Book #23: Sean Connery

 

Book #10 completed for the year

Sean Connery will always be a legend to me.  His skill, ability to light up any screen, charm, and desire to do something greater will always be at the forefront of his legacy.  Even his lesser films bring something to the table.  It’s blown my mind that there are some people who have never heard of him.  Regardless, I feel his legacy will endure.  He belongs, as Mike Myers once declared, “On Any Screen” which is an anagram of his name.

Things I learned:

- Grew up impoverished

- Tried to do a 3-way partnership with Bond producers Harry Saltzman & Cubby Broccoli (which in essence would have meant owning United Artists)

- Close friends with Michael Caine who found him to be a vastly underrated genius

- Connery was traumatized by Bondmania

- Born to the slum, he is a convert to compassionate socialism.  But he was also, in the simple sense, a capitalist who believed that every man should have his chance.

- He was effusive about politics and art but seemed, oddly, broadly conservative.

- While known publicly as a tough aggressive man, he showed some wounds from the severity of his past experience that he learned to cope with alone, to overcome obstacles and make it work.

- He had a tremendous and passionate love of golf

- He would spend hours in his bathroom as a means of escape and reflection

- He would work himself to the point of burn out and the recluse himself to Spain.  A place he had great affection for

- Got his first employment at age 9, working 2 jobs, when he sensed his family struggling.  He made £3 per week

- “I felt that a hard job like my father’s or the milk round I was doing would never let me use my body and mind to the fullest.  And I think anything less [than a full life] is a waste of a human being.”

- Vastly detested his time as a Seaman

- Worked extremely hard, almost self-punishing.  Seemed to be driven by anger

- He had a love for horses which turned him on to Western films.

- He had an affection for 1953’s “Shane” which inspired his film “Shalako”

- Turned down an offer to play for Manchester United

- He was vastly heartbroken to lose the engagement to Carol Sopel 

- A 2-year tour of “South Pacific” changed his life perspective career-wise

- “The Masai tribe say that you’re notable man until your father dies.  They may be right, but if that’s true it is a pretty stiff price to pay.”

- He had no clue that when we donated his Diamond Are Forever earnings to charity, he was running low financially

- “You realize very quickly the world is full of idiots.”

- He was very upset with the film version of “The Avengers” (British) and how it felt good as they shot it, but turned out a mess

- By the late 90’s, he had outpaced Bond, cemented his legacy as an all around bankable actor

Very good book.  Highly recommended, especially for Connery fans.  Just a note, this book only covers up to around the turn of the century.  It mentions him signing for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but does not cover it.

On to Book #11: Fatal Vision