Shir Shean

[Caractacus]

Okay, this Caledonian thesp has been getting some brickbats thrown his way with regard his inability to play anything except a Scot, even when he is supposed to be Irish, Spanish, Russian, English and even an Arab. Cary Grant, James Stewart, David Niven, Spencer Tracey, Henry Fonda and any number of actors from yesteryear were never called upon to play anything but a slight extension of themselves. Or, to put it another way, they didn't have to change the voice at all, but could change their traditional characters. Some people just can't do voices.

Two other great Connery performances were in the movies In The Name Of The Rose (a mediaeval detective monk) and Robin And Marian. The latter had Robin Hood and his reduced band of merry men (Little John, Friar Tuck and Will Scarlett) in Sherwood Forest---and all with Scottish accents, while the locals were all Yorkshire types. And since Ronnie Barker was Tuck and Denholm Elliott Scarlett (Nicol Williamson didn't have any problems with the accent), that meant bad Scottish accents. Still, any movie involving a fight to the death between Connery and Robert Shaw (as the Sheriff of Nottingham) is tobe recommended.

Yes, there are better actors around than Connery and Caine (of the Brits, Albert Finney and Tom Courteney spring to mind), but there are a hell of a lot worse too (Roger Moore, anyone? Has he ever given a credible performance?). As usual, feel free to disagree, dismiss, or just ignore

[The Last Word]

Actually - and I know I'm in a minority here - Sir Roger Moore is still my favourite Bond, as with a few drinks inside you his element of send-up becomes quite exquisite. And do remember it's easy to say Connery was the best Bond because they were better films - and that's more to do with those behind the camera than in front. Connery may well have sunk when the bland, transatlantic element overtook the Bond's in the seventies. Moore keeps them afloat. Nobody could've done it better.


The Last Word

[colin]

since being in Dr No i don,t think Sean Connery has given a bad performance.