The Film Experience

Though we've really just begun our Year in Review of 2012 no such survey would be feel complete without at least a perfunctory visit to the shadowy world of super spy Bond, James Bond. Skyfall, the 23rd official James Bond feature released to coincide with the franchise's 50th anniversary is already the top grossing Bond of all time with $1 billion at the global box office. That's enough cash to get any Bond Villain (or Bond Villain parody) rubbing his fingers together with greed "one beeeeeeeiiiillion dollars"

Bérénice Marlowe as "Severine" in SKYFALL

Just before Skyfall came out I asked readers to submit their own rankings of the Bond films. It's such a big tallying project that I think I'll have to save the main results for the Skyfall DVD release (so if you still want to submit your ballot email it to me with "Bond Rank" in the title line and make sure to rank every Bond film you've seen in the email). I have finished the less strenuous task of tabulating the numbers for your favorite Bond Girls. How does the newbie Bérénice Marlohe as Severine stack up for all of you? I personally thought she was sensational with a lethal mix of smooth outer beauty and deep inner terror that had me imagining the feeling of skating on dangerously thin ice that's cracking loudly underneath your feet. I've included her in my "sexpot of the year" nominees. Pity that she has to share that new Film Bitch Awards page with her captor/lover Silva (Javier Bardem) who is nominated in the "villain of the year" category.

cue theme music....

READER'S RANK: THE BEST BOND GIRLS

Maud Adams has the Trivia Bonus distinction of having played two different Bond Girls in her career. "Andrea" in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) and the title character in Octopussy (1983)

Honorable Mentions (aka 007 More Women Who Scored Well With Readers): Natalya (GoldenEye), Tatiana (From Russia With Love), Elektra King (The World is Not Enough), Malina Havelock (For Your Eyes Only), Fiona Volpe (Thunderball) and Maud Adams as Octopussy. I love this comment about the latter from Andrew:

The character is not that much fun in the movie itself, but just the fact that she's basically a brothel madam named "Octopussy" is pretty great."

The 007 Top Girls with a few key reader quotes after the jump...

Michelle Yeoh. The only official Bond girl to have later headlined an Best Picture Oscar Nominee (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)

007 WAI LIN (Michelle Yeoh) Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

my favorite part of every promotion campaign for every James Bond movie is how every Bond girl actress claims that she is completely unlike every Bond girl before her, a strong woman rather than a hot chick. I believe it was Michelle Yeoh who started this..."

-Christof

Famke Jannsen as one of the deadliest of all Bond Girls

006 XENIA ONATOPP (Famke Janssen) GoldenEye (1995)

I can't actually remember if she has full on sex with Bond, or just a really sexual fight scene that includes an orgasm. This fact really encapsulates why she's my favorite."
-Andrew

I'm not sure my prepubescent self was ready for her."
-Sam

Not only is Xenia probably the best Bond girl of the modern era, but SHE KILLED PEOPLE USING HER THIGHS. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
-Derreck

Does Anya get bonus points for having the best theme song?

005 MAJOR ANYA AMASOVA (Barbara Bach) The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

She holds Bond accountable for his actions, something no Bond Girl ever did before. I love when they each try to one up the other."
-Tom

Honey Ryder's watery entrance was so indelible that it took 44 years and James Bond himself (in the form of Daniel Craig) to top it as ocean bathing suit entrances go

004 HONEY RYDER (Ursula Andress) Dr. No (1962)

Got revenge by planting deadly arachnid: yes!"
-Catherine

You can't argue with the white bikini."
-Wallace

The top three were way way out front -- we're talking doubling or tripling the scores of the other top choices -- and neck and neck and neck throughout voting. Eventually it fell in the following order though the voting was so close you might want to consider it a three-way tie.

At the very least Honor Blackman wins the "Best Bond Girl Names Contest"

003 PUSSY GALORE (Honor Blackman) in Goldfinger (1964)

AMAZING."
-Jon C.

She knows judo, has her own flying circus and doesn't need Bond to kick ass."
-Wallace

No one comes close in my opinion."
- Josh

Mrs Bond, Mrs James Bond

002 CONTESSA TERESA di VICENZO (Diana Rigg) in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Totally unique in the pantheon"
-Paul

001 VESPER LYND (Eva Green) in Casino Royale (2006)

Dark and beautiful and everything a revamped Bond Girl needed to be."
-Josh

Finally, I'll let Wil H, subatomic cowboy, explain why Teresa & Vesper were the two up top and hit such a chord with Bond fanatics and moviegoers.

The two woman Bond has had the most emotional relationship with in the movies. Of course, they are both dead by the end, but what are you gonna do? Eva Green and Diana Rigg are great, though Green might come off slightly better since she's acting with a better scene partner. The closest they've come to approaching the level of emotional stakes with Bond girls that you feel with these two are probably Natalya in Goldeneye and Kara in The Living Daylights.
-Wil H"

ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS? For an alternate list please see Deborah's "007 Femme Fatales" ...and if you need more Bond, there's plenty.