The Definitive Works: A Sean Connery Retro-Schpective
On October 31st, cinema lost one of its brightest burning stars in Scottish acting legend, Sir Sean Connery. At 90 years old, he lived a long and notable life that, despite the dated nature of the lifestyle he outwardly represented, left an indelible impact on film and culture as a whole. His cherished legacy that spans almost half a century introduced an acting style (and excessively overdone impersonation) that found its way into the popular consciousness and carved new pathways for generations that followed.
Largely identified as the very first (some would say best) James Bond, his towering presence built new dimensions around super stardom by exhibiting the radiant and dynamic energy he’s characteristically known for. His effortless charisma and dashing sense of style created an image that redefined perceptions of mid-century masculinity but took on controversial new meanings over the course of time. Despite this, Connery’s career took him in a number of intriguing directions that shifted the cultural meanings of that image. To celebrate this one-of-a-kind career, we’ll be exploring five of his definitive films that outline his trajectory and solidified him as one of cinema’s eternal icons.
Goldfinger (1964) - dir. Guy Hamilton
After the success of Dr. No in 1962, Connery rose to monumental prominence and immediately became a fixture of the industry. Based on Ian Fleming’s captivating spy novel, Dr. No featured Connery in his breakout role as MI6’s most luxurious secret agent; his commanding onscreen presence was a strong introduction for the world’s most electrifying new action star. He came back to reprise this role in the two consecutive years that followed, with Goldfinger serving as third in the James Bond franchise. First in the franchise to earn over $100 million in box office revenue, Goldfinger follows the exploits of our suave secret agent as he goes toe-to-toe with the titular crime lord and his bowler-cap slinging sidekick, Oddjob.
Having been in the role for three years by this point, his radiance reaches an apex that could aptly be described as invulnerable; his swagger is unwavering and his elegance is unparalleled by any other movie star in his era. The camera gazes in admiration on his tall and sturdy frame, capturing each crinkle of the devilish grin he’d imbue, the razor-sharp glimmer in his eye reflected the alluring danger we knew him to be capable of. His image stood for something larger than life itself; in a time that was dominated by status and powerful men, this role became the beacon of class and masculinity. Calm, cool, collected and in control, Connery became a sex symbol who defined the gold standard by which all men wanted to be measured by—though over time we’d find that it came at a hefty price.
While the role was a showcase for Connery, it’s proven to have aged quite poorly, famously sparking dispute over the problematic ideals it portrays of an era that openly reinforced misogyny and devaluation of women. Butt slaps, overt sexual innuendo and general objectification are not rarities in the Bond-iverse. While it’s important to never shy away from these transgressions, it’s also important to view the Bond films with an understanding of what his character is meant to represent: the tailored suits, the Aston Martins, the shaken martinis—James Bond is a steward of lifestyle and luxury. To truly appreciate this series’ true value, we have to process it in proper perspective, with a clear understanding of how far we’ve come since the 1960’s. For many, its age factor has been diminished by these ideals, though it doesn’t negate the lasting cultural impact of Connery’s contributions to the discourse of entertainment. And as Connery began to outgrow this image, his career began taking shape, as did the intrigue of the vastly more complicated roles he became associated with.
The Offence (1973) - dir. Sidney Lumet
As time went on, Connery began to resent his responsibilities as James Bond. In an effort to shed the image he felt trapped in, he started taking on a multitude of interesting projects in the 1970’s that began showcasing his true talent as an actor. In order to execute this vision, he wanted to team with filmmakers who could capitalize on the full range of his acting potential. Seeking collaboration with acclaimed NYC-based auteur Sidney Lumet, Connery knew that if anyone could help him reinvent his image, it was the genius behind 12 Angry Men. First teaming in 1965’s war drama The Hill, their creative marriage reached its peak on their sophomore follow-up, The Offence. This gritty psychological thriller follows a distraught police detective through the darkest case of his career; when a child molestation suspect is apprehended, the detective’s suppressed rage unfurls in this harrowing exploration of the depths of the human psyche when pushed to the brink of its limits.
Despite its mainstream underappreciation, the brilliance of this film is that it presents a sobering look at the unflinching realities of Connery’s Bond mystique. Like 007, Detective Johnson is shown to be a committed, unstoppable force of sheer will and carries out his mission with bulletproof invulnerability. What makes it an effective divergence is its ability to provoke deeper thought on the bleaker sides of criminal justice. While Johnson tries hard to retain his moral position, the overexposure to grisly violence blurs his sense of judgement and brings out something sinister in him. His headstrong aggression isn’t glamorized—it’s uglified. For the first time in Connery’s career, he uses his infamous fortitude to convey a man hanging onto his reasonings by a thread, grinded down to the soul by the horrors of human injustice.
For Connery, this bare-knuckled noir did more than shed his Bond persona, it solidified his place as one of the greatest actors of his generation. It was complex to a degree that audiences weren’t used to seeing out of actors who were typically associated with one specific role, and for Connery to break that mold was a colossal step forward in his career. Think of it this way: if the Bond franchise was Dazed & Confused, then this was his True Detective. The Offence sealed his place as a great dramatic actor but as age became more of a factor, Connery began to embrace his new frontiers in a vastly different way.
Time Bandits (1981) - dir. Terry Gilliam
The early 80’s were a transitionary period for movies and pop culture; after the release of Star Wars in 1977, entertainment was defined by corporatized, grand scale entertainment that appealed to imagination and wonder. The ushering of this new blockbuster age found Connery’s super sensation fading gradually into the backdrop of the culture machine, though he still retained powerful pole position within the industry. In a critical move that would shape the next phase of his career, Connery’s self-awareness led him to roles that softened his image. Combining forces with Terry Gilliam, the silly mind behind the Monty Python films, Connery lent his talents to the critically applauded Time Bandits. This fun romp of a fantasy adventure follows a young history bookworm as he zips through dimensional portals, braving wild and dangerous landscapes throughout world history.
In the film, Connery makes a cameo appearance as the brutish but caring King Agamemnon who assumes care of the young boy when he finds himself in Ancient Greece. Mindful of the impossibility for audiences to shake Connery’s brutish presence from their memories, Gilliam knew rather than to reinvent it, he must instead leverage it in a way that serves his signature lighthearted, humorous filmmaking style. The role shows a warmer side to his alpha demeanor, which humanized the man once thought to be the epitome of testosterone fueled self-seriousness. The playground of fantastical creativity allowed for Connery to retain his essence, but to play it off with just the right balance of whimsey and trademark fury.
In his long and storied arc, this particular phase of Connery’s career was especially pivotal in the sense that there was an extreme shift in his cultural meaning. This was the point where audiences knew that Connery had achieved veteran status, and that this cameo appearance would set the tone for how audiences perceived him moving forward. Why do we cheer when we see Sylvester Stallone in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 for thirty seconds? Because modern audiences know that once upon a Cold War, he fought Ivan Drago in Soviet Russia. By the time Bandits came out, Connery was universally recognized as a seasoned icon, worthy of the unexpected cameo in an adventurous, self-aware comedy. Having fully embraced this new plateau, the later part of the decade finds Connery in a fun co-starring role that most fittingly showcased the legend status in all its charismatic glory.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) - dir. Steven Spielberg
While almost thirty years had passed since first emerging onto the scene, Connery’s star power reaches a second peak in the late-80’s. Teaming with the biggest filmmaker of the century in Steven Spielberg, a visionary who’s always known how to capitalize on the most beloved characteristics of his cast, Connery’s magnetism coalesces magnificently in a showcase of both charm and humor. Sharing a screen with Hollywood’s favorite hotshot Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade follows the iconic archaeologist on his continued adventures in search of the Holy Grail, a proverbial artifact rumored to grant everlasting life.
Third in the quadrilogy and most lucrative film of the decade, Crusade features Connery in the definitive late-phase role of his career playing the stubborn father of a globetrotter with a knack for finding himself in precarious situations and booby-trapped temples. Spielberg immerses audiences in another treacherous world of global expanse and childlike wonder that, even when considering his distinguished resumé, still serves as the benchmark for all adventure movies. While Crusade’s action-packed set pieces remain untouched as a milestone of the genre, its high regard is largely in debt to the performances of Connery and Ford. These titans of machismo have palpable father-son chemistry; their witty interplay is an endearing snapshot of the love, dysfunction and sacrifice that often come with complicated family values. From E.T. to Gremlins, this tonal modesty was an earmark of 80’s entertainment and this movement helped soften the opacity of Connery’s reputation.
His performance as Henry Jones set the stage for the twilight of Sean Connery’s career as a featured mentor; his presence became a reverent symbol of wisdom and guidance in the same way Mark Hamill did in the new Star Wars trilogy. His star power never really diminished, it rather reshaped into another form. While it was atypical for him to share top billing with another A-lister, Crusade gave viewers an unmistakable sense of the passing of a torch from one action star to the next. In many regards, he and Ford were mirror images of one another, both placed on similar paths at two different points in time. Their intersection was monumental and the result was highly lucrative, though Connery’s fifth and final phase took a slightly different approach to explore the concept of duality.
The Rock (1997) - dir. Michael Bay
So here’s the thing: The Rock is far from Sean Connery’s final film; in the spirit of productivity, he made nine movies in the last eight years of his career, culminating in 2003’s catastrophically mediocre League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. For the Scotsman whose roles were known for being larger than life, perhaps a more satisfying closure can be found in his creative marriage with larger than life action director Michael Bay. Hot from the hype of his debut feature Bad Boys, he quickly put his name in the hat for Hollywood’s premier action director. His follow-up pairs Connery with everyone’s favorite wild man Nic Cage as they infiltrate an Alcatraz stronghold to stop a rogue USMC general from launching weapons of mass destruction into San Francisco.
With special effects progress on the upswing, Michael Bay taps into a vein of sensory indulgence that James Cameron prospected in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Bay pushes the envelope to its explosive new limits and The Rock becomes a landmark for the action movie renaissance based solely on the concept: “let’s just obliterate everything and see what happens”. Co-stars Connery and Cage are exactly what you’d expect together—their collective insanity is hard to take your eyes off. Their scenes unfold like a series of hilarious improv sketches with back and forth spitfire pacing and a playful aggression that reflects their strong mutual awareness for one another. If Connery passed the torch in Crusade, then Nic Cage intercepted it and ran it 5000 miles in the opposite direction in The Rock.
While The Rock isn’t a likely candidate for the AFI Top 100 List, you can bet it’s become a staple of the action movie genre and a beloved keepsake in the hearts of movie fans worldwide. It’s even been inducted into the Criterion Collection. While there will always be a special place for movies with groundbreaking cultural impact, the modern generation was raised in an age where sensationalism is necessary to offset the pervasive cynicism. This film is vulgar, violent, in many ways tasteless but above all, it’s a hell of a lot of fun. And that’s just about everything you could ask for in a “turn your brain off” action movie.
The film’s massive cult following helps reinforce Sean Connery’s generational appeal: he rose to fame as a symbol of class and sexuality but through decades of exploring a number of roles that began to showcase his talents and diversify his image, he became something different entirely. This diversity gave way to a relativity, an inroad for modern audiences to latch onto. For the peculiar nature of this unassailable journey, despite the controversies, Sean Connery’s legacy as a performer will never, ever be remembered as just an artifact.