One of Sean Connery’s worst blockbusters gave the screen icon the chance to play his very ownJames Bondvillain. In spite of all the greatJames Bond actorswho have followed in his footsteps, Connery’s 007 is still considered the one to beat. His appearance as the British secret agent inDr. Nomade him an instant movie star, andConnery’s mix of good looks, charisma and brutality would set the template for Bond. Of course, Connery’s thoughts on the series itself were mixed.
Disputes with the producers of theJames Bondmovie franchiseover pay and being tied to a strict contract led to him quitting after 1967’sYou Only Live Twice. He would be lured back to the character twice in the years that followed; once for 1971’sDiamonds Are Foreverandthe unofficial Bond outingNever Say Never Againover a decade later.Connery went on to other major projects and successfully escaped the typecasting that affected many other Bond stars, but it still remained his most popular role.
The Avengers Gave Sean Connery The Chance To Play A James Bond Villain
This lambasted 1998 blockbuster remade a classic British spy series
Big budget remakes of TV shows became in vogue during the 1990s and were likely sparked by the critical and commercial success ofThe Fugitive. This formula was a mixed bag, with highs like Brian De Palma’sMission: Impossibleand lows likeWild Wild West.Arguably the worst blockbuster based on a 1960s show from this time wasThe Avengers, which cast Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman as spies teaming up to take down an evil genius who can control the weather. Said villain is Sir August de Wynter, played by Sean Connery.
Despite being bolstered by the shock success of the first Bond adventureDr. Noin 1962, the original series ofThe Avengersactuallydebuted the yearbefore. The show teamed Patric Macnee’s dashing gentleman spy John Steed with an array of sidekicks, though Diana Riggs' Emma Peel is by far the most popular. The two actors shared incredible chemistry, which sadly didn’t translate to the Fiennes and Thurman incarnations. While the TV remake is a true mess,The Avengersallowed Connery to unleash his inner Bond villain and he’s clearly having a blast doing so.
Connery hams up a storm as de Wynter, including scenes where he addresses his minions dressed as a big teddy bear, or dons a kilt as he threatens world leaders with his weather machine. The movie gets a shot of energy whenever Connery turns up, and while his stunt double is obvious during his fights with Steed, the veteran star commits toThe Avengers' cartoonish tone with gusto.
The producers clearly had theBondmovies of old in mind with de Wynter and his weather scheme, which feels like something Roger Moore’s 007 would have had to thwart.The Avengersoffers a glimpse of what a Connery Bond villain would have been like,and the meta nature of what could have happened if Moore or Pierce Brosnan’s 007 went up against the original star of the series.
Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg both appeared in theJames Bondseries; Macnee played Sir Godfrey Tibbett inA View to a Kill, while Rigg played Tracy Bond in 1969’sOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
The Avengers Was A Failed Franchise Starter
This version of The Avengers didn’t reassemble
While not as well known in America, the originalAvengersshow is considered a classic in England. This is whyMarvel’sThe Avengershad to be retitledAvengers Assemblein the UK in 2012, to keep the two entities separate.The Avengersmovie adaptation is significantly less beloved, sitting at a paltry 5% onRotten Tomatoesand failing to recoup its estimated $60 million budget. According to screenwriter Don Macpherson (viaYahoo!),the original cut ofThe Avengerswas much better, but bad test screening results saw Warner Bros hack it to pieces in the editing.
… the terrible reception it received killed plans for an Avengers franchise, and set back the careers of Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman in the years that followed.
This accounts for the bizarre pacing and plot holes that litter the final edit.The Avengerseven fails to clarify basic plot points like where the evil version of Mrs Peel (also played by Thurman) came from. The vitriol poured over the film was somewhat overblown, though it can’t be denied the film is a mess that wastes an incredible cast. Naturally, the terrible reception it received killed plans for anAvengersfranchise, and even set back the careers of Fiennes and Thurman in the years that followed.
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The Avengers Predicted Ralph Fiennes' James Bond Future
“Steed. John Steed” doesn’t have the same ring to it
Fiennes was being poised for movie stardom during this time, following his turn inThe English Patient. Despite being incredibly charming in the role,The Avengerswas a big misstep for Fiennes that essentially nixed his leading man career. This isn’t to say that hasn’t had a fantastic career in the decades since, ranging from his run asHarry Pottervillain Lord Voldemort to acclaimed performances likeIn BrugesorThe Grand Budapest Hotel. One thingThe Avengersdid do, however, was predict Fiennes' future with theBondsaga.
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From its casting of Connery down to its production design and action sequences, the film is a clear homage to the 007 adventures of yesteryear. John Steed (and his later turn inThe King’s Man) felt like Fiennes' take on a Bond kind of character, butFiennes was also up for the 007 role himself twice. The first was forGoldenEye- where he lost out to Pierce Bronson - and his name came up again for 2006’sCasino Royale, which went to Daniel Craig.
Fiennes appeared destined for the series, however, and would eventually succeed Judi Dench as MfromSkyfallonward. Having an actor who conceivably could have played Bond at one point in his career gave his take on M an extra layer, and it’s little wonder Bond’s boss got to be more physical too. Of course, there’s an alternate universe where Fiennes played Steed in multipleAvengers, but that wasn’t to be.
Nicole Kidman was originally cast as Emma Peel inThe Avengers, but her commitment to Stanley Kubrick’sEyes Wide Shutsaw her exit the film.
The Avengers Technically Marked Connery’s Final Time Playing 007
Connery’s final onscreen work as Bond is lost to time
It appears nobody involved withThe Avengersknew they had a disaster on their hands. By all accounts, it was a very pleasant shoot, with no cast or crew drama to speak of. Director Jeremiah S. Chechik recounted working with Sean Connery onThe Avengersfor the bookThe Lost Adventures of James Bond(viaYahoo!) and asking him to record a birthday message for Ralph Fiennes. The twist was thatChechik wanted Connery to record Fiennes' message in character as 007.
During the day, I approached him when Ralph was off set, to film a small birthday greeting from the James Bond of old. So cameras on, rolling, action and out of the mythic Sean Connery’s mouth came the perfectly rendered and captured greeting which included the famous, ‘Happy Birthday greeting, from Bond… James Bond.’
While it may have only been for a quick video message,this is likely the final time Connery performed the James Bond role on camera. Unfortunately, this birthday greeting is now lost to time, since the director revealed he doesn’t know what became of the footage.The Avengersisn’t a film with much to recommend it, but for thoseJames Bondor Connery fans who want to see what he could have done with a 007 villain role, it’s worth a curiosity watch.
Source:Rotten Tomatoes,Yahoo!, The Lost Adventures of James Bond (viaYahoo!)
James Bond
The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.
