Never Say Never Again is the 1983 James Bond movie with the best opening record. It gets based on ‘Thunderball,’ a novel by Ian Fleming. He also wrote for the movie besides Jack Whittingham and Kevin McClory.
It is an ‘unofficial’ James Bond movie as it was not produced by Eon Productions, which produced other James Bond movies. It is the second movie to have this background.
The movie got made with a budget of $36 million and grossed $187.5 million at the box office worldwide. Taliafilm is the production company, while Warner Bros., Producers Sales Organization, and Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors are the distributors.
Jack Schwartzman, the producer, had to fund the movie from his pocket when the production team ran out of money. Meanwhile, Sean Connery (who played James Bond) criticized unprofessionalism.
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Never Say Never Again Filming Locations
The filmmakers completed most filming in the spring of 1983 and additional shots during the summer of the same year.
Casino de Monte Carlo
Domino and James performed Tango in Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco, which got addressed as Casino Royale in the movie. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo office, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, and a casino are available in the gambling complex in Monaco.
The game room/dining room in Casino Royale was filmed in Waddesdon Manor. Located in Buckinghamshire, (England) Waddesdon Manor is the French Renaissance-style château owned by the National Trust. Villain Max Largo and James Bond face each other in Domination.
The Fort Carré
Domino and James get chased and jump into water at The Fort Carré. It is shown as the Palmyran fortress of Villain Maximilian Largo in the movie. Built in the Renaissance period, The Fort Carré is a star-shaped fort standing still from the sixteenth century. It is twenty-six meters above sea level and offers several experiences in one visit.
Citadelle Saint-Elme
Domino got saved by James from getting sold at the real-life Citadelle Saint-Elme on the seafront of Villefranche. This coastal resort city was built on the French Riviera on the Mediterranean city to guard the port from invaders in the sixteenth century. ‘Never Say Never Again’ filmmakers filmed at the French Riviera for two months.
Luton Hoo Estate
Joshua Wain runs a fictional health farm/clinic near Washington, Sussex, in the movie. Bond got ordered to have a strict diet and exercise routine in the same farm/clinic. It got filmed in Luton Hoo Estate, a privately-owned English country house in Hertfordshire.
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Elstree
Interior shots and principal photography occurred at Elstree Studios, twenty minutes from Central London. They contain numerous existing and demolished British studios in Hertfordshire, England.
Nassau
Fatima Blush tried to blow up Bond in a hotel according to the movie. It got filmed at the historic four-star hotel, The British Colonial Hotel, in downtown Nassau, Bahamas. The hotel also contains The Deanery, Christ Church Cathedral, and Nassau Museum.
Nigel Small-Fawcett and Bond meet at Rawson Square in downtown Nassau on Bay Street, Bahamas. It is a busy place and a gateway for cruise ship passengers. It was named after Sir Rawson W. Rawson, the governor of The Bahamas from 1864 to 1869.
Nabila
A ship named ‘Nabila’ got renamed ‘Flying Saucer,’ and Largo was portrayed as its owner in the movie. However, the ship got owned by the late Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi businessman, billionaire, and arms dealer who lived a luxurious life. He was once the richest man on the planet. The ship was commissioned in 1978 and got named after his daughter.
Underwater Scenes
Underwater scenes disappointed some viewers as they knew body doubles got used. Similarly, they could not tell the hero and villain apart. Ricou Ren Browning, an American underwater cinematographer, stuntman, actor, and screenwriter, filmed underwater scenes for Never Say Never Again and Thunderball. Bond fought with Largo and diffused the bomb underwater to save the world.
Square Victoria Tunnel, Menton
James Bond, on a bike, Chases Fatima Blush in a red Renault and enters a tunnel. Bond recognizes the plan when he gets trapped by Fatima’s men. It is the Square Victoria Tunnel, Menton which provides parking on-site and free Wi-Fi. Chapiteau of Monaco is 8.8 miles away from this tunnel.
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