Sean Connery won an academy award for this!?!

I agree with OP sentiments. But I must say first of all, the Academy is full of it. Rarely does the truly deserving party take home the spoils.

That said, Connery was nothing special in this film. To be honest, I do not think Connery is that great of an actor. Connery is certainly charismatic and more than capable. But the guy cannot for the life of him ditch his Scottish accent for any role. Think "The Hunt for Red October". A Russian with a Scottish accent.



Dalton and Craig! Accept NO substitutes!

Although I don't think Sean could have beaten George C. Scott as Patton, I think his work in The Molly Maguires was worthy of an Oscar Nomination in 1970. Both the film and Connery's role in it were both better than the film and role he ultimately got the statue for in 1987.

The Academy Awards is a popularity contest where movie producers and studios bribe favor with Academy members by promoting their films to them and doing special favors that benefit a good portion of academy members. It's one huge ego stroking endeavor. I'm surprised a majority of America still watches this crap when you here how so many Americans dislike Hollywood culture and what it produces.

As for Sean Connery's performance, his accent was neither American or Irish-American (I can't remember if he was a 1st or 2nd generation American in the movie). It reminds me of Jack Nicholson in The Departed. I saw Jack Nicholson playing Frank Costello and chewing up the screen. That's not to say i think Jack is a crap actor because he's been brilliant in other movies like "About Schmidt" and "As Good as it Gets".

He was pretty great in this imo!