Now Playing Presents: The James Bond Movie Retrospective Series

After years of financial troubles, MGM Studios has finally gotten the next James Bond movie off the ground--this November's Skyfall. And there is no better time for Bond to be back as 2012 is the 50th Anniversary of James Bond's first appearance on the big screen in his first outing, Dr. No. With Sean Connery embodying Ian Flemming's British spy in a star-making role, this is the f

James Bond is back! In the last film Bond killed SMERSH agent Dr. No, and now No's boss, the mysterious ailurophile Blofeld. His plot--a beautiful Russian double-agent offers to defect in exchange for Bond's affections. Will Bond take the bait? And is this a review from Now Playing with love? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!

Sean Connery's third time was a charm for his James Bond films. With Goldfinger the Bond formula was solidified. The song, the gadgets, the girls, the plots, it all came together for this film, which many Bond fans cite as their favorite. Does this film have the Midas touch with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to find out!

James Bond's fourth theatrical outing has the superspy enjoying the Bahama sun, facing off against SPECTRE to retrieve two stolen nukes! Featuring a bevy of henchmen and extensive underwater sequences, does this Bond film sink or swim? Listen to this week's Now Playing to find out!

In 1967 Bond fans were very anxious for the next installment in the series, with Sean Connery returning in You Only Live Twice. But that's not the movie we're reviewing! A few short weeks before You Only Live Twice came out, the first "unofficial" James Bond film came out--Casino Royale! A broad Bond spoof with several big name actors, a licensing deal allowed Columbia Pictures to

The poster boasted "Sean Connery IS James Bond", and yet You Only Live Twice was released with Eon Productions looking for a replacement actor as Connery had announced he was leaving the role of Bond. But for his supposed final film all stops were pulled out as he finally comes face-to-scarred-face with Blofeld, head of the evil group SPECTRE. Is this a film that you should watch t

James Bond is back, but Sean Connery isn't. Instead, wearing the tuxedo and tossing the hat, is George Lazenby, an actor who would play Bond only once. Lazenby was long a punch line for the Bond franchise, but some Bond fans consider this film one of the best. Does Lazenby escape Connery's shadow, and should he have had a second shot playing the British agent? Listen to this episod

Never Say Never Again isn't the only time Connery played Bond after leaving the role. After George Lazenby's one outing, United Artists decided to take Bond back to its original formula, bringing back the director, the writer, and the star of Goldfinger for one last Bond adventure. It's Connery's last official appearance as 007, facing off one last time against SMERSH and Blofeld.

They tried replacing Sean Connery once and failed. But with Connery's determination to move his career beyond Bond, United Artists had to once again recast the British spy. With the adaptation of Ian Flemming's second James Bond novel, Live and Let Die, English actor Roger Moore stepped into the tuxedo. Moore was already familiar with playing a spy, having played Simon Templar on t

For Roger Moore's second Bond film every attempt was made to recapture the magic of Goldfinger. With the return of Goldfinger's director Guy Hamilton, another character carrying a golden pistol, and a plot full of twists and turns, it certainly seems like all the right ingredients were brought together. Add in classic Hammer horror icon Christopher Lee as a master assassin aided by