41 replies to this topic

[spynovelfan]

Clearly he's not advocating using violence against women, he's justifying why it might not be as wrong as other people think. Although violence should be condemned in any situation, bar necessary self defence, I think there's a world of difference between advocating the use of violence and justifying it.  I can't see how any reasonable individual would hit their spouse (be it husband to wife or vice versa) frequently with a fist right between the eyes, but I'm not Sean Connery - I don't have his background and I wasn't there.  It seems pretty severe - but it doesn't sound like he was a serial abuser like some men who regularly and frequently beat their wifes and/or children.

I don't understand some of that, sorry. Advocating the use of violence and justifying it are the same thing, aren't they? How can he have been 'not advocating using violence against women' but at the same time ' justifying why it might not be as wrong as other people think'? How wrong does it need to be?

It's your view and you're welcome to it but why try to make it something else(ie the James Brown comment or the unfaithful comment). Maybe we read it different ways, but the '91 and '93 interviews seem to be Connery defending himself on somebody trying to be sensationalistic, a common thing to do in today's press. I'm saying don't paint the man for something he said and maybe never did just because the press tells you so it's so, which you seem to have bought into.

Making it what? I'm not the guy defending his attitude to women by saying he's never been involved in drugs or financial scandals! You asked if there had ever been rumours of him being unfaithful - I told you of two occasions when there were. Now you say they're only rumours. Classic. You seemed to be defending the comments on the basis that nobody gives James Brown a hard time. Ever heard of the expression 'Two wrongs don't make a right'?

I think your last sentence says it all, really: how can I be painting him as something 'just because the press' tells me its so, and buying into it when, as you say yourself, he said these things? Whether or not he has ever actually hit a woman is something we don't know. We *do*, however, know that in at least four interviews ranging over four decades, he has consistently advocated/justified hitting women. Yes, i think he was trying to defend himself in the Vanity Fair interview in '93. Didn't do a very good job of it, though, did he?

'Sometimes, there are women who take it to the wire. That's what they're

[hrabb04]

Sean Connery is the only actor who could get away with romancing Catherine Zeta Jones in Entrapment. Her own husband can't even get away with it!
Sean Connery is in a class of his own when it comes to icons and movie stars. He is the man. I grew up on Sean Connery James Bond. I wanted to be the guy. Hell, I still do. As I am typing this, I am listening to the theme from Never Say Never Again. That song is him all the way.
For all of you Connery bashers, you have your right to piss and moan. I also have my right to say that I like the guy. I respect him. He ain't perfect, but he's still quite a guy.

[Stephenson]

When I first read the article I thought the writer was referring specifically to the type of actor (hairless kids) that today gets the roles that used to go to Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, Richard Harris, Richard Burton, Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood, etc., and how Connery, as an actor and for the roles he played, was the embodiment of the "old-school" manliness that seems to be lacking from today's younger actors. They simply don't have the power or the character to pull off the role of "leader" believably. I don't think anyone should endorse (or even be that interested in) what Connery and the rest did or do in their personal life, but I have to respect what these men brought to the screen, as actors in their thirties. It is definitely something that is missing today. Maybe a handful of the bigger names can pull it off (Crowe, Bana, Jackman, Owen), but studios need to remember: no kid wanted to be Luke Skywalker, everyone wanted to be Han Solo.

[Skudor]

[quote name='spynovelfan' date='10 May 2005 - 16:04'][quote name='Skudor' date='10 May 2005 - 14:38']Clearly he's not advocating using violence against women, he's justifying why it might not be as wrong as other people think. Although violence should be condemned in any situation, bar necessary self defence, I think there's a world of difference between advocating the use of violence and justifying it.

[hrabb04]

Well, let's put this way. If a woman was beating the crap out of you, scratching your eyes out, grabbing your testicles and twisting them into knots....what would you do? Would you hit her? Would you hit her the same way you would a man?

[Stephenson]

Well, let's put this way.  If a woman was beating the crap out of you, scratching your eyes out, grabbing your testicles and twisting them into knots....what would you do?  Would you hit her?  Would you hit her the same way you would a man?

That's not even close to what Connery is saying; you're talking about self defense, whereas he was talking about hitting a woman because he believes deep down they want it, at times deserve it, and men have the right due to their physical superiority.

[Bondesque]

Great Point Canoe2 No kid wanted to be Luke. To me it stems down to the lack of being happy with ones masculinity in hollywood these days. Audiences have been "dumbed down" and "modeled up". Today, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Humphry Bogart and Lee Marvin would only be character actors not leading men.

But think of what audience is being targeted? It is the 15-25 year old MTV audience. They have never been brought up with male Actors that are confident and celibrate thier masculinity. They have been fed a diet of Justin Timberlakes. Machismo to them is a freshly waxed Tom Cruise flashing his mega what smile. I do believe that the pendulum is starting to slightly turn back. Mel Gibson, Russel Crowe, Clive Owen each seem to provide a link back to Connery in terms of being men proud to be a men.

[Daltonfan]

Well, let's put this way.  If a woman was beating the crap out of you, scratching your eyes out, grabbing your testicles and twisting them into knots....what would you do?  Would you hit her?  Would you hit her the same way you would a man?

I think it's perfectly acceptable for Bond to hit Xenia Onatopp.

[Turn]

[quote name='spynovelfan' date='10 May 2005 - 15:04'][quote name='Skudor' date='10 May 2005 - 14:38']Clearly he's not advocating using violence against women, he's justifying why it might not be as wrong as other people think. Although violence should be condemned in any situation, bar necessary self defence, I think there's a world of difference between advocating the use of violence and justifying it.

[Loomis]

I see just two "masculine" choices among the so-called Bond candidates: Craig and Owen - no one else. I hope (but don't expect) that one of them will be 007 in CASINO ROYALE.

[David Schofield]

Again, I think we're mixing Sean Connery up with James Bond.

In the first four films, Connery physicaally embodied James Bond. He gave us the Bond most of us want.

However, Sean Connery as human being - and I agree with the examples quoted by Spy - isn't the loveable bear in old age people seem to think he is. He seems to think that just because he came from an Edinburgh tenament he's had the world's worst life. To hell with kids growing up in Etheopia. Scotland sucks.
Yeh, right, Sir Sean. Scotlanf forever, if it includes the Bahamas. Women? Yeh. Good for a couple of things. Decent films. Four Bonds, plus Marnie, The Hill and Women of Straw. And that's it. Lazenby in OHMSS, Roger, Tim and Pierce as Bond were more hero than Sir Sean.

But then, they were playing Bond (Government assassin, etc)

Oh, and PS, I do think Tim has achieved the best physical and emotional representation of Fleming's Bond. Not much to show for Sir Sean, has he?

[Bondesque]

You are forgetting performances like The Man Who Would be King, The Untouchables, Robin and Marian, The Assault, Red October, and more.

You may not like Connery on a personal basis but he is regarded as an acting icon. I feel that the hitting women issue is quite convoluted. Yes if a women is beating you up you have the right to defend yourself and no, men should never hit women, however women should never hit men either.

Sean Connery should have everyones respect in that he came from nothing and made himself into quite a bit.