40th Anniversary of Never Say Never Again (1983) starring Sean Connery

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2023-10-06

Never Say Never Again, film, 40th anniversary

On this day in James Bond history, Never Say Never Again (1983), Sean Connery's seventh and last film as Ian Fleming's James Bond, premiered at cinemas 40 years ago. (NSNA premiered in USA on October 6, 1983.)

SPECTRE agents under the command of Ernst Stavro Blofeld infiltrate a US air force base situated in the UK and steal two Tomahawk cruise missiles.

When NATO is held to ransom, the British reactive their "00" agents and send James Bond to recapture the warheads and kill Blofeld.

Production notes

• 27 Sep 1982: Shooting began.

A selection of filming locations for Never Say Never Again:

• Best Western British Colonial Beach Resort, 1 Bay Street, Nassau Harbour, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (James Bond's Hotel - Fatima Blush attempts to assasinate 007)
• Casino de Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco (casino scenes)
• Casino Square, Monte Carlo, Monaco (casino scenes)
• Clifton Pier, Nassau Harbour, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (underwater battle scenes - Bond and Domino romance)
• Clifton Wall, Nassau Harbour, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (sinking of the 110 foot freighter)
• Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK (studio)
• Fort Carré, Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes, France (Fortress - Palmyra Estate of Largo)
• French Rococo Room, Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK (3-D Domination Video Game Battle)
• Hotel de Paris, Place du Casino, Monte Carlo, Monaco (casino scenes)
• Luton Hoo Estate, Luton, Bedfordshire, England, UK (Shrublands health clinic)
• Nassau Dock, Nassau Harbour, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (Outdoor Bar where Fatima Blush water-skis up to James Bond)
• Nassau Harbour, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (Bar)
• Shrubland Park, Coddenham, Suffolk, England, UK (as the gym in the Bond-Lippe fight scene)
• Straw Market, Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas (Market)
• Tears of Allah shipwreck, South Ocean, New Providence Island, Bahamas (underwater scenes - dive site)
• Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France (fishing port - motorcycle chase)

Vehicles used during the filming: (Source: BMT 216A: The James Bond Vehicle Library)

• Bentley (car)
• Chevrolet Camaro SS (car)
• Ford Taunus (car)
• Mercedes-Benz SL convertible (car)
• Navy helicopter
• Peugeot (car)
• Renault Turbo2 - 1983 (car)
• Rockwell B-1A Lancer (airplane)
• Rubber Dinghy
• The Flying Saucer (boat)
• US Navy submarine
• XT-7B (rocket)
• Yamaha XJ 650 Turbo (motorcycle)

Over the years, FSWL has been fortunate to meet, and written articles about, some of the people that worked on Never Say Never Again, here is some of them if you want to read more:

>Bill Weston (Stuntman)
>Doug Robinson (Stuntman)
>Edward Fox as M
>Gavan O'Herlihy as Jack Petachi
>George Leech (Stuntman)
>Greg Powell (Stuntman)
>Irvin Kershner (Director)
>Jim Dowdall (Stuntman)
>Max von Sydow as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
>Nick Wilkinson (Stuntman)
>Norman Wanstall (Dubbing editor)
>Pamela Salem as Miss Moneypenny
>Rocky Taylor as Hostage Guard (plus various stunts)
>Roy Alon as Prison Guard Thrown into Sea (plus various stunts)
>Sean Connery as James Bond
>Valerie Leon as Lady in Bahamas
>Vic Armstrong - stunt coordinator (also doubled for Sean Connery in the horse scenes)
Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush

Orion Pictures, Jack Schwartzman & Kevin McClory present a Taliafilm production and Irvin Kershner film made at Thorn EMI Elstree Studios, Herts, England by Woodcote Productions Limited Taliafilm in association with Producers Sales Organisation:

Photo above:
Original film poster for Never Say Never Again (1983) from the FSWL collection.

Read more about the film Never Say Never Again on MGM's official website:

www.mgm.com/#/our-titles/1345/Never-Say-Never-Again

Tags:

#never_say_never_again

#on_the_tracks_of_007

#sean_connery_james_bond_films