James Bond: Every Sean Connery Movie Ranked Worst To Best

When Ian Fleming was asked to comment on the first James Bond film which had been adapted from his successful novels he famously stated: “Dreadful. Simply dreadful.” While this may be an overreaction, there is definitely a lot to be desired in this first entry to the series which is far from the classic many remember it to be.

The pace throughout is the main problem, a far cry from what modern audiences are used to, but it also feels like the novel was very literally translated in the safest way possible without getting rid of any padding. The action as a result feels very static with a finale which sees Bond slowly wrestling the rather anticlimactic villain Dr No over a vat of rising radiated water in a scene which looks more like two old men grappling over a hot bath.

The saving grace, however, is Sean Connery who oozes charisma and looks every inch the part of the dashing yet ruthless British spy. From joining in a rendition of Underneath the Mango Tree with Honey Ryder on the beach to our first glimpse of him at the casino table with a cigarette lazily draped from his lips, it is clear he was born to play the part of the suave British agent.