Why Roger Moore's films are the best - A Top Ten

Halcon · March 2013

For those of us that are fans of Moore's Bond, what makes them stand out so much as a whole?
Just saw Moonraker on Blue Ray last night, may I say that this is such a fantastic movie?! B-)

Here are my top Ten reasons for Roger Moore's films in no particular order -

10- Moore wears the Navy coat and cream/grey pant combo like no other Bond.

9-Moore plays Bond like someone who trully has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

8-His movies are just as much adventure as they are spy films. Perfect combination.

7-Beautifully sung Bond themes FYEO, OP, MR and TSWLM.

6-Moore gets REAL revenge for death of Tracy.

5-Moore best fit the description of 'Refined but Deadly'.

4-Moore is the most intelligent of all Bonds - (he flew a space rocket for crying out loud)

3-Moore also wore the Tan suit like no other Bond.

2-Unlike other Bond films, watching Moore's Bond give you a sensation of nostalgia (even though i was introduced to Bond in Goldeneye at age 13).

1-Agent XXX, Corine Dufour, Stacy Sutton, Dr. Quinn, Caroline Munro, Kristina Wayborn and of course Octopussy...

Thunderpussy · March 2013

As a Teen Moore was My Bond, I loved the spectcale of his Bonds
The big action sequences and Mind blowing stunt work. We still
had the Ken Adam sets. For their Time they were Perfect
entertainment. -{
Many dislike Moonraker, When I'm in the Mood I love it.

Higgins · March 2013

Halcon wrote:

9-Moore plays Bond like someone who trully has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I think, that this has been the key to Sir Rogers success.
Remember that he was an estabished "star" when he took over the 007 role - you can't say this from any other Bond-actor though Brosnan had some merits.

BIG TAM · March 2013

True, Thunderpussy. I was ten when I saw MOONRAKER. And when you're ten years old a film like MOONRAKER is quite simply the best film ever made! Yes, it's daft at times but if viewed in the right frame of mind is great fun with bags of spectacle that never shortchanges the audience. And though I prefer a tougher Bond portrayal I simply find it impossible to dislike Roger Moore.

So, my own Roger Moore Top Ten as it currently stands is:-

1. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
2. LIVE & LET DIE
3. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
4. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
5. MOONRAKER
6. OCTOPUSSY
7. A VIEW TO A KILL

ausbondfan · March 2013

I like Roger so much because he strikes me as an experienced veteran looks wise. Kind of like he's had years and years of training and now bam here he is. Not a lot of the other Bond actors have really had that look or stigma about them but Roger did.

I don't think any fan of the Bond series can dislike Roger completely. Most of his films are good (Moonraker was bad in my opinion but that's it) and he definitely strikes me as a fan of the series which a guy like Connery or Brosnan really aren't.

Not to mention the fact he seems like a genuinely great person.

LastRatStanding · March 2013

ausbondfan wrote:

I like Roger so much because he strikes me as an experienced veteran looks wise. Kind of like he's had years and years of training and now bam here he is. Not a lot of the other Bond actors have really had that look or stigma about them but Roger did.

I don't think any fan of the Bond series can dislike Roger completely. Most of his films are good (Moonraker was bad in my opinion but that's it) and he definitely strikes me as a fan of the series which a guy like Connery or Brosnan really aren't.

Not to mention the fact he seems like a genuinely great person.

I think the reason I like the Moore bond films as much as I do is because I think Moore is a genuine fan of the series and a good person.

Charmed & Dangerous · March 2013

I've been lucky enough to see him twice in person at the NFT being interviewed, and he is the most debonair, gregarious, witty, genuine person - it's impossible not to love him. I think those qualities spill over into his films, one of the reasons why they are so massively entertaining.

Btw Halcon you missed Madeleine Smith and Fiona Fullerton...

Nick37 · March 2013

As much as Dalton is my favorite, I agree, it's impossible not to like Roger Moore's films. Sure his take is about as far from Fleming's Bond (Save for FYEO) as you can get, but there's not a single film of his that is at the bottom of my watch list. Even LALD, which usually got the cold shoulder from me until recently has emerged as quite good upon recent viewing and I will be watching it more and more now. If I was forced to rank them, I think Octopussy would be my lowest, but I like it and Louis Jordan is an excellent villian.

Peppermill · March 2013

Having met sir Roger once and having the chance to have a brief talk with him for about ten minutes I have to say that he is as nice and polite a person I have ever met. Maybe his movies are not the 'best' Bond movies but they are the movies I enjoy most. This doesn't mean I rank them all very high but it does mean that there is no movie of Moore that I dislike.

1. The Spy Who Loved Me - To me the ultimate cinematic Bond experience.

2. Octopussy - Probably the first 007 movie I ever saw and I still have a soft spot for it.

3. Live And Let Die - A great debut; great villain, Bond girl, stunts and Moore looked great and relaxed.

4. For Your Eyes Only - Shows Moore could play a very good serious 007 when given a serious script.

5. Moonraker - The second 007 movie I ever saw and when I was 9 years old this was absolutely amazing! Great PTS and the first 1,5 hours are actually pretty good IMHO.

6. A View To A Kill - Maybe one movie to many, but still a very enjoyable movie.

7. The Man With The Golden Gun - My least favorite, a bit low-key.

DEFIANT 74205 · March 2013

ausbondfan wrote:

I don't think any fan of the Bond series can dislike Roger completely. Most of his films are good (Moonraker was bad in my opinion but that's it) and he definitely strikes me as a fan of the series which a guy like Connery or Brosnan really aren't.

Not to mention the fact he seems like a genuinely great person.

Maybe not completely, but his portrayal of James Bond is so far removed from the Fleming concept that I find it difficult to link actor and character together. I dislike Moore's portrayal of James Bond, although I have to agree that I don't actively dislike any of his Bond films as much as I dislike Die Another Day.

I won't dispute the "genuinely great person" part. I've never met him, so I can't comment on that. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that he is, because that's the way he portrayed the character of James Bond. Moore, like his portrayal of Bond, is the consummate gentleman. There isn't any element of danger or coldness or cruelty with him, even when he is playing a character who is supposed to be a cold, ruthless killer. I don't get the sense that Moore's Bond is, to borrow a quote from the novella The Spy Who Loved Me, "good looking in a dark, rather cruel way"

Moore is my least favourite Bond. I don't think Fleming would've approved of his portrayal.

kissarmy71 · March 2013

Most people's favorite Bond is the one they grew up with. If I was to rate the Bonds from Best to Worst it would go like this: Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton and Craig. Roger is the best and his movies are my favorites....I watch at least 1 Bond movie a week and I try to pick a different film each week (I bought the 50th anniversary blu ray box set ..and it's fantastic). The funny thing is...I can't watch too many movies without wanting to see a Roger Moore movie. All of his films are fun and there's not one that I dislike. All the other actors who have played Bond - I have at least 1 movie that I dislike from each group. So I whole heartedly agree - Roger is the best! Cheers!

Halcon · March 2013

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

Btw Halcon you missed Madeleine Smith and Fiona Fullerton...

Thanks for the reminder!

Jarvio · March 2013

Everyone knows that I bum RM (not literally!

) ), but just for the sake of it, here's my list: LALD, AVTAK, OP, FYEO, TSWLM, TMWTGG, MR. I love them all except for MR. Long live the most underrated bond ever -{

Silhouette Man · March 2013

Yes, I do think that Roger Moore was a great likable Bond who developed the filmic Bond up to that point, but who was probably the farthest removed from the Fleming original novels IMHO. He had some pleassing Flemingesque touches through his reign however.

Firemass · March 2013

Silhouette Man,

Which of Roger's films would you consider to be the most Fleming-esque? Most fans would probably point to For Your Eyes Only, but I am kind of leaning towards A View to a Kill. Investigating the well-respected Zorin for cheating at the horse races is a parallel from the Moonraker novel. Plus there was a much higher ratio of spying to action than most RM films. Most all of the Bond films capture the spirit of Ian Fleming's original creation IMO.

Silhouette Man · March 2013

Firemass wrote:

Silhouette Man,

Which of Roger's films would you consider to be the most Fleming-esque? Most fans would probably point to For Your Eyes Only, but I am kind of leaning towards A View to a Kill. Investigating the well-respected Zorin for cheating at the horse races is a parallel from the Moonraker novel. Plus there was a much higher ratio of spying to action than most RM films. Most all of the Bond films capture the spirit of Ian Fleming's original creation IMO.

I'd say in order of most Flemingesque to least they would go as follows:

For Your Eyes Only
The Man with the Golden Gun
Octopussy
Live and Let Die
A View to A Kill
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker

NeverSayDie · March 2013

My choice would be:

Moonraker
The Man With Golden Gun
The Spy Who Loved Me
Live and Let Die
A View to a Kill
For Your Eyes Only
Octopussy

Silhouette Man · March 2013

NeverSayDie wrote:

My choice would be:

Moonraker
The Man With Golden Gun
The Spy Who Loved Me
Live and Let Die
A View to a Kill
For Your Eyes Only
Octopussy

Is that the most to least Flemingesque or your personal favourite ranking of the Roger Moore films, NeverSayDie?

NeverSayDie · March 2013

My personal choice. Yes your list is the most Fleming.
My order of personal preference is ironically almost the order I saw them in when I was little.

Firemass · March 2013

I just finished a Bond doubleheader of From Russia With Love and Octopussy. aka The most serious of the Connery films vs. the goofiest of the Moore films. I expected FRWL to win by a landslide, but there's just something so entertaining and enjoyable about the RM era. Perhaps it was the Bond film crew being so skilled at their profession. Octopussy's amazing pre-title sequence, the mesmerizing title sequence and song, and all the great action/suspense scenes that followed. Classic.

NeverSayDie · March 2013

As a kid I always gravitated to the Roger Moore films. I actually found FRWL boring until I was a teenager.

Firemass · March 2013

NeverSayDie wrote:

As a kid I always gravitated to the Roger Moore films. I actually found FRWL boring until I was a teenager.

yeah, same here.

Sherbrook · March 2013

I think Sir Rog appeared in some of the worst Bond films but he is such a nice, polite, self-deprecating guy in interviews

I loved LALD and of all the actors he looked most at home in the "Bond lifestyle"

Really enjoyed his autobiography

chrisisall · March 2013

Silhouette Man wrote:

I'd say in order of most Flemingesque to least they would go as follows:

For Your Eyes Only
The Man with the Golden Gun
Octopussy
Live and Let Die
A View to A Kill
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker

I guess I'd concur.

raptors_887 · March 2013

I'm not sure what to think of Roger Moore. He had some really good movies and then some really bad movies. His Bond character also doesn't seem very threatening like Connery, Dalton, Brosnan and Craig do.

Firemass · March 2013

...and what makes FYEO the most Fleming-esque? Did Ian love the winter olympics or something? I'm still not sure what to think of that film. Sometimes I really enjoy it, other times I find it rather boring compared to rest of the Moore era films.

My current ranking of RM from most favorite to least favorite would be:

1. TSWLM 98/100
2. AVTAK 96/100
3. MR 95/100
4. OP 81/100
5. LALD 80/100
6. FYEO 78/100
7. TMWTGG 68/100

Octopussy has risen in the ranks by almost 20 points, while FYEO has dropped by about 5.

DEFIANT 74205 · March 2013

Silhouette Man wrote:

I'd say in order of most Flemingesque to least they would go as follows:

For Your Eyes Only
The Man with the Golden Gun
Octopussy
Live and Let Die
A View to A Kill
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker

Interesting. How was The Man With the Golden Gun "Flemingesque" (or more "Flemingesque" than Live and Let Die or Octopussy? Aside from Scaramanga being a Fleming character, I don't think there's any resemblance between the novel and the film. Nick Nack, JW Pepper were completely out of place in the film, and they made Mary Goodnight an incompetent ... "bimbo" (for want of a better word, no offence intended).

I agree with For Your Eyes Only. It is, in my view, the best (and most "Flemingesque") Bond film starring Moore, by a long way.

DEFIANT 74205 · March 2013

Firemass wrote:

...and what makes FYEO the most Fleming-esque?

Can I recommend that you read For Your Eyes Only, if you haven't already?

What I liked about the film was that it incorporates and amalgamates two of Fleming's short stories from For Your Eyes Only ("For Your Eyes Only" and "Risico") seamlessly into the storyline. It's not completely faithful to the book, and I can't exactly quantify it except to say when I watch the film, I see Fleming's story coming to life. It's also Moore's most serious film, in my view.

It's been a long time since I've read the book myself, and I could probably give a more detailed response if I re-read the book and re-watched the film to do a comparison.

Firemass · March 2013

Thanks Defiant I just ordered it for my Kindle. I was under the impression that FYEO did not follow the Fleming short story and instead just tried to make a film "similar" to FRWL and OHMSS. (as well as adding the keel-haul scene from LALD novel)

For me FYEO is almost non-stop action of skiing, bobsledding, ski jumping, ice skating, diving, and rock climbing.
Roger Moore delivers a great performance, (as always) but it's hampered by several unfortunate 1981 wardrobe choices. Plus he somehow aged like 10 years since Moonraker.

chrisisall · March 2013

He was the saintly Bond.

DEFIANT 74205 · March 2013

Firemass wrote:

I was under the impression that FYEO did not follow the Fleming short story

It didn't entirely. The

Firemass wrote:

almost non-stop action of skiing, bobsledding, ski jumping, ice skating, diving, and rock climbing.

is a product of the film and not the book. But the backstory with Havelock's parents being murdered and her seeking revenge (from "For Your Eyes Only") as well as the Kristatos/Columbo power play ("Risico") were from the book, albeit with a few modifications.

Why Roger Moore's films are the best - A Top Ten

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