His Bond even went as far as blackmailing a naïve masseuse into surrendering herself to him at the risk of losing her job in “Thunderball” (“Well, my silence could have a price!”). He makes sure to include a dalliance with the villains’ henchwomen before he forces them to face the music (“Well, I certainly wouldn’t have killed you before!”). He commits some pretty dubious actions like spanking away dumb blondes so that “men talk” may take place. His Bond cheats at golf and backgammon (true, usually in response to a villain’s own deceptions). The character of Bond as portrayed by Sean Connery was also, let’s face it, a bit of a bastard, if a lovable one at that. Bond was written for the movies as an all-knowing connoisseur, aware of the precise temperature above which Dom Perignon should never be consumed just the same as the precise number of years gold would remain radioactive if a dirty bomb were to explode beside it. Sean Connery’s biggest achievement as 007 was turning a killer with more than a few quirks and flaws into the ultimate admirable hero. Besides, it’s not as if the six entries starring Connery are all necessarily among the best. Every one of the actors who played Bond followed Connery’s lead, but they all have brought something to the table and their performances range from acceptable to great. And yet, to praise his portrayal as the only worthy one and dismiss the five others as “a bunch of imposters” (like some pundits have in recent days) is also an exaggeration. ![]() We’ll never know what the cinematic role of the relatively ambiguous character from Ian Fleming’s novels would have become without Connery to set its template. Whether Connery had been the first or the most recent actor to play the character, assigning him the top spot would be just as easy. His casting as Bond was the very definition of catching lightning in a bottle. Had he never played the role of James Bond, Connery may or may have not become a renowned star, but it’s hard to imagine the 007 series blasting off without him. ![]() He was one of those towering figures that felt indestructible, and he was a constant presence for decades. Even in a year when it seems like we’ve lost celebrities like never before, the passing of Sean Connery feels like a different matter altogether.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |