Connery Bond's Best Henchmen

Rather than mix them (i.e Red Grant) with the main villains, we'll do the henchmen here and controversially allow multiple choice.

I can't vote multiple times. I went with Grant but a good three quarters of the list deserves a vote, too (Dent, Fiona, Oddjob, Helga, etc.) Also, how about Kronsteen?

Went for Grant too ... Shaw is great and the verbal sparring between him and Bond is superb, as of course is the subsequent fight.

Oh Hilly...well, Red Grant for the reasons above but scattering pigeons by throwing in Fiona and Wint. Wint it's the lines, the humour, the quiet menace even if his ruddy aftershave tipped Bond off.

Fiona has risen in my estimation lately. Redhead yes but she has utter menace behind her and in effect better than Largo. You suspect she'd do anything to ensure the plan going, well, to plan. She could've killed Domino at some point if it meant SPECTRE succeeding. She also is one of the few women that Bond can't get a better off (not until the very end anyway). One of the few to call his bullshit perhaps.

She's fantastic. I'd throw her a vote if I could, Hilly. Couldn't vote multiple times for some reason.

Perhaps if you enable vote cancelling I could try again?

I've enabled cancelling. The multiple choice is also enabled. Could just be some glitch if it persists.

Thanks! Went with Dent, Grant, Oddjob, Fiona and Helga.

Ha, I think I spoiled you by allowing that option.

Sound choices. I'm not Helga's biggest fan but her death edges her stakes somewhat. As a kid that (and even when Hans went the same way) made me pale with fright. (Oh...youth)

Hilly wrote:

Fiona [is] also is one of the few women that Bond can't get a better off

The better of whom Bond cannot get.

Since Peter Franks was not included, I will wait and throw my support behind either Red Grant or Oddjob.

Hilly wrote:

Ha, I think I spoiled you by allowing that option.

Sound choices. I'm not Helga's biggest fan but her death edges her stakes somewhat. As a kid that (and even when Hans went the same way) made me pale with fright. (Oh...youth)

That piranha pool frightened me too.

Helga's screen time is bookended by two excellent scenes: her introduction in Osato's office is one of my favourite in the film, and the visual pun, the low camera angle capturing Dor's healthy chest, is one of the series' best. And of course, her death scene, as mentioned. Not only is it striking but the sheer vulnerability in her expression rounds out her character. She transitions from charming professional in her first scene, to femme fatale in the cabin/plane, to fearful SPECTRE agent, and it's quite the seamless journey.

Excellent points, indeed her eyes as she is killed...I think in a way she's not as blindly loyal as say Fiona is (if we compare femme fatale's). Like Pussy, if Bond had met her again she might have been shall we say persuaded.

Occurs to me I should have called this thread "henchpersons"...be PC and all that. But no..

Even before her death, when she and Osato are summoned to Blofeld's apartment, there appears to be a fear of even having to converse with him. Says a lot about both her AND the terror that is Blofeld.

Oh and you did fine with the thread title. Don't let the PC brigade bring you down with them.

Oddjob...The silent assassin, throws a mean bowler hat.

silvertoe wrote:

Oddjob...The silent assassin, throws a mean bowler hat.

Didn't you know? According to every reviewer I've ever read, all Bond henchman are mute - even Gobinda, as portrayed by the bilingual Kabir Bedi.

It would be a shame if Onatopp was mute.

I keep forgetting some of these henchmen listed like Vargas because they're so unremarkable compared to the more memorable heavies like Grant, Oddjob, Volpe, Wint/Kidd, etc.

So yeah, I voted for Red Grant. Oddjob is a close second.

I think Vargas works because of Largo's put down ("what do you do, Vargas?") and his iconic death scene. But as you say, there are far more memorable, impactful villains than he.

Someone once remarked in the James Bond & Friends podcast that Vargas was basically the original Elvis. Hard to deny.

I think that Vargas' hair is his own, though.

Unlike Connery's, ironically enough.

As a fan of all things strength, has to be Oddjob for me.
Harold Sakata was silver medalist in weightlifting a London 1948

Wint and Kidd . They should have been one option as they are a unity.
United by God.

If God had intended us to be separate, Mr. Wint...

He would have put us in different films, Mr. Kidd.

I chose Grant, but Fiona's speech to Bond is a very special moment for me (as was seeing her on the bigscreen as a kid), so it was kinda close.

Seeing those big screens on the big screen would surely awaken something in any wee lad.

Anyway, I'm inclined to pick Grant, but can't possibly overlook Wint and Kidd.

Technically I think the awakening began with Barbara Rhoades in THE SHAKIEST GUN IN THE WEST, when a dumbstruck Don Knotts drops his doctor apparatus and it disappears into her bountiful cleavage, but Paluzzi in a TB/YOLT reissue definitely carried forward what started with Rhoades.