The following year, Hunt edited The Admirable Crichton (directed and co-written by Lewis Gilbert), becoming good friends with John Glen.

Hunt continued his collaboration with Gilbert on films such as Ferry to Hong Kong and Sink the Bismarck!.

In the 1960s, Hunt signed on as an editor on the first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962), and he edited From Russia with Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964).

On those three films, Hunt developed an editing technique in which he utilized quick cutting, allowing camera swings during action and inserts interleaving other elements.

[4] When Gilbert passed on the opportunity to direct On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Broccoli and Saltzman selected Hunt as director.

Hunt was asked to direct numerous other Eon Bond films — including Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me, and For Your Eyes Only — but always declined.