Bored Connery

Matt S · October 2015

People often complain here about how bored Connery looks in some of his James Bond films. Some say he's the most bored in Diamonds Are Forever. Others say he looked really bored in You Only Live but came back strong in Diamonds Are Forever. Some also think he looks bored in Thunderball.

I think he's great in TB and YOLT, I only find that he seems bored in DAF. He stopped putting in any effort to hide his Scottish accent in that film, and he's not believable as Bond in that film for me.

Thunderpussy · October 2015

Although I do like the film, and Connery does put in a professional appearance.
It is obvious the fire has left his eyes for the role.

Matt S · October 2015

Thunderpussy wrote:

Although I do like the film, and Connery does put in a professional appearance.
It is obvious the fire has left his eyes for the role.

Which film? I'm just trying to see which films people think Connery looks bored in.

Thunderpussy · October 2015

DAF. You're a hard man to agree with.

GoldHilding · October 2015

I honestly think in Diamonds he seemed like he was having a lot of fun with the humor. Thunderball was a subtler performance but I wouldn't categorize it as boring. It fit the tone of the movie more. His delivery of the comedy was subtler but just as funny as GF. YOLT definitely comes across as boring. That's the one area I can appreciate Moore over Connery. As tired as he may have grown with the part Roger always gave it his all.

DR NO-ah · October 2015

I agree. While it may not be Dr No-Goldfinger levels, I feel like Connery made the most of his final (never say that again) film and what the script was. His delivery of the comedy is fantastic in my opinion.

ToTheRight · October 2015

It's an interesting topic and fun to compare. He does get a lot of crap for his boredom in YOLT and DAF- especially his appearance in Diamonds. For me it's more specific scenes rather than overall performance. The shot of him shining the lamp at Moneypenny in YOLT- somehow he seems tired. Other than that he's great, witty and well, Bond.
In Diamonds I'll agree he made no effort in regards to his Scottish accent. He pretty much accepted the part late in the game. I believe he had just done The Anderson Tapes (could be wrong), and didn't have time to get himself in shape for Bond. In an interview he said Bond here is slower, not quite as fit. I think he brought that aspect into his performance. According to Tom Mankiewicz Sean was more focused on other actor's characters-so that might be in part why he's not quite the Bond of FRWL and GF here. Personally I prefer his look in Diamonds to YOLT. I dig that brown sports jacket in the opening.
I'd say in YOLT he's probably more bored if that, or just tired, but in Diamonds, he's just breezing through the film.

HatThrowingHenchman · October 2015

Sean had really bushy eyebrows in DAF!

ToTheRight · October 2015

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

Sean had really bushy eyebrows in DAF!

It's like he had two Tom Selleck mustaches above his eyes.

zaphod99 · October 2015

ToTheRight wrote:

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

Sean had really bushy eyebrows in DAF!

It's like he had two Tom Selleck mustaches above his eyes.

He looked dreadful throughout, terrible wig, badly fitting clothes, paunchy and as for the mono brow...we can't just blame 'the 70's as Roger looked svelte and smart in LALD

HatThrowingHenchman · October 2015

he had fine eyebrows again in NSNA though

chrisisall · October 2015

He looked GREAT in YOLT IMO.
In DAF he was too into the KFC. But he still had a sense of humour. -{

Gassy Man · October 2015

He seemed to age quite a bit in ten years . . . but there are mitigating factors. For starters, he was furious with Broccoli, and I think his attitude was to do just enough to honor his contract. So he really didn't care. The other issue was the time period. The transition from the last vestiges of the bold and colorful technicolor films of the 1950s and 1960s to the grayer, less glitzy 1970s made films in that first half of that decade in particular look awful. The art direction, costuming, make up, and cinematography went the opposite direction. Connery, who would have been impeccably groomed and made up in the 1960s films got to look more "natural," and you can see he keeps this look throughout the decade. Bushier eyebrows, umkempt hair (which was common not just to him), big sideburns, and so forth were normal for the period, and not just for Connery but for many actors who struggled from the old school (fit, groomed, and romanticized) to new school (ordinary, natural, and "realistic"). Diamonds are Forever, like the two Moore films that follow, acts less like a Bond film and more like a caper or even blaxploitation film of the period, depending on the concept . . . compare the look and feel of Diamonds are Forever to Shaft or The Longest Yard, and though the plots and scope are different, the basic look and approach are similar.

Bondage007 · October 2015

Connery's performance gets worse with each film

TB - having fun
YOLT - Going along for the ride. That's Gilbert's doing as well, as Moore is like that in TSWLM and MR. Spectacle > Bond
DAF - Doesn't care, but having a blast with the camp

Bondage007 · October 2015

Connery's performance gets worse with each film

TB - having fun
YOLT - Going along for the ride. That's Gilbert's doing as well, as Moore is like that in TSWLM and MR. Spectacle > Bond
DAF - Doesn't care, but having a blast with the camp

Willard Whyte · October 2015

DAF is Connerys worst Bond film by a mile, it's not far of being a parody of Bond, especially coming after OHMSS which is one of the best films in the series.

Bored Connery

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