Top Ten Sean Connery Movies
He's been a master spy, a conman and a thief but he's also been a coffin polisher, a lifeguard, a bodybuilder and even a milkman. Yes Sir Thomas Sean Connery's life off and on screen has been varied and it is said at one point he was spotted by football manager Matt Busby who was so impressed with hiss football skills that he offered him a contract. But it is as a movie star that most of us know Sean Connery and for many he will be the best James Bond there ever was with his athletic physique, charm and directness which made him perfect as 007. Now compiling a Top Ten List of Sean Connery Movies could easily be dominated by his appearances as James Bond and so I have limited my choice to just one James Bond movie. So here is The Movie Scene's Top Ten List of Sean Connery Movies.
10 - Shalako (1968)
On an Apache reservation in New Mexico a group of European hunters discover that they are in danger from the Native Indians but pig headedly ignore the advice of frontiersman Shalako (Sean Connery). Despite this and an instant fondness for Irina (Brigitte Bardot), one of the hunting party, he convinces them to prepare for trouble whilst he heads off to try and alert the army. Leaving Bosky Fulton (Stephen Boyd) to protect the hunters Shalako doesn't get very far before hearing the gunfire as they are attacked and returns to try and lead them to safety... Shalako review
9 - Marnie (1964)
Marnie Edgar (Tippi Hedren) is a habitual thief finding employment as a secretary where she works for a few months before robbing her bosses and then disappearing without a trace, changing her appearance and identity to cover her tracks. But when she finds employment at Rutland's she doesn't account on the handsome Mark Rutland (Sean Connery) catching her in the act and preventing her from doing a runner. Intrigued by what he sees, Mark forces Marnie to marry him so that he can not only analyse her problem but try and help her especially as she struggles with being close to a man... Marnie review
8 - The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Ex British Army sergeants, Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery) and ‘Peachy' Carnehan (Michael Caine) come to the attention of newspaper correspondent Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer) when the two rogues fail in their attempts to blackmail someone in power. As the trio are Masons they share a bond which Daniel and Peachy use when the two decide to go to Kafiristan and so have Kipling witness an agreement between the two to remain loyal to each other in their adventure even though he thinks they are mad. And so they start their journey which not only sees them deal with avalanches and bandits but also near death experiences. But it is a near death experience for Daniel which sees him made a ruler of Kafiristan which leads to a difference of opinion between the two friends... The Man Who Would Be King review
7 - The Rock (1996)
FBI biochemist Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) finds himself sent into action when marine General Francis Xavier Hummel (Ed Harris) and his loyal band of men take control of Alcatraz Island holding the tourists hostage. Protesting about the government's treatment of those who went on covert military missions he has stolen VX gas warheads and is threatening to cause destruction if his demands aren't answered. Whilst Stanley knows how to disarm the bombs he's more of a science geek than an action man and when he is teamed up with the abrupt John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), the only man who has ever escaped from Alcatraz, things get tetchy... The Rock review
6 - Robin and Marian (1976)
20 years after his legendary battles with the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw), Robin (Sean Connery) and Little John (Nicol Williamson) have grown tired of following Richard the Lionheart (Richard Harris) around as his crusade has become little more than that of personal greed. Returning to England and Sherwood Forest they discover plenty has changed from their old haunts having fallen in to disrepair through to Marian (Audrey Hepburn) becoming a nun, not that it stops Robin from paying her a visit as he tries to rekindle their old romance. But one thing hasn't changed and The Sheriff of Nottingham is still as evil as ever and plans to arrest Marian on religious grounds, not that Robin will let him get away with this... Robin and Marian review
5 - Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
Whilst supposedly looking after Lord Fitzpatrick's (Walter Fitzgerald) estate loveable old Irish rogue Darby O'Gill (Albert Sharpe) is either doing a bit of poaching or down the local inn enjoying a pint and enthralling who ever will listen to his tales of King Brian (Jimmy O'Dea) the Leprechaun King. But when Lord Fitzpatrick hires strapping young Dubliner Michael McBride (Sean Connery) to take over his job, Darby begins to panic especially when it means he and his daughter Katie (Janet Munro) will have to move out of the home. With 2 weeks to move out Darby not only tries a bit of matchmaking between Katie and Michael but catches himself King Brian in order to have 3 wishes so he can solve all of his worries... Darby O'Gill and the Little People review
4 - The Untouchables (1987)
With corruption and greed sweeping across Chicago, as they are stuck in the midst of the prohibition gloom, not even the police seem adverse to a bribe, especially when the man pulling most of the strings is the ruthless mobster Al Capone (Robert de Niro). Desperate to bring law and order back to the streets of the city, a crack force of agents above corruption, labelled "The Untouchables", is banded together under the guidance of federal agent Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner). Along with old time cop Jim Malone (Sean Connery), new recruit George Stone (Andy Garcia) and nerdy accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) they set about cleaning up the streets and in particular the underground dealings of Al Capone... The Untouchables review
3 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Having finally recovered the Cross of Francisco De Coronado which has bugged Indiana (Harrison Ford) since he was a child the adventurous archaeologist finds himself and Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) on the trail of the Holy Grail. But not just the Holy Grail but also his father, Professor Henry Jones (Sean Connery), who has suddenly disappeared. Along with some Nazi's who are also on the trail of the Holy Grail it is once more a swashbuckling adventure for Indy... Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade review
2 - The Hunt for Red October (1990)
With a new revolutionary sub on their hands the Russians put highly respected and much decorated Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) in charge. The Americans are well aware of this new submarine especially as intelligence photos highlight what maybe a new caterpillar drive system which would make it virtually undetectable. What they don't realise is that Ramius and a select group of Officers are planning to defect. The question is can Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin), who has studied Ramius, realise what he is doing and not only prevent the USS military blowing him out of the water but help him before the Russians do the same... The Hunt for Red October review
1 - Dr. No (1962)
After a British agent goes missing on a Jamaican island, Britain's top spy James Bond (Sean Connery) is dispatched to the island to investigate what is happening. He soon discovers his arrival hasn't gone unnoticed as he has to deal with various attempts on his life whilst finding help from CIA operative Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) and local Quarrel (John Kitzmiller). But their investigations lead them to a restricted island where he not only does Bond meet the sexy Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) but also the evil genius Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) who is part of SPECTRE and has plans for world domination... Dr. No review