Sir Sean Connery (1930-2020)
Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 1:41PM by Nathaniel R
Sean Connery at the 76th Oscars. Courtesy of HO/AMPAS
The Oscar winning superstar Sir Thomas Sean Connery has died two months after his 90th birthday. Connery's acting career began in 1953 as part of the chorus of a production of the stage musical South Pacific. Four years later his movie career began in earnest with several small roles the debut being a crime drama No Road Back. Global fame would take another five years to arrive. It happened as the original 007 in Dr. No (1962), making Connery the figurehead of an colossally successful movie franchise. It's still running to this day 37 years after Connery let his license-to-kill expire.
He's the only James Bond to win an Oscar via 1987's mobsters vs cops drama The Untouchables. He retired from the screen after 2003's would-be franchise launch League of Extraordinarily Gentlemen but he remains beloved to multiple generations. After the jump, 12 essential Connery films to track his career (if we've written about them the link will take you there).
We lumped all Bond films into one because his career was so much larger than just the super spy...
TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE (1957)
He's the main villain's deadliest henchman in this memorable Tarzan flick giving you an early taste of where his career might have gone if he hadn't landed him firmly in leading man territory. He makes quite a believable bad guy with his heavy brows, bloodlust, and dangerous handsomeness.
DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (1957)
An early taste of the romantic leading man to come in a supporting role in this classic family film as a good young man who takes over the lead's job when he's forced into retirement and romances his daughter (with daddy's approval)
DR NO (1962-1983) and James Bond in general
Connery made seven Bond films, the most beloved of which are the second through fourth entries: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), GOLDFINGER (1964), FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1964) and THUNDERBALL (1965) -- Goldfinger is my favourite -- but it was Dr. No that started it all. Connery's last Bond film, the "unofficial" NEVER SAY NEVER (1983) is his weakest Bond outing but it is the only James Bond film in which both the Bond Girl (Kim Basinger) and 007 himself are played by eventual Oscar winners.
MARNIE (1964)
One of Alfred Hitchcock's most divisive titles. Some think it's brilliant, others that it's a sour note that ended Hitch's most esteemed run from the late 50s through the early 60s (North by Northwest-Vertigo-Psycho-The Birds). But it's a fine example of Connery using both his romantic movie star bonafides and his ability to land more unsavory notes together in one film. He could have been a regular movie villain if Bond hadn't happened.
ZARDOZ (1974)
His only true camp classic -- it's the costuming that puts it over the edge, though the other crafts are just as insane.
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974)
Here we see him going through a common right of passage of headlining stars, doing an all-star ensemble picture in which all the A-listers deign to be supporting players in order to work together. It's not slumming if you're all doing it; even Joan Crawford was willing to do it in the 1930s.
THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (1975)
An adventure film based on a Rudyard Kipling story. He and Sir Michael Caine (who were close friends before either of them were famous) played English military officers in India deceiving natives of an isolated island. This was reportedly Connery's favourite of his own films. He was working with a beloved friend. He was thrilled to be done with Bond (like Daniel Craig he repeatedly bitched about the demands of playing Bond over and over again)... though he eventually went back for one more.
ROBIN AND MARIAN (1976)
A well liked and more original take on the Robin Hood myth than the movies normally give us with Robin (Connery) and Marian (Audrey Hepburn) both older, years after their famous "adventures". Because Connery normally starred in action flicks, he doesn't have a lot of memorable romantic dramas in his filmography pairing him with female A-listers. It's either this or Russia House (1990) with Michelle Pfeiffer if you're jonesing for that.
HIGHLANDER (1986)
Another rite of passage for aging male action stars, becoming the "mentor" to the young protagonist. In this sword-fetishizing fantasy movie he trains "the one" Christopher Lambert to keep his head (the only way to kill an immortal being decapitation). It's also a key movie in using Connery's iconic Scottishness to proper effect what with the costuming; James Bond wasn't one to wear kilts!
THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987)
The Oscar winning role, so it had to be a true story, natch. He plays Jim Malone who aided Federal Agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) in his fight against mob corruption. Robert De Niro is on villain duty as legendary mobster Al Capone. We'll talk about this one next week (it was already planned prior to his passing.)
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)
We ❤️ Professor Henry Jones. A perfect movie for showing how gracefully his screen charisma aged. And for utilizing his comic timing... which had always been there but never much of a focus.
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990) or ENTRAPMENT (1999)
His last two blockbuster successes. Choose October if you like man's man suspense and Entrapment if you enjoy CZJ's slinky sexiness.
Which Sean Connery role or movie is dearest to your heart?
Reader Comments (30)
His work in Sidney Lumet's The Hill is one of his under-the-radar great performances.
Great actor. movie star and the one and only James Bond
Definitely Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade for me. It's a nice way of subverting his James Bond image.
Well I always enjoy Catherine Zeta-Jones slinky sexiness, but haven't seen that particular movie.
As for Connery, I'm slightly embarrassed to say I haven't seen any of his Bond movies (I know I know). Of his performances that I have seen I would have to say two are at the very top of the list: The Hill and The Offence, both directed by Sidney Lumet.
I love his work in Indiana Jones. He and Harrison Ford were a match made in movie star heaven. Pure charisma and yes I agree that Sean Connery had more comedic talent than people gave him credit for. RIP.
I'm over Bond at this point, but Connery deserves credit for starting such a successful franchise. And boy, was he gorgeous in those Bond years. It was always surprising to me that he was such a big star in the 90s, with several huge hits long after his Bond tenure. His career trajectory was weird in that aspect.
The Name of the Rose might be his best performance (from what I've seen).
I love The Untouchables. I love the score. I love the enormous craft on display during the train station sequence. I love Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith and Patty Clarkson's lovely, worried face. But most of all, I love Sean Connery in it.
A truly great actor I would add:
-The hill (1965)
-The name of the rose (1986)
-Finding Forrester (2000)
As the kids say he’s very “problematic” but he was the only good Bond and sexy and hairy AF.
No Outland!!! True it's very much High Noon in space but very well done and he and the divine Frances Sternhagen have a wonderfully spiky chemistry. One of his very best.
My top ten favorites of his film based on his participation
Outland
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Murder on the Orient Express
Goldfinger (my favorite but I'd include all his Bond's here except for Never Say Never Again)
Woman of Straw-A wacky melodrama he made with Gina Lollobrigida and Ralph Richardson
The Untouchables]
The Rock
The Man Who Would be King
The Anderson Tapes
The Wind and the Lion
Just below that would be the rather rough but still entertaining Western Shalako with Brigitte Bardot.
A real Movie Star with that innate charisma that enabled him to dominate a scene and a movie. A rare commodity that is always in short supply.
VERY problematic but a true movie star... I have a fondness for The Rock (to name one film not mentioned above)...
The only James Bond even nominated for an Oscar? Unless our new Bond is Idris Elba (then I remember the 2015 Oscar race and quietly fume that he was a year too early).
"James Bond wasn't one to wear kilts!" -- not true; as portrayed by George Lazenby he wore a kilt in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Fun fact, Dana Broccoli, wife of Bond co-producer Cubby, saw Darby O'Gill and the Little People and informed her husband she'd found James Bond.
Problematic doesn't begin to cover it. He was a dick of a human being, but he created the definitive portrait of an iconic character. Roger Moore -- whose obit I wrote here -- was a far worse Bond but an infinitely better human.
Still, it's right that the film world remember and honor his acting.
There was no slumming in Murder on the Orient Express by Connery. I thought he was one of the standouts of the movie playing a dignified man trying to maintain his composure and British stiff upper lip-esque persona despite being burdened by tragedy and barely able to contain his grief and rage.
I loved The Rock as a child. My favorite movie of his
John, Deborah, etcetera... i 'm so glad i'm blissfully unaware of his personal life (i had no idea he was 'problematic') and sometimes it's better to be ignorant about such things when it comes to artists. because the whole reason people obsess over them is not their personal life anyway (unless they're that kind of star... like a Liz Taylor or something)
Tom -- i only met slumming in the sense of big stars taking small roles.
The Man Who Would Be King is perfection, and so is his performance in it.
What a sad loss to cinema when he retired,so much charisma.
His best performances other than Bond for me are Marnie and The Man Who Would Be King and i'm partial to Finding Forrester also.
I don't think I ever realized his turn in Indiana Jones is my favorite from him. In fact, I'd probably give him an Oscar for that. An actor that relied on charisma and style, which is underrated in film these days. RIP.
No Time Bandits? What the fuck? He was great in that film.
He was my dad's favorite James Bond and felt he was the only one that perfected it while he had fondness for the ones as well including Daniel Craig but Connery was always his Bond.
Without him, there would never be those once-in-a-lifetime stars who are defined by that one great character. Godspeed 007.
Man Who Would Be King is my absolute favourite, with Indiana Jones not far behind.
He was absolutely gorgeous, and aged very, very well. A real life Don Draper, it seems.
My favorite would be either The Untouchables or Thunderball (lots of shirtlessness in that one) or Medicine Man, which I haven't seen in years.
Rest in Peace.
Glad to see some love for The Rock in the comments. That's a great and fantastically-done action movie featuring a terrific Connery performance.
In order:
The Man Who Be King
The Hunt for The Red October
Indiana Jones
The Untouchables
Bond
"The Hill" really should have been in a "best of Connery" lineup. I also find "The Untouchables" to be one of his lesser works, which of course would win him the Oscar. A legend all the same, as he's the signature Bond in my mind for all time. "Always imitated, but never duplicated!" RIP to a legend.
Sad and major news. He was and will remain a legend. Among Bonds, he is my joint favourite with Roger Moore - I can't separate them. And, like Moore, Connery had such charisma - though Connery's was of a rougher variety. That's not a judgement - just an indication of how they differ. I remember that Lois Maxwell was quoted as saying she would want Roger as her husband and Sean as her lover. I adore him in every Bond film, with Thunderball perhaps the best of his best.
Outside Bond, Connery's charisma shone through many times elsewhere - as did his talent. So many top performances in memorable roles, many already mentioned. I'll just add that I think he's great in The Name of the Rose, an underrated film of a fantastic novel. Reading the novel, one wouldn't automtically think of Connery for the main character of William of Baskeville, but it was a triumphant casting decision and he is brilliant. You really trust him in it.
RIP.
1. Goldfinger 2. Dr. No 3. Thunderball 4. From Russia with Love 5.You Only Live Twice
6. Diamonds Are Forever 7. Never Say Never Again.
I have seen Connery in:
Dr.No
Entrapment
The Name of The Rose
The Murder on the Orient Express
From Russia With Love
The Rock
Marnie
The Hunt for Red October
First Knight
And I just learn that he played our Norwegian national treasure, Roald Amundsen, in The Red Tent
just wanted to reiterated that i chose these 12 based on an overview of what his career was like. NOT as his 12 best performances. or 12 best films.
Thank you for including my beloved Murder On the Orient Express. This is one of my favorites of his performances. He has a great scene with Albert Finney that conveys a lot of humanity and compassion from both characters' perspectives. I wish they had done another film together. My wish is that they are playing chess together in heaven. Be at peace, Sir.
One of my favourite Connery performances is defintely epic atmospheric The Name Of The Rose - still a great watch. I always loved him - his charm and wit and as you say Nathaniel might be a blessing sometimes not to know too much about the private person - he always looked like a very genuine person. rip