James Bond first appeared in Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale in 1953. The character appeared in 14 books from Fleming, but his book series also spawned an even more popular film series that is still going to this day. There have been 26 Bond movies to date, with another movie expected to be released next year.

Iconic James Bond quotes in history:

  1. 'I THINK HE GOT THE POINT': While newer 007 movies are rather serious, some of the older ones were quite funny. Certain scenes are laughably bad, but other times Bond’s puns were simply hilarious. One example of this comes in the 1965 film Thunderball featuring Sean Connery. In Bond’s fourth outing, the 00 agent is sitting on a beach with Domino (played by Claudine Auger) as one of Largo’s henchmen quietly sneaks behind them. After Domino spots him, she tells Bond, who quickly turns around and shoots the bad guy with a spear gun. Bond then says, “I think he got the point.”
  2. 'WELL, I LIKE TO DO SOME THINGS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY': While Die Another Day in 2002 was a rather 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 the roots of early Bond films. In one scene in Skyfall, Eve is watching Bond shave with a straight razor. Moneypenny mentions that his choice of razor is very traditional, to which Bond replies, “Well, I like to do some things the old-fashioned way.” The line perfectly fits the theme of the movie, which was all about celebrating 50 years of Bond.
  3. 'WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE WHO CAN'T TAKE ADVICE ALWAYS INSIST ON GIVING IT?': Daniel Craig has produced some of the greatest lines in James Bond history, and this is yet another one. This one took place during his debut as the character, in Casino Royale as he spoke with Vesper and it is a fantastic line that is incredibly fitting in todays world. His comment that people often give advice when they can't take it is something that would be fitting to todays society, where many people often like to dish out plenty of comments. It suited Bond, who is a confident enough character that he doesn't need lots of advice, yet he is always willing to listen, which is why it works so well.
  4. 'JUST A SLIGHT STIFFNESS COMING ON...IN THE SHOULDER' : James Bond is well-known for being a smooth talker with the ladies, and sexual innuendos are commonplace within the movies because of that. Within the movie, On Her Majesties Secret Service, Bond busts out one of those classic lines, discussing his stiffness. This takes place while a girl writes on Bond's leg under the table. It causes him to pull an awkward face, and he is obviously discussing a stiff problem when he brings it back around to his... shoulder. It's classic Bond in everyway possible and is why people love the character so much.
  5. 'I THOUGHT CHRISTMAS ONLY COMES ONCE A YEAR': Pierce Brosnan’s time in the role of James Bond resulted in four movies, which had varying levels of quality. One of the poorer received films came in 1999 and was titled The World Is Not Enough. The main Bond girl in the film was named Dr. Christmas Jones, played by Denise Richards. Most people didn’t like Richards in her role, but her character did allow for a hilarious Bond joke. One scene shows Christmas and Bond together in bed when Bond cracks the joke, “I thought Christmas only comes once a year.” Yes, it’s cringy, but it is the perfect example of how ridiculous and iconic certain Bond jokes had become.
  6. 'I ALWAYS ENJOYED STUDYING A NEW TONGUE': After the success of Goldeneye, Pierce Brosnan returned once again for Tomorrow Never Dies. In the film, the newest Bond girl is played by Michelle Yeoh, who has appeared in popular films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians.
  7. 'SHOCKING. POSITIVELY SHOCKING': While a lot of Bond’s iconic lines are funny jokes, Sean Connery probably delivered his silly lines the best. Another one of James Bond’s puns comes in the 1964 film Goldfinger. Not only is Goldfinger considered one of the greatest 007 movies of all time, but it also has the hilarious line, “Shocking. Positively shocking.” Right when James Bond starts to make out with a girl, he sees the reflection of a bad guy in her eye. Bond quickly turns the girl around so she gets hit in the head versus himself and then he starts to fight the henchman. Bond quickly gets the upper hand and shoves the thug in the tub, before swatting a lamp into the tub, electrocuting his enemy. The line was perfect for the scene and proves that nobody can deliver 007 puns better than Connery can.
  8. 'BOND. JAMES BOND': One of the most iconic James Bond lines came in his very first scene back in 1962. Out of all the James Bond quotes out there, “Bond. James Bond” is probably one of the most well-known. When Bond is introduced, he is sitting at a casino table playing Baccarat. When his opponent Sylvia Trench 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, as well as become one of the most epic ways to introduce yourself.
  9. 'A MARTINI. SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED': James Bond has drunk a lot of alcohol since 1962, but most fans know his beverage of choice. "A martini. Shaken, not stirred." The line was first written in Ian Flemming's book, but was included in the first James Bond movie Dr. No. 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. The line has become so iconic that it has even been used in other films that have nothing to do with James Bond.
  10. 'THERE'S A SAYING IN ENGLAND: WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S FIRE': This is another classic line from James Bond's history, taking place during the 1963 movie, From Russia With Love. It's exactly the mentality that a secret spy agent should have, knowing exactly when trouble has the chance to occur as any drama is the cause of a bigger incident. It's something that most people don't think of. Whenever there is a small issue, there is normally something bigger going on behind the scenes, and the fact that Bond is smart enough to acknowledge that shows his character.
  11. 'NOW THERE'S A NAME TO DIE FOR': James Bond might be an incredible action hero, but another reason he is so popular with audiences is because he has plenty of wit, charm, and humor to make him relatable. In Die Another Day, Bond shows his humor when he is first introduced to Mr. Kil. With Kil revealing his name, Bond quickly chimed back with "Now there's a name to die for." It's something that only Bond could get away with, as you know the next moment will see the action pick back up, and the line is hilarious.
  12. 'I MUST BE DREAMING': One of the most ridiculous names for a character came from one of the best Bond films; Goldfinger. In the film, Honor Blackman plays the character Pussy Galore, who was an associate of Auric Goldfinger. After Bond is captured, he is transported on a private jet and awoken by Galore. When Bond wakes up and asks the woman who she is, she says her name is Pussy Galore. Looking surprised, Bond smiles and says, “I must be dreaming.” Since early Bond humor was so well received, it translated well to more modern Bond films, but some of the names for female characters were just utterly absurd.