Thunderball
Thunderball
Director: Terence Young
Producer: Kevin McClory
Writers: Ian Fleming (novel); Kevin McClory & Jack Whittingham & Ian Fleming (story); Richard Maibaum & John Hopkins
Title Song: Lyrics by Don Black and Sung by Tom Jones
Opening Action Sequence: James Bond watches the funeral of Jacques Bouvier, an assassin who killed two of 007's colleagues. He soon realizes that Jacques is not actually deceased, but is attending his own funeral, disguised as a woman. Enraged, Bond corners Bouvier and fights him. As men rush to stop 007, James escapes with the help of a rocket jet-pack and his Aston Martin, which sprays water at his pursuers.
Bond Visits: Nassau; Bahamas; Palmyra Island; France
Film Gross: $63,595,658--United States; $141,200,000--Worldwide
Plot Summary: S.P.E.C.T.R.E. plans to hold world governments
for ransom through the use of NATO missiles which the evil group has hijacked,
thanks to an elaborate scheme involving plastic surgery and mistaken identity.
At the helm of the sinister project is Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi),
agent Number Two of S.P.E.C.T.R.E., an organization where failure is not
an option.
Because of the extreme danger of the situation, double-o agents worldwide are summoned for a briefing on the fiasco and are sent to find the root of the problem. During his investigation, James Bond (Sean Connery) unravels clues suggesting that the missiles are hidden in Nassau.
Along the way, 007 meets Domino (Claudine Auger), Largo's mistress, who immediately turns to contempt for her lover when she discovers that he murdered her cherished sibling.
Bond soon finds himself battling henchman above and below the sea in his rush to stop Largo's plan from succeeding. He escapes sharks with the help of some of "Q"'s gadgetry, and also attempts to seduce Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi), a cold-hearted killer who uses Bond's weakness for women against him.
Plenty of aspects of this movie are fun to watch: Sean Connery's
reliably confident performance, neat little gadgets, a couple of formidable
villains, an exciting opening sequence, and an abundance of humor. On
the other hand, extended
under
water
fights can get very dull, especially when filmed as if each of the characters
are moving through syrup.
Also working against the film is Claudine Auger's bland portrayal of Domino. With Bond girls like Pussy Galore and Tatiana Romanova, this one pales in comparison. She has very little charisma, even less individuality, and not much time is spent developing her character or her background. There's really not anything special about Domino.
Thunderball has plenty of humorous quips, but overall, the script itself is not nearly as engaging as that of From Russia With Love. This is partly due to the general disregard towards the lead villain. You know that a 007 film isn't up to par when the bad guy fails to entertain or intimidate.
The bulk of the screenplay gives Aldofo Celi, the actor who plays Largo, almost nothing to chew on. As a result, he just doesn't seem as nasty or sadistic as he probably could have. Like Red Grant or Goldfinger, Largo had potential to be a threatening master of torture or pain. Instead, he generally has his thugs do most of his dirty work and later dies a relatively simple death. What a waste of murderous talent.
On a better note, Fiona Volpe, played by Luciana Paluzzi, is one of the most deceptive enemies in the James Bond series. It's interesting to see how she masterfully seduces Bond, rather than vice versa. She is proven to be extremely wicked right from the start of the adventure, where she is shown sleeping with Major Francois Durvall, only to set him up for a quick death. It is this devious "black widow" personality that makes her character (and performance) rise head and shoulders above many of the others in this film.
But oddly, 007 shows shades of "Murder, She Wrote" in this adventure. Coincidentally, the health spa in which he enjoys a good backrub (among other things) is also the location where S.P.E.C.T.R.E agents are meeting to discuss their latest plan of global blackmail. The plot was often too convenient for my taste.
Overall, Thunderball is a sporadically effective action film (despite a handful of setbacks, including a disjointed fight scene on Largo's ship) which 007 struggles to keep afloat.
Grade: C+