Every Bond Movie Pre-Title Scene Ranked - Worst To Best

George Lazenby’s introduction as James Bond was all going so well.

John Barry’s resounding score was in full swing. Our man Bond, in a brave, new, markedly more rugged form, ran in haste across a sandy beach to save a beautiful dame from a watery grave, his immaculate tuxedo be damned.

He proceeded to lay a sound beating on a gang of thuggish interlopers. The thunderous punches exploded like bombs with every blow. The editing was fluid, dynamic, the action bold. The fighting amongst crashing waves was shot beautifully. He took care of the armed goons without breaking a sweat, the girl now safe and sound. It wasn’t Sean Connery, but it was still James Bond, the hero.

Then the girl suddenly drove off without a word of thanks, and Lazenby shattered the fourth wall with a single, infamous line: “This never happened to the other fella!”

No, no, no. James Bond is one character, one man, simply played by different actors in a floating timeline. Don’t ever break that illusion. While the scene in general was largely a joy to behold, this gag was not appreciated.

Best moment: The action here can’t be praised enough - thanks to the sound editing, and natural gifts at fight choreography possessed by Lazenby, the sequence feels brutal in a manner that wouldn’t be matched until 2006’s Casino Royale.