The Untouchables

Based on the memoir by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, The Untouchables is the story of a group of police officers and detectives who try to take down Al Capone during the Prohibition era. Directed by Brian de Palma and screenplay by David Mamet, the film is a look into the formation of this group led by Ness as it is set in 1930 Chicago with Kevin Costner playing the role of Ness. Also starring Robert de Niro, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Patricia Clarkson, Billy Drago, and Sean Connery. The Untouchables is a thrilling and mesmerizing film from Brian de Palma.

Set in 1930 Chicago during the era of Prohibition where Al Capone (Robert de Niro) ruled the city and created havoc, the film revolves around Eliot Ness and his team of incorruptible men who are willing to take down Capone by any means while bringing him to justice. It’s a film that is a dramatized take on the events where Ness arrives into the city as an outsider for the treasury department as his early attempts to shut down Capone is met with embarrassment. Upon meeting an Irish beat cop in Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), Ness learns that he can’t trust the police as he teams up with Malone as well as an academy trainee in George Stone (Andy Garcia) and a bureau accountant in Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) to stop Capone and get evidence over the unpaid taxes that were never recorded.

The film’s screenplay by David Mamet doesn’t just explore the conflict between Capone and the Untouchables but also what is at stake. Notably as one of the early scenes in the film involves a bombing at a neighborhood where a young girl dies which forces Ness to really do something where he later meets that girl’s mother. Being a family man himself, Ness realizes he must do what he can to protect his wife and children from being killed as he is eventually targeted following a series of successful raids. It’s among the elements that Mamet does which gives some gravitas to the story as well as creating characters that are very engaging where Malone is a man that had seen it all and believes that Ness is the man that is willing to bring order back to the world. Stone is an Italian-American who is a great marksman and is street-smart as he is someone that wants to change the perception of what people think of Italians despite the fact that he changed his name.

Wallace is just a simple accountant who is crucial to the team as he would make some discoveries into Capone’s finances as well as see what businesses he is linked to. Then there’s Capone as he is this loose cannon that barks orders as well as be someone that thrives being in power. Through monologues written by Mamet, it adds a sense of iconography into Capone as a man who has this idea that he owns Chicago and believes he will take over the world. It definitely adds a lot into the conflict where Mamet’s script manages to play up this sort of rise-and-fall scenario on Capone in the hands of Ness and the Untouchables but the third act also reveals exactly what happens when Capone gets pushed into the edge and will do anything to keep his empire afloat.

Brian de Palma’s direction is definitely entrancing in terms of not just the visuals he creates but also in the fact that he goes for a lot of style to play up the world of 1930s Chicago as he would shoot the film on location in the city. From the usage of overhead shots to open the film where Capone is getting a shave, a manicure, and a shoe shine to the intricate usage of crane shots and close-ups. The direction of de Palma is always filled with some sense of technical wizardry in how he would put his actors into a frame such as a church conversation where Ness is in the foreground and Malone is in the background in one shot and then cut to a medium shot of the two with the camera in front of them. The sense of intimacy in de Palma’s usage of close-ups and medium shots add to the camaraderie between Ness, Malone, Stone, and Wallace in their pursuit to bring order.

The direction also has some very unique touches that does pay ode to elements of cinema such a key sequence at the Chicago train station which pays homage to the Odessa steps sequence from Battleship Potemkin. It adds to the sense of drama and what is at stake where it is clear that Ness isn’t just trying to do good for Chicago but also to make sure that the little girl who was killed by a bomb would find peace. Even as it leads to Capone being put on trial where there is still an element of suspense in its climax about the idea on if justice will be served or will Capone buy his way out of the jail sentence. It all plays part into the dangerous world that is 1930s Chicago and the era of Prohibition that has caused so much violence all because people wanted to drink alcohol with Ness needing to uphold the law the best way he can to keep people safe. Overall, de Palma crafts a very lavish yet gripping film about a lawman’s war against Al Capone.

Cinematographer Stephen H. Burum does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the lavish usage of lights to play up the high-class lifestyle that Capone lives in to the usage of more naturalistic yet low-key lights for the more simple lifestyle of Ness and the Untouchables live in. Editors Gerald B. Greenberg and Bill Pankow do amazing work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts and slow-motion cuts that play into the drama and action that occurs in the film along with some very offbeat rhythms for the suspenseful moments. Art director William A. Elliot, with set decorators Patrizia von Brandenstein and Hal Gausman, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the Livingston hotel and the suites that Capone lives in to some of the factories where some of the bootlegging occurs. Costume designer Marilyn Vance does brilliant work with the costumes from street clothes and uniforms some of the cops wear as well as the suits that Capone wears which are designed by Giorgio Armani.

Makeup artist Michael Hancock and hair stylist Bette Iverson do nice work with some of the minimal makeup for the look of Al Capone as well as the hairstyle that women sported during those times. Sound editor Dan Sable does superb work with the sound to create some sound effects for some of the darker moments in the film as well as the elements of suspense. The film’s music by Ennio Morricone is incredible for its mixture of bombastic orchestral textures and offbeat themes to play into some of the humor and drama as it is really among one of the finest scores ever while music supervisor Emile Charlap brings in the music of Duke Ellington and other jazz pieces of the times to play into that period.

The casting by Lyn Stalmaster and Mali Finn is remarkable as it features some notable small roles from Clifton James as a district attorney, Richard Bradford as the police chief Mike Dorsett who reluctantly helps Ness early on as he‘s an old friend of Malone, Jack Kehoe as Capone’s bookkeeper Walter Payne, Brad Sullivan as one of Capone’s associates named George who gets captured by the Untouchables and the Mounties in Canada, Billy Drago as Capone’s key cleaner Frank Nitti, and Patricia Clarkson in a small but wonderful performance as Ness’ wife. Charles Martin Smith is excellent as Oscar Wallace as an accountant for the bureau who helps Ness in uncovering many of Capone’s finance as he becomes part of the Untouchables as someone that isn’t afraid to carry a shotgun. Andy Garcia is fantastic as George Stone as an Italian-American who uses a fake name in order to hide his real name out of fear of prejudice yet proves to be a skilled marksman and be loyal to what Ness wants to do.

Robert de Niro is brilliant as Al Capone where de Niro brings a lot of charm and smarminess to the role as well as being very violent and full of bravado as he definitely makes Capone larger than life. Sean Connery is amazing as Jimmy Malone as this Irish beat cop who had seen a lot as he helps Ness in bringing down Capone while realizing many of the bad things that is happening where he goes to some great extremes to get answers as it’s Connery in one of his best roles ever. Finally, there’s Kevin Costner in a marvelous performance as Eliot Ness as a treasury department agent who is tasked to bring Capone down as well as do what he needs to protect his family and make sure that the people of Chicago will feel safe.

The Untouchables is a phenomenal film from Brian de Palma. Featuring a great cast led by Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert de Niro as well as compelling script by David Mamet, lavish visuals, and Ennio Morricone’s thrilling score. The film isn’t just one of the finest films of the gangster film genre but also a mesmerizing film that plays into the world of law and order vs. crime. In the end, The Untouchables is a sensational film from Brian de Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Marnie

Based on the novel by Winston Graham, Marnie is the story of a woman who is a compulsive thief as she gets married to a man who tries to figure out what she does and why. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and screenplay by Jay Presson Allen, the film is an exploration into the mind of a troubled woman who steals and has many phobias as her husband tries to help as she is played by Tippi Hedren. Also starring Sean Connery, Diane Baker, and Martin Gabel. Marnie is a rapturous and provocative film from Alfred Hitchcock.

The film is really the study of a compulsive thief who steals from banks through various disguises as she catches the attention of a publishing company owner whom she would reluctantly marry. It’s a film that explores the mind of this troubled woman who has fears of thunderstorms, the color red, and men touching her as it plays into something that she is hiding. Even as Marnie is this woman who can be in control whenever she doesn’t see red or be surrounded by thunderstorms as her behavior is seen by this man in Mark Rutland (Sean Connery) who investigates a previous theft as he tries to figure out who she is and such. Jay Presson Allen’s screenplay takes its structure where its first act is about the first theft and who Marnie is as her visit with her estranged mother (Louise Latham) play into some of Marnie’s peculiar behavior as she would put on another disguise to target Rutland’s building as he is very suspicious about her.

Allen’s script not only focuses on who Marnie is and the many disguises she takes but also in Rutland’s interest in her as he is trying to figure her out. While Rutland’s intentions are noble in to see what makes Marnie tick and why she behaves so strangely. He eventually becomes more sympathetic once he realizes some of the things in Marnie’s past though she refuses to say anything to him about her life. His actions into figuring out money would cause a lot of confusion among those close to him including his former sister-in-law Lil (Diane Baker) who tries to figure what Rutland is doing. Even as she would press buttons that would push Marnie near to the edge as her behavior would start to unravel.

Alfred Hitchcock’s direction is very interesting not just in his approach to melodrama but also in letting the suspense play out very slowly. While there are elements of styles that occur for backdrops in scenes set in a car or when Marnie is racing a horse. It’s only set into a minimum where Hitchcock is more concerned about the drama as he utilizes a lot of medium shots and close-ups to play into the drama. Even in moments such as flashes of red and lightning to play into Marnie’s sense of fear where Hitchcock would go for some stylish camera angles and moments to play into Marnie’s troubled state of mind. There’s also some very chilling scenes where it plays to how Marnie would react in its aftermath where she could be in denial at times or be very troubled. Especially in the film’s climax where aspects of Marnie’s previous thefts come back to haunt her just as Rutland starts to learn more of Marnie’s past as it would lead to this very dramatic confrontation. Overall, Hitchcock creates a very gripping yet evocative drama about a man trying to save a troubled woman.

Cinematographer Robert Burks does amazing work with the film‘s rich and colorful cinematography from its scenes set on the cruise ship to exterior setting near Philadelphia and at the home where Rutland lives. Editor George Tomasini does fantastic work with the editing with its stylish use of dissolves and jump-cuts to play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Robert F. Boyle and set decorator George Milo do excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the Rutland family home to the publishing house where Rutland does much of his business.

Gown designer Edith Head does brilliant work with the dresses and gowns that Marnie and Lil wear in many of their outings including parties. Hairstylist Virginia Darcy does wonderful work with the different hairstyles that Marnie would sport in her surroundings. Sound recorders William Russell and Waldon O. Watson do superb work with the sound from the way the thunderstorms would sound to the taps on the windows in how it would play to Marnie‘s sense of fear. The film’s music by Bernard Herrmann is sublime in its orchestral setting with some very intense and flourishing string arrangements for the suspenseful moments to more lush textures in its dramatic and somber moments.

The film’s phenomenal cast features notable small roles from Bruce Dern as a young sailor, Melody Scott Thomas as a young Marnie, Kimberly Beck as a young girl named Jessie whom Marnie’s mother watches over, Alan Napier as Rutland’s father, Bob Sweeney as Rutland’s suspicious cousin Bob, Mariette Hartley as Marnie’s co-worker in Susan, and Martin Gabel in a terrific role as a former boss of Marnie who is suspicious of her after she had stolen money from him. Louise Latham is amazing as Marnie’s mother as a woman who is very wholesome in her persona as she tries to get Marnie to find someone as it’s a role that is very chilling to watch. Diane Baker is fantastic as Rutland’s former sister-in-law Lil who has a thing for Rutland as she copes with Marnie coming into the family while wondering what Rutland is doing as she would try to push Marnie’s buttons.

Sean Connery is incredible as Mark Rutland as this publishing house owner who is intrigued by Marnie and her secretive persona as he starts to fall for her while trying to figure out her strange behavior. Finally, there’s Tippi Hedren in a magnificent performance as the titular character as this woman of great beauty who can steal things in the best way as it is really a cover for someone who is extremely troubled as she is often carrying something to represent the emotional and mental baggage of her turbulent life.

Marnie is a remarkable film from Alfred Hitchcock that features great performances from Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery. The film isn’t just an eerie story about a woman’s troubled state of mind but also in the form of an unconventional love story with lots of twists and turns. In the end, Marnie is a riveting and mesmerizing film from Alfred Hitchcock.

Alfred Hitchcock Films: (Number 13) - (The Pleasure Garden) - (The Blackguard) - (The Mountain Eagle) - (The Lodger) - (A Story of the London Fog) - (The Ring) - (Downhill) - (The Farmer’s Wife) - (Easy Virtue) - (Champagne) - (The Manxman) - (Blackmail) - (Juno and the Paycock) - (Murder!) - (The Skin Game) - (Mary) - (Lord Camber’s Ladies) - (Rich and Strange) - (Number Seventeen) - (Waltzes from Vienna) - (The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)) - The 39 Steps - (Secret Agent) - (Sabotage) - (Young and Innocent) - The Lady Vanishes - (Jamaica Inn) - Rebecca - (Foreign Correspondent) - (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) - Suspicion - (Saboteur) - (Shadow of a Doubt) - Bon Voyage - Lifeboat - (Spellbound) - Notorious - (The Paradine Cage) - Rope - (Under Capricorn) - (Stage Fright) - Strangers on a Train - I Confess - Dial M for Murder - Rear Window - To Catch a Thief - (The Trouble with Harry) - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film) - (The Wrong Man) - Vertigo - North by Northwest - Psycho - The Birds - (Torn Curtain) - (Topaz) - (Frenzy) - (Family Plot)

© thevoid99 2014

Time Bandits

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Michael Palin, Time Bandits is the story of a boy who goes on an adventure with a group of time-traveling dwarves where he travels to different periods in time. The film is an exploration into the world of fantasy and man trying to fight the impossible as it is the first part of a trilogy of films about dreamers. Starring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Michael Palin, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Peter Vaughn, and David Warner. Time Bandits is a funny yet enjoyable fantasy film from Terry Gilliam.

A young boy named Kevin (Craig Warnock) enjoys reading adventures about all sorts of things while his parents (David Daker and Sheila Fearn) are more obsessed with household appliances and TV shows. One day, a gang of time traveling dwarf bandits come out of his closet looking for a time hole as they carry a map that get them through each time hole in order to steal riches from different periods of time. Leading the pack is Randall (David Rappaport) as he admits to stealing the map from the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson and the voice of Tony Jay) as Kevin finds himself being part of the adventure. There, Kevin and the bandits land in the Napoleonic wars where the bandits find themselves having to entertain Napoleon Bonaparte (Ian Holm) where they successfully steal some treasure.

After finding themselves in the Middle Ages where they meet Robin Hood (John Cleese) where they end up having their take being given to the poor, Randall and the bandits ponder where to go next. Unaware that a sorcerer known as Evil (David Warner) is watching them, the bandits continue their journey where they’re being chased by the Supreme Being as Kevin finds himself in Mycenaean Greece where he saved the life of King Agamemnon (Sean Connery). Being happy around King Agamemnon, Kevin hopes to stay there until the bandits finally appear to steal more riches and take Kevin where they find themselves in the 20th Century on a ship. Randall believes that through the map that there’s a place into the unknown that can lead them to something that is considered to be the most fantastic object of the world. Kevin reluctantly joins them where they encounter more trouble where Kevin realizes what is going on forcing he and the bandits to fight Evil.

The film is essentially the story about a young boy who joins a group of time-traveling dwarves into an adventure into different periods of time where they steal riches while going after something that is to be even better than riches unaware that they’re watched by an evil sorcerer. That’s pretty much what the story is about though it is a film that is about a boy trying to find a place where he belongs as he feels out of place with the modern world as his parents are just obsessed with the technologies of the times. Throughout this adventure with this gang of dwarves that likes to steal and do things, this young boy would encounter worlds that are very different from the modern world as he feels like he belongs there.

The screenplay by Terry Gilliam and his Monty Python cohort Michael Palin does have a traditional structure into the motivations of how young Kevin sees things throughout his journey. Notably as the journeys he takes would play into his development and understanding of the world itself. He enjoys going back in time but he doesn’t like what the dwarves do as things get more complicated in the third act when the dwarves begin to doubt Randall over his obsession with going into this mysterious world. Particularly as they’re all unaware that they’re being watched by this evil sorcerer who wants the map they can carry to spread evil into the world. While the script is essentially a fantasy story, it’s also very comical since a lot of the situations are absurd and things do very silly such as the fact that the characters often drop in on a couple (Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall) and ruining their moment.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is definitely big in terms of its presentation where it is all about these elaborate set pieces, different locations, and all sorts of hi-jinks the characters encounter. Through some amazing compositions where Gilliam puts a lot into the frame in order to establish the world the characters encounter. He also makes sure that it’s about this group of dwarves and this young boy while he does take his time to establish what the evil sorcerer wants to do. The direction also includes some vast wide shots of some of these elaborate set pieces where things often feel offbeat such as the climatic world in the third act. Still, Gilliam manages to find a way to keep things offbeat in its humor and intentions while creating something that can appeal to a young audience. Overall, Gilliam creates a fantastic film that plays up to world of imagination and the yearn to escape from the doldrums of the modern world.

Cinematographer Peter Bizou does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the very sunny and vast look of the King Agamemnon sequence to the more dreary look of the dark world that the sorcerer lives in. Editor Julian Doyle does wonderful work with the editing by creating some unique rhythms for the film’s action scenes along with some stylish slow-motion cuts for some of its intense moments. Production designer Milly Burns and art director Norman Garwood do amazing work with the vast set design that is created from the look of King Agamemnon’s palace, the castle where Napoleon is being entertained, and the dark underworld where the sorcerer lives in.

Costume designer James Acheson, with additional work from Hazel Cote, does terrific work with the costumes to capture the many different periods from the robes of King Agamemnon, the look of Robin Hood, and uniform worn by Napoleon. Hair and makeup work by Maggie Weston and Elaine Carew is superb for the look of some of the characters including the evil sorcerer that is over the top. The sound work of Allen Hurd is very good for the atmosphere that is created in parts of the films including the party scene at King Agamemnon’s hall. The music by Mike Moran is a delight to hear not just for its bombastic orchestral score but also for its playfulness as it serves as a great accompaniment to the film’s humorous moments. The music also includes a song by one of the film’s executives producers in George Harrison that plays up to the film’s whimsical charm.

The film’s cast is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some noteworthy small roles from Jim Broadbent as a game show host, Peter Vaughn as an ogre named Winston, Katherine Helmond as the ogre’s wife, David Daker and Sheila Fearn as Kevin’s parents, and Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall as a loving couple often interrupted by the appearances of the dwarves. Other appearances that are definitely played for laughs include Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte and John Cleese as a somewhat dim-witted Robin Hood. Sean Connery is superb as King Agamemnon where he displays a great sense of prestige in his role. David Warner is terrific as the sorcerer Evil who is very over-the-top while Ralph Richardson is wonderful as the very witty Supreme Being.

The performances by the dwarves in Tiny Ross, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, Malcolm Dixon, and Kenny Baker are definitely amazing to watch as well as Jack Rappaport as the conniving leader of the gang in Randall. Finally, there’s Craig Warnock in a marvelous performance as Kevin who is intrigued by the world of adventure and imagination as he deals with his journey as well as the evil forces that he later has to fight.

Time Bandits is an extraordinary yet witty film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast and amazing set pieces, the film is definitely among one of Gilliam’s best films. Notably as it’s also a very accessible film that offers something more to a wide audience including children. In the end, Time Bandits is a whimsical yet adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2013

007 James Bond Marathon: Never Say Never Again

Based on Ian Fleming’s Thunderball that was co-written with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham, Never Say Never Again is the story of an aging James Bond returning to action to investigate the theft of nuclear bombs by SPECTRE as he travels to the Bahamas to confront one of its members. Directed by Irvin Kershner and screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., Dick Clement, and Ian Le Frenais, the film is an updated remake of Thunderball as Sean Connery returns to play Bond for one last run. Also starring Kim Basinger, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Barbara Carrera, Bernie Casey, Rowan Atkinson, and Max von Sydow as Blofeld. Never Say Never Again is a compelling yet adventurous film from Irving Kershner.

Following a training exercise, James Bond is sent to a health spa to get in shape where he notices something strange going when a nurse (Barbara Carrera) beats up a patient named Jack Petachi (Gavan O’Herlihy). The nurse is revealed to be Fatima Blush, a member of SPECTRE, who wants Petachi to place nuclear bombs in two cruise missiles for SPECTRE to steal. The mission succeeds as Blush disposes of Petachi as word is sent to SPECTRE’s leader Blofeld who makes a threat to the world about the bombs he has. The news forces M (Edward Fox) to revive the 00 section as Bond is back in the game to find the bombs as he goes to the Bahamas to follow SPECTRE’s second in command in Maximillian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer).

Bond meets Blush where he tries to get information only to survive a series of assassination attempts where British official Nigel Small-Fawcett (Rowan Atkinson) reveals that Largo’s yacht went to Nice, France. With help from Felix Leiter, Bond locates Largo’s yacht where he would meet Largo’s mistress Domino Petachi (Kim Basinger) at a spa as he would later see her again at charity event in a casino. Bond also meets Largo for the first time as the two play a 3D video game of world domination where Bond wins as he would complicate things after telling Domino about what really happened to her brother. After another assassination attempt that Bond survived, he and Leiter try to sneak onboard Largo’s yacht where Bond is captured as he is later taken to Palmyra. Learning about what Largo is up to for SPECTRE, it’s up to Bond to once again save the world.

In this updated version of Thunderball, the film is about an aging James Bond who is suddenly asked to get back in the game to stop another plot from SPECTRE involving nuclear warheads and extortion. It’s a story that has Bond taking on new challenges as well as aging where he deals with the fact that he’s almost feeling irrelevant. It would take SPECTRE and a few minor incidents that would allow M to reactivate Bond back into the game as the rules have changed but what Bond must do remains the same. In facing Maximillian Largo, Bond meets someone who is intent on doing something for SPECTRE as he treasures a lot of things including his mistress Domino. When he has to deal with Bond, a real dark side emerges as he realizes how much of a threat Bond is. While the screenplay plays to a formula that is expected, it does manage to create moments of suspense and humor that does work for what is needed.

Irving Kershner’s direction is very extraordinary in the way he opens the film with Bond on a dangerous training exercise as well as the fact that it carries a lot of the tropes of the Bond film. Still, Kershner does manage to create some things that does standout such as the video game sequence to establish the new world Bond has to encounter. Notably as he has to face villains who are keen to rid of him in such grand style as Kershner makes sure that each attempt escalates to see how far they want to get rid of Bond. With locations shot in the Bahamas and the French Rivera, Kershner’s direction always has great compositions to play out the locations as well as the atmosphere in those scenes. Overall, Kershner does an excellent job in creating a Bond film that has all of its attributes as well as a unique take on the character.

Cinematographer Douglas Slocombe does terrific work with the photography from the colorful locations of many of the film‘s exteriors to the soft lenses used in some of the film‘s close-ups. Editor Ian Crafford does nice work with the editing to play up the energy of the action sequences while using more slower cuts to play out its suspense. Production designers Stephen B. Grimes and Philip Harrison, along with set decorator Peter Howitt and art director Leslie Dilley, do fantastic work with the set pieces such as the health spa and the rooms in Largo’s yacht.

Costume designer Charles Knode does brilliant work with the costumes from the clothes the men wear to the array of lavish clothing that Fatima Blush wears to express her wild personality. The visual effects work of David Dryer is pretty good for some of the effects-driven scenes such as the video game battle between Bond and Largo. Sound recorder Simon Kaye does superb work with the sound to play out the atmosphere in the casino scenes as well as some of the action sequences. The film’s score by Michel Legrand is wonderful for its lush, orchestral-driven score that is mixed in with some rhythmic elements to play out the action. The title song by Legrand and lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman is a nice, sweeping ballad sung by Lani Hall that plays in the film’s opening credits as well as a more rhythmic version for the closing credits.

The casting by Maggie Cartier is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable performances from Valerie Leon as a lady in the Bahamas, Prunella Gee as a spa therapist Bond meets, Saskia Cohen Tanugi as Bond’s French contact, Gavan O’Herlihy as Jack Petachi, and Rowan Atkinson in a very humorous performance as a foreign office representative Bond meets in the Bahamas. Other noteworthy small roles as regular characters of the Bond franchise include Pamela Salem as Miss Moneypenny, Alec McCowen as the witty Q, and Edward Fox as a more stricter version of Bond’s superior M. Bernie Casey is excellent as Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter while Max von Sydow is great in a somewhat campy performance as Blofeld.

In one of her early film appearances, Kim Basinger is very good as Largo’s mistress Domino Petachi who is unaware of her boyfriend’s actions as she ends up aiding Bond. Barbara Carrera is superb as Largo’s henchwoman Fatima Blush who tries to get rid of Bond as she brings a lot of exuberance to her character. Klaus Maria Brandauer is terrific as Maximillian Largo by displaying a sense of dark charm to his character as well as the way he is willing to be very evil in his actions. Finally, there’s Sean Connery in a remarkable performance as James Bond where Connery brings a real sense of grit and weariness to the role of an aging Bond who deals with possible irrelevancy and going back to being the man who will save the world.

Never Say Never Again is a marvelous film from Irving Kershner that features an incredible performance from Sean Connery as James Bond. While it may not have some of the elements of other James Bond films, it still has the spirit of Bond in terms of its suspense and action. Notably as it provides a unique take on the character that audiences love. In the end, Never Say Never Again is a fun and stellar film from Irving Kershner.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds are Forever - Live and Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film)

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Diamonds are Forever

Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, Diamonds are Forever is the story of James Bond infiltrating a diamond smuggling operation by Ernst Stavros Blofeld who plans to use the diamonds to build a giant laser. Directed by Guy Hamilton with a screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and Tom Mankiewicz from a screen story by Ian Fleming, the film marks Sean Connery’s return to play James Bond after being absent from the predecessor as the film will mark the last time he plays Bond in its official franchise features. Also starring Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Lana Wood, Jimmy Dean, Bruce Glover, Putter Smith, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. Diamonds are Forever is dazzling yet entertaining film from Guy Hamilton.

After trying to find Ernst Stavros Blofeld (Charles Gray) and getting rid of him, James Bond receives a briefing from M about a diamond smuggling operation that is happening all over the world where many smugglers are mysteriously killed. Bond travels to Amsterdam posing as professional smuggler Peter Franks (Joe Robinson) where he meets a contact named Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) who is also a smuggler herself. After a tussle with the real Franks, Bond gets rid of him and has Franks be a dead James Bond where Bond smuggles fake diamonds into Franks’ body as he and Case arrive in Las Vegas to handle a deal. Bond seems to have the deal made only to be nearly killed by a couple of men in Mr. Wint (Bruce Glover) and Mr. Kidd (Putter Smith).

Bond goes to the prestigious Whyte House hotel and casino where the reclusive Mr. Whyte (Jimmy Dean) supposedly lives at where Bond meets a vivacious woman named Plenty O’Toole (Lana Wood) as he tries to deal with other smugglers over the fake diamonds where Tiffany arrives for Bond to make a plan for her to retrieve the real diamonds. Instead, she gets the diamonds and goes out on her own where Bond finds out that she’s working for someone else whom she admits doesn’t know except for his voice. Bond and Case travel to Whyte’s mining plants where Bond makes a discovery about what Whyte’s scientist Metz (Joseph Furst) is doing with the diamonds as Bond wants to confront Whyte.

After a chase involving Whyte’s men and some police, Bond sneaks into Whyte’s secret suite where he makes a far more chilling discovery of who really lives at the suite. Learning what is really going on and the whereabouts of the real Mr. Whyte, Bond realizes what he must do to save the world from a giant laser blowing up all of the nuclear weapons where it’s next target is some of the world’s major cities.

The film is about James Bond delving into the world of diamond smuggling where he has to save the world once again from a giant laser made by a mysterious villain who plans to hold the world hostage unless he gets some money. That’s the plot of the film although there’s a lot in the screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and Tom Mankiewicz that’s all over the place as the script’s main drawbacks is that there’s a lot that happens that makes the screenplay a bit of a mess. Notably as it aimed to be a Bond film with some humor where the result is a bit mixed as it’s the screenplay isn’t as straightforward as it should’ve been. Plus, the characters such as Tiffany Case aren’t as developed though she does remain interesting while the reveal of the main villain is pretty obvious as it’s a script has an air of familiarity that does make it a bit frustrating. Despite these flaws, the screenplay does what is needed to be done for the Bond story where it at least makes it fun to watch.

Guy Hamilton’s direction is definitely stylish for its array of big sequences such as the climatic helicopter attack on the oil rig as well as a few chase scenes around the desert and in the city of Las Vegas. Yet, it does open with a bang where it sort of picks up where the last film left off as Bond attacks a few characters to find out where Blofeld is leading to a big confrontation between Bond and Blofeld. The rest of the film then goes on as business as usual with gorgeous compositions of the scenes in Amsterdam and Las Vegas as Hamilton does take his time to set up the action and suspense. He also injects a few bits of campy humor such as Bond facing off a couple of Amazonian, bikini-clad women in a scene where even Bond can be overwhelmed. Despite some of the flaws in the screenplay, Hamilton does manage to create a film that is solid and features enough moments to make it a fun James Bond film.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does excellent work with the photography such as the exterior settings of Amsterdam and Las Vegas along with the interior looks of the suites that Bond and Mr. Whyte stays in. Editors Bert Bates and John Holmes do wonderful work with the editing by creating a montage of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd‘s killings during M‘s briefing of what Bond must doe. Production designer Ken Adam, along with set decorators John P. Austin and Peter Lamont and art directors Bill Kenney and Jack Maxsted, does amazing work with the look of the Whyte suite as well as his secret penthouse and the bases where his scientists are conducting experiments to destroy the world.

Costume designer Don Feld does nice work with the designs of the bikinis and clothes that Tiffany Case wears. Sound recorders John W. Mitchell and Al Overton do terrific work with the sound to capture the sound of car chases and gun fire for some of the film‘s action scenes. The film’s score by John Barry is brilliant for its intensely suspenseful score including a playful theme on the duo of Wint and Kidd to establish their appearances. The title song written by Barry and lyricist Don Black is a bombastic song with some funky guitar riffs as it’s sung with great power by Shirley Bassey.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. is superb for the ensemble that is created as if features some notable small performances from Lola Larson and Trina Parks as Whyte’s respective Amazonian bodyguards Bambi and Thumper, Leonard Barr as a smuggler/comedian named Shady Tree, Joe Robinson as the smuggler Peter Franks, Bruce Cabot as Whyte’s casino manager Saxby, and Joseph Furst as the scientist Metz. Other noteworthy performances include the regulars Lois Maxwell in her one-scene appearance as Miss Moneypenny, Desmond Llewelyn as the very witty inventor Q, Norman Burton as Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter, and Bernard Lee as the always exquisite M. Lana Wood is pretty good in her small role as Plenty O’Toole while the duo of Bruce Glover and Putter Smith are quite funny as the mischievous villains Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, respectively.

Jimmy Dean is excellent in his small role as the reclusive millionaire Mr. Willard Whyte who finally appears late in the film as a man unaware of what he’s done as he aids Bond in fighting the mysterious villain. Charles Gray is great in the role of Blofeld where he brings a lot of charm to his role in his early appearance while proving to be a far more formidable foe that is focused on destroying the world and Bond. Jill St. John is terrific as the smuggler Tiffany Case who isn’t sure what Bond is trying to do only to aid him when she realizes who she’s really helping as it’s a fine part that doesn’t have much development other than look great in skimpy clothing.

Finally there’s Sean Connery as Agent 007 where Connery brings the same swagger and charm that audiences know and love while there’s also a bit of aggression as he is determined to destroy Blofeld. It’s also a chance for Connery to show that he is aware that James Bond isn’t invincible and is willing to take hits as it’s Connery at his most physical in playing Bond as he gives him more to do when fighting someone. It’s a fitting farewell of sorts for Connery to play the character he made famous as Connery goes out with a bang for the franchise’s official series.

Diamonds are Forever is an excellent film from Guy Hamilton that features Sean Connery in another top-notch performance as James Bond. While it may be the weakest film of the Blofeld trilogy that was preceded by You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It is still a film that does enough for what audiences want in a Bond film where it entertains and thrills while having the time for the audience to laugh a bit. In the end, Diamonds are Forever is a fun film from Guy Hamilton.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Live & Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: You Only Live Twice

Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, You Only Live Twice is the story of James Bond heading to Japan to stop SPECTRE from furthering the tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union over incidents relating to their space programs where Bond finally meets up with SPECTRE’s leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Directed by Lewis Gilbert and screenplay by Roald Dahl (with additional work by Harold Jack Bloom), the film is another ambitious story where Bond travels to different places to face SPECTRE as Sean Connery once again plays Bond while Donald Pleasence plays the mysterious Blofeld. Also starring Mie Hama, Akiko Wakabayashi, Tetsuro Tamba, Karin Dor, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn, and Bernard Lee as M. You Only Live Twice is a grand yet exciting film from Lewis Gilbert.

After faking his death in Hong Kong to sway attention from his enemies, James Bond is assigned to uncover a mysterious plot that involved a U.S. space capsule captured by a rocket that had landed somewhere in Japan. In hoping that the incident doesn’t spark World War III, Bond travels to Japan to meet his contact Henderson (Charles Gray) where things go wrong until he secretly goes into a building to find secret documents from an industrialist named Mr. Osato (Teru Shimada). After giving the documents to a Japanese secret service agent in Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba), Bond suspects that Osato has something to do with the incident as he pretends to a businessman to meet Osato and his assistant Helga Brandt (Karin Dor).

After Bond and an agent named Aki (Akiko Wakabayahi) went to Osato’s dock to inspect his boat, things go wrong when Bond is captured by Osato and Brandt where the latter tries to seduce him and later kill him. Bond manages to escape where Q (Desmond Llewelyn) and Tanaka help Bond to inspect the mysterious island that is believed where the secret rocket is launched. Though Bond doesn’t find anything, he is later attacked by helicopters where he manages to out maneuver them thanks to Q’s additions in the helicopter Bond is flying. Still, Bond decides to hide out in Tanaka’s secret base to train as a ninja following an incident where a Soviet space capsule was captured leading to more U.S.-USSR tension.

With the help of an agent named Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama), Bond and Kissy masquerade as a married Japanese couple to trek around a mysterious island where they make a big discovery. Just as the U.S. is set to launch another space capsule, Bond finally meets the man who organized everything in SPECTRE’s leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

The film is simply about James Bond traveling to Japan to uncover a plot to sabotage the dueling U.S.-Soviet Union space missions in an attempt to start World War III. While in his mission, he faces numerous foes who try to kill him where he would eventually meet the man who organized the whole thing in Ernst Stavro Blofeld. In meeting Blofeld, Bond gets a chance to confront the man he had been fighting against for the past few years after foiling Blofeld’s plans since Dr. No. While Blofeld might not be a strong villain as he always has people doing his dirty work, he is still a very intriguing villain for the way he organizes schemes and will not let anyone get in his way or mess things up for him. Even if it’s someone from his own organization where if someone from his group messes up, he takes care of that someone in the most gruesome way.

Roald Dahl’s screenplay does play to a lot of what is expected in the Bond formula in the way he goes about in his mission to do some investigating, fighting, and making out with women. Yet, the story opens with two big scenes to set up the story such as the U.S. Gemini capsule being captured and then Bond in Hong Kong where he fakes his death. By faking his death, Bond has to go undercover to Japan to find out what is going on as he deals with a shady industrialist and several assassins that will eventually lead him to Blofeld. One of the script’s great strengths is in the few people that assist Bond such as Tiger Tanaka and Aki. The latter of which is among one of the most interesting Bond girls who aids Bond in his work while being someone who can hold her own. While the other Bond girl in Kissy Suzuki only arrives in the third act, she’s also interesting since she is a great swimmer as well as a skilled assassin.

Lewis Gilbert’s direction is definitely big for the way he creates amazing action sequences and suspenseful moments. While some of it does require visual effects which were quite primitive in the mid-1960s, it does play to the world that Bond is in as it includes some amazing scenes set in outer space such as the opening prologue scene. By having Bond go to Hong Kong and later Japan, the film definitely has a different atmosphere since Bond has to learn about the world of Japanese culture where he would eventually disguise himself as a Japanese man late in the film.

Gilbert’s approach to suspense is engaging for the way he sets up having characters being killed off as well as the big unveiling of Blofeld who never had shown his face in the previous films. His unveiling is a big moment where Gilbert reveals what kind of man Blofeld is where it would lead to this huge climatic battle with vast compositions for Gilbert to present. With a lot of stylistic shots that includes a few hand-held stuff, Gilbert does create a very extravagant yet thrilling film that is among one of the great films of the Bond franchise.

Cinematographer Freddie Young does excellent work with the photography to capture the gorgeous landscape of the Japanese locations including some nighttime shots of Tokyo as well as some great lighting set-ups for the scenes inside Blofeld‘s home base. Editor Peter R. Hunt does brilliant work with the editing to create amazing rhythmic cuts for the film‘s action scenes along with some stylish jump cuts and dissolves to play with the film‘s rhythm. Production designer Ken Adam, with set decorator David Ffolkes and art director Harry Pottle, does spectacular work with the set pieces such as Blofeld’s home base that included a pond for his piranhas as well as the traditional Japanese houses that Bond would live in.

The special effects work of John Stears is very good for the way the scenes in space looked as well as a few visual effects driven work such as Bond on the mini-helicopter as well as some of the car chase scenes. Sound recorders Gordon K. McCallum and John W. Mitchell do terrific work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the sumo building where Bond meets Aki as well as the big climatic battle at Blofeld‘s base involving ninjas. The film’s score by John Barry is among one of Barry’s best score for the lush string arrangements that he creates for the film’s theme that includes traditional Japanese string instruments. The title song co-written with lyricist Leslie Bricusse and sung by Nancy Sinatra is a gorgeous ballad that plays to the world of Japan as it is one of the top songs of the Bond theme songs.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. is superb for the ensemble that is created as it includes some small but memorable roles from Tsai Chin as Bond’s Hong Kong lover, Charles Gray as Henderson, Ronald Rich as Blofeld’s bodyguard Hans, and Teru Shimada as the powerful industrialist Mr. Osato. Other notable small roles from Bond regulars include Lois Maxwell as the very witty Miss Moneypenny who gives Bond a memorable code word, Desmond Llewelyn as the very funny Q, and Bernard Lee as Bond’s no-nonsense boss M. Karin Dor is very good as Osato’s secretary Helga Brandt who tries to have Bond killed and later seduce him in an another assassination attempt. Tetsuro Tamba is excellent as the resourceful and disciplined Tiger Tanaka who helps Bond in his mission to stop SPECTRE.

Mie Hama is wonderful as Kissy Suzuki who aids Bond in the film’s climatic mission while pretending to be his traditional Japanese line where she and Sean Connery have a few funny moments. Akiko Wakabayashi is great as the Japanese agent Aki who helps Bond throughout the film as she proves to be a very smart and helpful woman who does more than the typical Bond girl. Donald Pleasence is excellent in his small but memorable role as Ernst Stavro Blofeld where Pleasence definitely lives up to the megalomania of Blofeld with a creepy voice as well as a dark sense of humor. Finally, there’s Sean Connery in a fantastic performance as James Bond. Although there’s nothing new that Connery brings to the character, Connery does make Bond compelling enough as well as presenting new challenges that does shake Bond’s sense of professionalism as well as the mission at hand.

You Only Live Twice is a marvelous film from Lewis Gilbert with another winning performance from Sean Connery. Thanks to great set pieces, beautiful locations, John Barry’s exquisite score, and a top-notch ensemble cast. The film is definitely among one of key James Bond films during Sean Connery’s period as Agent 007. It’s also a very engaging film for the way it sets up the idea of World War III giving the audience a chance to root for Bond once again. In the end, You Only Live Twice is a superb film from Lewis Gilbert.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Diamonds Are Forever - Live & Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Thunderball

Based on Ian Fleming’s story that was written with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham, Thunderball is the story of James Bond trying to stop SPECTRE from destroying two major cities with nuclear missiles as he faces off against SPECTRE’s second-in-command. Directed by Terence Young and screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and John Hopkins, the film has James Bond taking on more expansive locations including underwater along with an increased use of gadgets as Sean Connery plays Agent 007 in the fourth of his seven appearance as Bond. Also starring Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. Thunderball is a thrilling and stylish film from Terence Young.

After the death of an associate, SPECTRE plans to steal bombs from NATO to threaten the world as heading the operation is its second-in-command in Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi). With the help of his associate Count Lippe (Guy Doleman) to organize the plan, Lippe goes to a health spa where James Bond is attending to recover from a recent mission where he notices Lippe’s tattoo as well as a man whose face is covered in bandages. After a failed attempt on Bond’s life, Bond later finds a dead man named Francois Deveral (Paul Stassino) who had been killed by the mysterious man pretending to be him to steal two nuclear bombs from a plane. The mission is a success as Largo eventually takes care of a few loose ends with help from his associates.

After a briefing from M on what to do, Bond notices the picture of Deveral with a woman who is revealed to be his sister Domino (Claudine Auger) as Bond travels to Nassau to find her thinking she’s connected to Largo. Arriving at Nassau with his assistant Paula (Martine Beswick), Bond finds Domino as he learns she’s Largo’s mistress as he later meets Largo in a game of cards. Needing to find the bombs, Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter) aids him with some gadgetry assistance from Q (Desmond Llewelyn). While Bond goes on the search for the missing bombs, he meets up with a mysterious woman named Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi) whom Bond notices is an associate of Largo.

After what was supposed to be a night with Domino and Largo, Bond learns something goes wrong as he’s eventually captured by Volpe and Largo’s men only to escape once again. A breakthrough is eventually made when Bond and Leiter find the plane but realizes the bombs are missing as Bond decides to make an unexpected move. The move would have Bond realize what Largo is up to as it’s up to him to stop Largo from destroying the world.

The film is another James Bond story in which he faces off against another member of SPECTRE where he tries to stop another dastardly plan to destroy the world. Yet, what makes this film different from its predecessors is that Bond is facing a new foe whose ambition is to take nuclear weapons to destroy the world unless he can get 100 million pounds in white uncut diamonds. That’s pretty much as the plot is simple to tell although the screenplay is much more drawn out as it features more scenes of how Largo’s heist is planned and executed as well as new foes who prove to be great challenges to Bond.

Emilio Largo may not have the ambition or intelligence of Goldfinger nor the physicality and killing skill of Red Grant. Yet, he is interesting because he is someone who can create grand schemes and lead the way as there is a reason why he’s SPECTRE’s second-in-command. He’s a man that keeps the job simple though he knows he has to find some way to outwit Bond. He would find that in Fiona Volpe who is aware of Bond’s seductive attributes as she goes head on to be seduced but knows that it’s also Bond’s flaw for always going after women. What happens would present great challenges to Bond as he remains the same but also more sensitive in how he handles things including having to tell Domino about what really happened to her brother.

Terence Young’s direction is much broader than in previous films due to big action sequences set underwater as well as a thrilling prologue where Bond kills a SPECTRE agent in grand style. It would set up this meeting with an amazing set piece where the mysterious Blofield (Anthony Dawson with Eric Pohlmann’s voice) is there looking at all of his people as they would plot the next big move. Young’s direction does succeed in creating a lot of suspense and building it up where it would include some amazing action sequences.

However, there are a few flaws in the direction where part of the film does take place underwater. Even though the scenes are beautiful and do establish key moments for the story to set up the plot. They go on for a little too long where it would drag the film a bit despite some of the exciting action sequences that do happen. With some beautiful locations shot around Nassau and Paris plus set pieces set in Pinewood Studios, Young’s direction is truly extraordinary to get the James Bond story into bigger places and bigger moments where the results do live up to the grandeur as Young does an excellent job.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does superb work with the film‘s cinematography from the gorgeous look of the underwater sequences to the beautiful sunny locations of Nassau in the day time exterior scenes. Editor Peter R. Hunt does amazing work with the editing in creating stylish jump-cuts for some of the film‘s action sequences including transitional wipes to keep the film moving. Production designer Ken Adam, with set decorator Peter Lamont and art director Peter Murton does incredible work with the set pieces such as SPECTRE‘s Paris meeting room, Bond‘s Nassau hotel room, and the home of Largo.

Special effects supervisor John Stears does nice work with some of then-primitive visual effects created such as Bond escaping a rocket in the film‘s prologue as well as other gadget-related stunts. Sound recorders Maurice Askew and Bert Ross do terrific work with the sound from the location setting such as the carnival scene where Bond tries to escape Volpe and her men along with some moments in the film‘s underwater sequences. The film’s score by John Barry is brilliant for its bombastic score filled with soaring orchestral arrangements to play up the suspense and action as well as a mixture of Caribbean-based music for the scenes in Nassau. The title song written by Barry and lyricist Don Black is a wonderful song that plays up to the grandeur of the film as it’s sung by Tom Jones.

The film’s cast is outstanding for the ensemble that is assembled as it includes some memorable small roles from Bill Cummings and Michael Brennan as a couple of Largo’s henchmen, George Pravda as Largos’ physicist Kutze, Earl Cameron as Leiter’s assistant Pinder, Molly Peters as Bond’s health spa therapist, Martine Beswick as Bond’s Nassau assistant Paula, Philip Locke as Largo’s top henchman Vargas, Paul Stassino in a dual role as Domino’s brother Francois and the double who pretends to be Francois for SPECTRE in the plane raid, and Guy Doleman as the agent Count Lippe who tries to kill Bond at the spa. Lois Maxwell is wonderful as M’s secretary Miss Moneypenny as she gets more things to do with Bond and M while Desmond Llewelyn is superb as the witty inventor Q.

Rik Van Nutter is excellent as Bond’s CIA associate Felix Leiter who aids in the search of the missing plane while Bernard Lee is very good in his small role as Bond’s superior M. Luciana Paluzzi is great as Largo’s associate Fiona Volpe who tries to outwit Bond with her sensuality and arms skill as she proves to a formidable opponent. Claudine Auger is wonderful as Largo’s mistress Domino who is charmed by Bond while becoming aware that something isn’t right about Largo in relation to her brother’s disappearance. Adolfo Celi is great as the ambitious Emilio Largo who is trying to organize a great scheme while dealing with Bond as he tries to find his way to outwit Bond.

Finally there’s Sean Connery in the role of Agent 007 James Bond where Connery definitely seems more comfortable in playing the role as he exudes the same kind of charm and professionalism the character needed. There’s also a new sensitivity to the way Bond deals with a few things such as loss as it includes a very tender moment where he reveals to Domino about what happened to her brother. It’s Connery at his best as he definitely gives another solid performance as Agent 007.

Thunderball is a fantastic film from Terrence Young featuring another superb performance from Sean Connery as James Bond. While it is a bit of a step-down in comparison to its predecessors due to a few pacing issues. It is still a very fun and adventurous film that allows its audience to be entertained while getting involved with all of its suspenseful moments. In the end, Thunderball is a spectacular yet exhilarating film from Terence Young.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Goldfinger - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Diamonds Are Forever - Live & Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Goldfinger

Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, Goldfinger is the story of James Bond tackling a gold magnate who plans to attack Fort Knox while smuggling gold. Directed by Guy Hamilton and adapted screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and Paul Dehn, the film has Bond taking on a new foe who is hell-bent on taking over the world on his own terms where he would do dastardly deeds. With Sean Connery playing the role of Agent 007 James Bond. The film also stars Gert Frobe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, Harold Sakata, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn, Tania Mallet, and Bernard Lee as M. Goldfinger is a stylish yet truly suspenseful film from Guy Hamilton.

On holiday in Miami after an assignment, Bond meets CIA agent Felix Leiter (Cec Linder) who asks Bond to watch over a bullion dealer named Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) who is suspected of smuggling gold. Bond seduces Goldfinger’s assistant Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) to help Goldfinger lose a game of gin where things eventually go bad when Bond finds Jill dead and covered in gold. After some briefing from M about what to do with Goldfinger, Bond travels to Switzerland to meet Goldfinger to see what he’s doing as the two play golf where Bond meets Goldfinger’s mute henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata). While scoping out Goldfinger and his hideout, Bond meets a woman named Tally (Tania Mallet) who he sees is carrying a gun where he later learns about her identity.

After looking into his hideout to see what Goldfinger is planning, Bond is eventually captured where Bond nearly dies from a laser as he manages to lie his way to win Goldfinger over. Goldfinger decides to accompany Bond to Baltimore where Bond is on a plane flown by Goldfinger’s personal pilot Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman). At Goldfinger’s ranch, Bond is imprisoned but later escapes to learn what Goldfinger’s plans are which is to rob Fort Knox $15 billion in gold and split the money with several mob factions. Bond is later caught as he learns what Goldfinger really wants to do as Bond is forced to watch. Yet, Bond would create moves to find ways for Goldfinger’s plans to be foiled with some surprising help.

The film is the story of how James Bond meets a gold-obsessed bullion smuggler who plans to do something dastardly forcing Bond to save the world as usual and score with the ladies along the way. It’s a plot that is typical of many Bond films to follow but what makes this film so different from everything else is that Bond finally has a foe that is very powerful. Auric Goldfinger may not be a huge physical force that Bond would have to face but he is however a very cunning man whose motivation is clearly about gold and to profit from it anyway he can. Yet, Goldfinger will do things through his people that are truly disturbing forcing Bond to charm his way into Goldfinger and even outsmart him.

The screenplay that Richard Maimbaum and Paul Dehn create does a lot more in playing with the Bond formula where more good people get killed while the stakes are raised even higher. Especially for someone as professional as Bond where he would face ideas that would challenge his professionalism as it makes him more flawed. Then there’s the character of Pussy Galore who is this very talented and fearless woman who is part of Goldfinger’s gang as she heads a group of flying women who will aid in Goldfinger’s plans. Of course, Bond would find his way to charm her as it would add to a huge plot point for the film. The screenplay also would find ways for Bond to use his wit through some stylish dialogue. Even in the way he interacts with allies such as Miss Moneypenny and Q, the latter of which would start this sort of love-hate relationship over the way Bond uses Q’s equipment.

Guy Hamilton’s direction is extraordinary for the way he opens the film with a prologue to establish Bond’s sense of professionalism where he gets the job done and score with the ladies. It would then move to this main narrative where Bond is relaxed and on holiday but is interrupted where he has to be on the job and deal with Goldfinger from afar. Through the beautiful locations in Switzerland and Miami as well as other settings from Pinewood Studios in England. Hamilton’s direction is broad for the depth of field he creates in these locations while maintain an air of suspense for quieter scenes such as Bond scoping out Goldfinger’s factory.

The direction also has a way to maintain the suspense such as the scene of Bond lying on a table as a laser is getting close to him. The way Hamilton sets up the camera for the laser pointing at the table to cut with Bond’s reaction where the idea of him dying seems very evident. It’s among the many brilliant moments in the film that culminates with this amazing scene where Goldfinger goes to Fort Knox to unveil his big plan only for something to go wrong. There’s also a bit of humor that plays where Hamilton knows how to gel humor with suspense as it fits in very naturally. The overall work is truly phenomenal as Hamilton crafts a very entertaining and engrossing spy thriller that just ups the ante of what a James Bond film should be.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does superb work with the film‘s colorful Technicolor cinematography to capture the beautiful exteriors of Miami and Switzerland as well as the interiors to help set a mood for what Bond is facing. Editor Peter R. Hunt does brilliant work with the editing to create some stylish cuts to play with the film‘s suspense as well to some of the film‘s humor. Production designer Ken Adam and art director Peter Murton do amazing work with the set pieces such as Goldfinger’s huge lab to the meeting room with his huge models to display his plans.

Sound recorders Gordon K. McCallum, Dudley Messenger, and Otto Snell do terrific work with the sound to capture the humming of the planes as well as the sound of gunfire in the film‘s climatic battle scene. The film’s score by John Barry is incredible for its jazz-driven score with lush orchestral arrangements to play up the sense of drama, adventure, and suspense as it is definitely Barry coming into his own as a composer and creating a music score that stands out on its own. The title song by Barry, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse that is sung by Shirley Bassey is among one of the best songs of the James Bond catalog thanks to her vocal delivery and the snazzy brass section that backs her up.

The film’s ensemble cast is definitely outstanding for the people chosen as it includes some memorable small roles from Burt Kwouk as Goldfinger’s scientist Mr. Ling, Michael Mellinger as Goldfinger’s secondary henchman Kisch, Austin Willis as Goldfinger’s gin rummy opponent in Miami, Margaret Nolan as the woman Bond is with in Miami, Richard Vernon as English bank official who shares Bond information about gold, and Martin Benson as a gangster who is suspicious about Goldfinger’s plans. Other noteworthy small roles include Cec Linder as Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter, Lois Maxwell as M’s secretary Miss Moneypenny who always have a witty remark towards Bond, and Desmond Llewelyn as the gadgets inventor Q where he gets a chance to shine in his own funny remarks towards Bond’s treatment of his work.

Tania Mallet is very good as the mysterious woman Tally whom Bond meets in Switzerland while Shirley Eaton is terrific in a very memorable performance as the ill-fated Jill Masterson. Bernard Lee is great as Bond’s superior M where Lee gets more to do in not just briefing Bond but also lecture him about his conduct over what happened in Miami. Harold Sakata is excellent as Goldfinger’s silent henchman Oddjob where he makes a truly memorable impression as a man whose weapon is his physical strength and a deadly hat. Gert Frobe is brilliant as Goldfinger where Frobe displays a sense of intelligence and charisma to a man who is truly despicable but also likeable in some weird way. Honor Blackman is wonderful as Goldfinger’s pilot who can definitely go toe-to-toe with Bond while proving to be someone who is willing to put up with Bond’s charming ways.

Finally, there’s Sean Connery in his third outing as Agent 007 James Bond. Connery shows more humility in his role as Bond by making him more engaging as a man who can mistake but is also willing to rectify it anyway he can. Even if he’s under pressure or willing to talk his way through to get out of a situation. It’s the embodiment of what James Bond should be as Connery definitely delivers in what is probably his best portrayal as Bond.

Goldfinger is a magnificent film from Guy Hamilton that features a glorious performance from Sean Connery as James Bond. The film is definitely among one of the great Bond films thanks to a great villain played by Gert Frobe, sexy Bond girls, cool gadgets, and suspense that manages to be engaging. It’s also a film where it takes its time to uncover the sinister plot while finding ways to create action sequences that is worth watching. In the end, Goldfinger is a phenomenal James Bond film from Guy Hamilton.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Diamonds Are Forever - Live & Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012