Sir Sean Connery in talks to appear in Scottish movie `Whiskey Galore` remake

He has appeared in movies set all over the world, playing Americans, a Russian and the quintessential English spy. But Sir Sean Connery’s film appearances as a Scot, in Scotland, have been few and far between.

But that could be about to change after the team remaking the classic Whisky Galore! set their sights on the legendary actor.

Scotland on Sunday understands informal talks have been held with Connery about taking a leading role in the highly anticipated movie.

Preparations are at an early stage and Connery has yet to commit, but the film-makers are confident that if they can deliver a great script they have a good chance of signing up the star.

Whisky Galore! revolves around the SS Cabinet Minister, which runs aground off the fictitious Scottish island of Todday. The locals attempt to salvage its cargo of thousands of cases of whisky and outwit Home Guard Captain Waggett and the excise officers.

The original film was made in 1948, based on a novel by Compton Mackenzie, which in turn was inspired by the wreck of the SS Politician off Eriskay in 1941. The film starred Basil Radford as Waggett and a host of familiar Scottish actors of the time, including Wylie Watson as Macroon, James Robertson Justice, Duncan Macrae and a young Gordon Jackson.

Connery has already publicly backed the idea of a remake and is quoted in the prospectus issued to potential investors in the movie.

But sources close to the project believe a specific role has been identified which would be perfect from Connery, that of the wily postmaster Joseph Macroon, who leads attempts to salvage whisky from the shipwreck.

Connery has made only four feature films in Scotland: From Russia, With Love, in which Argyll doubled for the Balkans; Five Days One Summer; Highlander and Entrapment, and his plans for a film studio on the outskirts of Edinburgh came to nothing.

Whisky Galore! could present him with the chance to revisit Scotland and a Scottish film classic at the same time.

If he takes the part, he would face one of his most formidable antagonists since getting the better of Goldfinger and Dr No.

The makers of the movie want the part of Captain Waggett to be played by Bill Nighy, the veteran actor who left Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in the shade in last year’s hit comedy Love Actually.

"For the Home Guard fellow, I think Bill Nighy would be rather marvellous," said Bill Bryden, the Scots writer and director, who is working on the script.

Bryden says he is half-way through the script and promises it will preserve the original vision and spirit of the late Sandy Mackendrick, the legendary Scottish director.

Bryden is sticking closely to the original script and dismisses as a "travesty" the recent Holywood remake of Mackendrick’s The Ladykillers.

"I’m saying that, while doing a remake of Whisky Galore!, but I think in a sense I’m much more in touch with what Mackendrick would do now, were he alive, as opposed to just deciding to throw the baby out with the bath water," said Bryden

"I think a tale that’s good for its own time is good for all time. It’s like a classic folk tale. I don’t want to muck around with it too much."

The new version will be a period piece, though it is likely to begin in the present day, with someone setting the scene.

"It might be somebody coming back to the island from America, who maybe left as a child, and is kind of telling the story," said Bryden.

He has gone back to the original novel and intends to use some episodes that were not in Mackendrick’s film. The Gordon Jackson character’s romance is likely to be fleshed out, with Kevin McKidd the early favourite for the role.

"If you could find a fault in the film, it’s maybe a wee bit whimsical, and I think you can have a slightly harder edge to it without losing its fairytale quality," said Bryden.

In the book and the film, the islanders ultimately outwit Captain Waggett and the excise men, though in real life the pilfering of the SS Politician ended less happily for some as they wound up in jail.

Hollywood knows the value of a happy ending and that is one convention Bryden will almost certainly stick to. "I think our islanders prevail," he said. "I haven’t got there yet, but I don’t think they’re going to go to jail."

The original Whisky Galore! was filmed entirely on Barra, a six-hour ferry journey from Oban for the 80-strong cast and crew, who stayed with local islanders. The historic location shoot was not the result of any great artistic vision - it was simply that Ealing Studios were full and the company was desperate for more films. Director Sandy Mackendrick had to contend with the worst summer for 80 years.

The film went over budget and was considered a disaster when studio boss Michael Balcon first saw it. He wanted to cut it down and release it as a supporting film. It was re-edited, but still performed poorly on its original release.

Its enduring popularity and classic status were ultimately assured by its authentic local atmosphere and a deceptively subversive sense of humour that has not dated. "A happy people with few and simple pleasures," says the opening voice-over, as nine children appear, one after the other, through a croft-house door.

The film was released in the US as Tight Little Island and in France as Whisky a Go-Go and a sequel, Rockets Galore!, was also shot on Barra.

Thanks to `Ken` for the alert.

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