James Bond is one of Hollywood’s most endearing and long-lived movie icons. Since 1962, James Bond has graced the silver screen twenty-six times, exuding his trademark charm and wit. Out of all the talented actors who have portrayed 007, it’s hard not to give the original Bond his due: Sean Connery.

Connery played James Bond a total of seven times. Many fans consider Sean Connery the best of the bunch as several of his 007 films are now regarded as classics. Frequently, it’s hard to decide which of the Scottish actor’s Bond movies are the best, but this list will give it a shot!

7 Never Say Never Again (1983)

Never Say Never Again is arguably one of the more overlooked Bond films. By 1983, Roger Moore had already been portraying Bond for several films. The aging Connery, however, was convinced to take part in one final outing as the 007 agent. Interestingly, Never Say Never Again is yet another adaptation of Ian Fleming’s Thunderball, which had been given a movie adaptation in 1965 with Connery at the helm.

The movie highlights an intriguing concept, one where Bond must grapple with the realities of his advancing age. Fans of Thunderball will be broadly familiar with the plot, although there are differences. The idea of an older James Bond might not appeal to everyone, but there’s still plenty for Sean Connery fans to love.

6 Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Diamonds Are Forever marks another “return to form” of sorts for Sean Connery. In 1969, George Lazenby had taken over the role of Bond in the film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Lazenby, however, declined to star in subsequent 007 movies, while Connery was enticed to return to the role of Bond for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever.

As the title suggests, the film revolves around Bond’s efforts to stop an international diamond smuggling ring. Much of the film takes place amid the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas as Bond seeks to thwart Blofeld’s latest attempt at world domination. The familiar Bond tropes, however, may strike some fans as a little tired and altogether uninspired compared to earlier films in the series.

5 You Only Live Twice (1967)

You Only Live Twice was Sean Connery’s fifth outing as 007. This film, set in Japan, sees Bond once again locking horns with the nefarious SPECTRE organization in their attempts to start a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Bond, of course, isn’t going to let that happen.

The movie is notable for the dramatic reveal of Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence), a character who in previous Bond movies could only be heard speaking. Overall, You Only Live Twice is fun and action-packed, which is more than enough to satisfy Bond fans in the mood for a spy thriller.

4 Thunderball (1965)

Thunderball may stick out in the minds of Bond fans for several reasons. The opening credits sequence with Tom Jones performing the vocals is pretty catchy. Then, there’s the huge aquatic melee toward the end of the film where soldiers in scuba gear battle it out beneath the ocean.

The plot of Thunderball is also rather interesting. SPECTRE operative Emilio Largo hijacks NATO nuclear weapons in an effort to hold the world for ransom. The beautiful Bahamas setting is also difficult not to like, even for a film of this age. Sean Connery is in his usual top form in this movie and ranks as one of his best.

3 Dr. No (1962)

The movie that started it all. Dr. No introduced Ian Fleming’s James Bond to the big screen for the first time and represents Connery’s first outing as the dapper 007. Although the plots in every subsequent Bond film would invariably change, many of the visual and thematic tropes established by Dr. No endure to the present day.

Dr. No sees Bond trek off to Jamaica to investigate the death of a fellow MI6 agent. There, he meets the enigmatic Dr. No, a criminal who intends to disrupt a spaceflight program at Cape Canaveral. Whether it’s the first or hundredth time, hearing Connery utter “Bond. James Bond” never gets old.

2 Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger is one of those James Bond movies that can easily be watched several times without getting tired. The ridiculous yet captivating plot revolves around the efforts of a madman named Goldfinger, who intends to irradiate the United States’ gold reserve at Fort Knox, thereby increasing the value of his own gold stocks.

The film is memorable for several reasons. It introduced the villain Oddjob, who dispatches his victims by throwing a steel-rimmed hat. Goldfinger is also the first film where Bond utilized his trademark Aston Martin DB5. No matter how fans rank Connery in their list of favorite Bond actors, Goldfinger is hard not to love.

1 From Russia With Love (1963)

As mentioned before, it’s difficult to nail down which Bond movie starring Sean Connery is the definitive “best.” Nevertheless, From Russia With Love certainly deserves to be in the running. With memorable performances from Connery, Daniela Bianchi, and Robert Shaw, along with a more grounded plot, From Russia With Love is thrilling from start to finish.

In particular, Robert Shaw’s portrayal of the quietly menacing Red Grant stands out. Bond’s and Grant’s scuffle on the Orient Express is one of the franchise’s best fight scenes. The segments where Bond shoots down the helicopter and evades his pursuers by boat are still exciting even after almost sixty years. Fans of spy thrillers shouldn’t miss Sean Connery’s best outing as 007.