If you could only pick FIVE films from Sean Connery's extensive filmography that to you best illustrate why you think Sean Connery was an amazing actor or why you liked him as an actor, what films would those be?
Now keep in mind, these topic is about Sean Connery. Not the best films overall that happened to have Sean Connery in it. Or even the films which critics feel were Sean Connery's best performances. It's a thread about the top five films you think best illustrate why Sean Connery was good or cool or impressive or just an actor you liked. Like a hypothetical if you had to show someone else five films as to why you like Sean Connery whenever he pops up in films.
For me personally...
From Russia with Love (1962):
Sean Connery made James Bond. Many people (rightly) think he was the best James Bond period. And I feel it was the second James Bond film that truly extolls an excellent balance of what James Bond, as a film character should be. James Bond, above all was a spy. And From Russia With Love is a spy thriller. And its set in the Cold War setting of Turkey and the Balkans and a train ride on the Orient Express all were excellent settings for the story to play out. Unlike many later films (like the late Pierce Brosnon or many of the Roger Moore films) this film used gadgets but they were practical, believable things. Like the compact sniper rifle. Or James Bond's feature laden briefcase. There were colorful villains including the iconic Rosa Klebb, and the original Red Grant (who spawned like a dozen giant blonde goon clones in subsequent films) who was just as smart and manipulative and cunning as James Bond as well as being his physical superior unlike the latter clones who were mostly physically imposing and not much else.
It was a great cat and mouse game that Sean Connery's James Bond played and helped laid out just how good the franchise could be and had all of the components a James Bond movie needed to be good. Sean Connery was able feature himself in the various roles of intrigue, humor, and action scenes very well. It helped perfect that Bond formula which every film subsequently tried to emulate.
The Man Who Would Be King (1975):
The fact that Sean Connery co-stars alongside Michael Caine the entire time should be enough of a sell. But how about the fact they are both retired British NCO's of the Victorian era British Army (ie the Redcoats) and going on a zany adventure into the Himalayas and journeying to the mythical land of Kafiristan to rule and rob it blind should definitely be an argument in favor of watching it. Also its based on a work by Rudyard Kipling.
Sean Connery is one of the two main characters as I said and he plays off of Michael Caine so well, their personalities clashing and complimenting each other greatly and Sean Connery portrays the jovial, humorous and cynical ex-British Army NCO turned adventurer just as well as giving his character a surprising insight and wisdom and even noble bearing as the films plot develops (which I shan't spoil here). It's a great fun adventure movie with lots of surprising moments that are full of actual tension and thrills and bits that will just leave you smiling at how fun and surprisingly in depth and even emotional this movie sometimes turns out to be.
The Untouchables (1987):
This was the iconic cops and mobster movie. It has Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, Robert DeNiro and Sean Connery all in the same film! On its surface its a slick action movie with top notch performances by the entire cast which is great because the cast is amazing. And despite Sean Connery's interesting portrayal of an Irish-American Cops accent, he still managed to I feel elevate his acting above that of even his contemporaries in the film which is no easy feat. David Mamet's script gave Sean Connery plenty of time to deliver the sharp dialogue as well as some memorable one liners as well and accents aside, he was a memorable character in a very fun mobster action movie. I don't even know if the movie was that great, but it was very entertaining.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989):
This actually might be one of Sean Connery's iconic roles, as Indiana Jones dad in the third film of the series. It is for me because it's one of the first big films where he has that iconic look of his with the nearly maintained silver (gray) beard and looking ever so regal and proper with the refined and sometimes subdued Scottish accent. In this role he is definitely not an action hero, but he adds to the movie immensely with his delightfully befuddled and seemingly perpetually frazzled and bewildered character who despite seeming out of his depth, repeatedly helps the seemingly far more capable Indiana Jones in overcoming various threats, often in amusing ways. And he plays off with his equally distinct cast members very good as well and has some scenes of emotional impact that just helped solidify Sean Connery's role in this film as being incredible memorable and distinctive. A very fun character.
Finding Forrester (2000)):
I only saw it once or maybe twice (because it's not an action movie so why bother) but it's still a memorable movie. Sean Connery portrays a JD Salinger type character, a reclusive writer who lives in his apartment in The Bronx and apparently has lived their for ages. And though it may sound hokey, through a series of unexpected events he strikes up a friendship with a gifted student named Jamal Wallace. The best part of the film is that he is Jamal's mentor in the realm of writing... which itself is awesome because I think a lot of us here on the internet are both avid readers and writers. So on that level the film works for me.
There are some similarities with a film like Good Will Hunting but while I think the that might overall be a better film (and even more entertaining) I think the core relationship and rapport in this film is actually more believable and earnest and sympathetic.... relatable even. Sean Connery and Rob Brown (no not Reb Brown!) who portrays Jamal just have a strong, honest rapport that doesn't seem fake or forced (which is a big pitfall for movies like this). The plot is of course somewhat predictable but the strength of the characters that are portrayed and the story they are telling easily overcomes that and makes you want to see the story play out before you whether it's somewhat formulaic or not. Sean Connery is great as the recluse and it's a role fairly different from those he typically portrays.
Honorable Mentions:
I would've replaced one of the films with Goldfinger but I didn't want to list two Bond movies. I actually think Goldfinger might be a better film overall because it has more humor and the film James Bond is a less serious character then the novel but I feel that From Russia With Love has better performances from Sean Connery and show more of his acting range.
A Bridge Too Far is one of the greatest war movies of all time and Sean Connery is a main cast member in it but I don't know if his place in such a big ensemble cast is enough of a standout for me to make it to a top five Sean Connery movie list.
Highlander, The Rock and The Hunt for Red October are all great (and there are other films) but it was neck and neck between The Hunt for Red October and The Untouchables but ultimately I think the former might be a better film overall, but I liked Sean Connery and his performance in the latter more. *shrug* Maybe I like gangster movies more then submarine thrillers, plus there's the fact that Crimson Tide is better.
*runs out of thread*
Now keep in mind, these topic is about Sean Connery. Not the best films overall that happened to have Sean Connery in it. Or even the films which critics feel were Sean Connery's best performances. It's a thread about the top five films you think best illustrate why Sean Connery was good or cool or impressive or just an actor you liked. Like a hypothetical if you had to show someone else five films as to why you like Sean Connery whenever he pops up in films.
For me personally...
From Russia with Love (1962):
Sean Connery made James Bond. Many people (rightly) think he was the best James Bond period. And I feel it was the second James Bond film that truly extolls an excellent balance of what James Bond, as a film character should be. James Bond, above all was a spy. And From Russia With Love is a spy thriller. And its set in the Cold War setting of Turkey and the Balkans and a train ride on the Orient Express all were excellent settings for the story to play out. Unlike many later films (like the late Pierce Brosnon or many of the Roger Moore films) this film used gadgets but they were practical, believable things. Like the compact sniper rifle. Or James Bond's feature laden briefcase. There were colorful villains including the iconic Rosa Klebb, and the original Red Grant (who spawned like a dozen giant blonde goon clones in subsequent films) who was just as smart and manipulative and cunning as James Bond as well as being his physical superior unlike the latter clones who were mostly physically imposing and not much else.
It was a great cat and mouse game that Sean Connery's James Bond played and helped laid out just how good the franchise could be and had all of the components a James Bond movie needed to be good. Sean Connery was able feature himself in the various roles of intrigue, humor, and action scenes very well. It helped perfect that Bond formula which every film subsequently tried to emulate.
The Man Who Would Be King (1975):
The fact that Sean Connery co-stars alongside Michael Caine the entire time should be enough of a sell. But how about the fact they are both retired British NCO's of the Victorian era British Army (ie the Redcoats) and going on a zany adventure into the Himalayas and journeying to the mythical land of Kafiristan to rule and rob it blind should definitely be an argument in favor of watching it. Also its based on a work by Rudyard Kipling.
Sean Connery is one of the two main characters as I said and he plays off of Michael Caine so well, their personalities clashing and complimenting each other greatly and Sean Connery portrays the jovial, humorous and cynical ex-British Army NCO turned adventurer just as well as giving his character a surprising insight and wisdom and even noble bearing as the films plot develops (which I shan't spoil here). It's a great fun adventure movie with lots of surprising moments that are full of actual tension and thrills and bits that will just leave you smiling at how fun and surprisingly in depth and even emotional this movie sometimes turns out to be.
The Untouchables (1987):
This was the iconic cops and mobster movie. It has Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, Robert DeNiro and Sean Connery all in the same film! On its surface its a slick action movie with top notch performances by the entire cast which is great because the cast is amazing. And despite Sean Connery's interesting portrayal of an Irish-American Cops accent, he still managed to I feel elevate his acting above that of even his contemporaries in the film which is no easy feat. David Mamet's script gave Sean Connery plenty of time to deliver the sharp dialogue as well as some memorable one liners as well and accents aside, he was a memorable character in a very fun mobster action movie. I don't even know if the movie was that great, but it was very entertaining.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989):
This actually might be one of Sean Connery's iconic roles, as Indiana Jones dad in the third film of the series. It is for me because it's one of the first big films where he has that iconic look of his with the nearly maintained silver (gray) beard and looking ever so regal and proper with the refined and sometimes subdued Scottish accent. In this role he is definitely not an action hero, but he adds to the movie immensely with his delightfully befuddled and seemingly perpetually frazzled and bewildered character who despite seeming out of his depth, repeatedly helps the seemingly far more capable Indiana Jones in overcoming various threats, often in amusing ways. And he plays off with his equally distinct cast members very good as well and has some scenes of emotional impact that just helped solidify Sean Connery's role in this film as being incredible memorable and distinctive. A very fun character.
Finding Forrester (2000)):
I only saw it once or maybe twice (because it's not an action movie so why bother) but it's still a memorable movie. Sean Connery portrays a JD Salinger type character, a reclusive writer who lives in his apartment in The Bronx and apparently has lived their for ages. And though it may sound hokey, through a series of unexpected events he strikes up a friendship with a gifted student named Jamal Wallace. The best part of the film is that he is Jamal's mentor in the realm of writing... which itself is awesome because I think a lot of us here on the internet are both avid readers and writers. So on that level the film works for me.
There are some similarities with a film like Good Will Hunting but while I think the that might overall be a better film (and even more entertaining) I think the core relationship and rapport in this film is actually more believable and earnest and sympathetic.... relatable even. Sean Connery and Rob Brown (no not Reb Brown!) who portrays Jamal just have a strong, honest rapport that doesn't seem fake or forced (which is a big pitfall for movies like this). The plot is of course somewhat predictable but the strength of the characters that are portrayed and the story they are telling easily overcomes that and makes you want to see the story play out before you whether it's somewhat formulaic or not. Sean Connery is great as the recluse and it's a role fairly different from those he typically portrays.
Honorable Mentions:
I would've replaced one of the films with Goldfinger but I didn't want to list two Bond movies. I actually think Goldfinger might be a better film overall because it has more humor and the film James Bond is a less serious character then the novel but I feel that From Russia With Love has better performances from Sean Connery and show more of his acting range.
A Bridge Too Far is one of the greatest war movies of all time and Sean Connery is a main cast member in it but I don't know if his place in such a big ensemble cast is enough of a standout for me to make it to a top five Sean Connery movie list.
Highlander, The Rock and The Hunt for Red October are all great (and there are other films) but it was neck and neck between The Hunt for Red October and The Untouchables but ultimately I think the former might be a better film overall, but I liked Sean Connery and his performance in the latter more. *shrug* Maybe I like gangster movies more then submarine thrillers, plus there's the fact that Crimson Tide is better.
*runs out of thread*
