaps in 2022, we might find out which name will be the next to join this list. Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has suggested that casting talks for the next 007 won’t begun until next year. You can see the full James Bond rankings at Luxe Watches.
Source: movieweb.com