The most successful Bond picture in terms of inflation-adjusted dollars over the last six-plus decades – and the subject of one of the biggest legal court cases of all time involving intellectual property, THUNDERBALL is nonetheless the moment Bond went all Cinemascope and save for LIVE AND LET DIE and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, has remained so ever since.
Bond (Sean Connery) is recovering at a health farm when he suspects a major plot to destroy the world involving nuclear bombs and a dead pilot. Assigned to investigate on return to active duty, he seeks out the victim’s sister, Domino (the late Claudine Auger, arguably the most beautiful Bond girl ever) in Nassau, Bahamas, where he meets her guardian, Largo (Adolfo Ceti), the front man for SPECTRE, the evil organisation out to cause havoc.
There are battles all over, but the results are spectacular. Remade in 1983 as NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (working title: WARHEAD)