If I remember correctly, my first Bond movie was For Your Eyes Only – not a bad introduction to the character. I was 11 when it was released and I saw it on cable. At the time, I had no idea that anyone ever played James Bond prior to Roger Moore. Well, maybe I had a vague recollection, but I was too enthralled with Star Wars and superheroes to care about much else.
In 1983, my parents took me to see Octopussy in the theatre and I was less than impressed. By this time, I was well aware that a guy named Sean Connery initiated the role on screen, and rather than imitate his style Moore opted for a more lighthearted approach. Turns out, For Your Eyes Only was something of an anomaly in the Moore cannon, a return to seriousness after the awful camp of Moonraker.
Three months later, my parents took me to see Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery’s return to the iconic role that made him a star, a role that he made an indelible stamp on. It was against his performance that every future Bond would be measured.
Connery had a disastrous relationship with Eon Productions, the producers of the Bond films. He felt he was owed far more than he had ever been paid, and by You Only Live Twice (his fifth turn as Bond) he grew increasingly tired of the role and the publicity surrounding it. He bowed out, and was replaced by George Lazenby for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Lazenby committed career hari-kari by abandoning the role after one film, and producers Broccoli and Saltzman backed up a dump truck filled with money and unloaded it on Connery’s lawn so he would do Diamonds are Forever. After that film, Connery said, “Never again.”
Bond fans are well aware of the protracted legal battle that resulted from screenwriter Kevin McClory’s claim that Ian Fleming plagiarized his script for Thunderball. He eventually won the rights to make his own Bond film, but was relegated to using only the material found in his original script, so any new film would essentially be a remake of Thunderball. In 1983, I had no idea about any of this, so for me, it was a totally new story. I probably saw Thunderball for the first time in ’84 or ’85.
Now remember, NSNA was my first Connery Bond. The following year, I got my first VCR and recorded every Bond film that aired on ABC, snapping up all his prior entries. All I knew at that moment was that I liked this Connery guy. I can’t be sure, but prior to NSNA I believe my only exposure to him came from Time Bandits, which I enjoyed, but he has little more than an extended cameo in that one.
I usually start with what’s wrong with a given film, but this time I’ll start with what’s right. Connery. That’s it. Sean Connery playing the role he immortalized, that he was born for, and set the standard for, one last time. Not only is he in better shape than he was for the previous entry 12 years earlier, his performance is much more enthusiastic, knowing and mercurial.
He breaks the fourth wall at the end, literally winking at us, as though he had a great time back in harness. Sadly, he didn’t have such a great time making the film, but his performance never betrays that fact. He doesn’t phone it in the way he did in Diamonds are Forever, or I would argue, You Only Live Twice. Mind you, Connery phoning it in is usually better than most actors on their best day.
I have no doubt Connery relished the idea of spitting in Eon’s face, and McClory accomplished a major coup by landing him for the role. Any other actor would not have had the PR impact Connery wielded as ’83 was dubbed “The Battle of the Bonds.”
As I worked backward from NSNA, I realized how much I hated Moore’s interpretation of Bond (FYEO excepted) and relished Connery’s. He was a towering physical presence. He was a man’s man. He was suave, yet not as polished as some of his successors. He was credible in the role, and there was a sense that he would kill you as soon as look at you. He was merciless, but also playful. He tossed off even the lamest one-liner with aplomb.
I often cite NSNA again as my favorite Connery Bond purely because of sentiment. When I had the chance for the man himself to sign something for me it was a NSNA poster. Is it the best? Hardly. It’s saddled with the most unsatisfying climax in the history of the series. Michael Legrand’s jazzy score is awful, especially when measured against the genius of John Barry. Kim Basinger is extremely wooden in her turn as a Bond girl. There was incessant squabbling over the script, and Connery became fed up with the entire process. Director Irvin Kershner, fresh off The Empire Strike Back, did an admirable job holding the production together when communication had eroded between the star and producers.
I still think they got more right than wrong with NSNA. Klaus Maria Brandauer gives a chilling performance as Largo, and is far more ominous than any of the villains the Eon series was producing at the time. Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush is man-hating, batsh*t crazy, and she really livens things up. Like most Bonds, it has a great international feel, filmed in exotic locales all around the world. What’s really great is that Connery is playing his age here. Aside from a toupee, he’s embracing it, and the role is written around the fact he’s 50-something.
All in all, I was glad Connery left us with this performance rather than the one he gave in Diamonds. I’m sure that even had the film been a monstrous hit he would never again return. And whether he did it purely for money or spite I’d like to think a part of him wanted to explore this character one last time and give him (and the fans) something approximating a proper send off.
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