The underwater scenes are cool and the villains were superbly cast and performed. *** I re-watched the 1965 Terence Young film starring Sean Connery as Bond and was again reminded how much I liked this one. This begins with some attention to Bond as a physical operative. Bond is a THREE pack a day smoker and a heavy drinker and M is worried about his ace.

Almost a token scene, but would it be Bond without ultra-cool at the card table?īond with a health problem. Broccoli’s casting in the films always entertains but they got the idea from Fleming and his creation of Domino is inspired.

Some of the earlier Bond novels were oddly cerebral and even romantic, Thunderball is all about the fight scenes and there are many good ones. spy, SPECTRE is rolling the dice on a big and dastardly plan and its up to our hero to save the day.Īction. We actually get a villain double billing as SPECTRE agent Largo is the central antagonist and we meet Blofeld as the arch-enemy behind the scenes. (especially Donald Pleasance’s portrayal of him in You Only Live Twice). While Fleming has come up with several great villains before, we are finally introduced to THE criminal, Blofeld, the Number 1 of SPECTRE – and who was without a doubt the template for Austin Powers parody Dr. The ninth novel in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, Thunderball marks the beginnings of one of the most iconic villains in history, and the only match for the wits of James Bond.First published in 1961, this was the 9th Bond novel for Ian Fleming and is a rip roaring good time for fans.Ĭriminal villain mastermind. But as powerful as Number 1 is, he works for someone else: Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a peculiar man with a deadly creative mind.

On the island paradise, 007 finds a wealthy pleasure seeker’s treasure hunt and meets Domino Vitali, the gorgeous mistress of Emilio Largo, otherwise known as SPECTRE’s Number 1. When SPECTRE hijacks two A-bombs, a frantic global search for the weapons ensues, and M’s hunch that the plane containing the bombs will make a clean drop into the ocean sends Bond to the Bahamas to investigate. But amid the bland teas, tasteless yogurts, and the spine stretcher the guests lovingly call “The Rack,” Bond stumbles onto the trail of a lethal man with ties to a new secret organization called SPECTRE. Upon M’s insistence, James Bond takes a two-week respite in a secluded natural health spa.

Bond thunderball ian fleming