Thunderball

Thunderball is a 1965 film and is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham. It was directed by Terence Young with its screenplay by Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins. 
==Plot==
SPECTRE operative Emilio Largo devises a plan to hold NATO to ransom by hijacking two atomic bombs from a Royal Air Force (RAF) Avro Vulcan strategic jet bomber during a training exercise. To facilitate Largo's plans, SPECTRE operative Count Lippe recruits Angelo Palazzi to oversee the theft of the bombs. With help from SPECTRE agent Fiona Volpe, Lippe has Palazzi surgically alter his face to match that of French Air Force pilot François Derval, who is assisting in the exercise. Volpe and Palazzi murder the real Derval, while they are staying at the Shrublands health resort, only for the latter to demand more money. Volpe acquiesces, merely to have him continue with their operation. Following the plan, Palazzi successfully hijacks the bomber, killing its crew, and lands it in shallow waters within the Bahamas. While the bombs are recovered by his men, Largo murders Palazzi for reneging on his original deal with SPECTRE.
British secret agent James Bond, recuperating at Shrublands after a previous assignment, notices Lippe's presence and keeps him under observation, discovering Derval's body. Upon being urgently recalled to London, Bond finds himself targeted by Lippe for trying to interfere. Before he can defend himself, Volpe kills Lippe for jeopardizing Largo's scheme. Once back in London, Bond learns that all 00 agents are being put on high alert following the theft of the bombs, after being informed a major city in the United States or the United Kingdom will be destroyed unless £100 million is paid to SPECTRE within seven days. While in talks with M on his assignment, Bond requests he be assigned to Nassau, Bahamas, to contact Derval's sister Domino, after recognising Derval from the photo given to the agents in their main briefing as the body he found at the resort.
Bond meets with Domino, who he learns is the mistress of Largo when he visits a local casino. Both men recognise each other as adversaries and engage in a tense cat-and-mouse game while still pretending ignorance of each other's true nature. Following their initial meeting, Bond meets with his friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter, fellow agent Paula Caplan, and MI6 quartermaster Q, to receive equipment to help with finding the bombs, including an underwater infrared camera and miniature underwater breathing apparatus. Investigating Largo's ship, Disco Volante, he notices an underwater hatch beneath her that intrigues him. The next day, he visits Largo at his estate during the night, only to find that Paula had been abducted and committed suicide before she could talk. Forced to escape, Bond evades Largo's men during a Junkanoo celebration. Volpe catches up to Bond, but is accidentally shot by a henchman aiming for Bond.
Suspecting the bombs were brought to the area, Bond and Leiter search for the Vulcan and find it camouflaged underwater, along with the body of Palazzi. Upon returning to the island, Bond reveals to Domino that her brother was killed by Largo and gets her to help him search Disco Volante. However, Largo catches her in the act and has her imprisoned. Meanwhile, Bond replaces one of Largo's men as SPECTRE prepares to move the bombs, and manages to learn where one of them is being moved to before being discovered and left behind. Reuniting with Leiter, the pair gets the U.S. Coast Guard to intercept Disco Volante crew and recover one of the bombs in an underwater battle. Bond pursues Largo and grabs hold of Disco Volante as she sheds the rear half to become a hydrofoil to escape. Bond gets on deck and sends the Disco Volante out of control whilst he defeats Largo's men and fights Largo. Largo gets the upper hand and is about to shoot Bond when Domino kills Largo in revenge after his hired nuclear physicist frees her. The trio quickly flees Disco Volante just barely before her destruction, whereupon Bond and Domino are retrieved by a plane with the Fulton system.
==Reviews==
Upon its release the film received generally positive reviews. Dilys Powell of The Sunday Times remarked after seeing the film that "The cinema was a duller place before 007." David Robinson of The Financial Times criticised the appearance of Connery and his effectiveness to play Bond in the film remarking: "It's not just that Sean Connery looks a lot more haggard and less heroic than he did two or three years ago; but there is much less effort to establish him as connoisseur playboy. Apart from the off-handed order for Beluga, there is little of that comic display of bon viveur-manship that was one of the charms of Connery's almost-a-gentleman 007."
==Cast==
*Sean Connery as James Bond (007): An MI6 agent assigned to retrieve two stolen nuclear weapons.
*Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo (voice dubbed by Robert Rietty): Main antagonist. SPECTRE's Number Two, he creates a scheme to steal two atomic bombs.
*Claudine Auger as Dominique "Domino" Derval (voice dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl): Largo's niece. In early drafts of the screenplay Domino's name was Dominetta Palazzi. When Claudine Auger was cast as Domino the name was changed to Derval to reflect her nationality. The character's wardrobe reflects her name, as she is usually dressed in black and/or white.
*Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe: SPECTRE agent, who becomes François Derval's mistress and kills him before being sent to Nassau.
*Rik Van Nutter as Felix Leiter: CIA agent who helps Bond.
*Bernard Lee as M: Head of MI6.
*Martine Beswick as Paula Caplan: Bond's ally in Nassau who is kidnapped by Vargas and Janni.
*Guy Doleman as Count Lippe: SPECTRE agent who tries to kill Bond in the health clinic and is in charge of the operation of replacing Duval with Palazzi while there.
*Molly Peters as Patricia Fearing: a physiotherapist at the health clinic.[10]
*Earl Cameron as Pinder, Bond and Felix Leiter's assistant in The Bahamas.
*Paul Stassino as François Derval and Angelo Palazzi: Derval is a French Air Force pilot assigned to the NATO staff, and who is also Domino's brother. He is killed by SPECTRE agent Angelo Palazzi, who impersonates him. Palazzi is later killed by Largo.
*Desmond Llewelyn as Q: MI6's "quartermaster" who supplies Bond with multi-purpose vehicles and gadgets useful for the latter's missions.
*Roland Culver as the Foreign Secretary: British Minister who briefs the "00" agents for Operation Thunderball and has doubts about Bond's efficiency.
*Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny: M's secretary.
*Philip Locke as Vargas: Largo's personal assistant and henchman who abstains from alcohol, smoking and sexual intercourse, emphasising his devotion as a killer. He is killed by Bond with a spear gun on the beach.
*George Pravda as Ladislav Kutze: Emilio Largo's chief nuclear physicist who aids his boss with the captured bombs. He rescues Domino, pitying her when Largo was torturing her. He later escapes the boat with a life saver and swims away.
*Michael Brennan as Janni: One of Largo's thugs who is usually paired with Vargas.
*Rose Alba as Madame Boitier
*Leonard Sachs as Group Captain
*Edward Underdown as Air Vice Marshal
*Reginald Beckwith as Kenniston
*Maryse Guy Mitsouko as Madame La Porte (uncredited)
*Anthony Dawson as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, voiced by Eric Pohlmann (both un-credited): The head of SPECTRE (uncredited)
*Bill Cummings as Quist: Another of Largo's inefficient thugs who, after failing to assassinate 007, is thrown into a shark pool under orders from his boss. (uncredited)
*André Maranne cameos as SPECTRE No. 10. (uncredited)
Category:1965 films
Category:English-language films
Category:British films
Category:James Bond
Category:James Bond films
Category:Films starring Sean Connery
Category:Rated PG
Category:United Artists films
Category:Spy films
Category:Films on VHS
Category:Films on Laserdiscs
Category:Films on DVD
Category:THX
Category:1960s films