Sir Sean Connery starred in five Diamonds Are Forever? It is known that Connery had his issues with the producers, namely Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, so it surprised many fans when he returned to the role for a sixth time in 1971, especially considering that he chose to skip 1969's On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
It was while filming the fifth film, You Only Live Twice, that Connery became significantly disillusioned with playing the role of 007. By this point, Connery was bored with the part and didn’t feel he was being paid enough to compensate for the loss of privacy he was experiencing. He was heavily harassed by Japanese photographers throughout the filming of You Only Live Twice. When Connery wasn’t given his requested salary increase he left the role, with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service introducing George Lazenby as James Bond for the first and only time.
Lazenby’s sole outing as 007 was a commercial flop, taking in only $82,000,000 at the worldwide box office. This made it the fourth-worst Bond film in of commercial success, notably worse than You Only Live Twice, which generated $111,600,000 and performed nearly twice as well at the domestic box office. Financial backers made it clear to the Bond producers that Connery needed to be brought back, and that money would be no object. Connery was then enticed back into the role with a then-record $1.25 million salary, reuniting with Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. Choosing not to focus on Bond’s wife’s killer in Majesty’s, Diamonds Are Forever redeemed the franchise with resounding commercial success.
Why On Her Majesty's Secret Service Didn't Feature Sean Connery
You Only Live Twice included a hollowed-out volcano as the villain’s lair, and, for the first time in the franchise, included spaceships actually going into space. The 1967 James Bond parody Casino Royale was released in theaters just two months prior, too, which meant many audience were likely seeing You Only Live Twice through a mocking, spoof-like lens, and considering the bombastic, larger-than-life nature of You Only Live Twice, this wouldn’t have been difficult. Producers felt it wise to bring the next entry back down to earth for a mature, serious, and respectable 007 outing in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, without Sean Connery attached to the franchise. However, despite good intentions, this wasn’t what audiences were used to and wasn’t what they wanted, either.
Connery clearly didn’t want to return as James Bond, which can be seen in his lackluster and underwhelming performance in Diamonds Are Forever. What Connery did want, however, was the fortune of a salary he was paid for the film, which he reportedly donated to his own charity, the Scottish International Education Trust. Diamonds Are Forever wasn’t Connery’s last appearance as James Bond, however. In 1983, four months after the release of Octopussy, Taliafilm released Never Say Never Again – not a real Bond movie, as it wasn’t produced by Eon Productions like the others, it acted as a spoof of Connery’s fourth official outing, Thunderball, and paid him a handsome $5 million.
The Movie That Made Sean Connery Quit Acting Forever
While Diamonds Are Forever was the last James Bond movie that Sean Connery appeared in, it wasn't the film that forced him into retirement. Connery had an illustrious career outside of James Bond even though the role was the main one he was known for. In 2003, the prolific actor was cast in a huge flop called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The Victorian-era superhero movie was just as horrible as the premise sounds (despite this it's receiving a reboot), and it was the final act for Sean Connery. Reportedly, Connery only took the role since he was trying to broaden his horizons after turning down Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, but he announced his retirement after the movie completely flopped at the box office. He had huge problems with the director on set, and the shoot was difficult enough on its own. Though Diamonds Are Forever was his last time as James Bond in a movie, he did appear to voice the character in a James Bond video game.
