So many great movies. So many great performances. So many different kinds of films. But if Connery’s passing inspires us to track down one old movie to watch as a tribute, it’d be The Great Train Robbery. Released in 1979 in the U.S., the heist-thriller was written and directed by Michael Crichton based on his 1975 novel of the same name, which recounted actual events (with some dramatic license taken). To be honest, the film is really good, not great, and far from a classic. We’d give it a solid three out of four stars. But, it’s still a forgotten gem in Connery’s filmography. The Great Train Robbery unfolds in 1885 and follows master thief Edward Pierce (Sean Connery) as he plots, carries out, and then deals with the consequence of a brazen robbery that involves stealing seemingly well-protected gold from aboard a moving train. Pierce’s accomplices include his smart, sexy mistress, Miriam (Lesley-Anne Down), and a wily pickpocket, Agar (Donald Sutherland). The three joyously enact their plan, rehearsing the process over and over, which results in a lot of slow expository dialogue and repetitive scenes, but the actors charm their way through it all, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. The second half of the film, with the actual robbery, delivers the goods: action, stunts (Connery did most of his own), comedy, romance, and intrigue, and it’s all complemented by inventive cinematography, lush Victorian-era costumes and sets, and a jaunty Jerry Goldsmith score.
