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ByJoe Roberts/
When you think of Sean Connery, you probably think of either James Bond or Indiana Jones' dad. If you grew up in the '90s you might even think of that movie where he was on a submarine, or vaguely recall the marketing for a film where he played opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones. But there's no doubt that long before Connery was advising the "Hunt for Red October" director to rewrite the film's script, or complaining about "Entrapment" having too many special effects, he was best known as either England's greatest spy or as Dr. Henry Jones, Sr.
Still, when it comes to an actor as talented as Connery, not everyone thinks of these roles as his best. If you ask Christopher Nolan, for instance, he'll tell you that the Scottish star's finest performance came in Sidney Lumet's 1973 crime drama "The Offence," with Nolan recently celebrating the film for containing "a level of craft from Sean Connery just you won't have seen anywhere else." Anyone who has followed the actor's career and is aware of his early work will likely also cite his non-Bond roles as some of his best, with Lumet's 1965 effort "The Hill" frequently pointed to as one of the actor's greatest on-screen moments.
But what we all want to know, of course, is what Rotten Tomatoes has to say about this. It can certainly be fun to see how various films and TV shows fare on the site — such as when we all marveled at there only being two perfect horror movies in the history of cinema. So what does RT have to say when it comes to Connery?
The highest-rated Sean Connery film on Rotten Tomatoes
Disney
At a time where the Tomatometer acts as a helpful guide through the crowded landscape that is modern media, the review aggregator is often given more legitimacy than it perhaps deserves — especially since Rotten Tomatoes has, and will likely again, be hacked in the future. The site has also produced some interesting, and often questionable rankings in its time. There's only two perfect sci-fi movies, apparently, and Harrison Ford's highest-rated films are "The Conversation" and "Apocalypse Now."
With that said, let's turn our attention to Ford's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" co-star Sean Connery, and see what the Tomatometer has determined as the late star's greatest contribution to cinema. Surely, one of the aforementioned Sidney Lumet movies? Or perhaps the highest-rated James Bond movie on RT, "Goldfinger"? Well, it's neither of those. According to the site, Connery's best movie is actually "Darby O'Gill and the Little People."
This 1959 Disney adventure from director Robert Stevenson is set in Ireland, and stars Albert Sharpe as Darby O'Gill, the caretaker of Lord Fitzpatrick's estate. After he's fired from his position, he's replaced by a younger alternative in the form of Connery's Michael McBride. The rest of the film sees Darby transported to the land of the Leprechauns, where he meets their king, Brian (Jimmy O'Dea). After escaping, Darby finds that he's accidentally brought Brian with him. The Leprechaun king then grants Darby three wishes, but his wishes have unintended consequences.
This Disney version of an Irish folktale currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though that's based on just 16 reviews. Still, that's enough to make it the highest-rated in the RT ranking of Connery films.
Darby O'Gill launched Connery's Hollywood career
Disney
You might be surprised to learn that "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" is the highest-rated Sean Connery movie on RT. After all, it's not the most well-known of the man's oeuvre and isn't even that well-known of a Disney film today. Plus, the film's actual star is Albert Sharpe. Of course, these RT rankings are really only taking into account a film's overall critical reception based on individual reviews, so this isn't an actual list of Connery's best performances. But still, you'd expect something from the late star's filmography to at least match "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" in terms of critical response.
The closest entry in Connery's filmography is, in fact, "Goldfinger," which currently holds a 99% rating on the site. But there is a vague link between the actor's role in this lesser-known Disney adventure and his debut as 007. Prior to "Darby O'Gill," Connery — who passed away in 2020 — had worked in the British theater and landed some small film and TV roles, making the Disney movie his first major role in a Hollywood feature. Unfortunately, critics weren't too enamored with the Scot, with New York Timesreviewer A.H. Weiler labeling Connery, "Merely tall, dark and handsome," even while he praised the film overall for its whimsy and romance.
Thankfully, "Darby O'Gill" was a decent enough hit that it bolstered Connery's burgeoning film career enough to ensure he would remain a Hollywood fixture, thereby providing a chance to prove critics like Weiler wrong. In fact, the movie directly led to what would be Connery's biggest role.
WIthout Darby O'Gill we wouldn't have Connery's Bond
Eon Productions
"Darby O'Gill" was, as Sean Connery explained in a BBC interview, not only the actor's first big movie but his first trip to America. Shot in California, the movie required Connery to sing, which he quickly discovered wasn't his forte. Thankfully, after a calamitous recording session during pre-production, Connery eventually got the hang of it and did a fine job of singing alongside his co-star Janet Munro.
It might not seem as though crooning his way through a light-hearted Disney adventure would lead to Connery becoming Bond, but "Darby O'Gill" was exactly what caught the attention of James Bond producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli, who in the late-1950s was looking to cast the first film in what would become the 007 saga, 1962's "Dr. No." As recounted in John Cork and Bruce Scivally's "James Bond The Legacy," (via Den of Geek) Broccoli "thought he saw something worthwhile in Connery after watching 'Darby O'Gill.'" He then asked his wife, Dana Broccoli, what she thought, and the answer was that this up-and-coming actor was James Bond.
Connery might not have been sure that he'd make a good Bond, but, of all things, "Darby O'Gill" was enough to convince Broccoli and his wife. Though you might quibble with its "perfect" score, without this Disney oddity we wouldn't have Connery's 007.
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