Sean Connery advocated domestic abuse towards women. Maybe he's changed his stance from the time this interview was conducted. I hope that he has. It's obvious that what he's saying is wrong.

I'll admit that I watched James Bond movies when I was younger, but I never looked up to Connery or the Bond character in general. It was eye candy entertainment. It was impressive, a rich saga. One man facing the odds of everything against him (despite his backing from the English gov't) and seducing women in the process. I wasn't critical of the politics (gender and otherwise) in the films at the time. Although I can't remember Bond ever physically assaulting a woman, this clip does cast the character in a new and ugly light, at least in my opinion. With the advent of time and maturity, I've become much more critical of the Bond series. But of course I would. Was the series ever designed for 24 year-olds in the first place? Was it instead designed towards the adolescents of the period, to appeal to their disposable income and vicarious experience like so many other artistic efforts?

The amount of Youtube comments advocating Connery's position was pretty shocking to me. They seemed veiled in humour. As if humour softened their concurring views and made them more palpable for the rest of the world to agree with.

As for the actual conversation, I'd like to hear an example of what Connery considered a woman 'not leaving it alone' is. That's not to say that I think he might provide an example wherein I'd agree and say "In that instance, it's completely befitting of a mature male human being to start beating his wife."
The comment by Barbara Walters at the end made me want to watch the entire episode. It reversed the attitude she took on at the time of the interview, for one. Her tone at the end was of eerie cheer. Of course some people are going to say "If he beats his wife, it makes for a stronger relationship," which of course isn't true as many people can attest to. Hitting a woman or members of your family is never justified.

The saddest aspect to this is Connery's large following, and how they could take his views to heart and emulate him. I know this interview is around 20 years old. I'm aware that people have their own minds and don't rationalize violent acts that quickly and easily, but it's still very easy to fall into agreement. Celebrities and movie stars have an inordinate amount of power and importance in society. "If Sean Connery says it, and all these men and women appreciate his position, it's got to have some truth and I can fall into it as well."
Peer pressure. It doesn't dissolve as some people get older, with the fact that since Connery rationalized this behavour, it might have appealed to men with families who are older than I am and who are looking for an excuse to hit their wives. That's never an appropriate way to try and solve any problem.