Never Say Never Again Cast Phyllis Hyman

"Do you lose as gracefully as you win? "
"I don't know, I've never lost. "

Release Date: October 7, 1983
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Produced by: Jack Schwartzman
Executive Producer: Kevin McClory
Screenplay by: Lorenzo Semple, Jr., based on an original screenplay by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Ian Fleming
Music by: Michel Legrand
Title Song: "Never Say Never Again" by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, performed by Lani Hall
James Bond: Sean Connery
The Girl: Kim Basinger as Domino Petachi
The Villain: Klaus Maria Brandauer as Maximillian Largo
Supporting Villains: Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush, Max von Sydow as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Gavan O'Herlihy as Jack Petachi, Pat Roach as Lippe
Supporting Girls: Prunella Gee as Patricia Fearing, Valerie Leon as Lady in Bahamas
The Allies: Bernie Casey as Felix Leiter, Rowan Atkinson as Nigel Small-Fawcett, Saskia Cohen Tanugi as Nicole
MI6 Personnel: Edward Fox as M, Pamela Salem as Miss Moneypenny, Alec McCowan as Algernon/Q
Filming Locations: England, France, Spain, the Bahamas
Story Locations:Latin America (?), London/Bedfordshire/Swadley (England), Nassau (Bahamas), Nice (France), North Africa, Ethiopia
Running Time: 134 minutes
Rating: PG (US), PG (UK)
Budget: $36 million (2017 inflation: $89.2 million)
Box Office: $160 million (2017 inflation: $396.5 million)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63%
Best Line: "Good to see you, Mr. Bond. Things have been awfully dull around here. Bureaucrats running the whole place. Everything done by the book. Can't make a decision unless the computer gives you the go ahead. Now you're on this. I hope we're going to have some gratuitous sex and violence!"

Fan Made Trailer

There's something that just doesn't sit right when you know that a Bond film is in the wrong hands…

Origin and Background

If there is one thing to be said about film producer Kevin McClory and his notorious battle over the rights to the cinematic James Bond, it is that he was persistent. Following the 1965 release of Thunderball, in which McClory co-produced alongside the team of Bond film regulars, he signed a legal agreement to stay away from the Bond franchise or his rights to the story for the next ten years. Meanwhile, EON Productions enjoyed [almost] free reign of the James Bond rights by continuing the SPECTRE storyline for the next three films.

Kevin McClory practically counted the days until his ten years of silence were up, after which he began to co-write a James Bond screenplay with Sean Connery and British spy novelist Len Deighton. The film was to be called Warhead and its basis on theThunderball novel was loose at best. The finished product featured an underwater training base, explosives-laden sharks swimming through the sewers of Manhattan, and a variety of other outrageous plot points that would have been an interesting spectacle to behold had they ever made their way to the big screen.

Kevin McClory plots his next move

Official Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli wasn't going to stand for a rival Bond film, and EON Productions threatened legal action if McClory were to go forward with the script, especially since many of its elements were similar to the forthcoming 1977 Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me. The project died down and the parties involved went their separate ways. However, McClory actively sought for the exclusion of SPECTRE or the Ernst Stavro Blofeld character from any official production, claiming that their existence stemmed from the original Thunderball scripts he had collaborated on, and therefore he had exclusive rights to their use in the film. Courts ruled in McClory's favor and EON Productions was unable to feature the triumphant return of James Bond's ultimate arch-nemesis, although they did include an unnamed bald villain with a white cat (obviously Blofeld) in the pre-title sequence of the 1981 Bond film For Your Eyes Only. This provided them with a way to hastily kill the character off and indicate that any rival production featuring Blofeld would not be canon.

Kevin McClory refused to stay quiet and continued his efforts to make his own Bond film, which was now tentatively titledJames Bond of the Secret Service. It was around this time (the late 70's to early 80's) that attorney-turned-film producer Jack Schwartzman, most famous for his marriage to actress Talia Shire, took interest in McClory's efforts to produce a Bond film. Schwartzman studied the sordid history of McClory's legal battles with both Ian Fleming and EON Productions and concluded that the idea of a rival Bond film was plausible, but the finished product had to stick closer to the Thunderball storyline than the script for Warhead had. Now that Schwartzman was in the picture, McClory took a less active role in the film's production, and was ultimately credited as an Executive Producer.

Jack Schwartzman: The latest guy to get involved

Although Sean Connery had initially joined the project as co-writer of Warhead, he hadn't intended to star in the film. This mindset changed through the years and, by the time Kevin McClory and Jack Schwartzman started getting things moving again, he started to toy with the idea of returning to the role that made him an icon. He hesitated to commit while litigation with EON Productions continued, but Schwartzman convinced him by offering a $3 million paycheck, immunity from any legal trouble the film could potentially create, and creative control over the selection of key members of the cast and crew. Connery agreed to the terms, which led to his wife, Micheline, suggesting that the film be called Never Say Never Again, referring to Connery's insistence after filming Diamonds Are Forever that he would "never again" play the role of James Bond. Micheline is listed in the end credits for her contribution to the title.

Beyond what was written in the contract, there is much speculation as to why Sean Connery chose to play James Bond again. His prior departures from the franchise were not on the best of terms, and this may be why he decided to do it. Knowing that he was often considered the best, he was surely aware of how badly he could hurt Cubby Broccoli by starring in a rival Bond production. Whether or not this served as a motivating factor is anyone's guess, but Connery indicated this was the case when, during a promotional interview for the film on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, his answer to the trivia question "Who played the first James Bond villain?" was "Cubby Broccoli".

Many former members of the official Bond film team were asked to be involved, including screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz and director Peter Hunt, both of whom declined out of respect for Cubby Broccoli. Veteran filmmaker Irvin Kershner, most famous for directing The Empire Strikes Back, was chosen by Sean Connery to direct, despite Kershner's self-proclaimed distaste for the Bond film series. Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr. was hired to write a screenplay based on the original Thunderball scripts. However, as production commenced and problems with the screenplay revealed themselves, the comedy writing team of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais were brought in to make extensive uncredited re-writes.

Kershner directs Connery

After years of development, producer Jack Schwartzman decided to go head-to-head with EON Productions by targeting a 1983 release that could coincide with Octopussy. EON Productions countered by re-signing Roger Moore for his sixth consecutive Bond film. The media called it the "Battle of the Bonds" and expectations were high for both films.

Opening and Title Sequences

Unlike any official Bond film, Never Say Never Again opens with a bunch of 007 icons superimposed over an aerial shot of an unnamed swampy location. The little 007's slowly zoom in until they disappear. Also different is the fact that the opening credits display during this first scene. The producers considered featuring a James Bond-esque title sequence, but the idea was discarded. The reason for this is a mystery, seeing as how it makes it feel that much less like a real Bond film. When I first popped this film into the VCR as a kid, I had no idea it was an unofficial Bond entry. But even then, it only took about five seconds to figure it out.

Something's wrong here…

The initial action takes place on the grounds of a mansion, where Sean Connery makes his triumphant return as James Bond. Looking much more tanned and in shape than he did 12 years earlier in Diamonds Are Forever, Connery proves that he's still got what it takes to play James Bond.

Bond sneaks through the mansion grounds, dispatching various guards and even throwing a noise-making frisbee to draw their attention away. He ziplines and rappels his way inside a dilapidated room, where he seemingly kills a group of men holding a young woman captive. A fistfight ensues with the surviving guard, but Bond easily does away with him. As he unties the woman's cords binding her to a bed, she turns the tables and stabs him in the side.

One of the few shots that indicate the cheesy title song wasn't supposed to play during this scene

The title song plays during this entire opening, establishing a sense of melodrama that they clearly weren't going for. It makes the goings-on seem silly and mismatched. "Never Say Never Again" was written by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and performed by Lani Hall. An alternate theme song was submitted for consideration by Phyllis Hyman, but it was discarded in favor of a song written by the film's composer. It fits with the style of theme song the official Bond film series was going for at the time, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's good. The rest of the film's score was composed by Oscar winner Michel Legrand. A then lesser-known James Horner was originally considered, but Sean Connery unwisely vetoed him in favor of Legrand. It can't be overstated just how poor the music is. Its jazzy flavor and lack of any action driven pieces leave a lot to be desired, and one wonders how much better the film would have been with good music. There are times when it sounds like a either a Junior High band or someone messing around on an electric keyboard. There have been various videos uploaded on YouTube featuring key scenes of the film set to John Barry's Thunderball soundtrack, and it greatly improves the film.

Characters and Plot

London

Bond's infiltration into the compound and subsequent "death" at the hands of the woman he was rescuing turns out to be a mere training exercise. It is never explicitly stated as to whether or not the exercise took place in England or abroad, but the surroundings sure looked like Latin America. A surly M watches the footage of Bond's failed practice mission with disdain. Played by Edward Fox, this is easily my least favorite M of all time, and not just because he's unofficial. Fox's approach is not just that of a hard-nosed bureaucrat but one who bitterly hates the 00 section and James Bond by extension. There is no real relationship between him and Bond, and one misses the rapport between the two found in the official series.

Look at that hateful stare!

M is furious over Bond's performance during the past two weeks of "war games". Bond insists that these exercises are not indicative of real field work. The argument between the two reveals that this particular M seems to be rather new to the position, whereas Bond is a seasoned agent nearing the end of a long career. M has reassigned 00 agents, including Bond, to teaching jobs and other busy work instead of putting them out in the field. He insists that Bond suffers from too many "free radicals", or toxins in the body due to his high living and abundant consumption of martinis and white bread. Naturally, Bond offers to cut out the white bread. This is one of the best lines of the film and reflective of the witty nature of the first half of the film, something that completely goes away by the end of it.

M sends Bond to Shrublands, a rehabilitation clinic for agents. Following his meeting with M, he briefly chats with Miss Moneypenny, played by the forgettable Pamela Salem. While this film features a very different M, Moneypenny is virtually a clone of the Lois Maxwell version, albeit a little more naive and not very flirtatious.

That bow tie isn't doing her any favors

France

Meanwhile, a mysterious and lavishly dressed woman visits a French bank that houses the secret headquarters of SPECTRE. Kevin McClory's retention of the SPECTRE rights meant that this film showcased its return after a lengthy absence from the official series. As discussed, Blofeld had been killed in the official canon during the pre-title sequence of For Your Eyes Only, but in this universe he is alive and well. Played by Swedish actor Max von Sydow, it should be a good thing to see the character back on-screen, but von Sydow's performance is a bit too gentle and Santa Claus-y for my tastes. Despite a full head of hair and goatee, the producers sought to establish some sort of connection with the official series by giving the character his trademark white cat. It was originally intended for Blofeld to die at the end of the film at the hands [paws] of his own cat after it scratches him with poison laced claws.

Not that intimidating…

The woman enters a meeting where Blofeld lectures on SPECTRE's most ambitious operation yet, known as The Tears of Allah. Like the original novel, Blofeld is not referred to as Number 1 as he was in the earlier Bond films. Instead, it is Largo who is the designated Number 1, as he is in charge of this particular operation. Blofeld proceeds to explain that they have gained the allegiance of a U.S. Air Force officer, Captain Jack Petachi, by getting him addicted to heroin. His dependence has caused him to work with SPECTRE in exchange for drugs. Largo, who attends the meeting via satellite, explains that a surgical operation has been performed on Petachi in which a corneal implant has made his right eye resemble that of the President of the United States. The lavishly dressed woman, whom Largo refers to as Number 12, has been assigned to watch over him as he recovers at a clinic outside of London, which turns out to be Shrublands.

Bedfordshire

Bond arrives at Shrublands in his classic Bentley, a nod to the cars he preferred in Ian Fleming's original novels. He begins a romantic relationship with Patricia Fearing, one of the clinic's nurses. Played by Prunella Gee, Patricia Fearing suffers from the poor makeup and hair design of the 80's, but otherwise serves as a satisfactory minor love interest during these earlier scenes. The character is much less prominent or crucial to the first act of the film than the Patricia Fearing of Thunderball.

At least this version of Shrublands has lavish architecture

That evening, Bond enjoys a tryst with Patricia while Captain Jack Petachi nervously smokes in his room nearby. Disguised as a nurse, SPECTRE agent Number 12 enters Petachi's room, where she physically abuses him for smoking. It's a rather bizarre sequence, but it introduces us to the Number 12 character, who we eventually learn is Fatima Blush. The name Fatima Blush originated in some of the earlier Thunderball drafts. However, Ian Fleming's novel did not feature a femme fatale. Blush is clearly based on the Fiona Volpe character from the Thunderball film, as she serves a nearly identical purpose. Played by Barbara Carrera, who turned down the opportunity to appear in Octopussy in order to be in a Bond film with Sean Connery, Fatima is the most compelling villain of the film, although she tends to get a little too crazy at times.

All I'm gonna say is Jack Petachi is a goofy looking guy

Bond hears the commotion stemming from Fatima's abuse of Petachi and decides to investigate. He approaches Petachi's window and watches as Fatima inspects his healing corneal implant and gives him a fix of heroin. Petachi is alerted of Bond's presence outside his window, and Fatima is able to spot him using night vision binoculars. For some reason, she knows exactly who he is. The next morning, Bond sneaks into Petachi's room to investigate, only to realize that he has checked out. However, he notices a logo featuring two striped flags on both Petachi's jacket from the night before and a matchbook he left in his room.

Later, Bond lifts weights in the clinic's exercise room. A large, formidable man enters and attacks him. Much different from the sophisticated Count Lippe of Thunderball, this version of Lippe is all about brute force. Played by stunt man Pat Roach, who was famous for his roles as various tough guys in multiple Indiana Jones films, Lippe serves as a physically formidable opponent, but an extremely forgettable villain. Nonetheless, his fist fight with Bond is brutal and entertaining. Sean Connery's fighting instructor for the film was a young Steven Seagal. The two did not get along and at one point, it got so bad that Seagal broke Connery's wrist.

The Shrublands brawl

Bond and Lippe fight their way through the clinic, ending up in the lab where Bond grabs hold of a beaker containing his own urine sample. He throws it at him, inexplicably blinding him and causing him to fall back against a shelf full of glass instruments. The broken shards stab Lippe in the back, killing him instantly.

Swadley

At the Air Force base, there is discussion of an upcoming exercise in which two dummy warheads will be launched toward a test target location. Petachi sneaks into a classified area, where he uses equipment provided by SPECTRE, along with his Presidential cornea, to switch the dummy warheads out for real ones. He also re-directs the missiles so the warheads fly to an undisclosed location, where they are retrieved by SPECTRE. I'm sure this whole process was quite exciting in the early 80's, and the writers felt it was an appropriate way to update the original Thunderball plot line, but the sequence hasn't aged well and these days it comes across as rather silly.

As Petachi drives away from the base, Fatima Blush catches up with him in her convertible. She throws her pet python into Petachi's car. This distracts him to the point that he veers off the road and crashes through a brick wall, killing him instantly. Fatima plants some C4 in his wrecked car to destroy any evidence of his surgically altered eye.

But not before rescuing her python

Blofeld sends a video message to the world's governments, informing them that SPECTRE has the warheads. He holds the world ransom for a large percentage of money from each country, otherwise he will detonate the bombs in two locations: somewhere on the Eastern seaboard and somewhere in the oil fields of the Middle East.

London

M is ordered to reactivate the 00 program to help find the warheads. He briefs Bond on the situation. Bond remembers noticing Petachi's cornea transplant when he spied on him at Shrublands, and decides to use that as a lead. He links the crossed flag logo found on Petachi's belongings to Maximillian Largo, who displays the very same image on his personal yacht.

The Bahamas

Max Largo (SPECTRE agent Number 1) is seen boarding his yacht, the Flying Saucer. Played by Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer, many fans love this version of Largo for his over the top nature and sinister undertones. Personally, I think he's a bit much. Clearly lacking any of the threat or brute physicality found in the Emilio Largo of Thunderball, this incarnation is a bit of a weakling. Other than his immense wealth, one wonders how he could have risen so high in the ranks of SPECTRE.

Eww…

Largo voyeuristically watches his girlfriend, Domino, with her instructor in the yacht's dance room. With really creepy porn music playing in the background, Domino seems to enjoy being with her dance instructor a little too much. Largo enters the room and the two reunite. He gives her an odd looking necklace called the Tears of Allah.

Domino was played by a then unknown Kim Basinger. Once again, the unofficial version of the character pales in comparison to the Domino of Thunderball. Basinger does well with the role she's given, but the character is a little too clingy to Largo at first, despite being creeped out by his controlling nature. It's too bad that this is a remake of a previous Bond film, because inevitable comparisons ensue and I wonder if I would have liked her character better if this wasn't just a re-hash.

Eww (again)…

London

Bond tries his hand at the shooting range prior to leaving on assignment. Q, who is also referred to as Algernon for some unexplained reason, joins him. Like M, the Q character has been radically changed from the official version. Instead of a jovial old man who clearly has a love/hate relationship with Bond, this version is an unhappy old grump who actually seems to like Bond strictly due to the fact that he's anti-establishment. Despite their differences, I actually like this particular incarnation of Q, played by Alec McCowan.

The Bahamas

Largo's involvement with SPECTRE is suspected by the British government as well as Bond, and he is sent to the Bahamas, where the Flying Saucer was last spotted. He meets with the extremely air-headed and unfortunately named Nigel Small-Fawcett of the British Consulate, played by a pre-Mr. Bean Rowan Atkinson in his first film role. Small-Fawcett provides information on Largo's current whereabouts and activities. He is clearly meant to be the comic relief of the film, and his klutzy antics really aren't all that off-putting. He fits into the overall stupid nature of the film and I don't mind him as much as some do.

He even has a better tie than James Bond

Bond relaxes at a seaside bar, where he meets Fatima Blush as she literally water skis into his arms. Apologizing for making him all wet, he calmly assures he that his "martini's still dry." She offers to take him fishing and the two embark on a small yacht. As they prepare to go scuba diving together, they first decide to engage in a somewhat explicit (for a Bond film) and extremely bizarre sex scene, accompanied by the lamest saxophone renditions ever recorded. The official series had, up to this point, never shown Bond "in the act", which is another area where Never Say Never Again attempts to differentiate itself.

At least they shook hands first

The two make it to their destination and begin their scuba diving excursion. Fatima discreetly attaches a beacon to Bond's scuba tank, which somehow attracts a group of sharks that have radio transmitters attached to them. As Bond explores a nearby shipwreck, he finds himself trapped inside with the sharks in pursuit. He finally dispatches one and discovers the transmitter.

The shark attack

Bond removes the transmitter and lets himself be rescued by a woman fishing, whom he had briefly met upon his arrival in the Bahamas. Lady in Bahamas is never given a name, but she was portrayed by Valerie Leon, who had previously appeared as the flirtatious hotel receptionist in The Spy Who Loved Me. Fatima Blush later spots them as they pull into shore. She visits Bond's hotel, where she plants more of her C4 under his bed, hoping that this time she will actually be successful in killing him.

An overall clad Bond arrives back at his hotel with his new girlfriend and they head upstairs to make love. Fatima detonates the explosives, but much to the audience's surprise, Bond and the girl are in a different room. As they look at the flaming wreck that was once his hotel room, Bond concludes that they made the right decision to go to her room and not his.

Nice

Small-Fawcett informs Bond that Largo's yacht is headed for Southern France. Bond goes to Nice in pursuit, where he is met at the airport by Nicole, a French Intelligence officer. Also at the airport is Felix Leiter, who had been absent from the official series for a number of years. Played by Bernie Casey, this was the first time Felix Leiter was depitcted as black, a suggestion made by Sean Connery who felt that a change was needed, since the character was normally forgotten. Leiter would again be portrayed as black 23 years later when Jeffrey Wright played the character in Casino Royale andQuantum of Solace. Although Casey loses points for playing an unofficial version of Felix, he turns in a solid performance and comes across as one of the better incarnations of the character.

Felix, Nicole, and James

Bond and Leiter discuss Domino, realizing that her surname is Petachi. She is the sister of Captain Jack Petachi, a little tidbit they find to be rather suspicious, seeing as how Petachi was killed just outside the Air Force base where the warheads had been switched. Bond decides to follow Domino to a local spa. Pretending to be an employee, he gives her a REALLY creepy massage and learns that Largo is holding a charity ball that night.

Bond sneaks into the ball that evening as he is unknowingly followed by Fatima Blush. He catches up with Domino in a scene which indicates that arcades were quite the novelty back then. She is a little disturbed at seeing the man who pretended to be her masseuse, but agrees to have a drink with him. Largo interrupts and invites Bond to play an advanced table-top video game called Domination, in which each side battles for various countries of the world by shooting targets on the map. When a player's army receives a hit, an electric shock is sent to that player's joysticks. If a player lets go, they automatically lose. Largo insists they play for real money, increasing the stakes.

Yeah…it's as hard to follow as it sounds

Bond is initially kind of bad at the game. He eventually gets the hang of it and comes out on top, despite the pain both men experience by holding onto the joysticks. I've gotta hand it to them. Putting Bond in this kind of situation was rather novel and is arguably the sequence that really sets the film apart from the official series. It's a little weird to see Bond playing video games in lieu of cards, and there is absolutely no suspense, but kudos for trying.

Instead of accepting the money he won from the game, Bond insists on dancing with Domino as payment. As they dance the tango (another scene that is just too long and drawn out to enjoy), Bond informs her of her brother's death and that Largo was involved. Meanwhile, Largo orders Fatima Blush to try to kill Bond again.

Bond arrives back at the safehouse and finds Nicole dead. He spots Fatima Blush escaping in her car, and he chases after her on a motorcycle issued to him by Q. It is here that the film really lacks a solid score. What little music there is doesn't fit with what's going on, and it's clear they felt they had no choice but to feature no music at all for most of it. Apart from that, the motorcycle chase is rather well filmed as Bond not only tries to catch Fatima but is ambushed by more of her men.

I'm just glad he's wearing a helmet

Fatima manages to trap Bond in a narrow alleyway and knocks him off his motorcycle. In keeping with the ridiculousness of the film, she holds him at gunpoint and insists he endorse a note stating that she gave him the most pleasure of any woman he has ever been with. It's a really funny sequence due to Connery's ability to deliver dry humor (pretty much the reason all the one-liners in this film work). Bond uses the Union Jack fountain pen given to him by Q, which is in actuality a mini rocket launcher. He fires it into Fatima's stomach and she explodes in a ball of fire. As fitting an end as this is, her presence is missed as the remainder of the film goes drastically downhill, much more so than the conclusion of Thunderball, which slightly suffered after the death of Fiona Volpe.

Why does everything in this movie have to be so weird?

The next day, Leiter helps Bond sneak aboard the Flying Saucer. He is quickly caught by one of the servants, but he gets by with the excuse that Largo had invited him to lunch (which he actually did at the charity ball). After a brief tour, Bond is allowed to roam the yacht at his leisure. Domino brings him into the dance studio to talk about her brother's death. Largo tries to listen in, but the wacky porn music prevents him from doing so. Domino shows the Tears of Allah necklace to Bond, who proceeds to kiss her, knowing that Largo is watching. His intention of provoking a reaction is successful as Largo rushes into the studio in a fit of jealous rage. Bond slips away and sneaks into the control room where he sends a message to M to let him know the yacht is headed to North Africa.

North Africa

The Flying Saucer reaches Palmyra, Largo's lavish North African fortress. Largo forces Bond and Domino to remain captive there while he leaves to commence with SPECTRE's plan, but not before he plants a really gross, slobbery kiss on Domino and tells Bond the actual location of one of the bombs: Washington D.C.

Domino is arranged to be sold to the locals as a sex slave while Bond breaks free of the metal chains he is bound in using his laser wrist watch. He makes his escape and rescues Domino on horseback. It's at this point that the movie starts to drag more than any other Bond film in existence. What could have been exciting is hindered by the fact that the movie should be over by now. Bond and Domino plunge their horse into the sea in order to escape the pursuing locals, which resulted in the film featuring the disclaimer that no animals were harmed during the making of the film.

This is getting uncomfortable…

Felix Leiter appears with a Navy submarine, which rescues Bond and Domino from their pursuers. After a moment of relaxation, Bond is sent after Largo to find the location of the second bomb.

Ethiopia

They realize that the Flying Saucer is headed toward a phallic shaped island on the Ehtiopian coast that matches the contours of the design on the Tears of Allah necklace. The necklace itself contains a small jewel marking the location of the second bomb. Bond and Leiter head out to that particular spot in some rather odd, clunky looking jet packs. Whether or not this is meant to be a tribute to the jet pack in the original Thunderball is a mystery. Once they reach land, they sneak into the hidden desert cave where Largo and his men are moving the bomb. A gun battle ensues, but once again, at this point it's really hard to care because this movie is starting to feel REALLY LONG!

I just can't bring myself to care anymore

Production Values

Apart from the aforementioned last minute re-writes, production was often contentious as Sean Connery, who compared the experience to working in a toilet, grew to dislike several members of the crew, including producer Jack Schwartzman. The film exceeded its budget and Schwartzman found himself in over his head financially, which led to clashes with Irvin Kershner, who ended up entrusting much of the film's production to Connery himself.

While the film is well-acted and Sean Connery seems to be enjoying himself a lot more than he did in his last two official Bond appearances, the film's real downfall came in post-production. As I said earlier, the music is horrendous and completely inappropriate for a Bond film. There are certainly some Bond-like elements to be found elsewhere, but the film's second half moves at a snail's pace and one can count on finding him or herself playing on their smartphone by the time the action moves to North Africa. It almost feels as if the first half was the sole focus of the script re-writes.

Sean Connery looking to make sure you're still paying attention

The location and production values were as high as any Bond film of its time, and it's clear that a lot of effort was put into making this as good a movie as it could possibly be. Never Say Never Again tries as hard as it can to differentiate itself from Thunderball, most noticeably by confining the Bahamas setting to a very limited number of scenes. Still, the fact that it re-treads old Bond material and lacks many crucial Bond film elements makes you wonder if it was all just one big wasted effort.

One interesting aspect of the film is its emphasis on James Bond's age, something the official series had chosen to ignore up to that point. Connery is clearly meant to be playing an older, battle weary 007 who has been put out to pasture. It is an interesting dynamic that justifies Connery's return, although there are times in this film when I feel like he should have stuck to his "never again" mentality. I have read that Connery's intent was to re-create the realistic atmosphere of From Russia with Love, his favorite Bond film, but I've gotta say…I don't see any similarities between Never Say Never Again and any of his earlier ones. It tries too hard to be a Roger Moore Bond film with Connery in the lead, making it feel like it was influenced much more by the direction the series had taken during the late 70's and early 80's.

He doesn't quite look the same either

Possibly due to going over-budget, there is very little in terms of action and suspense, as most of the film is devoted to one-liners and dialogue-driven plot devices. While this is fine (and necessary) to a certain extent, it really makes you miss the fantastic stunt work and creative action pieces found in the official Bond films of the time. Clearly, they went out of their way not to feature too many underwater sequences, likely due to the backlash Thunderball has received over the years, but it doesn't stop it from being dull. It seems that when the action tries to start up again near the end of the film, when Bond escapes the shootout in Largo's desert oasis and heads into the open sea to catch him, we are too exhausted and bored to even care.

Largo and his men escape after triggering an explosion to prevent Bond from going after them. Instead, he makes his way back to the surface and uses a Navy helicopter to transport him to a well leading to the ocean, which he enters in order to catch up to Largo. The climactic underwater sequence is poorly lit, confusing, and straight up boring. People giveThunderball crap for its underwater scenes, but none of them hold a candle to how bad this one is. It's hard to tell who is who until Bond makes his way to the bomb and begins disarming it. Largo is about to kill him, but Domino arrives with several Navy divers and shoots Largo with a harpoon. Why the Navy let her do this is beyond me, but it's a criticism shared with the novel in which the same thing occurs.

And why is she leading the way?

Bond decides to retire following his harrowing adventure, and returns with Domino to the Bahamas. Nigel Small-Fawcett finds them relaxing in the pool of a lavish estate (which in actuality was the house of Kevin McClory). Small-Fawcett pleads on behalf of M for Bond to return to the service, but Bond insists that "never again" will he go back on assignment. Domino is skeptical, and Bond quietly winks at the camera, marking one of the few times he has broken the fourth wall.

The closest we get to a gunbarrel sequence

Release and Aftermath

EON Productions fought to the bitter end to prevent the film's release, but Kevin McClory's legal rights won the courts over. The production issues caused a slight delay and Never Say Never Again wasn't released until six months after Octopussy. Reviews were fairly positive, mainly focusing on the triumphant return of Sean Connery as James Bond. However, a number of negative reviews focused on the film's slow pacing, its re-hash of the Thunderball storyline, and its lack of famous James Bond elements (the James Bond theme, the gunbarrel sequence, etc.) that audiences had come to expect.

Despite a hot start at the weekend box office, the film's total intake of $160 million ultimately fell short of Octopussy's $187.5 million. Many fans, myself NOT being one of them, still consider it to be the best Bond film of 1983 and an improvement over Thunderball. Famous James Bond scholar and continuation author Raymond Benson heaped high praise on the film in his 1984 reference book The James Bond Bedside Companion, comparing its level of sophistication and realism to that of the first three Bond films. I wonder if he still feels that way…

I mean, the dancing is pretty realistic

Kevin McClory intended Never Say Never Again to be the first in a rival series of Bond films, all of which would have to be based on elements of the original Thunderball storyline in order to stay legal. The film's production problems led to Sean Connery leaving the role behind (this time for good) and Jack Schwartzman to pursue other endeavors. Over a decade later, McClory announced Warhead 2000 AD, a third version of Thunderball starring former Bond Timothy Dalton and Sean Connery as Blofeld (neither of whom actually agreed to it), with a pending release date of 1997. Nothing ever came of this, and Sony Pictures, which owned the film rights to Casino Royale thanks to the 1967 spoof version, bought the Thunderball rights from McClory, intending to continue his vision of releasing a rival Bond series. Further legal action ensued and a settlement led to EON Productions obtaining the rights to all Bond films, including Never Say Never Again. McClory continued to proclaim his intention to make another Bond film until his death in 2006 at age 82. In 2013, his estate relinquished what little rights they still held onto. The agreement they struck with EON Productions led to the return of SPECTRE and Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 2015 film SPECTRE.

The look on McClory's face ifSPECTREhad come out while he was still alive

After Never Say Never Again, Jack Schwartzman continued producing films through his company, Taliafilm. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 at the age of 61. Irvin Kershner stayed active in filmmaking, most notably directing the critically panned RoboCop 2 and serving on the faculty of several universities. He died of lung cancer in 2010 at the age of 87.

After several false alarms, Sean Connery finally retired from the role of James Bond. The negative experience of working on the film led to a brief hiatus, which preceded a career resurgence when he returned to acting in the 1986 films The Name of the Rose and Highlander. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in the 1987 film The Untouchables. In a nod to the series' James Bond inspired roots, Connery appeared as Henry Jones, Sr. in the final film of the original Indiana Jones trilogy: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Throughout the 90's, his career evolved into playing older, seasoned characters in films such as The Hunt for Red October, Rising Sun, The Rock, Entrapment, and Finding Forrester. Sir Sean Connery was knighted in 2000 for his services to film.

A string of box office disappointments, culminating in the critically panned The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, led to Connery's disillusionment with filmmaking and he retired from acting in 2003. He continued to make public appearances, including his acceptance of the American Film Institute's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Despite his official retirement, both from James Bond and acting in general, he agreed to provide his likeness and original voiceover work for the 2005 James Bond video game adaptation/update of From Russia with Love, an experience he has said to have enjoyed.

Klaus Maria Brandauer went on to play a major supporting role in the 1985 Oscar winning film Out of Africa and later reunited with Sean Connery in the 1990 film The Russia House. He continued to appear in various European films until as recently as 2013. After her turn as a leading Bond girl, Kim Basinger quickly launched into A-list status with roles in films such as 9½ Weeks and Tim Burton's Batman. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1997 film L.A. Confidential before slowing her career down as her highly publicized marriage to actor Alec Baldwin came to an end. She has appeared in various supporting roles over the past few decades.

Max von Sydow has continued his illustrious career, including recent appearances as the Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones and as Lor San Tekka at the beginning of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Barbara Carrera continued her work as an artist and model following Never Say Never Again. She retired from acting in 2004. Bernie Casey made memorable appearances in film and television hits such as Revenge of the Nerds, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Another 48 Hrs. He died of a stroke in 2017 at the age of 78.

For as long as it has existed, there has been much debate as to whether or not Never Say Never Again should be considered an official Bond film, or at the very least critiqued alongside the others. Occasionally, it can be found on many critics' lists, where it usually ranks near the bottom. I agree that its slow pacing and lack of familiar James Bond elements greatly hinder it. I often find myself skipping it when watching a Bond film marathon from start to finish, as it can be hard to get through. That being said, it has some really witty dialogue and there are certain scenes (the fight with Lippe, "your place or mine", the death of Fatima Blush) that stand out for their ingenuity and ability to build off the Bond film formula. Yet it is a vastly inferior remake of Thunderball and is clearly the loser of the 1983 Battle of the Bonds, but for some reason I have fond memories of watching it as a kid. It is also interesting to note how many Bondian elements originated in this film that were later replicated in the official series - the laser watch and explosive pen in GoldenEye and Bond's advancing age in Skyfall come to mind.

I recommend watching this film more as a curiosity than anything. How many times do you get a remake almost two decades later that features the same actor in the leading role? It is a good companion piece to some of the official Bond films, including Octopussy and Thunderball. Just prepare yourself to be extremely bored by the end of it.