Thunderball vs. Never Say Never Again

Thunderball and Never Say Never Again are unique pair of films.  The latter is a remake of the former and both star the same actor, Sean Connery.  It is not uncommon for a remake to feature an original cast member in a different role (a la Michael Caine in Sleuth in which he played one of the two leads in the  first film version and then the other one in the -far inferior- second one).  The remake of Cape Fear, which I like more than the original, features the original stars Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum in small but crucial roles.  In my post for Vanilla Sky I discussed that Penelope Cruz played the same role in both the Spanish language original and the English language remake a few years later, but she was the second lead.   Generally remakes cast different leads either because they are made many years apart or in a different language.  Never Say Never Again curiously takes the original James Bond, pairs him with different behind the scenes talent and retells one of his stories with him as an older man.

The history of Thunderball and Never Say Never Again is more intriguing to me than either production, and would make an interesting film itself.  The book “The Battle for Bond” details the battle over the rights which to summarize began in the late 1950s when Bond author (and creator) Ian Fleming tried to produce a Bond film based on an original idea.  Over the course of several months he worked with two other collaborators, Kevin McClory, a young Irish producer, and Jack Whittingham, a screenwriter.  When the film did not come together Fleming wrote the novel Thunderball (1961) using the basis of the ideas without the collaborators’ permission and also did not acknowledge them.  McClory sued Fleming and won the rights to a film version. 

By the time the lawsuit was settled in 1963 the Eon film series starring Sean Connery as Bond (headed by producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman) was active and McClory, after briefly attempting to produce an outside film, teamed up with Eon to make Thunderball, which was released in December 1965.  In McClory’s agreement with Eon McClory got 20% of the profits and was credited as the sole producer but Thunderball remained an Eon film.  McClory was awarded the rights to remake Thunderball 10 years after the original film and began efforts to do so in the mid 1970s.  After several years McClory, with the help of entertainment lawyer, Jack Schwartzman, was able to launch the remake in the early 1980s.  The Eon film series was still going with Roger Moore now playing Bond.  McClory’s ace card was Sean Connery, who was a former disgruntled employee of Broccoli (Saltzman by now was no longer involved), feeling he had never been paid enough and was more than willing to play Bond in a rival series in part to stick it to his old boss.

McClory only owned the rights to Thunderball so he did not have a lot of flexibility in creating the story, which needed to be based on the Thunderball story.  Broccoli tried to stop the film (not wanting a competing Bond series which could damage the brand).  Broccoli was also in pre-production on The Spy Who Loved Me and was planning to use the criminal organization SPECTRE (and its head Ernst Stavro Blofeld) as the antagonist.  In retaliation McClory claimed the rights to SPECTRE (and Blofeld), since the criminal organization had first been conceived during his collaboration with Fleming and they first appeared in the Thunderball novel.   McClory’s claim on SPECTRE is interestingly timed since both Dr No and especially From Russia With Love, which were made prior to Thunderball, pit Bond against SPECTRE (and their novels did not) and McClory never complained about it.

In a ranking list I posted Thunderball is 19^th and I did not rank Never Say Never Again since it is not part of the official series.  Ironically Never Say Never Again was the first Connery Bond film (or Connery anything) I saw so when I started watching the older films and heard that Thunderball had the same plot I did prioritize seeing it.  I believe Connery is a great Bond having originated the role on screen and both films showcase him well, but the plot, which has a great hook, is a little thin to justify two films and clearly was done so only because  McClory’s desire to make more money off Bond.  Nonetheless both films have their strong points.  The book is a fun read with great characterizations and a fast moving plot.  Thunderball is a far more faithful adaptation.  As inspired by the Joblo.com Face off columns I will compare the main elements of both films here.  As always, I include spoilers in these discussions.

Opening Sequence:  Thunderball’s pre-title sequence opens with Bond unearthing a SPECTRE operative, named Bouvard, who has faked his own death which leads to a full drag out fist fight (similar to the one in Goldfinger’s pre title sequence but I like this one better with Bond and Bouvard throwing furniture at each other) in a French mansion.  Bond escapes afterwards using a jet pack and the Aston Martin briefly appears to shoot water at the bad guys chasing him. Connery also performed the gunbarrel himself for the first time.  Never Say Never Again opens with Bond on a training mission infiltrating a compound to rescue a kidnapped young woman who then stabs him.  However the suspense and impressive stunt work is undercut with the song over-imposed on it.  Here is a fan made version with John Barry music.  Winner:  Thunderball’s pre title sequence is like an appetizer sampler.  In under five minutes it has a glimpse of real life (a funeral and a home), glamour (the mansion), gadgets (the jet pack and the Aston Martin), and girls (the pretty French contact), and action (the fight), intrigue (Bond can tell something is not right about this funeral).  The water from the car segues perfectly into the titles, which appropriately have a water theme. 

Villian’s Scheme:  In both films SPECTRE operative, Largo organizes the theft of two nuclear warheads and holds the West to ransom.  Bond is assigned to locate and retrieve the missing devices before the ransom is due.  The ransom amounts differ slightly as are the thefts.  In Thunderball a SPECTRE operative has plastic surgery to resemble a pilot of a Vulcan fighter carrying the warheads, and kills the original pilot right before the flight.  In Never Say Never Again SPECTRE threatens the life of the sister of the same pilot so that he gets an eye implant identical to that of the U.S. President to be able to access the bombs.  Both surgeries occur at Shrublands where in Thunderball Bond is recovering from a wound sustained in the pre-title sequence and in Never Say Never Again he is getting a cleansing from years of hard living.  Winner: Close but I like the two year commitment of Angelo in impersonating the pilot only to be betrayed himself by SPECTRE, thus giving the edge to Thunderball.

Game Face Off With Largo:  In Thunderball Largo is playing baccarat and Bond comes to the table and easily defeats him in three hands in front of Domino, while Never Say Never Again has a much more suspenseful video game face off.  Winner: Very tight but I will give this one to Never Say Never Again. Thunderball’s is lifted almost verbatim from the book and Connery is in fantastic form baiting Largo, but the stakes are higher in Never Say Never Again and Largo’s attempt to show Bond up in front of Domino add a lot to the scene.

Climax:  Thunderball has an underwater battle between SPECTRE operatives and the US paratroopers near Miami followed by a blow-out fight aboard the Disco Volante as Bond attacks Largo and a few of his henchmen.  The scope of the underwater battle is impressive, even by today’s standards, but it is a little slow.  The boat fight is thrillingly staged but badly marred by poor backscreen photography and sped up film.  Never Say Never Again has a climax mostly above ground with Bond and Leiter attacking SPECTRE operatives in a lit cave and then Bond has a fairly limp battle with Largo underwater while trying to disarm the bomb.  In both versions Domino saves Bond’s life by harpooning Largo.  Winner: Thunderball, with all of its weaknesses the climax’s highs compensate though the underwater photography in Never Say Never Again’s scenes is more clear (the benefit of the passing years).

Finale:  Both films end in or near water.  In Thunderball after Bond and Domino are in the Caribbean Sea after the Disco Volante is blown up.  A US Navy jet drops a raft with a sky hook which hauls them into the air, making this the first film in the series not to end with Bond in coitus.  Never Say Never Again ends with Bond and Domino at a pool in a villa in the Bahamas (apparently McClory’s house). Nigel appears claiming M wants Bond back.  Bond says “never again” as an in-joke as the title song appears on the soundtrack and then Bond winks into the camera as the screen collapses into 007 with the middle “0” surrounding Bond’s eye, indicating that he is the true Bond.  Winner:  Thunderball’s ending is bigger,  but I like the music (which in some versions goes to the original James Bond arrangement as Bond and Domino are pulled into the air and in others becomes a louder continuation of the cue already playing) and the original idea.  It is a little silly and implausible (ie how are Bond and Domino going to get down, since obviously they cannot land with the plane) but it is true to the spirit of the film.

Bond:  In Thunderball Connery is in top form as Bond.  He is charming, sharp, callous, improvises well, and has fantastic quips.  I feel Connery did his best work as Bond with Terence Young (who also directed Dr No and From Russia With Love).  Young really understood the character of Bond in part because he had some of the same qualities.  In Never Say Never Again Connery plays an older Bond (he was 52 during filming) with a lot of panache and seems to be enjoying his return.  Connery impressively looks fitter in the remake than in the original.  However he does not show much ruthlessness and this Bond does not seem to be familiar with SPECTRE.  Winner:  Thunderball, but it is close.  However, any of the other Bond actors could have made Thunderball while Never Say Never Again would only work with Connery.

Domino:  Claudine Auger in Thunderball is one of the most stunning Bond women.  She has good chemistry with Connery and portrays someone a bit trapped by circumstance that develops courage through the story.  Domino is pretty similar to the character in the novel though not as cold.  Bond spends an afternoon with her the day of the Junkanoo but it is mostly offscreen and the structure of the film divides Bond’s attentions between Domino and Fiona in the second act.  In Never Say Never Again Bond spends more time with Domino and she is a more developed character.  Basinger is fine as Domino and shows a lot of warmth.  Winner: Thunderball.  Personal taste but I find Auger much more appealing, though her voice was dubbed by Nikki Van Der Zyl, who also dubbed Ursula Andres in Dr No.  

Largo: Emilio Largo in Thunderball is played by Adolfo Celi (and dubbed by Robert Rietty) with an eyepatch and is portrayed as cunning and dangerous but a little one note.  Max Largo in Never Say Never Again is played by Klaus Maria Brandaeur as a charming and fully developed psychopath.  His relationship with Domino is much more defined and the film gives him time to mourn it.  Brandaeur’s Largo is one of the most memorable Bond villains. Winner:  Never Say Never Again

Femme Fatales:  There was no femme fatale in the novel but each film has one.  Fiona Volpe, played by Luciana Paluzzi, in Thunderball, is a ruthless operative is always a step ahead of everyone.  Fiona uses her sexuality when needed but is just as willing to kill in a more efficient manner.  Fiona plays an interesting game with Bond in trying to first scare him in the car and then seduces him to prove that it will not change her, even though both of them know she works for SPECTRE.  Some of their dialogue is the best in the film and Fiona gets a memorable death.  In Never Say Never Again Barbara Carrera plays Fatima Blush as an outrageous character who can barely control her love of killing but combines it with sex, a little similar to Xenia Onatopp in Goldeneye.  Fatima gleefully throws a snake at Jack when while he is driving and then caresses the snake afterwards.  She always wears flashy clothes and is clever but much less in control than Fiona.  Fatima seduces Bond only because she wants to be remembered as his greatest lover.  Bond does not seem to suspect her until she tries to kill him and then only goes after her when Fatima kills his contact in Monte Carlo.  Their final faceoff is a lot of fun as Bond is vulnerable (ala From Russia With Love with Grant) and Fatima is completely unhinged.  Winner:  Fiona, by a hair.  Fatima gives energy to a film that really needs it, but I like Fiona’s wiles better.

Mi6 Staff:  Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, and Lois Maxwell all appear in their usual parts and each get at least one good moment.  My favorite is when Moneypenny refers to M as the “old man” and M catches her.  In Never Say Never Again Edward Fox plays a newer stuffy M, unappealing and uninteresting.  Pamela Salem is Moneypenny and is fine and a little more risqué than her counterpart but does not have the chemistry with Connery that Maxwell does.  Alec McCowen plays Q, also referred to as Algernon (I suppose since he is a scientist this may be inspired by “Flowers for Algernon”).  He gets some good lines and plays Q as more of an ally of Bond (both are considered relics by the new M).  Winner:  Thunderball

Felix Leiter:  In Thunderball Rik Van Nutter plays Felix.  The filmmakers have some fun with him early on since he is following Bond in the Bahamas and is wearing dark glasses but since the role has been recast the audience does not know who he is.  Nutter looks the part as Fleming described him but gives overly emotive line readings.  In Never Say Never Again’s  Bernie Casey is jovial, confident, and gets a great entrance, but overall seems to just be Bond’s assistant instead of a partner.  Winner: Never Say Never Again

Blofeld:  The head of SPECTRE is portrayed without showing his face in Thunderball.  The staging of this is a little curious.  One of the best scenes in Thunderball is the SPECTRE briefing in which all the operatives sit at a table (in a big cold looking room) and Blofeld is in a control room above and off to the side.  Shutters cover his face but his body and voice are played by Anthony Dawson and Eric Pohlman, respectively (who both performed the same roles in From Russia With Love).  In From Russia With Love though the audience never saw Blofeld’s face the other characters in scenes with him did.  In Thunderball it makes no sense for Blofeld to hide his face from his own associates (maybe he just had surgery) but the mechanical voice on the speaker make him a terrifying figure.  In Never Say Never Again Max Von Sydow plays Blofeld with his face to the camera.  He only appears in a few scenes and he does not project much menace.  The scene in which Blofeld and Largo relay the plan to the other operatives is completely undistinguished.  SPECTRE is less of a spectre in Never Say Never Again whereas in Thunderball Largo always seems to be a solider in something bigger.  Winner: Thunderball

Pace:  Terence Young directed Thunderball with more character shadings than other Bond directors might have allowed.  The film was a large production made quickly and could have been edited more tightly but it holds up well.  There are a lot of water sequences and the third act has no less than four, which slows it at a point where it needs be fast.  Irvin Kershner, who made one of my favorite films, The Empire Strikes Back, was hired for Never Say Never Again, the first American to direct a Bond film.  Although certain sections of the film are edited well (aka Bond’s romp with Fatima Blush cutting directly into them both going into the water) there are other areas where it is not clear why certain things are happening (why does Largo let Bond roam around on the Flying Saucer and why is Bond wearing different clothes when Largo captures him) leading to an inconsistent tone.  Winner: Young

Song:  Both songs are about Bond.  Thunderball by Tom Jones is one of my favorite Bond songs with a great melody and some of the most devilish lyrics “His needs are more so he gives less”.  Never Say Never Again (which seems to be about Sean Connery’s Bond, specifically) is kind of catchy to me but a lot less memorable.  It’s placement over the opening action sequence plays a little odd to me.  I would have used more suspenseful music in the opener and saved the title song for the close where it plays well.  Winner: Thunderball

Score:  In Thunderball John Barry delivers a moody score that captures the slow movement of the water.  He also uses the 007 theme quite a bit.  It is not one of my favorite Barry scores but it fits the tone of the film.  Since the producers of Never Say Never Again did not have the rights to the Bond theme they had to go in a different direction.  Michel Legrand, who created an effective score in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), here delivers a dreadful jazz score that is completely out of place, especially in the action scenes (although the instrumental version of the title tune is acceptable).  I read in The James Bond Movie Encyclopediaby Steven Jay Rubin that producer Schwartzman wanted to use James Horner but Connery overruled him in favor of Legrand.  Horner was less known at the time but eventually became a top composer who wrote the scores for Aliens, Braveheart, and Titanic and a few years later, The Name of The Rose, starring Sean Connery.  Our loss, as I would have loved to hear Horner’s interpretation of Bond.  Winner: Thunderball

In conclusion Thunderball wins this contest.  I think Bond fans who saw the early films in the cinema may prefer Never Say Never Again since they had not seen a new Bond film with Connery in years when it was released but I think other than the performances of Connery and Brandeur the film has little to recommend or justify its long running time.  Therefore I prefer the original.

Thunderball *** (out of five)

Never Say Never Again **