Sean Connery's 10 Greatest Movie Performances

Highlander is a fun cult romp with a killer soundtrack by Queen, some quotable lines, and a commendable mythology which deepens with every additional entry into the franchise. It is not, however, what one would necessarily call “a good film”, which a genuinely bizarre leading turn from Christopher Lambert and some training scenes that take camp to a new level.

What it does have, however, is an iconic turn from Sean Connery as the immortal Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez. Born in Egypt, a wander of the earth and a dispenser of knowledge, Ramirez fulfils a classic mentor role for Lambert’s equally immortal Connor MacLeod.

Connery is the glue that keeps Highlander together, a genuine star in a film that really needed one. He takes the part completely seriously, selling the idea of the immortals, delivering some dodgy dialogue as though it’s great wisdom.

He has a remarkable ability to rock the wild costume of Ramirez and still play his part with great dignity and just the right amount of winking humour. You shouldn’t necessarily be praised for simply not phoning it in, but Connery goes above and beyond here.