The gangster film that changed Sean Connery's career forever

It would be a great disadvantage to spoil the image of Sir Sean Connery as a mere star in seven James Bond films. His portrayal of the legendary British secret agent has earned him a reputation as one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but his acting skills extend far beyond the repeated request to shake his drink, not stir it. Connery had to leave behind the role that had made him a starAnd Brian DePalma's Chicago, as Chicago can only be The Untouchables Was the highlight of his career.

One can distinguish that Sean Connery's acting career consists of two halves. The first half established his immortal screen presence that made everyone swoon. His machismo was limitless and his easy-going personality captivated audiences and critics alike. Connery's performance as Bond catapulted him into the stratosphere, but that is exactly what drove him to seek fulfillment in other cinematic ventures. Truth be told, the actor was already tired of playing the agent and his disastrous experience in his last 007 flick, never say Neverwas, according to the actor himself, a complete “Mickey Mouse operation”. It was a sign of the times. He had to reinvent himself and the opportunity to do so presented itself in the form of the role of Jim Malone, an incorruptible police officer with sometimes questionable methods.

What is “All the Untouchables” about?

The Untouchables was a perfect opportunity for Sean Connery to explore a new dimension of acting. The film tells the story of Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his valiant efforts to subdue Al Capone (Robert De Niro) and his control of Chicago during the Prohibition era. Ness meets Jim Malone by chance on a bridge, who offers to help him stop Capone's activities. Malone and Ness suggest that they go to the police academy to find people who have not yet been corrupted, and recruit George Stone (Andy Garcia) joins the party. Later, Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith), and the four successfully raid a liquor warehouse, which causes a stir throughout the city. The press then calls them “The Untouchables”.

The group finds out that Capone has been unable to file income tax returns for over four years and decides that they can press charges against him within those time limits. Unfortunately, the nickname the press gave them soon becomes just a label as they fall one by one. Oscar Wallace is murdered by Frank Nitti (Billy Drago) in the police station elevator as he tries to escort one of Capone's accountants who they have coerced into testifying. Next on the hit list? Jim Malone.

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As Malone fends off an intruder, whom he arrogantly berates for trying to kill him with a knife, he is surprised by Nitti brandishing a Thompson submachine gun. Malone is riddled with bullets, and in the scenes that follow, Connery delivers perhaps the finest acting performance he has ever put on screen. At a glacial pace, the wounded Malone desperately crawls back into his house. Each of his desperate moves on the ground reflects to the audience the unbearable pain that his character has to endure. Ness and Stone finally arrive and the two are greeted by the horrific sight of their partner, covered in blood and barely breathing. More than the overall picture, It's the little things in the scene which transform it from a rudimentary death sequence into a full-fledged masterclass.

When Ness turns him over, Connery pushes his body off the ground for a brief second, just a brief second, as if he had suddenly received an electric shock, only to then fall back to the ground, powerless. It's subtle, but so effective in conveying how close Jim Malone was to death. In his constant hunt for justice, he tries to reach for an object to his left. Ness mistakenly gives him a key, but he throws it away in despair. He again gathers his few strength to reach for another object. It was a train timetable that indicated where another of Capone's accountants would be at a certain time. With all the enthusiasm in his remaining moments of life, he asks Ness, “What are you ready for?” as he takes his last breath before finally dying in his partner's arms. It is cruel, emotional and extremely disturbing. It is also the moment when the film world recognized that Sean Connery was not just the actor known as James Bond. He was now Sean Connery, the actorand he was ready to show everyone his newly awakened theatrical spirit.

Connery's performance received high praise from critics. Roger Ebert mentions in his review of the film that Connery gave the best performance of the ensemble, noting that his portrayal brings a humanizing factor to the narrative and perhaps even has an interesting existence outside of the legend of “All the President's Men.” He adds that whenever he was on screen, audiences believed that the Prohibition era was full of real people and not just plain old caricatures. However, the film was not without criticism. Empire Magazine chose Connery's performance as the one with the worst accent ever used in a film, claiming that he could hardly conceal his remarkable Scottish leanings as a Chicago native in the film. Nevertheless, he received his first and only Oscar for The Untouchables, speaks volumes about his abilities, regardless of his terrible accent.

“All the Untouchables” shaped the second half of Sean Connery’s acting career

Sean Connery's portrayal of Jim Malone has a lot of significance. Audiences, at least at the time, were so used to the image of Connery standing tall, no matter what role he played. Malone gave them a glimpse of how vulnerable and fragile he can be. It made people appreciate and love him in a different way and illuminated previously unexplored territory for him. While he was offered a springboard in this direction when he was cast against type as a Franciscan friar in The name of the Roseit was in The Untouchables that he was fully committed to this new image.

This second wind brought us a large number of films that show a more sensitive side of the Sean Connery myth, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October, The stoneand particularly In Search of ForresterIt was his willingness to think outside the box and be as relatable as the film promises that rejuvenated his career, and audiences couldn't be more grateful.

The Untouchables can be streamed in the US on Paramount+

Watch on Paramount+