The BBC's Madaline Halt: "The showing of this film will be the most glitzy at Cannes"

The duo's thriller, Entrapment, is receiving a special screening at the Palais des Festivals on Friday night.

Their sexual chemistry has helped the film shoot to number one at the US box office, in turn helping transform Zeta Jones from a humble British television actress to a fully-fledged Hollywood celebrity.

Connery quipped that kissing his co-star was "a tough job, but somebody had to do it", while Zeta Jones, 29, gave the 68-year-old "11-and-a-half out of 10" for his kissing skills.

At a press conference, Zeta Jones, responded to criticism that Connery should not be partnered with such a young co-star.

Zeta Jones' second big hit

Sean Connery: In upbeat mood

She said: "If a partnership works on screen, it does. He's Sean Connery, what can you say?"

Entrapment has been her second big movie hit after she co-starred with Antonio Banderas in The Mask Of Zorro.

"I just hope I have a career as long as Sean Connery's," she said.

"I have an ambition to be Anne Bancroft in The Graduate."

Connery said: "When I met her in Rome, I knew she was the girl. She's a tremendous girl. She has a great sense of comedy, and she's not bad looking."

He was happy to appear at the press conference, in contrast to his reluctance to speak to the media when he campaigned for the Scottish National Party for last week's elections.

He apologised to local journalists for not speaking in French, and cracked a stream of jokes.

Zeta Jones said she was thrilled to be at Cannes.

"I just saw Catherine Deneuve arriving last night, and I am freaking out to think that I am here too. She was my icon, I had to pinch myself," she said.

McGregor arriving in Cannes

Michael Winterbottom: On the publicity trail

British director Michael Winterbottom has also been on the publicity trail, launching his film Wonderland, starring Gina McKee and Molly Parker.

Meanwhile, Ewan McGregor is also arriving in Cannes - but not to promote the Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace.

He plays Irish novelist James Joyce in Nora, a film about the writer's marriage.

On Thursday night, the festival's first big party was thrown, by the producers of Joan Collins' latest film, A Clandestine Marriage.

Collins could not be there as she is in Hollywood making a follow-up to the live-action version of The Flintstones.