Continuity mistake: When the Disco Volante separates to escape the cruisers firing on it, the "cocoon" is seen facing the pursuing ships stern-first. When the shot changes to show the gunners firing on the ships, the back half of the "cocoon" has turned completely around. The gunners are firing from the separated mid-section of the Volante, and the stern of the "cocoon" is now facing away from the cruisers, making it easy to see which parts of the scene were filmed live and which were done in the studio.
Thunderball (1965)
Plot summary
Directed by: Terence Young
Starring: Sean Connery, Desmond Llewelyn, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Claudine Auger, Rik Van Nutter
The movie begins with the mysterious death of a British jet pilot, Francois Derval, who was tasked with flying a military aircraft loaded with two nuclear warheads. Bond attends Derval's funeral and investigates his death, suspecting foul play. Upon examining the body, Bond discovers that Derval had a fake eye, indicating that the pilot was replaced to hijack the warheads.
Bond travels to the Bahamas, armed with his license to kill, to investigate the involvement of the international criminal organization SPECTRE. There he meets Emilio Largo, a SPECTRE operative posing as a rich playboy, and Domino Derval, the sister of the deceased pilot. Bond manages to charm Domino and gains her trust.
Bond discovers that SPECTRE has a hidden base of operations located in the Bahamas, known as Palmyra. He infiltrates the base, discovering the stolen warheads and a team of SPECTRE agents training to hijack and use the weapons. Bond manages to plant a tracking device on one of the warheads before being captured by Largo's henchmen.
Bond is taken prisoner aboard Largo's yacht, the Disco Volante. There he meets SPECTRE's Number Two, Fiona Volpe, a seductive and deadly agent. Recognizing Bond's capabilities, Largo decides to spare his life and keeps him captive.
Meanwhile, the British government receives a ransom demand from SPECTRE, threatening to detonate the stolen warheads in a major city unless they are paid £100 million in diamonds.
Bond manages to escape from the Disco Volante, fighting his way through Largo's henchmen. He reunites with his ally, Felix Leiter of the CIA, and together they track the stolen warheads to an underwater cave system. Using their scuba gear, Bond and Leiter infiltrate the cave and disable the bombs, preventing a nuclear catastrophe.
In order to ensure the safety of the warheads, Bond and his allies hatch a plan to disrupt SPECTRE's operations. They attack Palmyra, engaging in a thrilling underwater battle with Largo's men. Bond confronts Largo, who escapes aboard the Disco Volante, pursuing him in a high-speed boat chase.
During the pursuit, Bond manages to disable the Disco Volante by shooting a rocket into its hull. The yacht explodes, killing Largo, while Bond rescues Domino, who had been held captive.
In the final scene, Bond returns the recovered warheads to the British government and receives a passionate farewell from Domino as they sail away together into the horizon.
Trivia: While recording the title song, Tom Jones asked the songwriter what the phrase "strikes like Thunderball" actually meant. The composer admitted he hadn't the slightest clue.
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Answer: Bond hands Kutze a lifesaver just before they jump off the hydrofoil. Presumably he just floated there before being picked up by the Coast Guard.
Jukka Nurmi