Plot and Production
The show featured film scenes of the worldwide popularity of James Bond novels, films, and tie-in merchandise, black and white scenes of Ian Fleming at his home Goldeneye in Jamaica giving comments on his writing, a biography of James Bond with footage of Glencoe, Eton, Fettes College, and Royal Marine Commandos on exercise, home movie footage shot by production designer Ken Adam in the Bahamas during the production of Thunderball, and scenes from four Bond films.
Behind the scenes footage from the making of Thunderball included scenes of the preparation and filming of a scene of a rocket firing motorcycle destroying Count Lippe's car, a choreographed fist fight in a studio mock up of the cabin of the Disco Volante, a photo shoot of the Bond girls on a beach in the Bahamas, and a scene of the Aston Martin DB5 driving away from the Château d'Anet that was not seen in the finished film.
Director Terence Young, producers Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, Kevin McClory, editor Peter R. Hunt and action director and stuntman Bob Simmons are shown during sequences. The James Bond Theme and other music from the Bond film soundtracks are heard with the gun barrel titles and 007 logo from the Goldfinger film trailer appearing in the opening titles.
The narration was to have been originally given by Sean Connery. However when Connery read the script and found out they were referring to James Bond as an actual person he refused to do the show. Telephone calls from Joan Crawford who was a major shareholder in Pepsi Cola, the sponsor of the show, failed to sway Connery and his narrating chores were taken by Alexander Scourby.
Pepsi Cola used the special to unveil commercials for its latest products.
The special is available as a featurette on the "James Bond Ultimate Edition" DVD of Thunderball.
Read more about this topic: The Incredible World Of James Bond
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