Every Bond Girl Ranked - Worst To Best

10. Tatiana Romanova (From Russia With Love, 1963)

Eva Green
MGM

Tatiana “Tanya” Romanova’s looks, while considerable (even Bond does a double-take upon glimpsing her photograph, later remarking that she’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen), aren’t her only virtue.

Manipulated by freshly-defected Colonel Rosa Klebb into a mission ostensibly to provide false information to the West, she’s really placed as an unwitting pawn in a scheme to humiliate the British Secret Service and steal a Lektor MacGuffin for SPECTRE.

Despite this, Tatiana is portrayed as competent, knowledgeable in her field, and determined to make Mother Russia proud. She also holds her own against thunder-faced sourpuss Rosa Klebb when she tries to pry into her personal life, and manages not to vomit in revulsion when Klebb comes onto her.

She then becomes, like so many others, a bit of a lovelorn damsel in the second half after falling for Bond, but makes up for it with the distinction of being the first Bond girl to assist 007 by killing the baddie. Shooting Rosa Klebb dead puts a nice capper on their relationship, which opened with Klebb threatening to have Tatiana herself shot if she refused her mission.

Best moment: Her introduction to Bond, who spies her slipping into his bed in the bridal suite, is so steamy it’s almost simmering. It’s such a memorable and iconic moment, in fact, that it serves as the traditional first audition scene for all prospective new Bond actors.

Worst moment: Even Bond rolls his eyes as Romanova swoons “oh James, I love you, I love you” in the midst of a vital interrogation.

Contributor

Chest thumping James Bond and Haruki Murakami fanatic living in China. Once had a fever dream about riding a rowboat with Davos Seaworth. He hasn't updated this section since Game of Thrones was cool, and boy does it show.