From "Bond" to "Highlander": 16 major films with Sean Connery

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker recalls the brightest roles of the famous Scottish actor.

Sean Connery is one of those actors who was very popular in his youth and has not squandered his skills over the years. Thanks to his talent, James Bond films became popular all over the world. He starred with Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma, played kings and criminals. This list contains works where Connery either played the main role, or was very fond of the audience, even as a minor character.

1. Dr. No

• Great Britain, 1962.
• Action, adventure.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

The first James Bond film, from which the story of the superspy began. 007 must find the source of the interference that is causing American missiles to go off course and fall. Bond first encounters the powerful criminal organization "Specter", as well as the sinister Doctor No, who decided to destroy the missiles.

Ian Fleming himself - the author of the James Bond books - wanted agent 007 to be played by his relative Christopher Lee. But the filmmakers made the right choice, and the series kicked off with Sean Connery in the title role.

2. From Russia with love

• Great Britain, 1963.
• Action movie.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Another film about agent 007. This time James Bond needs to take out of Istanbul a Russian beauty who knows the code to the latest data transmission device. An agent of the criminal organization "Spectrum" is trying to prevent him. By his actions, he intends to provoke an international conflict, exacerbating relations between Great Britain and the USSR.

In the finale of the book of the same name, Bond author Ian Fleming hinted that Bond had been killed. True, a year later he miraculously came to life in the next novel. And yet, when the film was released, some of the viewers were seriously worried that the story of everyone's beloved Bond performed by Sean Connery could end there.

3. Goldfinger

• Great Britain, 1964.
• Action movie.
• Duration: 110 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

The third film in the endless series of adventures of super agent James Bond. This time, agent 007 must prevent the villain - the rich man Aurik Goldfinger. He plans to destroy the entire US gold reserve by detonating a radioactive bomb in the storage. Thus, he wants to destroy capitalist society and add value to his wealth. Bond will have to defeat Goldfinger, seducing all of his pretty assistants at the same time.

It was Sean Connery's charm in the first James Bond films that allowed the franchise to start so well. Even after dozens of years, millions of fans consider him to be the best performer of the role of agent 007.

4. Marnie

• USA, 1964.
• Psychological thriller.
• Duration: 130 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Marnie Edgar gets a job at various companies under false names, and after a while disappears with the company's money. But one day she is caught by a former business partner. He does not plan to turn her over to the police, but demands that Marnie marry him. But in family life, the girl gradually shows many strange phobias.

The combination of Alfred Hitchcock's directorial talent and Sean Connery's acting skills actually made his character the main character of the picture, leaving Marnie herself in the background.

5. Ball lightning

• Great Britain, 1965.
• Action movie.
• Duration: 130 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

The Spectrum organization kidnaps a NATO bomber with two nuclear warheads on board. The villains threaten to blow up any two major cities if they are not paid the ransom in diamonds. MI6 speculates that Specter is hiding warheads in the Bahamas, where 007 is sent to rescue humanity again.

We can assume that Sean Connery played twice in this film. Almost 20 years later, he returned to the role of James Bond in the film "Never Say Never," which practically repeats the plot of "Fireball".

6. Hill

• Great Britain, 1965.
• War drama.
• Duration: 123 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

The plot tells about the British military camp in Libya during the Second World War. The camp chief, Williams, tortures the prisoners in all available ways, constantly arranging tests for them - for example, forcing them to climb an artificial hill. None of the prisoners and guards can argue with his brutal practices.

Sean Connery plays the demoted sergeant of a tank regiment in this film. He was convicted of attacking his commander, as he ordered the sergeant to lead his subordinates to certain death. Connery's hero is the only one who openly argues with Williams and tries to show that even in such conditions it is possible to remain human.

7. Insult

• USA, UK, 1972.
• Drama, thriller.
• Duration: 112 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Over the 20 years of his service, Detective Sergeant Johnson has repeatedly faced violence and cruelty. At a certain moment, he breaks down and beats one of the suspects to death. And he understands that he himself is not very different from those who are used to catching.

Filming for this movie began almost immediately after Connery's brief return to Bond. But here he plays a completely different character. A police officer in a state of emotional breakdown, he came out no worse than a secret agent.

8. The man who wanted to be king

• USA, UK, 1975.
• Adventures.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

The film adaptation of the work of the same name by Rudyard Kipling tells the story of two British soldiers, Daniel and Peachy, who ended up in the Asian country of Kafiristan. Realizing that the locals are very naive, they decide to prove their divine origin, calling Daniel a descendant of Alexander the Great, and become the rulers of the state. However, deception will inevitably come out.

The acting duo of Sean Connery and Michael Kane as villains immediately draws attention to this picture. They show even such characters alive and ambiguous, which is the main talent of famous actors.

9. The bridge is too far

• USA, UK, 1977.
• War drama.
• Duration: 176 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

The film is based on real events and is dedicated to the operation of the allied forces in Normandy in 1944. The command planned to end the Second World War. But numerous miscalculations and shortcomings led to the death of a huge number of soldiers, and the operation was on the verge of collapse.

Almost all the characters and the plot of the picture are taken from real life. Some of the participants in this operation even advised the filmmakers. Here Sean Connery is just one representative of a whole galaxy of excellent actors who faithfully convey the events.

10. The name of the rose

• France, Italy, Germany, 1986.
• Drama, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 128 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Screen adaptation of Umberto Eco's debut novel. This is a detective story about a Franciscan monk. Together with his novice, he investigates mysterious deaths in a Benedictine monastery in northern Italy. His searches lead him to the book of Aristotle, which could change the idea of God.

As this film shows, Connery is equally easy to get used to the role of a super agent and the role of a monk. Although here his hero, as always, is smart and ironic. By the way, the young novice in the film was played by young Christian Slater.

11. Highlander

• USA, UK, 1986.
• Action, fantasy.
• Duration: 111 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

The first part of the famous franchise about the fate of the Macleod clan. Connor MacLeod should have died in the 16th century, but has risen and is now waging an eternal war. According to legend, only one immortal should remain on earth. And MacLeod will have to defeat his eternal enemy Kurgan in a duel.

The role of Sean Connery in this film is not very significant: he plays Juan Ramirez, the mentor of Connor Macleod. But the audience fell in love with this hero so much that in the second part, even contrary to the logic of the plot, the authors returned him and made him one of the main characters.

12. Untouchable

• USA, 1987.
• Crime, drama, thriller.
• Duration: 119 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

Chicago 1930s. The notorious criminal Al Capone runs an illegal alcohol business during Prohibition, and it looks like he has all the police and city leaders in his pocket. But a new team emerges from experienced police officer Jim Malone, gunner Giuseppe Petri and accountant Oscar Wallace. They are called the "Untouchables" and they are determined to bring the head of the mafia to justice.

This film went down in history primarily because of the cast. Robert De Niro as Al Capone, Kevin Costner as Treasury Secretary Eliot Ness. And very bright Connery, who played the fearless Jim Malone, who is used to responding to aggression with even more aggression.

13. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

• USA, 1989.
• Adventures.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

The third part of the adventures of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford). This time, the famous archaeologist and adventurer wants to find one of the most famous relics in human history - the Holy Grail. But the Nazis want to get ahead of him, and Jones will have to face Adolf Hitler himself.

In this film, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas decided to add another character, no less bright and attractive than Indiana Jones himself - his father Henry. The role, of course, went to Sean Connery. Endless jokes and arguments between father and son created an absolutely wonderful atmosphere in the film, for which fans appreciate this film.

14. The hunt for "Red October"

• USA, 1990.
• Thriller.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union launched the Red October submarine, equipped with the latest Caterpillar system, which is capable of deceiving US troops' sonars. However, the captain of the boat, Marco Ramius, wants to get to the United States and surrender the boat to the Americans. As a result, "Red October" finds itself between two fires: the Americans fear an attack, and the Russians want to destroy the fugitives. Only CIA analyst Jack Ryan can help the captain and prevent international conflict.

For the Russian public, this film is doubly interesting, since Sean Connery played here the captain of a Soviet submarine. Of course, there were some stereotypes and mistakes, but the actor is convincing even in a hat with a star.

15. Rock

• USA, 1996.
• Action movie.
• Duration: 136 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

The American general seizes dangerous weapons of mass destruction and takes hostages in the former Alcatraz prison, demanding a huge amount of money. FBI chemical weapons specialist Stanley Goodspeed is sent to neutralize the terrorists, and a former British agent who spent 33 years in prison must help him.

There is some irony about Connery being cast as the former MI6 agent. It is quite possible to imagine that the future of his Bond could look like this. The actor perfectly coped with the role of a sharp and shabby person.

16. Find Forrester

• USA, UK, 2000.
• Drama.
• Duration: 136 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

The talented basketball player and aspiring writer Jamal finds himself in the house of the once famous William Forrester. Once he wrote a novel that won the Pulitzer Prize, but then became a recluse, and for 40 years nothing has been heard about him. This casual acquaintance affects both. Jamal realizes that his vocation is literature, and Forrester has a taste for life again.

One of the brightest roles of Sean Connery in the 2000s. At first glance, cold and aggressive, but in fact, very lonely William Forrester, in his performance, looks truly touching.