From Sir Sean Connery's pioneering classics to Daniel Craig's revolutionary iterations, the James Bond franchise has always adhered to a set of tropes that have become a permanent fixture of the films and an ever-present feature in pop culture. From the cars, gadgets, and girls to the death-defying stunts and the stylish suave that permeates throughout the films, there are a great many things that make Bond, Bond, but nothing has defined the franchise quite like its most iconic lines of dialogue.
007 himself has delivered many a famous line over the decades, ranging from his introduction and his drink order to his dastardly double entendres and post-kill quips. Additionally, the Bond girls and the wicked villains have had their fair share of excellent one-liners as well. Across a franchise that spans over 25 films and in excess of six decades, these quotes stand as the best the Bond movies have to offer.
25 "Well he always did have an inflated opinion of himself."
'Live and Let Die' (1973)
There is a touch of irony in the fact that one of Bond’s best one-liners comes immediately after one of the worst villain deaths in the franchise. Near the conclusion of 1973’s Live and Let Die, Bond and the nefarious drug lord and political figure Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) are fighting in a shark tank when 007 forces the villain to swallow a compressed-gas pellet. As Bond swims to safety, Kananga blows up like a balloon and quite literally bursts.
As a dazed Solitaire (Jane Seymour) asks what happened to Dr. Kananga, Bond replies with a quip that showcases his trademark wit and his penchant for a great pun in the rewatchable Bond movie. Such a blending of dismissive quick wit and dry delivery would become the defining staple of Sir Roger Moore’s tenure as James Bond.
24 "They'll print anything these days."
'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997)
With a penchant for a pun, James Bond has always toed the line between eye-rolling gags and sensational witticisms, sometimes with exceptional grace and sometimes with cringeworthy sloppiness. For all his films’ faults, Pierce Brosnan always delivered such quips in the perfect manner, with one of his best coming in Tomorrow Never Dies, in which he clashes with a powerful media mogul trying to incite WWIII to expand his news empire.
As he infiltrates one of Elliot Carver’s (Jonathan Pryce) newsrooms, Bond tangles with several henchmen and dispatches one of them by knocking him onto the printing press, leading to a flurry of papers being printed with the goon’s blood all over them. Effortlessly cool with a wry seriousness, Brosnan gives the line the punch and charisma necessary for it to be a hilarious highlight of 007’s knack for wordplay during fights.
23 "My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done, such as drinking a Dom Perignon ’53 above a temperature of 38° Fahrenheit."
'Goldfinger' (1964)
Goldfinger is widely regarded to be not only the greatest of the early Bond movies, but the most regal and sophisticated as well. Every element works a treat, from the overall story to the array of characters and their interpersonal dynamics, the high stakes and suave style, and, of course, the dialogue. Unsurprisingly, many of the film’s best-known lines feature later on this list, but this somewhat forgotten gem is perfectly emblematic of 007’s elegance, grace, fine tastes, and his humour.
Having entertained Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton)—and intending to entertain her again—Bond reaches for the champagne only to discover that the bottle has gotten too warm. His insistence on a fresh Dom Pérignon ’53 exudes a certain lavishness and confidence, even if his ensuing quip at the expense of The Beatles hasn’t aged quite as well. It is cool, quick, and confident, exemplifying Bond at his best and serving as one of many golden lines from Goldfinger.
22 "Named after your father, perhaps?"
'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971)
Within Sir Sean Connery’s slick and suave demeanor, there was always a certain perverted playfulness that not only undercut but largely defined his charms. This was on full display in Diamonds Are Forever during James Bond’s encounter with the hilariously named Plenty O’Toole (Lana Wood). Meeting at the craps table, the scantily-clad woman simply introduces herself as “Plenty.” Bond steals an opportunistic glance, “but of course you are.” It is a typically salacious bit of wordplay, but it pales in comparison to what comes next.
Upon giving Bond her full name, 007 appears to be somewhat thrown, takes the time to collect his chips to compose himself, then wryly delivers what is one of the best penis-joke innuendos in the franchise. It isn’t overly sophisticated, nor is it insightful, philosophical, or wise, but it is emblematic of the Bond franchise’s appetite for pure fun in its early days.
21 "I thought Christmas only comes once a year."
'The World is Not Enough' (1999)
The World is Not Enough is unfortunately remembered as being one of the weakest films in the Bond franchise. Bogged down by a tired story, lazy writing, and a couple of abysmal casting decisions, it is largely a difficult viewing experience. However, it does find some moments of joy, many of which are in the form of Brosnan’s brilliantly hammy performance that both embraces the film’s campy aura and enhances it.
While a lot of the dialogue leaves plenty to be desired, there are some instances where Brosnan is able to elevate it, such as when he and Dr. Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) exchange pillow talk. His smutty pun is neither subtle nor, on its own, sublime, but the delivery of the line is old-school 007 to a tee, making for a rare golden moment in an otherwise underwhelming Bond film.
20 "This never happened to the other fellow."
'On Her Majesty’s Secret Service' (1969)
Across the many eras of 007, there has been very little that the franchise hasn’t experimented with in some length, be it camp comedy, action bombast, or even gritty spy thrills, but fourth-wall-breaking gags are not something James Bond has ever been associated with. That being said, one of 007’s most underrated gags does play with such humor in delightful fashion.
In the opening scene of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – the first Bond film not to star Sean Connery – George Lazenby’s James Bond rescues a girl from drowning in the sea, only to be ambushed by a gunman when he returns to shore. Commenting on the unsavory situation he finds himself in, Bond quips how “the other fellow” never got such treatment. Funny, witty, and delivered with tongue firmly in cheek, the quote is a brilliant example of the saga’s playful comedic sense.
19 "You always were a cunning linguist, James."
'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997)
While the double-entendre dialogue is a staple piece of the James Bond franchise, it isn’t 007 alone who gets to revel in all the sensational, seductive fun. Tomorrow Never Dies sees Miss Moneypenny (Samantha Bond), Bond’s sometimes teased romantic interest and MI6’s secretary to M (Judi Dench), also getting her share of the smutty wit during a phone call with James Bond in which she interrupts him during a steamy moment.
Insisting that he has to hurry things along to respond to a volatile political situation, Moneypenny responds to Bond’s apparent indifference and his Danish quips with a rather suggestive line. A trademark Bond franchise quote, it is playful, raunchy, and witty. The following moment when Moneypenny has a brief exchange with M only makes the line that much funnier.
18 "Why is it people who can’t take advice always insist on giving it?"
'Casino Royale' (2006)
2006’s Casino Royale contains arguably the best central relationship between Bond and the Bond girl in the form of Daniel Craig’s brooding 007 and Eva Green’s enchantingly mysterious Vesper Lynd. As such, the duo have several of the greatest exchanges in the whole saga, especially as they each try to figure out more about the other while working together to weaken a terrorist financier.
When sharing a dinner in an otherwise isolated restaurant, Lynd suggests to Bond that he doesn’t need to remain in such a violent and callous line of work just because it’s what he has always done, prompting 007’s succinct yet memorable response. Substituting wry witticisms and off-hand quips with a more pointed comment, yet still maintaining the character’s signature suave style, Craig delivers the line flawlessly to mark a strikingly strong moment in his debut Bond outing.
17 "Just a slight stiffness coming on… in the shoulder."
'On Her Majesty’s Secret Service' (1969)
Bond wouldn’t be Bond without the occasional double entendre. Starring George Lazenby in a brilliant though underrated one-off performance as 007, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has come to be viewed as one of the better Bond movies, mixing espionage thrills with tragedy and drama, and also having plenty of room for witty dialogue.
One of its best lines came when Bond was sitting at a table in discussion with a group of women. When the girl beside him reaches up his kilt and scribes something on the inside of his thigh, one of the women asks what has caused Bond’s abrupt change in tone. Undeniably crude, yet subtle and steamy, his response of "just a slight stiffness coming on… in the shoulder" is trademark, old-school Bond.
16 "I think he got the point."
'Thunderball' (1965)
While Thunderball excelled as one of Connery’s original Bond films, it did show some signs of the franchise beginning to resort to a set formula of its own creation. An extensive budget did wallpaper over the cracks though, as did the series' trademark snappy dialogue which kept the story flying by at a brisk pace while also making for one of the better death puns of the entire saga.
While lying with Domino (Claudine Auger) on the beach, Bond and his lover are ambushed by an armed man, with Bond reacting fast to skewer the aggressor with a bolt from his harpoon gun. With an effortless and suave demeanor, Bond rises to his feet and snaps "I think he got the point," delivering one of the best James Bond quotes as the gunman dies impaled to a tree.
15 "I just showed someone your watch. Really blew their mind."
'No Time to Die' (2021)
A defining hallmark of the old Bond movies was their joyous camp over-indulgence in great puns. While the new age of Bond ushered in by Daniel Craig did away with a lot of the old drawcards, his 007 still had a penchant for a great post-kill quip, with one of his best coming in his farewell film, No Time to Die.
While fighting in a hallway with an evil henchman, Bond jams his watch – complete with an EMP device – against his assailant’s head, overcharging his rival’s electronic eye and killing him in the process. When questioned by Q (Ben Whishaw) about how the mission is progressing, 007 merely commented on the impressive capabilities of his watch and the effect they had on the person he just exhibited them to.
14 "Shocking. Positively shocking."
'Goldfinger' (1964)
Like the franchise's reliable penchant for a great one-liner, another thing the Bond movies do incredibly well is deliver audiences exciting pre-credits sequences to hook them into the movie. One of the best Bond pre-credits sequences came in 1964's Goldfinger in which the protagonist destroys a drug lab before meeting with an ally who advises him not to go back to his hotel room.
With the allure of a woman waiting for him in the bathtub, Bond predictably ignores this warning and walks into an ambush. He manages to dismiss his assailant by flinging him into the still full tub before tossing a lamp in as well, electrocuting the thug while the girl, who also tried to kill Bond, is left reeling from a head knock. With disdain, James departs, leaving his attackers with the iconic one-liner.
13 "Mind if my friend sits this one out? She’s just dead."
'Thunderball' (1965)
In the midst of his assignment to the Bahamas to thwart a nuclear-charged international extortion scheme masterminded by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. operative Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), Thunderball sees 007 cross paths with perhaps the most dangerous and deadly of all the Bond girls, Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi). As great as she is, one of the movie’s best moments comes immediately after Volpe’s death, when a killing shot meant for Bond instead strikes Fiona in the back.
Eager to offload her still-warm body, Bond dumps her in a spare chair by someone’s table as he kindly explains to them she’ll be sitting out the next dance on account of her death. Faultlessly delivered by Connery, who combines the comedic brilliance of the line with Bond’s effortless and ever-unconcerned demeanor, it marks a hilarious highlight of Thunderball, and serves as a tremendous testament to Connery’s brand of humor in the role.
12 "The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."
'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1999)
There has seldom been a more underrated and ahead-of-its-time Bond villain in the franchise’s 60+ year history on the screen than Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce). While he is still maniacal and exaggerated, the prophetic nature of the character—a power-hungry media mogul willing to incite war and chaos in order for his news empire to expand—has become increasingly eerie with each passing year. Suffice to say, it is quite interesting when he and Bond (Pierce Brosnan) exchange words.
As the nefarious newsman gloats about the power he is on the cusp of achieving, Bond quips that he is insane, an observation Carver pounces upon to drop his own philosophical reasoning for his eccentricity. While he is overconfident in the assuredness of his success, Carver’s quote does illustrate that many of the most ingenious, seismic, and even devastating ideas are often dismissed as madness before they come to be reality.
11 "I’m sorry, that last hand… nearly killed me."
'Casino Royale' (2006)
In the eyes of many Bond lovers, 2006’s Casino Royale wasn’t just the franchise’s great modernizing hit, but was one of the most deftly written and sharply performed Bond films in years as well. A sly yet charming wit permeates throughout the film, which follows Bond as he collaborates with Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) to prevent a terrorist financier from winning a high-stakes poker game.
Perceiving the threat that James presents to his operation and his chances of winning, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) has Bond poisoned. As intense and dire as the situation got for 007, he soon returns to the table as cool as can be and makes his snide quip in Le Chiffre's direction, leaving the villain clearly stunned to see Bond alive, let alone back at the table.
10 "We have all the time in the world."
'On Her Majesty’s Secret Service' (1969)
As was previously stated, On Her Majesty's Secret Service saw the Bond franchise venture to some of its darkest depths, especially by the standards of its early movies. As such, this famous line from the film robs 007 of his usual slick demeanor and instead showcases him at his most tender, vulnerable, and heartbroken with the film ending in a heart-wrenching fashion.
Having just married the love of his life Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), Bond first speaks the line as a hopeful proclamation of the family life that lies ahead of the happy couple. However, the utterance of the line which all viewers remember comes just moments later following a drive-by attempt on Bond's life conducted by Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas). With Tracy lying dead in his arms, Bond repeats the quote, making for one of the most deflating and somber moments in the entire franchise.
9 "What makes you think this is my first time?"
'Skyfall' (2012)
Underlying sexual tension is nothing new for James Bond, but Skyfall turned 007's seductive charm on its head when it introduced its main villain, Javier Bardem's Raoul Silva. The memorable James Bond villain commands the scene from the instant he emerges from the elevator, delivering a chilling monologue about cannibalistic rats and showcasing how easily he can access top-secret information.
It seems he then reaffirms his power over the situation by making a move on Bond as he laments the way M (Dame Judi Dench) treats her agents. Reading 007's apprehension concerning the intimate tension, Silva suggests there is a first time for everything, to which Bond calmly retorts "what makes you think this is my first time?". It was a moment that shattered Silva's grasp of the conversation but also left audiences around the world stunned as well.
8 "I never miss."
'The World is Not Enough' (1999)
Whether he's talking to a love interest or dispatching a villain, James Bond always seems to know what to say, a fact which held true the one time he was forced to vanquish a major antagonist and farewell a past lover at the same time. While The World is Not Enough was a movie with plenty of flaws, it did put forth a supremely underrated Bond villain in Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), a wealthy heiress under threat from an active terrorist.
When he discovers that the woman he's been protecting (and doing other things with) is actually the evil mastermind he's been fighting against, Bond confronts her with his pistol at the ready. When she quips that he won't be able to pull the trigger because he'd miss her too much, Bond immediately guns her down and delivers the phenomenally cheesy retort "I never miss."
7 "I only need one."
'The Man with the Golden Gun' (1974)
A common criticism leveled at the underwhelming The Man with the Golden Gun is how easily and completely Sir Christopher Lee's villain overshadows James Bond in his own movie. Whereas Bond spends most of the film engaging in crude dialogue which was cringe-worthy even back in 1974, Lee's master assassin, Francisco Scaramanga, boasted a deadly smoothness that oozed off the screen and resonated with many audience members far more powerfully than 007 did.
When Scaramanga has Bond in his lair and proposes an old-fashioned stand-off, him with his single-shot golden gun and Bond with his Walther PPK, Bond questions the fairness of him having six bullets while Scaramanga has just one. Scaramanga's response, "I only need one," was delivered with a self-confident, cold-blooded grit that saw many viewers start to actively hope he could somehow triumph over 007.
6 "Skewered. One sympathizes"
'Casino Royale' (2006)
As previously mentioned, 2006's Casino Royale was celebrated for its sensational wit as much as anything else, and that wit proved to be a major reason why Vesper Lynd became such a great Bond girl. The chemistry between her and Bond pops off the screen from their very first encounter, when she – a foreign liaison – is sent to work with 007 and meets the MI6 spy on a train over dinner.
Their discussion of the mission soon deteriorates to verbal sparring and stern analysis of one another as they deduce each other’s pasts, a playful yet barbed contest that Lynd emphatically wins. When Lynd wraps up the discussion by asking Bond how his lamb was, the bested spy can only respond with "skewered. One sympathizes." in what is possibly the slickest admission of defeat ever.
5 "My name is Pussy Galore."
'Goldfinger' (1964)
Has there ever been an introductory line in blockbuster cinema so capable of leaving audiences in a stunned, breathless silence? Another crowning glory for the often side-lined women of the franchise, Honor Blackman immediately stole her introductory scene with her confident smirk, her eyebrow raise, and the perfect delivery of the admittedly ridiculous line, "my name is Pussy Galore."
Having been knocked out by one of Auric Goldfinger's (Gert Frobe) henchmen, Bond awakens on the villain's private jet being guarded by the antagonist's right-hand woman. While 007 playfully engages with Galore – Connery's baffled "I must be dreaming." makes for another of the franchise's great lines – the scene was owned entirely by Blackman, who presented Galore with a blunt toughness that painted her as anything but a hapless damsel in distress waiting for Bond to save her.
4 "Names is for tombstones, baby."
'Live and Let Die' (1973)
007’s iconic introduction was already ingrained as the famous line that it is when Roger Moore made his franchise debut in Live and Let Die. He even gets the chance to use it to charm Jane Seymour's tarot-card reading Solitaire before their exchange is abrasively interrupted as the intimidating Bond villain Mr. Big (Yaphet Kotto) bursts into the room, still barking orders at the lieutenants of his street gang before he turns his attention towards Solitaire.
Bond interjects, and even manages to say "my name is-" before being cut off as the villain snaps "names is for tombstones, baby" before ordering his goons to take Bond outside and kill him. It is rare for 007 to be so abruptly shut down, especially when issuing his iconic introduction, but Kotto's line delivery – oozing a street-savvy slickness and world-weary brutality – worked an absolute treat to cement the quote among the best and most underrated in the franchise.
3 "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"
'Goldfinger' (1964)
While James Bond gets the lion's share of great quotes, there have been plenty of times when he has been the one left lost for words as well. No one has silenced him more emphatically than Auric Goldfinger. With Bond strapped to a table as an overhead laser slowly makes its way to his favorite weapon (no, not his pistol), a panicked 007, helplessly wriggling away from the laser beam, blurts out "do you expect me to talk?".
Wheeling around with great delight, the villain gleefully retorts "no, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die." While Bond is able to talk himself out of the awkward situation by mentioning Operation Grand Slam, Goldfinger's dastardly quip is still largely defining of the character's status as the franchise's greatest villain and a true cinematic icon. Six decades have passed since Goldfinger was released, and still, there is yet to be a better line in the franchise not uttered by Bond himself.
2 "A martini, shaken not stirred."
'Goldfinger' (1963)
While James Bond's iconic movie drink was hinted at in the first two Bond films, it wasn't until the franchise's third installment that this famous order was first uttered. Yet another quote from the saga-defining brilliance that was Goldfinger, Bond's Vesper Martini has become a quintessential staple of the Bond films, becoming so iconic that many fans have re-created the drink on their own (or ordered it to the chagrin of disenfranchised bartenders the world over).
Interestingly, in Ian Fleming's novels, Bond actually requests his vodka martini to be "stirred, not shaken", but the order was altered by studio producers who preferred the rhythm of the line as spoken in the film. The decision resulted in one of the most famous James Bond quotes and potentially the most renowned drink in film history.
1 "Bond. James Bond."
'Dr. No' (1962)
Surprise, surprise. The most famous of James Bond sayings isn't just the greatest line from the saga, but is arguably the single most iconic line in cinematic history. It was first said by Sean Connery in the debut Bond film Dr. No and has been a staple of the Bond filmography ever since.
Sometimes it's delivered with a quick, succinct coolness. Other times with a weighty, suave suspense. There have even been occasions where the utterance of the line has been savored as a great event in itself. While it is always a thrill to hear 007 make that glorious introduction, it seems to be an inescapable fact that it will never be delivered better than it was as the very first line Bond ever spoke on screen.
NEXT: How Many Actors Have Portrayed James Bond? It's More Than You Think
