Summary
- From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, every 007 actor has provided some of the best James Bond quotes in the franchise.
- 007’s puns and one-liners are a key reason the James Bond movies have been so successful.
- Catchphrases like ”
The name’s Bond, James Bond”
and
“I’ll have a vodka martinini – shaken, not stirred”
are among the most recognizable in cinema history.
007’s 25 movies are so littered with witty dialogue and wry one-liners that the best James Bond quotes rank among the most globally recognized in cinema history. James Bond first appeared in Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale in 1953. However, the iconic and highly quotable 007 movies are why Britain’s most famous fictional spy is a decades-spanning franchise. Sean Connery first played 007 on the big screen. Over the years, actors George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig have all played the spy for Eon Productions’ films, each delivering a unique slant on 007.
The most famous James Bond quotes include some of the most iconic lines from the history of movies, with great puns and catchphrases from every era of the spy franchise. From Sean Connery’s influential first appearance in Dr. No to Daniel Craig’s last in No Time to Die, 007 has been delivering unforgettable quotes for 60 years. Though aspects of the James Bond franchise have changed over the decades, 007’s quick wit and distinctly dark sense of humor have remained.
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45 “Bond. James Bond.”
James Bond in Dr. No (1962)
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One of the most iconic James Bond lines came from his very first scene on the big screen back in 1962. Out of all the James Bond quotes out there, “Bond. James Bond” has to be without a doubt the most well-known. When Bond is introduced, he is sitting at a casino table playing Baccarat. When his opponent, Sylvia Trench (Eunice Gayson), says that she admires his luck and asks him his name, Bond replies by simply saying, “Bond. James Bond.”
The line has been repeated in several of the 007 movies but there is a certain magic to Connery’s first delivery of the words. Since its first use, several other films have taken inspiration from the catchphrase, showing how iconic it has become over the years. The best part of the phrase is how easily it is for 007 to drop into a conversation or moment, whether he is introducing himself, involved in a high-octane action sequence, or even during a romantic moment. It is the most crowd-pleasing of the James Bond quotes.
44 “Yes. Considerably.”
James Bond In Casino Royale (2006)
In adapting the first ever James Bond novel, Casino Royale really captured the grounded and grittier spy story. It also allowed Daniel Craig to cement himself as a new version of the character, one who was still a likable heroic lead, but also by far the most cold-blooded 007 of the franchise to that point. This was quickly established in the first scene, showing Bond’s first two kills, which earned him his double-0 status.
The scene features Bond’s conversation with the mole inside MI-6 named Dryden, while interspersed with Bond’s first kill of Dryden’s contact. The black-and-white fight sequence is brutal and violent, a different kind of action than the Bond movies previously had. Dryden reassures Bond that his second kill will be easier, leading to Bond calmly executing the man and agreeing with that assessment. It is a bold and memorable introduction to this new take on Bond.
43 “Do You Expect Me To Talk?”
James Bond In Goldfinger (1964)
Bond’s interactions with villains make for some of the most memorable moments in the Bond franchise and one of the best Bond villains of all time is Auric Goldfinger. He makes for a despicable and greedy nemesis in the movie, but he is also highly entertaining and has his own great lines. One of the most iconic exchanges comes from a moment in which Goldfinger has the upper hand.
Bond is strapped to a table with a laser pointed at him and gradually moving closer to the super spy. It is one of the rare times when Sean Connery’s Bond appears nervous and even scared. He attempts to show a brave face by asking Goldfinger if these tactics are meant to make him talk, only for Goldfinger to reply, “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.” It is a cheeky exchange in which the villain gets the rare win over Bond.
42 “You First.”
James Bond In GoldenEye (1995)
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One of the best dynamics Bond has with a villain in the franchise is the one between Pierce Brosnan’s 007 and Sean Bean’s Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye. The two men share history and it seems as though Bond truly looked at this fellow agent as a friend. However, when he learns that Alec is a traitor, he is ready to show no mercy to him and even seems to make it a personal vendetta.
When Bond once again returns after being left for dead, Alec makes the humorous observation “Why can’t you just be a good boy and die?” with Bond coldly responding with this promise. It is one of the best examples of how Brosnan was perhaps the best actor at balancing the charming humor of Bond with his cold-blooded aspects, which leaves emotion out of it when he’s on a mission.
41 “Well, I Wouldn’t Be Very Good At My Job If It Did.”
James Bond In Casino Royale (2006)
There are some who would like to see the next iteration of Bond be a bit lighter than what was seen in the Daniel Craig movies. However, it is hard to deny that the franchise was in need of a more serious tone at the time and Craig was also excellent at playing the tortured elements of Bond in these movies.
One of the best aspects of the collection of Craig movies was the relationship he shared with Vesper Lynd, which began in Casino Royale. From that first movie, she challenged the persona of the heartless assassin, questioning how he is so easily able to get over killing some men. The fact that Bond dismisses it as simply part of his job sets up an ongoing theme in Craig’s run of Bond, where his work with MI-6 is seen as giving him purpose but also destroying him.
40 “Target.”
James Bond In Skyfall (2012)
It is amazing that James Bond was a movie character for over 50 years and the movies never really explored very much more about his backstory. Skyfall finally began to address some of this, and while it was not necessary to enjoy the character, there were some fascinating moments of exploring this character deeper than any movie previously had.
One of the most insightful sequences is when Bond undergoes a psychological examination upon returning to MI-6, and he does a word association exercise. There are some notable revelations in the scene, such as his unsavory word in answer to M, as well as the fact that he is shaken at the mention of “Skyfall”. However, when he is prompted with the word “heart,” Bond’s response of “target” is a perfect sign of the dark mind of Craig’s 007.
39 “I Always Enjoyed Studying A New Tongue.”
James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
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After the success of GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan returned to the role of James Bond for Tomorrow Never Dies. In the film, Bond teams up with Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) to take down a megalomaniacal media mogul (Jonathan Pryce) who’s trying to start a new World War for his own personal gain. However, this James Bond quote comes from an intimate moment between 007 and a Danish professor named Inga Bergstrom (Cecilie Thomsen), who also serves as his Scandinavian language tutor.
The line is a nice double-entendre, which is normal for James Bond quotes
Bond says this line while he’s in bed with Bergstrom, and it shows just how self-aware the writers of the Bond movies are regarding 007’s successful bachelor lifestyle. The line is a nice double-entendre, which is normal for James Bond quotes, as she is his language tutor, so it is literally what he is with her for, but it also has more sexual connotations, which makes it perfect for the moment.
38 “Hello. We’re Teachers On Sabbatical And We’ve Just Won The Lottery.”
James Bond in Quantum of Solace (2008)
Daniel Craig’s James Bond was a darker and more brooding take on the character, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t able to be funny as well. Craig’s humor in the role was more of a rebellious cheekiness that made for some very funny moments. When going undercover with Agent Fields in Quantum of Solace, Fields wants to keep a low profile, staying at a modest hotel as two teachers on sabbatical. Bond instead ventures into a much swankier hotel and tweaks the cover story to his needs.
This Bond quote is a sign of his recklessness and playfulness, which are evident yet underrated aspects of Craig’s 007. It is a hilarious moment for Bond, especially when he glances over at Fields, making it one of the best lines in the entire movie. It was a great way for him to let Fields know that he respects her idea of the cover story, but at the same time, isn’t willing to accept anything less than the best, which is exactly what James Bond is all about.
37 “Exactly. I Am Now Aiming Precisely At Your Groin. So Speak Or Forever Hold Your Piece.”
James Bond in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
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Though each of the Bond actors had fun with the humorous aspect of the character, none of them embraced it as much as Roger Moore. Moore’s Bond movies were the most comedic and were the most willing to leave reality behind for some wild adventures. This also resulted in some of the most boundary-pushing one-liners, like this one from The Man with the Golden Gun. Holding gunsmith Lazar (Marne Maitland) at gunpoint, Bond explains that he is aiming at the man’s groin and delivers this threatening double entendre.
It is hard to imagine any Bond other than Moore getting away with such a line. The entire line is a simple way for Bond to show that he is not only completely calm but is in complete control of the situation. He remains stoic and deadly as he speaks to Lazar about selling bullets and guns to villains, and it is enough to get the truth out of the man, who immediately gives him the information Bond needs when 007 fires one warning shot that just barely misses the gunsmith.
36 “What A Helpful Chap.”
James Bond In The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Though Moore’s Bond was the most playful, that doesn’t mean he didn’t channel 007’s cold-blooded side as well. One such moment comes in The Spy Who Loved Me when Bond fights Sandor (Milton Reid) on a rooftop. After a long fight, they end up by the edge, and the man nearly falls off a roof, saved only by managing to grab Bond’s necktie. As the man hangs over the edge, Bond asks him where Aziz Fekkesh is. Believing Bond will save him if he tells the truth, he quickly says he is at the pyramids.
However, once he gets the information, Bond pulls away his tie, causing Sandor to fall to his death. After this, James Bond looks at the dead body on the ground and delivers this stone-cold one-liner. The fact that Bond makes a joke about the dead man who offered him information shows how little remorse he has for taking out villains. Roger Moore’s James Bond was funny at times, but he killed with no remorse.
35 “I Just Showed Someone Your Watch. Really Blew Their Mind.”
James Bond In No Time To Die (2021)
Daniel Craig’s 007 didn’t deliver a huge number of playful puns during the heat of battle compared to some other Bonds, but he did have quite a few good ones — and his last one is arguably his best. It’s established earlier in No Time to Die that Bond’s new watch has been designed by Q (Ben Whishaw) to emit an EMP, so when Bond uses it in a fight with the henchman Primo (Dali Benssalah), it causes Primo’s bionic eye to spark and explode, killing him.
Bond then uses this pun to update Q about his status, showing that he still has some classic 007 spirit left in him. Much like Roger Moore before him, Daniel Craig’s James Bond had no sympathy for the villains that he killed and didn’t mind mocking them after he finished them off. At least in this case, Bond didn’t make the joke about the dead body after the fight and just waited to be snarky when he was talking to Q later after the death happened.
34 “That’s A Smith & Wesson And You’ve Had Your Six.”
James Bond In Dr. No (1962)
Though he is a hero audiences have cheered on for decades, some of the darker James Bond moments prove he has a cold-blooded side that serves him well in his dangerous line of work. Even in his first outing, Bond shows his willingness to shoot an unarmed enemy. The would-be assassin, Dent, enters Bond’s hotel room, shooting the bed — only to realize he’s been lured into a trap as Bond holds him at gunpoint. Dent once again thinks he gets the drop on Bond and fires his gun, only for it to be empty.
The way Sean Connery calmly smokes while he explains to Dent that he already spent his six bullets before shooting Dent dead makes for a cold kill. This is similar to the Dirty Harry quote where Harry Callahan asks the criminal if he is sure he has any bullets left and gives him a chance to surrender. The difference is that Bond mocks him for not having bullets left and then executes the now unarmed man after making his point. It is one of the more cold-blooded James Bond quotes.
33 “A Martini. Shaken, Not Stirred.”
James Bond In Goldfinger (1964)
James Bond has drunk a lot of alcohol onscreen since 1962, but most fans know 007’s beverage of choice. “A martini. Shaken, not stirred.” The famous James Bond quote was lifted directly from Ian Fleming’s book, and while Bond’s drink of choice was included in the first James Bond movie, the line from 007 didn’t come until later. The famous line has been repeated by 007 in several of the Bond films, but the line first came from the lips of Dr. Julius No, when he offered his opponent a dry martini with a lemon peel.
It seems that one of the signature James Bond quotes originally came from a villain, and then Bond co-opted it for himself.
Bond himself doesn’t say the line until Goldfinger in 1964 when he orders one on Goldfinger’s (Gert Fröbe) plane. It seems that one of the signature James Bond quotes originally came from a villain, and then Bond co-opted it for himself. However, this is the line that is easily most quoted by franchise fans all these years later, especially when playing it cool while ordering a drink at a bar.
32 “Does It Look Like I Give A Damn?”
James Bond In Casino Royale (2006)
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Following the disappointment of Die Another Day, the Bond franchise needed a new start, and the Daniel Craig era seemed dead-set on returning to a grittier and grounded version. 2006’s Casino Royale even did away with many of the franchise aspects fans had come to expect, like gadgets and even one of his most famous lines. Heading to the bar after losing the poker game, he bluntly orders a martini. When the bartender asks him if he wants it shaken or stirred, Bond delivers this dismissive line.
The franchise needed to change and with the move to the more action-packed and gritty direction of the Bourne movie series, the new James Bond movies needed to stop playing it safe and relying on the past to carry it into the future. However, while it makes plenty of changes along the way, it was still important to recognize the past — especially the fan-favorite moments. This quote is a fun nod to the rest of the franchise that reaffirms the change in direction for 007.
31 “There’s A Saying In England: Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire.”
James Bond In From Russia with Love (1963)
This is another classic line from James Bond’s history, originating from the 1963 movie From Russia With Love. It’s exactly the mentality that a secret agent should have, as knowing exactly when trouble has the chance to occur is essential to their staying alive. This James Bond quote showed earlier on in the franchise that 007 was a smart character who would use his brain to get out of situations as often as he would use brute force. The quote simply means that if there are signs or rumors something is true, more often than not, it is true.
Bond doesn’t come off as cultured and well-traveled just because he lives a playboy lifestyle, 007’s also well-read, intelligent, and plugged into the world around him. Bond is a detective as much as he is a secret agent, and his job is to solve mysteries and stop the villains. He knows that he has to look under every rock, and when he sees something that hints there is danger, he knows not to ignore it. This is why he stayed alive for as long as he did in the franchise.
30 “You Can Tell Of The One That Got Away.”
James Bond In Thunderball (1965)
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James Bond seems to run into a lot of threats from animals in his movies, from poisonous spiders to Komodo dragons. Just like when he faces off with human enemies, Bond likes to taunt his animal adversaries with some funny one-liners. Thunderball sees Bond tangling with some sharks and some of them getting too close for comfort. Of course, 007 manages to escape and assures the shark that he will be the one it tells his shark friends about in this cheesy quote that epitomizes the campiness of Connery’s era.
Just watching Bond tell the sharks “You Can Tell Of The One That Got Away” shows how ridiculous some of the moments in the Connery movies ended up being. While he was deadly and suave, he was still someone who had no problem making off-the-wall statements like this in the face of danger. Roger Moore remains known for goofy lines, but Connery had his fair share of them throughout the franchise as well.
29 “Except It Did Stop, Didn’t It? Right Here.”
James Bond In Spectre (2015)
James Bond villains love to give long and threatening monologues to Bond instead of killing him. It happens so often that it has been parodied in countless other movies and shows. One of the most memorable villain monologues came from Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld as he shows Bond a massive meteor that struck the Earth. Blofeld lavishly describes the meteor as a rock that has traveled great distances in darkness and cold while building momentum and becoming an unstoppable force.
However, Bond finishes the long-winded grandiose analogy by bluntly pointing out that the “unstoppable” meteor was stopped, removing Blofeld’s chance to enjoy the moment. It is just another moment where Bond proves he is smarter than his nemesis, and he loves putting the villains in their place, which he can do with a well-timed one-liner just as well as he can with a well-placed bullet. The look on Blofeld’s face after Bond points out the obvious makes it a perfect James Bond quote.
28 “That Last Hand Nearly Killed Me.”
James Bond In Casino Royale (2006)
One of the tensest scenes in Casino Royale is when Bond is poisoned by the villain, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), and must race to counteract the poison’s effects before time runs out. After narrowly escaping death thanks to the help of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), Bond returns to the card game he had to leave after being poisoned, delivering this humorously dry line. It’s the kind of pitch-perfect Bond quote that sold audiences on Daniel Craig as a long-lasting 007.
Bond is there to win, and this one-liner is a way for him to tip his hand to the villains, and let them know that he isn’t scared of them.
This is also a rare moment for the Daniel Craig James Bond movies, as he wasn’t someone who delivered many funny or quirky one-liners, but this one was a perfect quote for 007. It was a great way to let the villains know that he not only knows what their plans are for him but that he survived their first attack. Bond is there to win, and this one-liner is a way for him to tip his hand to the villains, and let them know that he isn’t scared of them.
27 “Well, I Like To Do Some Things The Old-Fashioned Way.”
James Bond In Skyfall (2012)
While Die Another Day from 2002 was a fairly disappointing entry to the series for Bond’s 40th Anniversary, Eon Productions more than made up for it for Bond’s 50th. In 2012, Skyfall was released, which saw Bond go back to his roots in every sense. In one scene in Skyfall, Bond shaves with a straight razor, and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) mentions that the choice is very traditional, to which Bond replies with this quote.
The line perfectly fits the theme of the movie, which was all about celebrating the 50 years of Bond. At the same time, this was also a message for long-time fans of the franchise. The Daniel Craig movies wanted to end the over-the-top nature of the previous era, but at the same time, this shows that there are some things from the past that fit the franchise perfectly, and they admit that these items need to be in the new movies because sometimes the old-fashioned way is better.
26 “No. For Me.”
James Bond In GoldenEye (1995)
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Though he was almost James Bond himself, Sean Bean fits perfectly into the villainous role of Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye. What makes him one of the best Bond villains, along with Bean’s performance, is the history he shares with Bond as a fellow double-o, who was secretly working against MI-6. This makes for a particularly charged final confrontation between the two men which ends with Alec hanging above a deadly fall with his life now in Bond’s hands.
Alec attempts to remind Bond of their history, asking “For England, James?” but Bond assures him it is personal before dropping Alec. Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond movies are often criticized for taking things too far with the gadgets and almost sci-fi-styled spy devices. However, GoldenEye remains the best of the Brosnan era, and this movie shows that even his version of Bond is a ruthless killer when he is facing someone who has done purely evil things.