The image of a man in a sharp tuxedo, holding a Walther PPK with a silencer, is burned into the collective consciousness of anyone who has ever seen a movie. But if you look at a full sean connery list of movies, you quickly realize that the man from Fountainbridge was a lot more than just a secret agent with a license to kill. Honestly, he spent a good chunk of his career trying to outrun that shadow. Sometimes he succeeded brilliantly; other times, he ended up in a red loincloth in the middle of a psychedelic sci-fi wasteland.
That's the beauty of it. He was a milkman, a bodybuilder, and eventually, the definitive grizzled mentor of 90s cinema.
The Early Years and the Bond Boom
Before he was 007, he was just Thomas Sean Connery, a guy doing bit parts in things like Lilacs in the Spring (1954) where he was literally an uncredited extra. You can spot him as a welder in Time Lock or a hoodlum in No Road Back. It wasn't overnight. It was a grind. Then 1962 happened. Dr. No didn't just launch a franchise; it invented a archetype.
Between 1962 and 1967, Connery cranked out five Bond films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. People forget that he also squeezed in Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (1964) during this height. Working with Hitchcock was a power move. It showed he wanted to be an actor, not just a suit. He eventually came back for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971—mostly for a record-breaking payday he donated to charity—and one final, non-canonical wink in 1983’s Never Say Never Again.
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Breaking the Mold in the 70s
The 70s were weird for everyone, and Connery was no exception. He worked with Sidney Lumet on The Offence (1973), playing a burnt-out detective. It’s dark. It’s gritty. It’s nothing like Bond. Then there’s Zardoz (1974). If you haven't seen the photo of him in a red bandolier and ponytail, you haven't lived. It was a massive risk that didn't really pay off at the time, but it’s a cult classic now.
He found his stride again with The Man Who Would Be King (1975). Starring alongside his real-life friend Michael Caine, he played Daniel Dravot. It’s arguably one of his best performances. He captured that specific blend of arrogance and tragedy that defined his later work.
The Elder Statesman and the Oscar
By the 1980s, the "Silver Fox" era began. He wasn't the lead heartthrob anymore; he was the guy who knew everything. This is where the sean connery list of movies gets really interesting for modern fans.
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- Highlander (1986): He played an Egyptian-Spaniard with a Scottish accent. Nobody cared because he looked so cool in those period costumes.
- The Name of the Rose (1986): He played a medieval monk detective. He won a BAFTA for this, proving to the skeptics that he had the range for intellectual drama.
- The Untouchables (1987): This is the big one. His portrayal of Jimmy Malone, the veteran beat cop who tells Kevin Costner "that's the Chicago way," earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He followed this up by playing Indiana Jones’ dad in The Last Crusade (1989). The chemistry between him and Harrison Ford felt like lightning in a bottle. They actually felt like father and son, despite Connery being only 12 years older than Ford.
The Final Act: The Rock to Retirement
The 90s saw him as a bankable action star well into his 60s. The Hunt for Red October (1990) gave us Captain Marko Ramius. Then came The Rock (1996), which basically functioned as an unofficial "What happened to James Bond?" story. He was John Mason, an imprisoned British SAS operative. It was a massive hit.
Then things got rocky. The Avengers (1998)—the one based on the TV show, not the Marvel ones—was a disaster. Entrapment (1999) with Catherine Zeta-Jones did okay, but the age gap was a bit distracting for some.
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His final live-action role was Allan Quatermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). The production was famously miserable. He clashed with director Stephen Norrington so much that he essentially said "I'm done." He officially retired from acting in 2006, only returning for voice work in the 2012 animated film Sir Billi.
The Legacy of the Filmography
Looking back at the full scope, it’s a massive body of work. Over 60 films. He transitioned from a "tough guy" to a global icon to a respected veteran. He turned down Gandalf in Lord of the Rings and John Hammond in Jurassic Park because he "didn't understand the scripts." Think about that. The movie landscape would look entirely different if he had said yes.
If you’re looking to dive into his work, don't just stick to the Bond marathons. Watch The Hill. Watch Finding Forrester. See the man behind the accent.
Next Steps for Film Fans:
Start by watching The Hill (1965) to see his raw acting power without the gadgets. Then, compare his performance in The Untouchables with his role in The Man Who Would Be King to see how he mastered the art of the "wise mentor" character long before he won his Oscar.