39 replies to this topic

[Gothamite]

I would madly, gladly profess that Connery is over-rated insofar as his appeal is such that even his crappiest efforts are held up as gems by the general public (I've overheard many's a casual fan talking about how great "Diamonds are Forever" is) and how "no other actor has come close". With the exception of things like this however in most other respects;

No, not overrated. Rather, his successors are underrated in comparison. Wrongly, and no fault of theirs or Sean Connery's. One reason, I think, is a consensus amongst some film critics - those who can be bothered to "slum it" by actually missing a night in the art-house for a trip to the multi-plex - that Bond stopped being something worth watching when Connery quit the role, and that all else after is just the "same old same old" with someone else going around calling himself James Bond.

Admittedly, Daniel Craig has impressed some of the self same critics enough to warrant the title "The Best Bond Since Connery", but note, not "The Best Bond".

It is a pity this view still persists forty years on, because all the Bond actors brought something to the role and deserve better than tiresome comparison with the first, a comparison I would imagine Mr. Connery would also find tiresome and pointless.

All of us have our favourite Bond actors and Bond films - and some favourite films might not necessarily feature the favoured actor as 007 (OHMSS a case in point with me.)

Besides, unusually in the world of cinema and celebrity where many fans flock to see their idols on screen, the star of the Bond films has never really been the actor in the role but always "Bond, James Bond".

^^^ this.

Unless the current Bond is proclaimed to be "The Best Bond since Connery", the franchise has failed. Craig and Brosnan (and if the books I've read are true) Dalton were all called this by different people during the initial height of their respective eras.

For me Craig eclipses Connery, but Connery's significance to the birth of the franchise and the zeitgeist of the 1960s could absolutely ONLY come from him. In that sense, he is the one-and-only.

[Iceskater101]

So who is your favorite bond then? ^

It's a toss up between Moore and Dalton - though Moore probably wins out for me.

What really? I did not like Moore, he kisses really weird... I love Dalton though

[Shaun Forever]

Sean Connery IS James Bond.

[Iceskater101]

What a wonderful reason for not liking someone - I kind of know what you mean, though!

I'm a big Connery fan, too. I like them all apart from Brosnan - not one of my favourites!

Well it is pretty important, it is James Bond. He better be able to kiss well.

[DR76]

I do not believe that Sean Connery was overrated as James Bond. Neither was George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

All of them were great and are responsible for maintaining my interest in the Bond franchise for such a long time.

[archer1949]

Apart from being the Originator, Connery and his movies hit at exactly the right time to become cultural icons. If he had come too early, James Bond would have had the same relevance today as Bulldog Drummond or Simon Templar. We wouldn't be on this site discussing this, if that were the case.

If he came later, he could have easily been dismissed as a bit of slightly camp, late sixties fluff ala that awful Modesty Blaise movie. But he came at just the right time when Cold War hysteria and the Mad Man/Playboy sexual aspect that, while certainly was present in the Flaming stories, could be pumped up and exploited to almost ludicrous levels of Male fantasy ridiculousness in the movies. As a result, people really responded.

It was a perfect pop culture storm.

Unfortunately, Connery's successors don't have that luxury. That is why, for better or worse, Connery will be the colossus that all other Bonds will have to stand under.

[Iceskater101]

Roger Moore was one of the worst with the cheesiest stuff.
Roger Moore was one of the worst with the cheesiest stuff.
Roger Moore was one of the worst with the cheesiest stuff.
Roger Moore was one of the worst with the cheesiest stuff.
Roger Moore was one of the worst with the cheesiest stuff.

Completely agree.

[double-oh-seven]

to me all bonds have been great for various reasons, but i am more drawn to the sean connery bond films. i think my reason for this is because they where the ones i watched first. and i recon a lot of bond fans have this feeling in some form for example people who started watching the brosnan film will most likely be drawn to his films as they where the ones who got them hooked originally. but i dont believe he his overated i just believe critic's use him to assess the new bonds, exactly like we would compare a remake to an original film.

[Aris007]

If Fleming was convinced that Connery was the right choice after Dr. No, what's the point saying he's overrated?

[elizabeth]

On topic: Connery cannot be over rated. The man is more than a legend, he is the original and best James Bond.

And this is a fact.

No that's an opinion, no matter how widely held it is.

No, it's a fact.