Saturday, October 31, 2020

Sean Connery, 1930-2020

The great Sean Connery has passed on at the age of 90.

Connery's son Jason announced his father died today at his home in the Bahamas.  Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are among the outlets which have posted obituaries.

Connery of course will be forever remembered as the first and best James Bond on screen -- he's seen above in his first Bond film, DR. NO (1962) -- but he had a rich film career beyond his seven films as 007.

My favorite Connery roles are his Oscar-winning performance in THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987), with his unforgettable "Chicago way" speech (seen above, with Kevin Costner)...


...and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990), a perfect film excepting the casting of colorless Alec Baldwin, in a role which appeared to have been tailor-made for Kevin Costner.  Connery, Sam Neill, and Scott Glenn are superb and offset Baldwin's casting misfire.  Both these films hold up to multiple repeat viewings thanks largely to Connery's outstanding performances.

Though many consider it one of Hitchcock's lesser films, I also really enjoy him in MARNIE (1964), seen above with Tippi Hedren. He's tremendously handsome and charismatic.

He was downright adorable singing in Disney's DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (1959):

And although the movie was only middling, he was supremely enjoyable as Professor Henry Jones, the father of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989):

Over the years I've enjoyed Connery in several other films, though relatively few have been reviewed here.  In addition to all his 007 films and the titles cited above, I've also enjoyed Connery in HELL DRIVERS (1957), THE LONGEST DAY (1962), THE WIND AND THE LION (1975) (seen below), TIME BANDITS (1981), THE PRESIDIO (1988), THE RUSSIA HOUSE (1990), and ENTRAPMENT (1999).  Click any hyperlinked title for a full review.

What a grand career!  Rest in peace, Mr. Connery, and thanks for the many hours of movie happiness.

UpdateTCM Remembers Sean Connery.

5 Comments:

Blogger Lee R said...

Sorry about the news but I always thought Roger Moore was the best Bond. He played it with a bit of a sense of humor while Connery played it with a get right to the deadly business at hand attitude.

6:45 PM  
Blogger barrylane said...

Same here, Lee -- but Sean was great in The Wind and the Lion, Man Who Would Be King, Murder on the Orient Express, and personal Dr. No story. I was on a date a cute blonde girl and she wanted to see the film, but we were too far for the start. I stopped, called the theatre, and with my best Cary Grant impression, told them, I will be a few minutes late and please hold Dr. No until my arrival. We did make it, but they kept holding the start time until Grant showed. Eventually, someone must have caught on, and they ran it. Pretty good I thought.

8:21 PM  
Blogger Margot Shelby said...

Well Barry, I'd like to hear the rest of that story. :)

9:06 PM  
Blogger barrylane said...

Margot -- a cute question and the answer was I had acute time. We went spent a final evening together and quarreled over something I am certain, in hindsight that she was right about. My blonde friend did not like her father and was vocal about it. Me, I resented the concept. I liked mine.

7:19 AM  
Blogger Laura said...

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts on this special actor.

Lee, Roger Moore was my "first Bond," in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, and will always be special to me for that reason. That said I really appreciate the different styles they each broguht ot the role.

Barrylane, what a fun story!!

Best wishes,
Laura

11:26 PM  

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