Thunderball

United Kingdom, 1965
Running Length: 2:13
MPAA Classification: PG (Sexual innuendo, violence)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Bernard Lee, Martine Beswick, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell
Director: Terence Young
Producers: Kevin McClory
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins based on the original story by Kevin McClory, Jack Wittingham, and Ian Fleming
Cinematography: Ted Moore and Lamar Boren (underwater)
Music: John Barry
U.S. Distributor: United Artists

After Goldfinger the next mega hit in the ‘Bond’ series was the Thunderball. And it was again the same happening team with Terence Young as the director furnishing the debonair 007 with more gadgets and contrivances.

The same John Barry subtly beautified the movie with a swellhead villain as usual against Bond and unrepeatable music. The movie was really histrionic and it was so much liked by the audience that it had to come back again in a new package name as ‘Never Say Never Again’ after about 18 years.

The Story
It’s SPECTER again, his time with an intention to blackjack the two countries like United States and Great Britain. Two nuclear weapons have been stolen and a major city is threatened to be balled up if the redeem is not paid.

The Number Two Emilio Largo played by Adolfo Celi maneuvers the whole mission. As the nemesis egresses out of the villain’s part M (Bernard Lee) appoints 007 to run the chase against Largo around the world and blockade his plans immediately.

James Bond then comes to the capital of Bahamas, Nassau and this is where he finds Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter), an old friend of his, an endearing kept of Largo, Domino (Claudine Auger) and a den of enemies.

The Opposers
The villain in this movie is however a bit debile. But this has been well counter balanced by the atrocious Fiona (Luciana Palluzi) who seems to be more than a male SPECTRE agent. However the film is a bit long with some scenes, which could be well cut off for the better. There is a long sub aqueous battle, which could be made a bit shorter. But somehow the audience with great warmth accepted the whole thing.

It is Sean Again
Though the Bond in the Novel was never reflected on the screen as a mirror image the later one was quite a dear to the audience. Sean set the trend of a different Bond and the next 5 performers followed it, although not up to his mark. The footprints of this great actor are hard to match actually. However, the action scenes in the under waters is greatly loved by the action lovers and the photography under the ocean surface and in the Neptune’s realm done by Lamar Boren calls for a warm applaud.

This has made Thunderball quite popular although not the best.