007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
June 20, 2014Never Say Never Again is a 1983 spy film based on the James Bond novel Thunderball, which was previously adapted in 1965 under that name. Unlike the majority of Bond films, Never Say Never Again was not produced by Eon Productions, but by an independent production company, one of whose members was Kevin McClory, one of the original writers of the Thunderball storyline with Ian Fleming and Jack Whittingham. McClory retained the filming rights of the novel following a long legal battle dating from the 1960s.
The film was directed by Irvin Kershner and, like Thunderball, stars Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent James Bond, 007, marking his return to the role 12 years after Diamonds Are Forever. The film’s title references how Connery said to the press in 1971 that he would “never again” play James Bond. As Connery was 52 at the time of filming, the storyline features an ageing Bond, who is brought back into action to investigate the theft of two nuclear weapons by SPECTRE. Filming locations included France, Spain, the Bahamas and Elstree Studios in England.
- Sean Connery as James Bond, MI6 agent 007.
- Kim Basinger as Domino Petachi, sister of Jack Petachi and mistress of Maximillian Largo.
- Klaus Maria Brandauer as Maximillian Largo; based on the character Emilio Largo, a senior member of SPECTRE.
- Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush; based on Fiona Volpe and a member of SPECTRE.
- Bernie Casey as Felix Leiter, Bond’s CIA contact and friend.
- Max von Sydow as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the head of SPECTRE.
- Edward Fox as M, Bond’s superior at MI6.
- Rowan Atkinson as Nigel Small-Fawcett, Foreign Office representative in the Bahamas.
- Gavan O’Herlihy as Jack Petachi, a pilot used by SPECTRE to steal the nuclear missiles. He is Domino Petachi’s brother.
- Alec McCowen as Q (also known as Algy)
- Pamela Salem as Miss Moneypenny, M’s secretary
- Saskia Cohen Tanugi as Nicole, Bond’s MI6 contact in France
- Prunella Gee as Patricia Fearing, a physiotherapist at the clinic
- Valerie Leon as “Lady in Bahamas”, a tourist in the Bahamas and Bond girl.
- John Stephen Hill as Communications Officer
- Milow Kirek as Kovacs
- Pat Roach as Lippe
- Anthony Sharp as Lord Ambrose