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Sean Connery in the movie "The Untouchables" in 1987. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/mediaviewer/rm593762816/ (May be subject to copyright) |
At the dawn of the decade, Connery was best known as the first real, big screen James Bond, that spy in the British secret service with a licence to kill.
As the decade progressed, Sean Connery would leave James Bond behind, with a series of memorable performances in a variety of films.
The years before
Sean Connery, had his first big-screen role in 1954, an uncredited turn in “Lilacs in the Spring”. His first movie as James Bond was “Dr. No”, in 1962. He followed that up with “From Russia With Love” in 1963 and “Goldfinger” in 1964. The first time I saw him was doing battle with Oddjob and flirting with Pussy Galore in “Goldfinger”.
Sean Connery, had his first big-screen role in 1954, an uncredited turn in “Lilacs in the Spring”. His first movie as James Bond was “Dr. No”, in 1962. He followed that up with “From Russia With Love” in 1963 and “Goldfinger” in 1964. The first time I saw him was doing battle with Oddjob and flirting with Pussy Galore in “Goldfinger”.
He was back as Bond again in 1965 in “Thunderball”; “You Only Live Twice” in 1967; and “Diamonds are Forever” in 1971, which was his last turn as James Bond – or so we thought.
Connery had also been in other movies including “A Fine Madness”; “The Molly Maguires”; “The Anderson Tapes”; “Murder on the Orient Express”; “The Man Who Would be King”; “Robin and Marian”; “A Bridge Too Far”; “The First Great Train Robbery” and “Meteor”.
Dawn of the Decade
His first movie of the ‘80s was “Outland” in 1981, where he plays a new marshal at a mining colony on Jupiter seeking to uncover the truth and root out criminals.
His first movie of the ‘80s was “Outland” in 1981, where he plays a new marshal at a mining colony on Jupiter seeking to uncover the truth and root out criminals.
He followed that up with “Time Bandits” in 1982, where a boy goes on an adventure through time with a band of thieves. Connery played King Agmemnon.
Next, he was in “Five Days One Summer” and “Wrong is Right”, both in 1982.
Then something strange happened.
Familiar Face
In 1983, the producers of the James Bond franchise were readying to release “Octopussy”, the latest movie starring Roger Moore as the secret agent.
In 1983, the producers of the James Bond franchise were readying to release “Octopussy”, the latest movie starring Roger Moore as the secret agent.
Then there was word, another James Bond movie was coming out – with Sean Connery back as Bond. It seems, there was some issue over the copyright of “Thunderball”, so it was available to be made again. Connery was cast and “Never Say Never Again”, a reference to him never playing Bond again, came out in 1983.
The movie season was billed as the “Battle of the Bonds”
It would be Sean Connery’s last turn as Bond. Interestingly, when he started playing the secret agent, Bond creator Ian Fleming was still alive. He said Connery looked exactly like what Fleming had imagined Bond to look like except for a scar on his face.
There can be only one
It is a movie that has become a cult classic, but in 1986 was anything but that. After Connery had appeared in “Sword of the Valiant” in 1984, he appeared in “Highlander”.
It is a movie that has become a cult classic, but in 1986 was anything but that. After Connery had appeared in “Sword of the Valiant” in 1984, he appeared in “Highlander”.
It is a movie that I went to in the theatre with my friends David Perlich, Michael Kozbial, and Mathew Ebner. There were 13 other people in the theatre. We knew because we counted.
Yet, we like “Highlander”, and I still do.
Christopher Lambert plays Connor MacLeod, an immortal, who was born in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th Century, and has live several lives since then. Earth is filled with several of these immortals. When there is only one left, they will receive a reward beyond all imagining. The only way to kill an immortal is to cut their head off. Connery plays Ramirez, another immortal, who trains MacLeod to protect himself when he initially discovers he is immortal. That comes when MacLeod is attacked by another immortal named Kurgan.
There would be sequels and a TV show that really butchered the story, but we all really liked the original “Highlander”.
Success
That role in “Highlander” was the first of what became a renaissance for Sean Connery in his 50s.
That role in “Highlander” was the first of what became a renaissance for Sean Connery in his 50s.
His next film, also in 1986, was “Name of the Rose”, where Connery played a Franciscan monk trying to solve a murder in an abbey
He then achieved his greatest success to date. Based on the popular 1960s TV series, “The Untouchables” came out in 1987. Kevin Costner plays Eliot Ness, a Bureau Of Prohibition Agent. He takes on organized crime and Al Capone, played by Robert DeNiro, who was selling illegal booze during Prohibition in the 1930s. Connery played Jim Malone, a veteran cop who helps Ness take down Capone.
For his efforts, Connery won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role. He also won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture.
“The Untouchables” breathed new life into Connery’s career.
His next role was in 1988 in “The Presidio”. He plays the head of an army base, who clashes with a San Francisco police detective, played by Mark Harmon, over the murder investigation of a soldier and two police officers.
The movie was panned by critics, but I have yet to see it to judge for myself.
Connery was brilliantly cast in his next role in 1989 as Henry Jones, the father of Indiana Jones, in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. The chemistry between Connery and Harrison Ford is instant. They portray all the complexity that exists in a father-son relationship from affection and love, to annoyance, irritation and the struggle for independence by the son. For his efforts, Connery was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture.
He closed out the decade in 1989 with “Family Business”, where he plays the head of a crime family opposite Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick.
The years after
Sean Connery continued to do great work in the succeeding decades including “The Hunt for Red October”; “The Russia House”; “Highlander II: The Quickening”; “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”; “Medicine Man”: “Rising Sun”; “A Good Man in Africa”; “Just Cause”; “First Knight”; providing his voice for “Dragonheart”; “The Rock”; “The Avengers”; “Playing by Heart”; “Entrapment”; and “Finding Forrester”.
Sean Connery continued to do great work in the succeeding decades including “The Hunt for Red October”; “The Russia House”; “Highlander II: The Quickening”; “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”; “Medicine Man”: “Rising Sun”; “A Good Man in Africa”; “Just Cause”; “First Knight”; providing his voice for “Dragonheart”; “The Rock”; “The Avengers”; “Playing by Heart”; “Entrapment”; and “Finding Forrester”.
“The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” was his final on-screen role, in 2003.
He in 2006, after receiving the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He came out of retirement briefly for just one more film, lending his voice to “Sir Billi” in 2012.
Sean Connery died in 2020.
He was 90 years old.
Question and answer
In junior high, I took a computer science class using Apple II computers. One of our assignments was to create a trivia game. The structure was multiple choice questions with four possible answers.
In junior high, I took a computer science class using Apple II computers. One of our assignments was to create a trivia game. The structure was multiple choice questions with four possible answers.
I borrowed my cousin’s box of “Trivial Pursuit” questions for material. The question I remember best, because at the time no one seemed to get it right was: What actor has a tattoo of “Scotland Forever” on his right arm?
Sean Connery
Parting thoughts
For people of a certain age, Sean Connery will always be synonymous with James Bond. Even Bond’s creator Ian Fleming thought Connery was right for the role.
For people of a certain age, Sean Connery will always be synonymous with James Bond. Even Bond’s creator Ian Fleming thought Connery was right for the role.
Yet, he did so much more after that.
What really kick-started the best part of his career was that Oscar and Golden Globe-winning role in “The Untouchables”.
It happened in he ‘80s and it finally meant Sean Connery had left James Bond behind.
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