NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN Revisited

In the No Time To Die Countdown, Jake Tropila takes a look back at every Bond film – official and unofficial – in anticipation of the release of the latest entry.

Hello, dear readers. It’s been quite some time since I’ve published one of these. On our last installment, I promised the exciting conclusion to Battle of the Bonds, Part Two. But a couple of real-life matters interfered, including not one but two additional delays to No Time To Die’s release date. This now appears to be final: as world order is gradually restored, I can confidently say (with minimal authority) that we are now on track for a firm release date for Bond 25, which means these articles will be flying out more frequently over the next several months.

But more importantly, we’ve lost one of our Bonds in the interim since I last sat down to write a piece for this column. Yes, Sir Sean Connery departed this mortal coil late last year, leaving behind an incredible acting legacy. Everyone has their favorite Bond, and all Bonds since have delivered their own interpretation of the character established on screen. Connery never had this problem; he simply was Bond, and it can be argued that his contributions are what’s helped this series endure for as long as it has. While he ultimately left the franchise on bad terms, he cannot be discounted for creating one of the most indelible characters in cinema history. For that, we salute you, Mr. Connery.

Which brings us to this week’s entry, Never Say Never Again. What is this film, exactly? Its existence has always perplexed me as a youngster – it was never in any of the official boxsets (Blu-ray or otherwise), and the standalone physical media releases of it are now virtually out of print. And yet, it’s a film in which Sean Connery plays James Bond, despite having no other recurring actors from the rest of the series. What gives?

This, of course, is the second of the two unofficial Bond films I promised to cover. If you’ll recall, back in the Thunderball entry, a series of legal disputes granted screenwriter Kevin McClory screen rights to that film’s plot, on the condition that he not produce a film until a decade after Thunderball’s release. That time has passed, ladies and gentlemen, and the resulting feature is Never Say Never Again, which reeled in the original actor to portray Bond to go head-to-head against Roger Moore in Octopussy, released the very same year. Without further ado, let’s get right to it. We’re still in 1983, where we last left off.

Battle of the Bonds, Part Two

Never Say Never Again kicks things off with an exciting opening credit sequence that finds Connery more alert and palpably engaged than we last saw him in Diamonds Are Forever. Under the smooth ballad of Lani Hall’s title track, Bond storms a fortress in the middle of a forest to rescue a diplomat’s kidnapped daughter. This opening bit of business is genuinely solid: Bond uses a wide array of gadgets and skills to stealthily infiltrate and execute every terrorist on-site, a potent reminder of how lethal a focused 00 can be. All seems to go well until the aforementioned hostage sticks a knife in between Bond’s ribs and puts the good agent down. Bummer.

But alas! It was only a training exercise. Bond is alive, but not particularly well, as years of service have worn his body down. It’s enough for M (played here by Edward Fox) to order Bond recuperate at the Shrublands health spa. While recovering, Bond unwittingly stumbles into a plot headed up by SPECTRE (led by Max von Sydow as Ernst Stavro Blofeld), who have coerced a Unite States Air Force pilot to steal two nuclear bombs in order to hold the world hostage. Naturally, Bond must stop them and save the day.

From here on out, Never Say Never Again (directed by Irvin Kershner, best known for helming a little ditty called The Empire Strikes Back) plays like a second shot at Thunderball, with a few key differences. I’ll admit: there was a time where I preferred Never Say to its predecessor. For one, the film gets things going at a much brisker pace, and there are fewer underwater excursions to endure. Villainy is also a major improvement: Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) matches the energy of Fiona Volpe, but Maximillian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer) is wildly more entertaining to watch than Emilio Largo, stealing the film with his frequent bursts of manic energy.

Time has made it clear that Thunderball is more my speed. It’s the classier, more refined picture, and the relaxed runtime/Bond on vacation vibe feels like a warm blanket (or beach towel, if you’d prefer) that I enjoy returning to. Thunderball also boasts the more impressive finale, and with apologies to Kim Basinger’s Domino, she’s certainly no Claudine Auger.

You Only QuitTwice, Mr. Bond

While their operation moves forward, SPECTRE catches onto Bond’s suspicions rather quickly, and spends the rest of the film trying (and failing) to eliminate the superspy. Up first is a spectacularly destructive fight at the health clinic, pitting Bond against SPECTRE henchman Lippe (Pat Roach, best known for being the giant Nazi that Indy fights in Raiders of the Lost Ark). This sequence goes on for a gloriously long time, and even though it culminates in a lame piss joke, it’s still fun to see Bond struggle to defeat a heavy.

As to be expected, all franchise usuals have been recast for this single outing. I mentioned Fox, who plays M as irascible and nothing more; Pamela Salem appears as Miss Moneypenny, offering the requisite scene of flirtation but failing to make much of an impression otherwise. Better is Alec McCowen, who gives us a much more playful Q (aka Algernon), delivering the film’s best line: “I hope we’re going to have some gratuitous sex and violence!” Best of all is Bernie Casey as the sixth incarnation of Felix Leiter (remember him?), offering class and invaluable field assistance to Bond. Next to Jack Lord, Casey might actually be our best Felix thus far.

Like Thunderball, Never Say Never Again is dominated by its villains, quite literally in one scene, where Largo challenges Bond to his “Domination” video game (some might argue this is the most notorious scene in the film…Bond playing a video game? Never!). As Largo, Brandauer brings considerable spunk to the role. He knows just the right pitch to play each scene, walking everything up to the edge before going completely overboard. As Largo’s right-hand woman, Fatima Blush is a walking agent of chaos, assassinating people with a clear relish for her work. Her explosive ending at Bond’s hand could not be more appropriate.

The particulars of SPECTRE’s plot don’t deviate far from their Thunderball counterparts. As Largo’s lover (and the sister of the doomed pilot), Domino is the one caught in the middle of all this, eventually becoming Bond’s gateway to stopping the madman. Trouble is, Basinger makes for a particularly bland Bond Girl, not helped by the considerable age difference between her and Connery (it feels authentically creepy to watch him massage her or join her in the shower). That isn’t Basinger’s fault, but she shares very minimal chemistry with anyone she’s on-screen with – her ultimate murder of Largo feels completely unearned as a result.

More than anything else, Never Say Never Again will always be remembered for Connery’s return to the role following a twelve-year absence. It can’t be helped; the two are inextricably linked, and even if he took the role out of clear contempt for Cubby Broccoli and the gang, his participation elevates the film, delivering a proper swan song. He’s also the only actor to completely transcend the role and make a name for himself after his tenure, something no other Bond has been able to do (yes, Daniel Craig included).

Conclusion: Never Say Never Again

Released four months after Octopussy, Never Say Never Again couldn’t quite reach the heights of Moore’s box office, and no unofficial franchise ever came to fruition. Even so, the film stands up well on its own, and there’s the added value of Connery, gifted with one last go at the role that catapulted him to superstardom. With one final wink, Connery officially bids Bond farewell, leaving us to remember the good times. Thank you, Sean, for all that you’ve done.

Coming up next: we say goodbye to another Bond. The No Time To Die Countdown will return with A View to a Kill.

Do you have any appreciation for Never Say Never Again? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch Never Say Never Again