James Bond’s Best Silver Screen Moments

The enigmatic and mysterious Mr Bond has given us many memorable movie moments. Trying to pick the best scenes is a troublesome task. How do you encapsulate a lifetime of heroic escapades into a list of, say, the four most Bondesque moments? James Bond is synonymous with action, adventure, wit, charm and savoir-faire. Women, and men, have fallen under his spell time and again. Villains have been outplayed and dispatched with stylish aplomb. Audiences have succumbed to his charm through every incarnation of his legendary persona. With this in mind, we’ve decided to stick to a theme and the theme is ‘Bond at the casino’. Ian Fleming was a card shark himself and in this sense, he created Bond in his image. When 007 takes a seat at the table, you can rest assured the chips are going to fly.

Be warned: By the time you finish reading this article you’re going to want to perfect your poker or baccarat gameplay and take yourself off to a casino to act out a Bond moment of your own. We suggest you get in a little practice at one of the best online casinos you can find. Check out a trusted comparison site for a list of best casinos and then sign up and start playing. After all, the reason Bond is so damn cool is because he knows casino games like the back of his hand. It’s likely that Bond was simply born knowing the ins and outs of every game, but the rest of us have to put the time in to make it look effortless.

Casino Royale

Daniel Craig is considered by many to be the first actor worthy of being Sean Connery’s replacement. What about Roger Moore, we hear you cry. Moore certainly made the part his own, but Daniel Craig’s grittier, angrier Bond brought gravitas to the character and, in our humble opinion, that has made for much more compelling viewing. Craig’s debut as James Bond was in Casino Royale and he exploded onto the silver screen in true Bond-style; handsome, charming, unpredictable and fearless.

The back drop to the most pivotal scene in the movie is the magnificent casino floor of the Casino Royale. In the scene, Bond plays an intense and dramatic game of Texas Hold’em against the villain, Le Chiffre. The two go head to head in a battle of wills. The gorgeous Vesper Lynd looks on, as does CIA agent Felix Leiter. The audience is taken on an exhilarating ride of highs and lows as they watch the game play out. Bond loses everything in one thrilling hand, only to win it all back with a straight flush after Leiter stakes him the money to stay in the game.

Dr No

No casino-themed best Bond scenes list would be complete without the inclusion of the casino scene in Dr No. Sean Connery’s 007 will always be considered by some to be the only true Bond. Dr No was the very first Bond film and it kicked off the franchise with panache. The scene in question takes place in Le Cercle Casino, a fictional casino in London. It is the opening scene of the movie. And the scene introduced Bond fans to the glitz and glamour associated with Bond and to the man himself. Our first meeting with Bond is on the casino floor and he’s playing Chemin-de-fer. Among those watching the game unfold is Sylvia Trench – the very first in a long list of stunning Bond girls (or should we say conquests?). In what has come to be classic Bond-style, 007 turns to Sylvia to compliment her gameplay. Sylvia returns the compliment and asks the suave gentleman his name. Bond takes a moment to pull a cigarette from a case, lights it up and with measured nonchalance utters the iconic ‘Bond, James Bond.’ And just like that, every woman in the world fell deeply and madly in love and every man wished they could be as cool as Bond.

GoldenEye

When it comes to Pierce Brosnan’s Bond the jury is deeply divided. Fans tend to either love him or hate him – just like Marmite, there’s no in-between. Brosnan’s run of Bond films came after a 6 year break and Golden Eye was the first of four. This film differed to previous films in that the plot was not taken from one of Ian Fleming’s novels but instead was based loosely on the man himself. It’s only fitting then that this great casino scene was, once again, centred on a game of baccarat. The backdrop is the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo and the beauty of the scene is the attention given to the game itself. Bond’s foe is the Russian secret agent, Xenia Onatopp. The sexual tension between the two is palpable and the suspense is heightened by the high-stakes game.

Diamonds Are Forever

Our final scene comes from Sean Connery’s final outing as Bond. Saying goodbye to the Bond that started it all was never going to be easy, but Diamonds Are Forever was a fitting tribute. The theme song will be forever etched on the hearts and minds of every Bond fan for many years to come and Connery’s gravelly voice requesting his last martini – shaken, not stirred – was and is bittersweet. We chose this scene for two reasons; the location and the game. Bond is, more often than not, to be found chasing bad guys through grandiose European streets or playing baccarat at exclusive, old-money casinos. However, in this movie Bond is in Las Vegas and the game is craps. Not only does Bond win a huge amount of money with the throw of the die, he also seduces the gorgeous and aptly-named, Plenty O’Toole.