SEAN CONNERY

                                                             Part 3

Here is the third and final article about Sean Connery movies (not including the Bonds). 

Harrison Ford is of course the main guy in the four Indiana Jones movies. But in the third entry Sean Connery appears as Indy’s father, a professor. The prof has gone missing on a journey to find the holy grail. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) has lots of Nazis and action and is as good as the other films. Connery is just fine as Indy’s somewhat absent minded Dad. 

The Russia House (1990) features a fine script by Tom Stoppard from the book by the inimitable John Le Carre. Sean Connery is Barley Scott-Blair, head of a British publishing firm. On a business trip to Moscow he stumbles upon a document supposedly leaked by one of Russia’s top scientists which says the Soviet nuclear program is in disarray and the West should stop the arms race. MI6 and the CIA get involved and Barley heads back to Russia to confront the leaker.

Rising Sun (1993) from a crackerjack book by Michael Crichton, stars Sean Connery as police officer John Connor, dispatched to a murder scene at the LA office of a Japanese company. The death of a call girl is recorded on a video disc which turns out to have been digitally altered. When it is corrected, it changes things completely.

        The Rock (1996) is about a raid into Alcatraz to rescue captured tourists and prevent rogue Marines from firing rockets into San Francisco. Sean Connery plays John Mason. He is pardoned from another prison to help with the raid. He is the only person to ever escape Alcatraz (and live to tell about it) and knows all of the ins and outs of the storied prison. Lots of action and hijinks follow.

        In The Avengers (1998) Sean Connery portrays a mad scientist out to control the earth's weather. He runs up against the iconic Emma Peel and John Steed, the same characters from the popular British TV series.

        And finally there is Finding Forrester (2000). Sean Connery plays the title character, William Forrester, author of a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Forrester has become a recluse, rarely leaving his apartment. He befriends Jamal, a local kid with a talent for writing. After a ragged start, Forrester agrees to help Jamal with his writing, and, incidentally, his life. This is one of Connery's finest roles and he makes the most of it.

        All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.