Friday was a big day for Sir Sean Connery: it was his birthday (76) and the day when he was presented with a BAFTA Scotland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film. The film legend, best remembered for his part as the mysterious James Bond, is a long-time member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Scotland, but this is the first time that his contribution is being officially acknowledged.

After the actor was handed the award and following his acceptance speech, Connery surprised everyone present at the Edinburgh Film Festival by launching on a tirade against Hollywood, so bitter that none would have expected it to come from him.

He said that, after more than 50 years in the industry, he feels compelled to step back from the unprofessional and incompetent fellow colleagues. Connery claimed that the decision came after he realized that it was Hollywood the only one to blame for the failure of his latest film, 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' (2003).

'The time has come because of my rather unfortunate last movie. The cost to me in terms of frustration and avoiding going to jail for murder cannot have continued', Sean Connery said about the thing that made him break apart from Hollywood. And he also reserved some special remarks for the director of said film, Stephen Norrington, whom he called 'insane': 'He was young and enthusiastic. I presumed someone wouldn't give a person $84 million to go to a wonderful city like Prague without due diligence'.