With the passing of the iconic Scottish actor Sean Connery at the age of 90, I thought we would honor him by taking a quick peak at some of Sean Connery‘s most memorable roles on the big screen.
Obviously Connery has turned in numerous terrific performances on screen, dating back to his first major role of Flanagan in 1962’s The Longest Day to Allen Quatermain in 2003’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Which means any list of his favorite roles will very tremendously from author to author, this is simply my favorites.
Here are Geeky Daddy’s Top 5 Favorite Sean Connery Roles!
5 Marko Ramius (The Hunt For Red October)
I may be a little biased in this selection because of my love for the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series (AKA: the Ryanverse), but since this is my list, I can rank Connery’s performance as Marko Ramius this high.
The casting decision to surround Connery with other British accented actors (such as Sam Neil and Tim Curry) and calling it “Russian” has be ridiculed, but the performances by the entire cast cannot be questioned.
4 Jim Malone (Untouchables)
As the tough street cop recruited by Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) to help take down crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro), Connery’s Jim Malone taught us all what it meant to handle things “The Chicago Way.”
This film was my introduction to Sean Connery as this was one of my father’s favorite films when I was growing up. (I think he secretly always wanted to re-enact the train station/baby carriage shoot out with me as a baby. A little un-nerving in hind sight…)
3 Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
Connery played Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) father: Dr. Henry Jones Sr. in what is generally considered to be the 2nd best Indiana Jones movie. Or as I like to think of it, the best Raiders of the Lost Ark sequel!
His chemistry with Ford (and working with director Steven Speilberg) on the film gave Connery a chance to show off his comedic timing. A skill he obviously possessed, but didn’t get a ton of opportunities to show off through out his 5 decade film career.
2 John Patrick Mason (The Rock)
What better role for a middle-aged actor best known for playing a British spy than the role of a middle-aged former British spy!
The Rock (and possible Face/Off) was the pinnacle of 1990’s slow-motion-explosion goodness. An aged Connery playing basically an aged John Patrick Mason (which easily could have been a James Bond cover alias, just sayin’), Ed Harris playing a villain you were kinda secretly rooting for, Hans Zimmer scoring action scenes and Nic Cage playing…well, Nic Cage. It all added up to a popcorn-fun action packed good time!
Plus we got to see what Sean Connery would look like as a bassists from a 1990’s Seattle rock band (It’s a grunge thing…)
1 James Bond
Obviously, there was never any doubt what the number 1 spot on this list was going to be. Connery was the original and arguably the best of all the fine actors (and George Lazenby) who have played the cold-blooded killing, womanizing famous super spy!
Connery played Ian Fleming’s James Bond a total of 7 times (the first 5 Bond films then later Diamonds are Forever and Never Say Never Again).
Although, “famous spy” is kind of an oxymoron, like “skinny fat guy”, “tallest short guy” or “honorable politician.“
In respect for the recently deceased, I promise not to share a picture of him in the poorly-aged outfit from the 1970’s movie Zardoz….again.
What was your favorite Sean Connery film role? Let me know in the comments below!
Geeky Daddy 
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