Sean Connery Bestowed With American Film Institute Life Achievement Award!

‘’Sean Connery Bestowed With American Film Institute Life Achievement Award!’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright November 11, 2005

The most venerable, esteemed Bond, James Bond…actor, Sir Sean Connery, will receive the honor of the 34th American Film Institute (AFI) Life Achievement Award. Connery will be presented the award at a star studded gala held in Los Angeles, this June 8, 2006. (June 8, is our own birthday! Wow, what a birthday present! We are SO happy for you Sir Sean!)

We simply adore…the man who put the brogue and kilt in Scotland and made a career of portraying iconic heroes more brave than well…’’Braveheart’’. Who would have thought that the 75 year old Connery, born Thomas Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 25, 1930, and who spent his early years plowing through the drudgery of such labor jobs as a milkman, a coffin polisher, part of the merchant Navy and (oh my!) a nude art model, landing his very first role in of all things, the 1959 Walt Disney children’s fairy tale, ‘’Darby O’Gill And The Little People’’, would become an internationally recognized acting icon and legend.

There may have been many pretenders to the throne since, with more to come, but there is only one actor who fills the Tux of James Bond for most aficionados of the classic film franchise based on the Ian Fleming spy 007 with a license to kill.

That would be Connery, who certainly has a license to thrill, beguiling us with his GORGEOUS, dashing, debonair, sexy, savvy, cavalier, super cool International man of intrigue who bedded the world’s most beautiful women while offing the world’s most sinister villains and saving the world in such Bond classics as ‘’Dr. No’’, ‘’Goldfinger’’, ‘’Thunderball’’, ‘’You Only Live Twice’’, and…even after leaving the Bond films to pursue more challenging film acting roles, Connery returned to portray Bond one more time, in ‘’Never Say Never Again’’.

But, Connery more than proved to be one of the most gifted of the silver screen’s actors, often larger than life, easily gliding from character roles to leading man with ease.

Connery’s first major character role, was in fact his breakout acting role, at last leaving Bond and all critical naysayers behind, proving his acting chops as the tough Irish cop with a heart of gold who stood fearless and stalwart alongside FBI’s Elliott Ness to help take down a blood thirsty, soulless Al Capone in ‘’The Untouchables’’ in 1987. That role won Connery the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. And from there, the rest as they say, is film…history.

What a resume. ‘’The Man Who Would Be King’’, his breathtaking Arabian knights mix of politics and romance in ‘’The Wind And The Lion’’ (one of our favorites with one of Connery’s most charismatic, enigmatic, and landmark roles as the Raisuli!), an aging, cynical yet still idealistic Robin Hood in ‘’Robin And Marion’’, ‘’Outland’’ (a great science fiction re-working of ‘’High Noon’’ with Connery’s outstanding futuristic take on Gary Cooper’s unflinching Lawman standing alone, deserted by the cowardly citizens of a space colony town, to take down a villain), ‘’Marnie’’, ‘’Zardoz’’, ‘’Time Bandits’’, ‘’The Hunt For Red October’’.

More sterling thespian roles were brought to life by Connery in ‘’Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves’’’ (portraying Richard The Lionhearted, a role he was MADE for, imbuing it with unparalleled majesty and valiant, noble regality of the stuff of legends and centuries old mythology), ‘’Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade’’ as the father of actor, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones quipping and sparring delightfully, ‘’The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman’’, ‘’Entrapment’’ (still stealing our hearts portraying a sophisticated art thief in love with actress’s, Catherine Zeta Jones 40 year younger character), and ‘’Dragonheart’’ as the voice for the last dragon on earth, Draco, literally stealing the show and pulling our heart strings, just with the sheer power and emotion of his voice, (Connery’s facial expressions were also used for Draco’s image), breathing warmth, depth, and life into a CGI created fire breather who aids the knight, Bowen, portrayed by actor Dennis Quaid to preserve justice and good.

Connery is in an elite league, as past recipients of the AFI Life Achievement Award include: James Cagney, Bette Davis, James Stewart, Gregory Peck, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Orson Welles, John Ford, Sidney Poitier, and Clint Eastwood, just to name a few.

AFI Board Of Trustees Chair, Sir Howard Stringer says ‘’Though best remembered for creating one of the great heroes of all time, his talents transcend typecasting, and his body of work not only stands the test of time, but illuminates a career more extraordinary than James Bond himself’’.

The AFI Life Achievement Award began in 1973 and is bestowed in recognition to certain individuals in the film industry ‘’whose work has stood the test of time’’, and in 1993, the award was further endowed with the significance of being bestowed to ‘’individuals with active careers and work of significance yet to be accomplished.’’

Connery, also received a knighthood, from her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth Of England in 1999.

We want to wish Sir Sean all the very best and our heartfelt congratulations!

We also would like to add, that not too many years ago, this 70 something, dashing rogue with a brogue was voted by ‘’People Magazine’’ as ‘’The Sexiest Man Alive’’, beating out 20 and 30 something studs of the likes of Brad Pitt, Mel Gibson, Jude Law, Tom Cruise.

Sir Sean, you will always be SO sexy. All you have to do is speak and we swoon. As for your acting, you are incomparable and a star amongst stars, amongst the celestial heavens and most deserving of this honor. We bow before this Scottish knight and say, we very much look forward to you continuing to enchant and captivate us further with your most esteemed presence on the motion picture screen. One of your films was ‘’Diamonds Are Forever’’.

We say, Sir Sean Connery, ‘’Dazzle Us Forever’’!

Source:
http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---27233,00.html

Muse News And Micro Muse November 11, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright November 11, 2005