Sean Connery's 10 Greatest Movie Performances

10. Agamemnon/Fireman - Time Bandits

Connery’s film career was certainly rich and varied, but he rarely got a chance to try his hand at comedy. Watching him in interviews makes it clear that he had a wry sense of humour, but he was more often cast as rugged manly types and elder statesmen at either end of his career.

In Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, Connery enjoys one of his most charming roles as King Agamemnon of ancient Greece. It’s a deft performance from Connery, who imbues the monarch with weight and pathos; the more serious he takes the part, the more laughs Gilliam is able to mine from his presence.

Time Bandits is full of this kind of stunt casting, also featuring John Cleese’s enjoyable take on Robin Hood, but Connery is the major get, and a real show stealer. He doesn’t feature heavily in the film but his presence is unusually warm, giving the knockabout adventure movie additional credentials for featuring such a big star.

It’s also simply one of his coolest non-Bond roles. Connery can’t help but walk with a swagger, and he’s especially thrusting here in his kingly garms, clearly having a super time.