Thunderball
Synopsis
SPECTRE steals a Vulcan bomber carrying two nuclear warheads and holds NATO to ransom to the sum of £100 million. In a race against time, Bond discovers the only lead – a photo of NATO pilot Major Derval with his sister, Domino – and is assigned to Nassau to investigate. Once he contacts Domino, and sees her connection to Emilio Largo, Bond and his team hunt for the bombs on board Largo’s yacht, the Disco Volante, and at his villa, Palmyra, but without success. After dispatching SPECTRE agent Fiona Volpe, Bond enlists the help of Domino by showing her proof that Largo killed her brother. As the Disco Volante sails for Miami with the bombs aboard, Domino is discovered spying and is tortured by Largo. Bond takes part in the thrilling underwater fight between SPECTRE and US aqua-paratroopers, before tackling Largo on board the Disco Volante. As Largo is about to shoot Bond, Domino harpoons him, gaining revenge for the murder of her brother.
Cast
Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Guy Doleman, Molly Peters, Martine Beswick, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell
Producer
Kevin McClory
Executive Producers
Harry Saltzman
Albert R. Broccoli
Director
Terence Young
Release Date
29 December 1965 (UK)
21 December 1965 (USA)
World Premiere
9 December 1965, Hibiya Cinema, Tokyo, Japan
Locations
Pinewood Studios and London, UK; France; Nassau, Bahamas; Miami, Florida, USA
Music
“Thunderball” – performed by Tom Jones, lyrics by Don Black, arranged by John Barry
Vehicles
Bond’s silver birch Aston Martin DB5; Fiona Volpe’s BSA Lightning Motorcycle with missiles; Largo’s Disco Volante, hi-tech yacht; Fiona Volpe’s convertible Mustang; Largo’s Thunderbird; Vulcan Bomber; Count Lippe’s Ford Skyliner
Gadgets/Weapons/Technology
- Walther PPK 7.65mm
- Para Aqua Co2 spear guns
- Mini-rebreather
- Breitling Geiger counter
- Bell-Textron Jet Pack
- Underwater camera with infrared film
- Radioactive pill and mini flare device
- Underwater propulsion unit
- Remote control device disguised as a cigarette case
Trivia
Special effect supervisor John Stears won the Oscar for visual effects for his remarkable achievements. Incredibly, he did not even realise he had been nominated until his Oscar was delivered to him
25% of the screen time takes place underwater
There were only two men in the world qualified to operate Bond’s famous rocket pack, which was developed by the army for battle use. These two men were brought to France to film the sequence
Ken Adam designed a corridor in the pool, made of perspex glass, so that Sean Connery could get close to the sharks.
Corgi produced their first James Bond Aston Martin DB5 which became the best-selling toy of the year in the UK
