Bond, James Bond: The Greatest 3 Words in Western Film History?

From the moment he strolled onto screen in 1962 with Dr. No, James Bond has captivated audiences everywhere. 23 films and 7 actors* later, the franchise is still going strong. The enigmatic, womanizing super spy is responsible for revolutionizing a genre of film all on his own. There have been uncounted offshoots, all inspired by the classic character and those films and shows themselves have been excellent in their own merit (Mr. Bond is even responsible for Archer, that alone makes him admirable). The introduction of the spy has to be the most iconic part about him. Every new Bond actor has their own moment where, when asked his name he replies, "Bond... James Bond." It's infinitely cool and, even before the gunfire, explosions, car chases, hot babes, and clever contraptions from the M16 armory, we're hooked. 

No other movie franchise in western film history has had the success or longevity enjoyed by the Bond films. They have even been around longer than Dr. Who, an impressive feat to say the least. To keep generation after generation of viewers all over the world entranced for so long is the mark of a truly great character. As cool as Tony Stark (Iron Man) is, even he couldn't be clever enough to stay around so long.

With that in mind, I put to you the question, "Is 'Bond, James Bond' the greatest line in western film history?" It introduces and sets the tone for the most successful character of all time. It is to the point. Bond is not a gregarious person and his most iconic words are no different. The line is elegant but not flashy. If this isn't the best line ever, I would love to hear which can compete. 

Here is Sean Connery, the original Bond, delivering the line. Whatever you think about his job as a character overall, Connery's utterance is undoubtedly the best. 

*Note: If you need one, After Hours, a Cracked.com show, concocted an excellent theory about the possible existence of 7 different James Bonds over the years, as well as some pretty decent criticism of the franchise. In fact, watch all of After Hours, it's pretty great.