El precio del poder

The remarkable thing about this movie is that it was fully conceived, filmed, and released *before* Anwar Sadat and the Camp David Accords, and, in its own way, echoes the events in its own future. If you are too young to remember these events, then I recommend you look it up in Wikipedia... Then realize that this movie did not follow that history, it preceded it.

Not much should be expected of the movie, it is a definite B-movie from Connery's lower-rent period, when he did a lot of doubtful pictures following his "Never Again" appearance in "Diamonds Are Forever", and before his talent, so evident in his early, pre-Bond pictures, was re-recognized by critics and fans alike.

It is a decent and effective, if not surprising picture, and Connery himself does an effective job as an Arab leader seeking to end the strife with Israel, against substantial political opposition. At the time, the whole idea of it seemed preposterously far in the future, but in reality, the Camp David Accords were less than 4 years away.

The Next Man (1976)

Plot In A Paragraph: Influential Arab diplomat (Connery) becomes the target of numerous assassination attempts, when he announces his plan to make peace with Israel by letting them join the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

I kind of wish Connery never made this one, as it is sandwiched in the middle of five great performances (3 before and the 2 that follow)

Playing The Saudi Arabian Minister Of State, but still doing nothing to change his natural accent, Connery kind of phones this one in. There is a sequence in the Bahamas, where he suddenly turns into 007 briefly.

Cornelia Sharpe is gorgeous as the freelance assassin Connery falls in love with. Other than that, there is not a lot to say about this one. Except the phrase "soft brown eyes" which is a line I remembered from seeing this in the 80's.

The Next Man tanked hard at the domestic box office and the DVD I bought was annoyingly expensive too.

It has an interesting plot, and a political message. Imagine the Saudis sending a man of peace to the UN, to change OPEC. Other than that, it resembles Day of the Jackal in some respects, and Cornelia Sharpe is dazzling. Scenes of New York prior to 9/11 are always poignant, and Connery does a fine job. His "conversion" sparks a multitude of organizations to try to stop him from doing further damage. There is much to look at, and the pace is fast. I enjoyed his pleasure at confronting the UN members from the Mid-East who were outraged by his refusal to parrot the OPEC line. There is always a "next man"... or woman...who has a mission to perform.

Sean Connery as an Arab doesn't bother me, I've seen him as a Spaniard, Russian, Irishman, even an English Agent, though very rarely a Scotsman. This is an interesting film as it could only end one way, even if it's heart is in the right place. Sean plays Abdul Muhsen, the new delegate from Saudi Arabia at the UN. He has great ideas about inviting Israel into a new kind of OPEC, which infuriates some Arab countries. He gets romantically involved with Nicole Scott (Cornelia Sharpe), but we know her back story.

This should've been better, but somewhat silly scenes lower it overall score a wee bit.

I found "The Arab Conspiracy" in a bargain bin and thought I'd uncovered a lost treasure. Folks, there's a reason why you don't hear much about this film. The plot is muddy, the pacing is slow, Cornelia Sharpe is about as vivacious as plain, cold tofu, and the ending leaves you flat. Not even Sean Connery can save this one.