The late actor Sean Connery starred in many watchable films, but what are the top 10 in which the Scottish actor, who has died aged 90, really excelled?
Sean Connery he will forever be remembered as Bond, James Bond, and it is almost impossible not to try to say those words in a deep Scottish baritone. But even though he is a former lifeguard, bodybuilder and contestant on Mr. Universe helped turn Agent 007 into a screen icon, he was much more than just the man who gave Bond his first license to kill. Before Sean Connery left this world at the age of 90, he worked with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma, won Oscars and Baftas, played both soldiers and robbers and kings. He became a de facto ambassador for his native Scotland, adopting his strong, often imitated accent no matter who he played. He was a versatile actor and movie star, an artist who infused roles with a certain kind of glowing, relentless persona that could only be described as "Connery."
Here are 10 Sean Connery movies that pay tribute to his acting range, his screen presence and his ability to make any character, big or small, larger than life!
Goldfinger (1964)
Classic Bond cannot be more classic than in Goldfinger, where Connery played the super spy for the third time. Goldfinger has everything a movie like this needs - from villainous Gert Fobe to Shirley Bassey's opening track and of course Her Majesty's coolest and deadliest servant!
Zardoz (1974)
In 1974, no one expected the sci-fi extravaganza starring Connery as an assassin acting on the orders of a giant floating stone head. And only a few people at that time were able to appreciate the film directed by John Boorman, who otherwise went down in the annals of cinema with the classic Deliverance (1972). But you simply have to see Zardoz - just to believe it exists!
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Sean Connery and Michael Caine are adventurers who take over the remote province of Kafiristan in this epic tale based on Rudyard Kipling's novella.
Time Bandits (1981)
Connery, otherwise a fan of Terry Gilliam's Monty Python Flying Circus comedy troupe, took on the role of King Agamemnon in Gilliam's delightful low-budget fantasy film. In the original script, Gilliman and Michael Palin described Agamemnon as "exactly like Sean Connery, or an actor of equal but cheaper greatness."
The Name of the Rose (1982)
In the adaptation of Umberto Eco's novel, Sean Connery played a Franciscan (with Christian Slater as his young assistant) who must find out who the murderer is in the monastery.
Highlander (1986)
While Connery doesn't quite convince as a character of Egyptian descent (neither does Christopher Lambert as a Scottish nobleman), he's hugely entertaining in director Russell Mulcahy's tale of immortal sword fights.
The Untouchables (1987)
In addition to Connery, Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness and Robert de Niro as Al Capone also starred in Brian De Palma's crime drama, which takes place during Prohibition in the United States. But it was Connery who took home the Oscar for his portrayal of the Irish police officer Jim Malone!
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Based on Tom Clancy's novel, Hunt for Red October, directed by John McTiernan (Predator), was one of the biggest blockbusters of 1990. Connery is completely convincing as a Soviet submarine commander trying to defect to the American side.
Alcatraz (The Rock, 1996)
Michael Bay's pleasantly entertaining action film pairs chemical weapons expert Nicolas Cage with Connery's incarcerated military veteran. Can they stop di Harris from Alcatraz from destroying San Francisco?
Finding Forrester (2000)
Sean Connery plays an elderly, lonely writer who helps a young African-American writer (Rob Brown) find his potential. Connery adds a few extra layers to the character and some much-needed gruffness and determination.
