Sean Connery’s real terror was captured in harmful James Bond scene

May 21, 2023 at 1:54 PM
Sean Connery’s real terror was captured in harmful James Bond scene

Following Dr No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger, 1965’s Thunderball was set to be even greater for Sean Connery’s James Bond.

On a price range that was greater than the final three 007 films mixed, the Hollywood star even carried out the gun-barrel sequence for the primary time himself.

Thunderball, which is on ITV immediately at 4pm, famously options various underwater scuba diving scenes during which Connery’s Bond encounters sharks.

When filming, he was presupposed to be protected by clear plastic panels shielding within the close-up.

However, the one drawback was that these solely prolonged round three ft in peak and the predators might swim over them.

READ MORE: Sean Connery refused James Bond costume out of respect for his wife

As a outcome, the 007 star ended up getting a lot nearer to them, particularly through the pool battle at Largo’s mansion. Thunderball director Terence Young later mentioned that there are scenes within the film the place Bond is reacting to the sharks, that are miscues.

So it’s really Connery reacting in precise worry at a shark approaching him past the plastic shielding. This wasn’t the one factor to frustrate the Scottish star, who after 4 007 films was now world-famous; one thing he struggled with regardless of all the advantages.

The actor was changing into agitated with all press intrusion amid his personal marriage difficulties with Diane Cilento. As a outcome, Connery refused to have interaction with the journalists and photographers who adopted him round Nassau. He mentioned on the time: “I find that fame tends to turn one from an actor and a human being into a piece of merchandise, a public institution. Well, I don’t intend to undergo that metamorphosis.”

As filming concluded on Thunderball he gave a single interview to Playboy and even turned down a giant payday to function in a promotional TV particular for NBC referred to as The Incredible World of James Bond. Nevertheless, the Scottish legend didn’t lose his sense of humour, as recounted by Bond lady Martine Beswick.

Beswick, who beforehand performed a Bond lady in From Russia with Love recalled: “One time, we’d finished filming for the day, and there were hundreds of people milling around on the beach, all roped off watching. Sean called to the set hairdresser, ‘Here, you’, and then he simply pulled off his toupée and threw it at the hairdresser.

“The hairpiece sailed over like a Frisbee and as the hairdresser caught it, Sean said something like, ‘That’s it, I’m off.’ Everyone just collapsed. It was the funniest thing.”