Wikipedia

Thunderball(film)

Thunderballis a 1965spy filmand the fourth in theJames Bondseriesproduced byEon Productions,starringSean Conneryas the fictionalMI6agentJames Bond.It is an adaptation of the 1961 novelof the same namebyIan Fleming,which in turn was based on an original screenplay byJack Whittinghamdevised from a story conceived byKevin McClory,Whittingham, and Fleming. It was the third and final Bond film to be directed byTerence Young,with its screenplay byRichard MaibaumandJohn Hopkins.

Thunderball
Theatrical release poster byRobert McGinnisandFrank McCarthy
Directed byTerence Young
Screenplay byRichard Maibaum
John Hopkins
Original screenplay by
Story byKevin McClory
Jack Whittingham
Ian Fleming
Based onThunderball
by Ian Fleming
Produced byKevin McClory
Starring
CinematographyTed Moore
Edited byPeter Hunt
Ernest Hosler
Music byJohn Barry
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release dates
  • 9 December 1965(1965-12-09)(Tokyo, premiere)
  • 22 December 1965(1965-12-22)(United States)
  • 29 December 1965(1965-12-29)(United Kingdom)
Running time
130 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom[1][2][3]
United States[4]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9 million
Box office$141.2 million

The film follows Bond's mission to find twoNATOatomic bombs stolen bySPECTRE,which holds the world ransom to the tune of £100 million in diamonds under threat of destroying an unspecified metropolis in either the United Kingdom or the United States (later revealed to beMiami). The search leads Bond to theBahamas,where he encountersEmilio Largo,the card-playing,eyepatch-wearing SPECTRE Number Two. Backed byCIAagentFelix Leiterand Largo's mistress,Domino Derval,Bond's search culminates in an underwater battle with Largo's henchmen. The film's complex production comprised four differentunits,and about a quarter of the film comprises underwater scenes.[5]Thunderballwas the first Bond film shot inwidescreenPanavisionand the first to have a running time of over two hours.

Although planned by Bond film series producersAlbert R. BroccoliandHarry Saltzmanas the first entry in the franchise,Thunderballwas associated with a legal dispute in 1961 when former Fleming collaborators McClory and Whittingham sued him shortly after the 1961 publication of the novel, claiming he based it upon the screenplay the trio had written for a cinematic translation of James Bond. The lawsuit was settled out of court and Broccoli and Saltzman, fearing a rival McClory film, allowed him to retain certain screen rights to the novel's plot and characters,[6]and for McClory to receive sole producer credit on this film; Broccoli and Saltzman instead served asexecutive producers.[7]

The film was exceptionally successful: its worldwide box-office receipts of $141.2 million (equivalent to $1,365,200,000 in 2023) exceeded not only that of each of its predecessors but that of every one of the next five Bond films that followed it.Thunderballremains the most financially successful film of the series in North America when adjusted for ticket price inflation.[8]In 1966,John Stearswon theAcademy Award for Best Visual Effects[9]andBAFTAnominatedproduction designerKen Adamfor an award.[10]Some critics and viewers praised the film and branded it a welcome addition to the series, while others found the aquatic action repetitious. The movie was followed by 1967'sYou Only Live Twice.In 1983,Warner Bros.released a second film adaptation of theThunderballnovel under the titleNever Say Never Again,with McClory as executive producer.

Plot

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SPECTREoperativeEmilio Largodevises a plan to holdNATOto ransom by hijacking two atomic bombs from aRAFAvro Vulcanbomber during a training exercise. While staying at the Shrublands health resort, SPECTRE operative Count Lippe has French Air Force pilot François Derval murdered and replaced by Angelo Palazzi, whose face has been surgically altered to match Derval's. At the last minute, Palazzi demands more money, to which SPECTRE agentFiona Volpeacquiesces, to have him continue with their operation. Palazzi hijacks the bomber, killing its crew, and lands it in shallow waters within theBahamas.While the bombs are recovered by his men, Largo kills Palazzi.

British secret agent James Bond, recuperating at Shrublands after killing SPECTRE assassin Jacques Bouvar, notices Lippe and keeps him under observation, discovering Derval's body. Upon returning to London, Bond finds himself targeted by Lippe. Volpe kills Lippe, whose recruitment of Angelo jeopardised Largo's scheme. All00 agentsare put on high alert after SPECTRE threatens that a major city in the United States or United Kingdom will be destroyed unless they are paid £100 million within seven days. Bond requests of M that he be assigned toNassau, Bahamas,to contact Derval's sisterDomino,after recognising Derval as the body he found at the resort.

Bond meets with Domino, whom he learns is Largo's mistress when he visits a local casino. Bond and Largo engage in a cat-and-mouse game while feigning ignorance of each other's true identities. Bond meets with his friend, CIA agentFelix Leiter,fellow agent Paula Caplan, and MI6 quartermasterQ,to receive equipment, including an underwater infrared camera and miniature underwater breathing apparatus. Investigating Largo's ship, theDisco Volante,he notices an underwater hatch. He visits Largo at his estate during the night, only to find that Paula has been abducted, and has committed suicide rather than talk. Bond evades Largo's men during aJunkanoocelebration. Volpe catches up with Bond, but is killed when he puts her between himself and a henchman aiming for Bond.

Bond and Leiter find the Vulcan camouflaged underwater, along with the bodies of Palazzi and the crew. Bond reveals to Domino that her brother was killed by Largo, and she helps search theDisco Volante.Largo captures her. Bond replaces one of Largo's men as SPECTRE prepares to move the bombs, and learns where one of them is being moved to before being discovered and left behind. He and Leiter get the US Coast Guard and US Navy to battle theDisco Volantecrew, and recover one of the bombs in an underwater battle. Bond pursues Largo and grabs hold of theDisco Volanteas it sheds its rear half to become ahydrofoilto attempt escape. Bond gets on deck and sends theDisco Volanteout of control while he defeats Largo's men and fights Largo. Largo gains the upper hand and is about to shoot Bond when Domino kills him with a speargun in revenge after his hired nuclear physicist Ladislav Kutze frees her. The three escape theDisco Volanteseconds before it crashes into rocks and explodes. Bond and Domino are retrieved by a plane using asky hook.

Cast

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  • Sean ConneryasJames Bond:An MI6 agent assigned to retrieve two stolen nuclear weapons
  • Claudine AugerasDomino(voice dubbed byNikki van der Zyl):[11]Dominique "Domino" Derval is Largo's mistress. In early drafts of the screenplay, Domino's name was Dominetta Palazzi. When Claudine Auger was cast as Domino, the name was changed to Derval to reflect her nationality.[12]The character's wardrobe reflects her name, as she is usually dressed in black and/or white.
  • Adolfo CeliasEmilio Largo(voice dubbed byRobert Rietty):[13]SPECTRE's Number Two, he devises a scheme to steal two atomic bombs
  • Luciana PaluzziasFiona Volpe:SPECTRE assassin who becomes Francois Derval's mistress to kill and replace him with his double, and later helps with Largo's plot in Nassau
  • Rik Van NutterasFelix Leiter:CIA agent who helps Bond
  • Guy Dolemanas Count Lippe: the SPECTRE agent (ranked Number Four) in charge of the operation of replacing Derval with Angelo
  • Molly Peters(voice dubbed byBarbara Jefford) as Patricia Fearing: A physiotherapist at the health clinic
  • Martine Beswickas Paula Caplan: Bond's CIA ally in Nassau. Beswick has the distinction of appearing as a 'Bond Girl' twice - firstly inFrom Russia With Loveand then here.
  • Bernard Leeas "M":Head of MI6
  • Desmond Llewelynas "Q":MI6's quartermaster, he supplies Bond with multi-purpose vehicles and gadgets useful for the latter's missions.
  • Lois MaxwellasMoneypenny:M's secretary
  • Roland Culveras theHome Secretary:British Minister who briefs the "00" agents for Operation Thunderball and has doubts about Bond's efficiency
  • Earl Cameronas Pinder: Bahaman intelligence operative who serves as Bond and Leiter's contact in Nassau
  • Paul Stassinoas François Derval / Angelo Palazzi (credited for Palazzi): François Derval is aFrench Air Forcepilot assigned to theNATOstaff and also Domino's brother. He is killed by Angelo, who impersonates him.
  • Rose Albaas Madame Boitier, purportedly the widow of Colonel Jacques Bouvar, while in reality 'she' is Bouvar in disguise
  • Philip Lockeas Vargas: Largo's personal assistant and primary henchman
  • George Pravdaas Ladislav Kutze: A nuclear physicist, he aids Largo with the captured bombs, but when Largo disregards the authorities firing on them, he pities and rescues Domino. A director's note says Kutze is later rescued off screen after the film closes.
  • Michael Brennanas Janni: one of Largo's henchmen, usually paired with Vargas
  • Leonard SachsasGroup CaptainPrichard, Bond's RAF liaison during Operation Thunderball
  • Edward UnderdownasAir Vice Marshal,a senior RAF officer who briefs the 00 agents on the range of the missing Vulcan and its disappearance
  • Reginald Beckwithas Kenniston, the Home Secretary's assistant

Uncredited:

  • Maryse Guy Mitsoukoas Madame LaPorte, a French secret service agent
  • Bob Simmonsas Colonel Jacques Bouvar, SPECTRE Number Six, who is killed by Bond in the pre-title scene
  • Anthony DawsonasErnst Stavro Blofeld(voiced byEric Pohlmann): The head of SPECTRE, Number One (neither actor is credited)
  • Bill Cummings as Quist: one of Largo's henchmen
  • Murray Kash as SPECTRE Number Eleven, an American senior member of SPECTRE who reports on a drug dealing mission jointly led by him and Number Nine
  • André Maranneas SPECTRE Number Ten, a French senior member of SPECTRE who reports on assassinating a French defector to the USSR
  • Clive Cazes as SPECTRE Number Nine, a French senior member of SPECTRE
  • Michael Smith as SPECTRE Number Eight, a senior member of SPECTRE
  • Cecil Cheng as SPECTRE Number Seven, a Japanese senior member of SPECTRE who reports on a blackmail mission
  • Philip Stoneas SPECTRE Number Five, an English senior member of SPECTRE who reports on helping to plan theGreat Train Robbery
  • Victor Beaumontas SPECTRE Number Three, a senior member of SPECTRE
  • Gábor Barakeras SPECTRE Number Thirteen, a senior member of SPECTRE

Production

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edit
Further information:Rights controversy of Thunderball

Originally meant as the first James Bond film,Thunderballwas the centre of legal disputes that began in 1961 and ran until 2006.[14]FormerIan FlemingcollaboratorsKevin McCloryandJack Whittinghamsued Fleming shortly after the 1961 publication of theThunderballnovel, claiming he based it upon the screenplay the trio had earlier written in a failed cinematic translation of James Bond.[15][6]The lawsuit was settled out of court, with McClory retaining certain screen rights to the novel's story, plot, and characters. By then, Bond was a box-office success, and series producers Broccoli and Saltzman feared a rival McClory film beyond their control; they agreed to McClory's producer's credit of a cinematicThunderball,with them as executive producers.[16]

Later, in 1964, Eon producers Broccoli and Saltzman agreed with McClory to cinematically adapt the novel; it was promoted as "Ian Fleming'sThunderball".Yet, along with theofficial creditsto screenwritersRichard MaibaumandJohn Hopkins,the screenplay is also identified as 'based on an original screenplay byJack Whittingham' and as 'based on the original story by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Ian Fleming'.[16]To date, the novel has twice been adapted cinematically, as the 1983Jack Schwartzman-producedNever Say Never Againfeatures Sean Connery as James Bond, but is not an Eon production.

Casting

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Broccoli's original choice for the role of Domino Derval wasJulie Christiefollowing her performance inBilly Liarin 1963. Upon meeting her personally, he was disappointed and turned his attentions towardsRaquel Welchafter seeing her on the cover of the October 1964 issue ofLife.Welch was hired byRichard Zanuckof20th Century Foxto appear in the filmFantastic Voyagethe same year, instead.Faye Dunawaywas also considered for the role and came close to signing for the part.[17]Saltzman and Broccoli auditioned an extensive list of relatively unknown European actresses and models, including formerMiss ItalyMaria Grazia Buccella,Yvonne Monlaurof theHammer horrorfilms, andGloria Paul.Eventually, formerMiss FranceClaudine Augerwas cast, and the script was rewritten to make her character French rather than Italian, although her lines were dubbed in the final cut byNikki van der Zyl,who had voiced several previous Bond girls. Nevertheless, director Young cast her once again in his next film,Triple Cross(1966). One of the actresses who tried for Domino,Luciana Paluzzi,later accepted the role as the redheadedfemme fataleassassin Fiona Kelly, who originally was intended by Maibaum to be Irish. The surname was changed to Volpe in co-ordination with Paluzzi's nationality.[17]

Filming

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Guy Hamiltonwas invited to direct, but considered himself worn out and "creatively drained" after the production ofGoldfinger.[5]Terence Young,director of the first two Bond films, returned to the series. Coincidentally, when Saltzman invited him to directDr. No,Young expressed interest in directing adaptations ofDr. No,From Russia with LoveandThunderball.Years later, Young saidThunderballwas filmed "at the right time",[18]considering that if it was the first film in the series, the low budget (Dr. Nocost only $1 million) would not have yielded good results.[18]Thunderballwas the final James Bond film directed by Young.

Filming commenced on 16 February 1965, with principal photography of the opening scene in Paris. Filming then moved to theChâteau d'Anet,nearDreux,France, for the fight in the precredit sequence. Much of the film was shot in the Bahamas, asThunderballis widely known for its extensive underwater action scenes which are played out through much of the latter half of the film. The rest of the film was shot atPinewood Studios,Buckinghamshire,Silverstone racing circuitfor the chase involving Count Lippe,Fiona Volpe's RPG-armed BSA Lightning motorcycle and James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 before moving toNassau,andParadise Islandin the Bahamas (where most of the footage was shot), and Miami.[19]Huntington Hartfordgave permission to shoot footage on his Paradise Island and is thanked at the end of the film.

The home used as Largo's estate in the film

On arriving in Nassau, McClory searched for locations to shoot many of the key sequences of the film and used the home of a local millionaire couple, the Sullivans, for Largo's estate, Palmyra.[20]Part of the SPECTRE underwater assault was also shot on the coastal grounds of another millionaire's home on the island.[5]Most of the underwater scenes had to be done at lower tides due to the sharks on the Bahamian coast.[21]

After he read the script, Connery realised the risk of the sequence with the sharks in Largo's pool and insisted that production designerKen Adambuild aPlexiglaspartition inside the pool. The barrier was not a fixed structure, so when one of the sharks managed to pass through it, Connery fled the pool, seconds away from attack.[19]Ken Adam later told UK daily newspaperThe Guardian,

We had to use special effects, but unlike special effects today, they were real. The jet pack we used inThunderballwas real – it was invented for the United States Army. Bloody dangerous, and it only lasted a couple of minutes. The ejector seat in the Aston Martin was real and Emilio Largo's boat, theDisco Volante,was real. You had power boats at that time, but there were no good-sized yachts that were able to travel at 40 to 50 knots, so it was quite a problem. But by combining a hydrofoil, which we bought in Puerto Rico for $10,000, and a catamaran, it at least looked like a big yacht. We combined the two hulls with a one-inch slip bolt and when they split it worked like a dream. We used lots of sharks for this movie. I'd rented a villa in the Bahamas with a saltwater pool which we filled with sharks and used for underwater filming. The smell was horrendous. This was where Sean Connery came close to being bitten. We had a plexiglass corridor to protect him, but I didn't have quite enough plexiglass and one of the sharks got through. He never got out of a pool faster in his life – he was walking on water.[22]

When special-effects coordinatorJohn Stearsprovided a supposedly dead shark to be towed around the pool, the shark, which was still alive, revived at one point. Due to the dangers on the set, stuntman Bill Cummings demanded an extra fee of £250 to double for Largo's sidekick Quist as he was dropped into the pool of sharks.[17]

The climactic underwater battle was shot at Clifton Pier and was choreographed by Hollywood expertRicou Browning,who had worked onCreature from the Black Lagoonin 1954 and other films. He was responsible for the staging of the cave sequence and the battle scenes beneathDisco Volanteand called in his specialist team of divers who posed as those engaged in the onslaught.Voitprovided much of the underwater gear, including theAqua-Lungs,in exchange forproduct placementand filmtie-inmerchandise. The ability to breathe underwater for extended periods of time was a new product that had previously been used by underwater explorerJacques Cousteauand using it in a movie was a new approach. Lamar Boren, an underwater photographer, was hired to shoot all of the sequences.[17]Filming ceased in May 1965, and the final scene shot was the physical fight on the bridge ofDisco Volante.[5]

While in Nassau, during the final shooting days, special-effects supervisor John Stears was supplied experimental rocket fuel to use in exploding Largo's yacht. Ignoring the true power of thevolatileliquid, Stears doused the entire yacht with it, took cover, and then detonated the boat. The resultant massive explosion shattered windows along Bay Street in Nassau roughly 30 miles away.[5]Stears went on to win an Academy Award for his work onThunderball.

As the filming neared its conclusion, Connery had become increasingly agitated with press intrusion and was distracted with difficulties in his marriage of 32 months to actressDiane Cilento.Connery refused to speak to journalists and photographers who followed him in Nassau, stating his frustration with the harassment that came with the role: "I find that fame tends to turn one from an actor and a human being into a piece of merchandise, a public institution. Well, I don't intend to undergo that metamorphosis."[23]In the end, he gave only a single interview, toPlayboy,as filming was wrapped up, and even turned down a substantial fee to appear in a promotional TV special made by Wolper Productions forNBC,The Incredible World of James Bond.[17]According to editorPeter R. Hunt,Thunderball's release was delayed for three months, from September until December 1965, after he metDavid Pickerof United Artists, and convinced him it would be impossible to edit the film to a high enough standard without the extra time.[24]

Effects

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Main articles:List of James Bond vehiclesandList of James Bond gadgets

Thanks to special-effects man John Stears,Thunderball's pretitle teaser, the Aston Martin DB5 (introduced inGoldfinger), reappears armed with rear-firingwater cannon,seeming noticeably weathered—just dust and dirt, raised moments earlier by Bond's landing with theBell Rocket Belt(developed byBell Aircraft Corporation). Therocket beltBond uses to escape the château actually worked, and was used many times, before and after, for entertainment, most notably atSuper Bowl Iand at scheduled performances at the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair.[25]

Bond receives aspear gun-armedunderwater jet packscuba (allowing the frogman to manoeuvre faster than otherfrogmen). Designed by Jordan Klein, green dye was meant to be used by Bond as asmoke screento escape pursuers.[26]Instead Ricou Browning, the film's underwater director, used it to make Bond's arrival more dramatic.[27]

The sky hook used to rescue Bond at the end of the film wasa rescue system used by the United States militaryat the time. AtThunderball's release, there was confusion as to whether arebreathersuch as the one that appears in the film existed; most Bond gadgets, while implausible, often are based upon real technology. In the real world, a rebreather could not be so small, as it has no room for thebreathing bag,while the alternativeopen-circuitscuba releases exhalation bubbles, which the film device does not. It was made with two CO2bottles glued together and painted, with a small mouthpiece attached.[27]For this reason, when theRoyal Corps of Engineersasked Peter Lamont how long a man could use the device underwater, the answer was "As long as you can hold your breath."[28]

On 26 June 2013,Christie'sauction house sold theBreitling SATop Time watch worn in the film by Connery for over £100,000; given to Bond by Q, it was also aGeiger counterin the plot.[29]

Music

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See also:Thunderball (soundtrack)

Thunderballwas the third James Bond score composed byJohn Barry,afterFrom Russia with LoveandGoldfinger.The original title song was entitled "Mr Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", taken from an Italian journalist who in 1962 dubbed agent 007 as Mr Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.[30]The title theme was written by Barry andLeslie Bricusse;the song was originally recorded byShirley Bassey,but it was realised late in the day that the track was too short for the needed titles. As Bassey was unavailable, it was later rerecorded byDionne Warwickwith a longer instrumental introduction. Her version was not released until the 1990s. The song was removed from the title credits after producersAlbert R. BroccoliandHarry Saltzmanwere worried that a theme song to a James Bond film would not work well if the song did not have the title of the film in its lyrics.[5]Barry then teamed up with lyricistDon Blackand wrote "Thunderball", which was sung byTom Jones,who according to Bond production legend, fainted in the recording booth when singing the song's final note. Jones said of it, "I closed my eyes and I held the note for so long when I opened my eyes the room was spinning."[31]

Country musicianJohnny Cashalso submitted a song to Eon productions titled "Thunderball", but it went unused.[32]

Release and reception

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The film premiered on 9 December 1965 at theHibiyaTheatre in Tokyo and opened on 29 December 1965 in the UK. It was a major success at the box office with record-breaking earnings. In its opening in Tokyo in one theatre, it grossed a Japanese record opening day of $13,091, and the following day it set a record one-day gross of $16,121.[33]It grossed $63.6 million in the United States, equating to roughly 58.1 million admissions,[34]and becamethe third-highest grossing film of 1965,only behindThe Sound of MusicandDr. Zhivago.In total, the film has earned $141.2 million worldwide, surpassing the earnings of the three preceding films in the series—easily recouping its $9 million budget—and remained the highest-grossing Bond film untilLive and Let Die(1973) assumed the record.[35]After adjusting its earnings to 2011 prices, it has made around $1 billion worldwide, making it the second-most financially successful Bond film afterSkyfall.[36]

Thunderballwon anAcademy Award for Best Visual Effectsawarded to John Stears in 1966.[9]Ken Adam,the production director, was also nominated for aBest Production DesignBAFTAaward.[10]The film won theGolden Screen Awardin Germany and the Golden Laurel Action Drama award at the 1966 Laurel Awards. The film was also nominated for an Edgar Best Foreign Film award at theEdgar Allan Poe Awards.[37]

Contemporary reviews

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The film received generally positive reviews.Dilys PowellofThe Sunday Timesremarked that "The cinema was a duller place before 007."[38]David Robinsonof theFinancial Timescriticised the appearance of Connery and his effectiveness to play Bond in the film, remarking: "It's not just that Sean Connery looks a lot more haggard and less heroic than he did two or three years ago, but there is much less effort to establish him as connoisseur playboy. Apart from the off-handed order for Beluga, there is little of that comic display of bon viveur-manship that was one of the charms of Connery's almost-a-gentleman 007."[39]

Bosley CrowtherofThe New York Timesfound the film to be more humorous than its previous instalments and felt "Thunderballis pretty, too, and it is filled with such underwater action as would delight Capt.Jacques-Yves Cousteau."He further praised the principal actors and wrote" [t]he color is handsome. The scenery in the Bahamas is an irresistible lure. Even the violence is funny. That's the best I can say for a Bond film. "[40]VarietyfeltThunderballwas a "tight, exciting melodrama in which novelty of action figures importantly".[41]Philip K. Scheuer, reviewing for theLos Angeles Times,was less impressed, writing: "It is the same as its predecessors, only more–too much of everything, from sudden desire to sudden desire." Additionally, he wrote: "The submarine sequences are as pretty as can be in Technicolor, featuring besides fish and flippered bipeds, all sorts of awesome diving bells and powered sea sleds – not to mention an arsenal of lethal spear guns. If I could have just known more than half the time what, precisely, they were doing, the effect could have been prettier yet."[42]

Timemagazine applauded the film's underwater photography, but felt the "script hasn't a morsel of genuine wit, but Bond fans, who are preconditioned to roll in the aisles when their hero merely asks a waiter to bring some beluga caviar and Dom Pérignon '55, will probably never notice. They are switched on by a legend that plays straight to the senses, and its colors are primary."[43]Clifford Terry of theChicago Tribunefelt the dialogue was "so bad, it's great" and highlighted Auger as "probably the most genteel of all the Bond babies to date". Overall, he felt the film belonged to Connery, writing he "throws out those incredible lines without so much as batting a steely-cold eye".[44]

Retrospective reviews

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According toDanny Peary,Thunderball"takes forever to get started and has too many long underwater sequences during which it's impossible to tell what's going on. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable entry in the Bond series. Sean Connery is particularly appealing as Bond – I think he projects more confidence than in other films in the series. Film has nogreatscene, but it's entertaining as long as the actors stay above water. "[45]

James Berardinellipraised Connery's performance, thefemme fatalecharacter ofFiona Volpe,and the underwater action sequences, remarking that they were well choreographed and clearly shot. He criticised the length of the scenes, stating they were in need of editing, particularly during the film's climax.[46]

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film has an 87% rating based on 52 reviews with an average rating of 6.70/10. The website's consensus reads: "Lavishly rendered set pieces and Sean Connery's enduring charm makeThunderballa big, fun adventure, even if it doesn't quite measure up to the series' previous heights. "[47]OnMetacriticthe film has a score of 64 out of 100 based on reviews from nine critics.[48]In 2014,Time Outpolled several film critics, directors, actors, and stunt actors to list their top action films;[49]Thunderballwas listed at number 73.[50]

See also

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References

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  2. ^"BFI Database".bfi.org.British Film Institute. Archived fromthe originalon 17 June 2017.Retrieved14 October2021.
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  4. ^"Thunderball".AFI Catalog.
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  14. ^"The Lost Bond".Total Film.27 February 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 24 October 2012.Retrieved17 November2012.
  15. ^Johnson, Ted (15 November 2013)."MGM, 'James Bond' Producer End Decades-Long War Over 007".variety.com.Archivedfrom the original on 13 February 2018.Retrieved4 May2018.
  16. ^abCork, John."Inside" Thunderball "".Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2005.Retrieved15 January2008.
  17. ^abcde"Production notes – Thunderball".MI6.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 18 December 2007.Retrieved27 November2024.
  18. ^abYoung, Terence.Commentary 1: Thunderball Ultimate Edition DVD Region 4(DVD). MGM/UA Home Entertainment.
  19. ^abThe Thunderball Phenomenon(DVD). MGM/UA Home Entertainment. 1995.Thunderball Ultimate Edition DVD, Region 2, Disc 2
  20. ^007 Mission Control: Exotic Locations(DVD). MGM/UA Home Entertainment. 2006.Thunderball Ultimate Edition DVD, Region 2, Disc 2
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  23. ^"Interview with Sean Connery".Playboy(November 1965).HMH Publishing.ISSN0032-1478.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2008.Retrieved15 January2008.
  24. ^Hunt, Peter R.Commentary 2: Thunderball Ultimate Edition DVD Region 2(DVD). MGM/UA Home Entertainment.
  25. ^Malow, Brian."Where the hell is my Jetpack?".Butseriously.com. Archived fromthe originalon 23 July 2008.Retrieved20 January2013.
  26. ^John Cork.Commentary 2: Thunderball Ultimate Edition, Region 2(DVD).
  27. ^abBrowning, Ricou.Commentary 1: Thunderball Ultimate Edition, Region 2(DVD).
  28. ^Lamont, Peter(1995).The Thunderball Phenomenon: Thunderball Ultimate Edition, Region 2, Disc 2(DVD). MGM/UA Home Entertainment.
  29. ^"James Bond Watch with Geiger Counter Sells for $160,000".Reuters.26 June 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2013.Retrieved2 July2013.
  30. ^Barnes, Alan; Hearn, Marcus (2003).Kiss Kiss Bang! Bang!: The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion.London:Batsford Books.p. 52.ISBN978-0-7134-8645-2.
  31. ^"Tom Jones's comments on the Thunderball song".Interview with Singer Tom Jones.Archivedfrom the original on 13 January 2006.Retrieved10 September2005.
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