LICENCE TO THRILL
Filmmaker on becoming palse with devastating sex appeal this movie hero and Sir Sea
Jennifer Hyland
He remains the most famous James Bond despite finally handing back the keys to the Aston Martin nearly four decades ago.
But as Scotland’s greatest living star turns 90, a close friend of Sir Sean Connery has revealed he has always retained his licence to thrill.
Writer and filmmaker Murray Grigor told of his amazement at witnessing the icon’s “chemical” effect on women.
Murray said they flocked in their hundreds to catch a glimpse of the heartthrob actor at an event in Edinburgh long after he was eligible for a free bus pass.
He has worked on a number of projects with Connery and co-wrote his book Being A Scot, which was published in 2008.
Murray, 81, also told how the Oscar winner confided in him about his decision to quit acting and why he kept his strong Scottish accent in movie roles. Speaking from his home in I nverkeith i ng , Fi fe, Murray said: “To a man, Sean Connery is a very interesting guy but I tell you, for a woman, it is almost a chemical thing.
“I did Being A Scot with him and there was a book festival in Edinburgh. There were about 500 women in a long line and we walked down.
“As we passed by, this one lady said, ‘ You’re the sexiest man alive, Sean,’ and he said, ‘ Well, I wouldn’t be very sexy if I was dead.’”
Connery has shunned the limelight for more than a decade and keeps a low profile at his homes in New York and New Providence, in the Bahamas.
Those closest to him, including Micheline, his wife of 45 years, and his son Jason, have already marked the occasion with an early birthday party held last week on the island.
Further celebrations will take place on his birthday on Tuesday.
Paying tribute to his friend, Murray described
has Connery e alongsid starred d’s Hollywoo many of leading ladies, most famous Audrey Lana Turner, , including Andress , Ursula e Hepburn Catherin n and Blackma Honor He said: Zeta-Jones. I don’t women. “I like but nd them understa I like them.”
him asa one of the f ilm industry’s all-timetim greats.
Murray Mu said: “He’s now facing 90 and on hihis birthday I just wish him well. He’s oone of the great actors and a very generous gener and friendly guy.”
When W a young Connery left school in EdEdinburgh aged just 13 and took up a job delivering milk, he could never neve have imagined the life that lay aahead.
AAfter taking a job backstage in a thetheatre in the capital, he became inteinterested in acting – and never looklooked back.
CConnery’s career spanned six decdecades after he was propelled to stastardom following has portrayal of BritishBri spy James Bond in the first nd film, Dr No,No in 1962. He went on to play 007 the next four BBond films and two later ones. However, Murray revealed that after appearing The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 03, a film directed by Stephen Norrington, nnery told him he was “finished” with the dustry.
He said: “Sean was the best Bond. He’d rked with so many f ilmmakers, al l the eats. He worked with Alfred Hitchcock and hn Huston.
The last f i lm he made, The League Of traordinary Gentlemen, wasn’t great. He decided, ‘ Look, I’ve worked with all the ats. I’ve worked with all the great filmmakers d now it’s just a lot of kids trying to work out
to work out if it’s really Sean. He would say, ‘ It really is me, it really is me.’
“People criticise him for his accent but his accent was much stronger before and he didn’t want to lose it completely.
“He said, ‘I wouldn’t know who the hell I was if I didn’t have my Edinburgh accent.’”
After retiring from films, Connery enjoyed playing golf – a passion which he developed when he took up the sport to improve his what to do next.’ So he said, ‘ I don’t want to do performance in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger. any more filming,’ Murray said Connery was such a good player “Sean is very humble for what he’s done. He he had a handicap of five. was a very intelligent actor.
“Steven Spielberg said to me, ‘Most actors try He added: “He has a house in the Bahamas with to build a part up and Sean is always trying to a golf course next to it so he just goes straight take down his part.’ He wanted to really react through the hedge and enjoys playing golf. in it rather than just speak all the time. “Funny enough, his house is called Conne
He had an incredible career.” said: ry Out of Bounds.
“When
Murray says the pair would keep took “He’d never played golf, it was a I in touch and he would receive an taxi a rich man’s game and he Edinbu during rgh Film regular calls from Connery until Festival, didn’t care for it much. was the driver several years ago. amaze “However, when he was a name d that I
He recalled how he would to every couldput doing Goldfinger, he had to come? play so he went to this course always have to confirm it was ’ he street. deliver asked.
‘How
Conner y ca l l ing due to I milk
‘Iused near Pinewood Studios. said. round to fans across the world ‘So what here,’
“Of course the pro there was a do Scot and he said, ‘ You’ve really impersonating his accent. He now?’ doyou
Thatwas
However, he a lso shot his rather got talent, I think you’re going to harder to make this.’ revealed that Connery last film, answe r.” kept his strong brogue The League
“But the pro said, ‘If you really want to inary play golf, you have to go to Scotland to as it was a significant Of Extraord Adecade en, in 2003. part of his identity. Gentlem desire play on a links course.’ he had no
Murray said: “I’ve ago he said screen “Those are the hardest. There are very the silver worked on severa l to grace many few trees, it’s always on the coast and said: “I have projects with him. I again. He memorie s there are always winds coming different ul wonderf d id Sean Conner y’s days ways so, if you can play golf there, you’re a but those
Edinburgh. He didn’t want are over.” great golfer. to be in the film but I persuaded “So he went up to Royal Dornoch, which is a him to do it. key one, apparently.
“He doesn’t like hanging around and didn’t “He got his handicap down to five. He was know how it would work out but he’s very good brilliant at golf. in it, of course. We haven’t been in touch recently “The real reasons he took up golf is because he as I’ve been in the States but I used to get a call all was a good actor and he wanted to look the part the time and he was very friendly. and you can’t really look the part if you don’t know “Lots of people put imitations on so you have how to swing the clubs.”