I saw the bruises Sean left on his wife's face: Close friend of Connery's first wife reveals a violent streak
Less than a fortnight ago, Sir Sean Connery died in his sleep, aged 90, and those who paid lavish tribute to the screen’s first and greatest James Bond have seemed determined to confer heroic status on him.share
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said she was ‘heartbroken’ to hear of his death, adding: ‘Our nation is today mourning one of our best-loved sons.’
Dame Shirley Bassey, who sang the Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever theme songs, said: ‘He was a wonderful person, a true gentleman, and will be forever in our hearts.’
Less than a fortnight ago, Sir Sean Connery died in his sleep, aged 90, and those who paid lavish tribute to the screen’s first and greatest James Bond have seemed determined to confer heroic status on him.
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said she was ‘heartbroken’ to hear of his death, adding: ‘Our nation is today mourning one of our best-loved sons.’
Dame Shirley Bassey, who sang the Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever theme songs, said: ‘He was a wonderful person, a true gentleman, and will be forever in our hearts.’
‘He was the hero of our times,’ agreed actor Andy Garcia, his co-star in The Untouchables, for which Connery won his only Oscar.
But how true is that assertion?
The women of the #MeToo movement would not regard Connery as a hero at all.
She knew I didn’t believe her and started to speak, but stopped abruptly. Connery had entered the room. Dressed in the briefest pair of shorts imaginable, he had little Jason perched on his shoulder.
I was introduced and my hand was enveloped in a bone-crushing grip.
Connery was in a buoyant mood, bouncing Jason up and down, and showed no sign of unease. Diane, though, was tense, apprehensive even, and watching me closely.
By then Connery had played Bond three times — in Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. He had not been first choice for the role — Cary Grant and Rex Harrison had both turned it down. It was reputedly Dana Broccoli, the wife of Bond producer ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, who persuaded her husband that Connery was right for the role.
Ian Fleming, Bond’s creator, was dismayed. He thought Connery was far too common for his hero.
That day, Connery spoke derisively of the ‘Bond hoopla’ and the intrusive publicity that had affected the couple’s life as a result.
‘To tell you the truth,’ he told me, ‘I hate that bastard Bond. I’d kill him if I could get my hands on him.’
What became clear that afternoon was just how dominant Connery was in the marriage. Diane was no doormat but she seemed afraid of him. She had clearly already become a victim of domestic abuse.
It was only months later that their marriage started to unravel, while they were in Spain, where Connery was filming a war drama called The Hill, directed by Sidney Lumet.
Cilento later told me the full horrifying story — but I cannot improve on the account she gave in her 2006 autobiography, My Nine Lives.
She wrote: ‘One weekend, towards the end of the shoot, the hotel hosted a large local wedding party . . . the film crew and actors mingled with the guests and became part of the celebrations, the liquor flowing down throats as fast as the army of waiters could serve it.
‘The actors were introduced to a deadly drink, Fundador, the fiery Spanish brandy . . . the guys were drinking it with beer as a chaser.’
Cilento found herself with a group of excited young Spaniards, none of whom could speak English.
‘My glass of sangria seemed to be bottomless and my Spanish became more fluent, however faulty, the more I drank. I can vaguely remember being whirled about and bent backwards before a crowd of stamping, clapping men . . . I was learning to dance the flamenco, while the crew clapped and cried “Go, girl, go!”.’
She looked for Connery but could not see him ‘yet, later, I could strangely recall seeing his face scowling at me through the blur of faces, although I couldn’t be sure. It was late when I climbed the stairs to our room...
‘Once inside, in the darkness, I felt a blow to my face and was knocked to the floor. I remember screaming and I think we were both shouting. I got to my feet and tried to fight back but another blow sent me flying.
‘I managed to get through the bathroom door and locked myself in. I spent the rest of the night sprawled on the bathroom floor, covered with towels, whimpering.’
When she looked in the mirror in the morning, she was appalled.
‘With disbelief and utter horror, I viewed the stranger staring back at me . . . I felt sure my face would never be the same again . . . I was filled with shame, desperate that no one should see me in this condition. I had to hide from the actors, the crew and, above all, the Press. One photo of me in this state would open the floodgates.’