WWTW Rewind: ‘Never Say Never Again’ (1983)

Imagine if Pierce Brosnan reported for duty as 007 while Daniel Craig was still walking the Bond beat.

“Never Say Never Again” did just that – casting Sean Connery as James Bond for one last time while Roger Moore still ruled the official franchise.

The 1983 film,  a loose remake of “Thunderball,” isn’t remembered as being one of the franchise’s peak installments. But it holds up rather nicely in the Bond canon, and Connery proves he could bring Bond all the way back despite his advanced years.

“Never” hits DVD, again, piggybacking on the “Quantum of Solace” release. It’s a standard marketing move, but it’s sad to see how superior the 26-year-old feature is compared to the slick new franchise entry.

“Never Say Never Again” doesn’t ignore the fact that this James Bond is older than we remembered. The opening scenes show the British spy agency questioning his fitness for duty. So off he goes to a medical retreat where he must purge the “free radicals” from his system.

Say it isn’t so!

But Connery’s Bond is up for the challenge. He even beds one of the massage therapists in between spa treatments.

The real story unspools slowly. SPECTRE is up to its old tricks, stealing two nuclear weapons right from under the U.S.’s collective noses. SPECTRE’s head thug (Max Von Sydow) threatens to use them to disrupt the global oil supply.

The story itself isn’t remarkable, but the casting sure is. Bond villainness Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) purrs with venom, and Kim Basinger is so ravishing it hurts as Bond Girl Domino Petachi. Klaus Maria Brandauer may be the least appreciated Bond villain. He’s sharp, inquisitive and unpredictable with his rage – an intoxicating blend.

Connery is, well, Connery, slipping comfortably into the role without looking like an aging rock star lip syncing his past hits.

“Never Say Never Again” offers two slam-bang action sequences, one involving a hungry shark, the other a motorcycle chase that today’s directors could learn a thing or two from.

But oh, that ending. The film’s final moments feature a generic shootout and an underwater tussle. Yawn.

“Never Say Never Again” wraps with Connery, stepping out of character, sharing a wink with the audience.

It’s hard not to see that moment and wish the actor could defy the realities of aging and play 007 one more time.

Related posts:

1. WWTW Rewind: ‘Zelig’ (1983)
2. WWTW Rewind: ‘The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift’ (2006)
3. WWTW Rewind: ‘Beyond the Gates’
4. WWTW Rewind: ‘Severance’
5. WWTW Rewind: ‘3:10 to Yuma’