Alternate Best Actor 1973: Sean Connery in The Offence

Sean Connery did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Detective Sergeant Johnson in The Offence.

The Offence is a non-too pleasant though not ineffective film following a policeman losing a grip on his sanity.

Sean Connery is an actor who is more so known as a star than an actor, however the latter element is something that while could be forgotten in some of his more disposable commercial fair, is something that should not be when looking at his overall abilities as a talent. One director that seemed to see the potential of Connery was Sidney Lumet who cast him twice in two roles that were, while not entirely against type, pushed Connery past a comfort zone of the "man's man" presence of James Bond, to something far more notable, while working within the idea of a man partially defined by his masculinity, however not so simply. In The Hill, Connery showed an imprisoned soldier who individuality and cynicism led him towards a power struggle in a military prison. We once again return to a potentially more typical Connery role as a police detective who who get his men, even violently, however this is not treated in the way of your standard action film. We find Connery here as Detective Sergeant Johnson, a man who perhaps at one time lived for more romantic ideas of heroics, however as we enter the film we see something quite different, and in turn we see something quite different within the work of Sean Connery. Connery being an actor who thrives on his confident cool, here completely disposes of that here, to portray from the outset just this sense of anxiety within his eyes as we see the man just approaching the scene of a likely brutal crime in the opening of the film.

Connery does speak to his fellow officers with a ferocity of a former hard-boiled cop, although the anger within this seems even more severe than that in Connery's delivery. An anger alluding to something that has been festering within him for sometime. It is fascinating to see Connery here as his performance manages to create the surface of the tough police officer, but subtly within his eyes evokes a desperation within the man. This is something that brings itself to the surface as Johnson finds the latest victim of a pedophile. Connery's performance within the search is that of fear but also something a bit more uneasy as he finds the victim. Connery's performance in this scene is amazing, and such a different side to himself as a performer. This portraying this demented moment in his work that portrays a mental breakdown within his attempts to comfort the girl, making it any thing but comforting to the viewer. Connery manages to depict this strange fascination within the moment as he eases the girl into some sense of security. It isn't heartwarming, in Connery's performance that while does project an attempt at a sincere solace, also manages within his eyes this near insanity of the man as though he is living out in some detached state of fantasy. This brilliantly alluding to some deep seeded wound within Johnson's psyche that goes beyond this single instance of a such a horrible sight.

Outside of this more intimate scenario Connery returns Johnson seemingly to his fashioned state of the dogged detective, however even this is not Connery on auto-pilot, but rather depicting a man going on auto-pilot. Connery playing within the idea of a sledge hammer for the law, something that Connery is obviously able to support with his fierce presence as a performer, however once again here it is something far less pleasant than his usual heroes, and Connery in his own way even makes these moments carry this unpleasant intensity that make them their own strange act of desperation. His state is eventually tested as they seem to find the likely culprit Kenneth Baxter (Ian Bannen). Although we initially see glimpses of his interrogation of the man, this as Connery brings the violent imposing rage of the interrogator, however only glimpses as he attacks the man before being sent away for his actions. We our to return to that moment, but before that we see Johnson attempting to live out his night. We see him return home where Connery is simply incredible in delivering years of discontentment, along with the wounds of the night as he yells at his wife. Again Connery's performance is unrelenting, and effectively so, in showing a man who bordering on a complete mental breakdown, only living through violence of a certain kind.

Connery is outstanding in the moment as he proudly speaks initially of attacking the man, which Connery delivers as though it is this official recitation, and a long labored monologue to defending his actions. This as he continues the words it is with again a mania that creates a sense of complete derangement that Connery conveys before returning to a sense of clarity for a moment. This before when asked of the victim herself that the pains of the man return again to Connery's performance. His work is truly remarkable as he delivers an unexpected vulnerability as he speaks towards this pain regarding seeing so many horrible victims. Connery though goes further in showing the cracked state of mind as he keeps speaking as Connery's expression delivers this state that goes beyond pain, but rather this fundamental chaos of his mind that cannot fully comprehend how what he's gone through has changed him. Connery's performance not only expresses the strange situation of the mind of Johnson within the scenario, a man twisted within his work, and shows a completely different side of himself as a performer. This is not by going entirely against his type, but rather rather garnering a different type of depth to a potentially more typical Connery role. This part pushes Connery, and he goes along with it to show his greater potential as an actor.

This as Connery creates a different portrait of the brutal detective, here as we see Johnson slowly unravel himself in front of us. This as in the final scenes of the film where he himself is interrogated by a superior Trevor Howard, where Connery certainty in his initial candor slowly breaks down to just a sorrow of his state of a man. This as we see the interrogator interrogated, and Connery depicts a brilliant mess of sorts as he delivers this attempt at this stake of that confidence, however always falls towards this harrowing vulnerability. Connery making this grotesque, yet still natural state of the man attempting to be one thing, yet in a way torn down into another, by that attempt. We see this even more so in the final scene of the film where we flashback to his one on one interrogation of Baxter. This as Connery begins as the "good cop" however this act as he speaks to the man, it is with a false bravado of a man speaking towards his own pains even as his words are a man supposedly easing the man into the interrogation. Baxter's lack of relaxation quickly resorts to Johnson manhandling Baxter, however even this physical act is a stroke of brilliance on the part of Connery's performance. This as he handles certainly with violent intensity, as you'd expect, however it is less striking, and almost sexual as this act of control and dominance, rather than of just harm. Baxter though strikes back, not through violence himself, but rather words as he speaks towards Johnson's broken mind through his growing state of becoming like the men he has been tracking for so long. In this moment Connery brings back the forceful detective, however even this is still of this wretched act, of a searing emotion. This as his eyes of a blind demented state before himself breaking down which Connery depicts with a sincerity of the man giving into those demons that have been underneath the surface throughout. This before returning to violence where Connery's state is not one of cool emotion, but a emotional mess of a man filled with both a strange sadism and masochism wrapped within the act. Connery delivers a great performance here as he manages to create the real complexity of this man being broken by the vices he himself attempts to destroy. Connery makes this a convincing descent and in doing so, also provides a striking reminder of his talent that goes beyond that of his star persona.