Connerys performance in DAF

Q and M · February 2011

this movie regularly gets slaughtered by bond critics, is there anything that connery could have done in his own performance to improve the movie

Sir Hillary Bray · February 2011

Yes - weighed less.

Hardyboy · February 2011

Connery's performance is NOT the problem--he's having fun and going with the flow of the action. If he was dark and serious, he would have stood in glaring contrast to this cartoon world. As Sir Hillary indicates, most complaints about Connery in DAF relate to his looks--heavy, gray at the temples, bad toupee, etc.--but only then-non-existing CGI could have improved those things.

7289 · February 2011

There is a reason that they shaved Connery's eyebrows in the earlier Bond films, without the fur his eyes are more open and he looks younger and less brooding. For whatever reason, they left his face "au natural" for DAF. That combined with a higher forehead and brushed back toupee - gave Connery an "older" look than he had in YOLT.

By 1970, "Big Tam's" face may have grown a bit more jowel - but I don't think his looks in DAF are off because he was "overweight". Whoever the makeup artist was must have been scared off by a "Big Tam" rant never to return.

Loeffelholz · February 2011

I love Connery's work in DAF...as Hardy said, he's having fun. I saw it on the big screen at nine B-) It may well be the first Roger Moore Bond, stylistically, but it's a sentimental favourite of mine.

Gassy Man · February 2011

Loeffelholz wrote:

I love Connery's work in DAF...as Hardy said, he's having fun. I saw it on the big screen at nine B-) It may well be the first Roger Moore Bond, stylistically, but it's a sentimental favourite of mine.

I pretty much think the same thing, though the Flint and Helm movies really beat Connery and Moore to the punch.

Connery's performance in Diamonds are Forever is fine. By the early 70s, the era of the big production, big entertainment technicolor film was over, and films were adopting a harder and "more realistic" look. Like the production itself, Connery has that quality in this film. There is still glamor in the trappings and the idea, but the look is less elegant Fashion turned to more muted earth tones, hair/makeup was more "natural," and the acting style starts to get toned down. Even John Barry's wonderful score is subdued and brooding compared to his earlier Bond works. So, Connery fits that attitude.

Napoleon Plural · February 2011

Yeah, I caught a glimpse of They Shoot Horses Don't They from a similar era ie early 1970s and that has a downbeat look. Watched most of DAF on DVD last night, great stuff, pure enjoyment and brilliant comic lines. If you had to pick a film to show off Barry's skills, this would be a good one imo, great tunes in it. The climax is a let down but I tend to switch off at that point anyway, be it TB or YOLT. I think OHMSS and LALD had good climaxes that persuaded you to go til the end.

2 jokes in DAF didn't quite work the way they were meant however.

1) Leiter (snappily) "Do me a favor James, next time you pick a rendezvous do it standing up!"
Bond (warningly): Leiter, if she gives your men the slip!
Leiter: Relax James, a mouse with sneakers couldn't get thru there!

For this dialogue to work, Leiter has to be all joking from the start, so Bond's warning makes sense.

2) Bond: "I've got a friend named Felix Leiter who can fix anything"
Tiffany: "Is he married?"

I always thought Tiff was being sarcastic, what she means is, wow, he's so great, I'll marry him if he's available. But it is delivered as if she means, "I bet he couldn't deal with married life" or "I bet his wife doesn't think he's that great" or some variation on that joke.

Otherwise, Connery's rug looks er rugged in the Moon Buggy ride and other scenes, but looks great for the first part of the film in M's office and so on. In NSNA it looks like a toupee throughout, at least Connery's looks like hair, even if you don't like the style. He's too overweight in the disrobing scene, that's my only gripe.

In may ways it's the opposite of OHMsS this film, which I really struggle with for the first half hour or more, I find it heavygoing.

Connerys performance in DAF

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