From Russia with Love, 1963
What’s a homicidal, paranoiac convicted murderer to do after escaping from Dartmoor prison in England? Why, become a SPECTRE assassin, of course. While not one of the flashier Bond adversaries, this brute makes the list because of the understated performance delivered by Robert. Hired and run by Rosa Klebb, Grant must first act as Bond’s protector so the spy can unwittingly deliver a Russian decoder to SPECTRE. The two match wits when they meet on the Orient Express, and their subsequent fight to the death in Bond’s cabin is a cinematic touchstone. Choreography, cinematography and editing DNA from that close-quarters fight can be found in the Bourne franchise.
Find out who else topped our list of top Bond bad guys —and get even more killer 007 content — by downloading 50 Years of Bond.
