Claim: Sean Connery acted in Highlander.

Highlander is a 1986 British-American adventure action fantasy film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen . It stars Christopher Lambert , Sean Connery , Clancy Brown , and Roxanne Hart . The film narrates the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors , depicted through interwoven past and present-day storylines .   Christopher Lambert plays swordsman Connor MacLeod from Scottish Highlands , known as the Highlander , one of a number of immortal warriors , who can only be killed by decapitation . After initial training by another highly skilled immortal swordsman , Ramirez -LRB- Sean Connery -RRB- , MacLeod lives on for several centuries , eventually settling in New York City , managing an antiques shop . In 1985 , he falls in love with a policewoman named Brenda and finds out that he must face his biggest enemy , Clancy Brown 's Kurgan , who wishes to kill MacLeod and to obtain `` the Prize '' -- a special ability which is given to the last living immortal warrior , vast knowledge and the ability to enslave the entire human race .   Highlander enjoyed little success on its initial theatrical release , grossing over $ 12 million worldwide against a production budget of $ 19 million , and received mixed reviews . Nevertheless , it became a cult film and launched Lambert to stardom . The film inspired a franchise which included film sequels and television spin-offs . Its tagline , `` There can be only one '' , has carried on throughout the franchise , as have the songs provided for the film by the rock band Queen .