Producer
Albert "Cubby"Broccoli
Harry Saltzman
Barbara Broccoli
Michael G,Wilson

Writers to all Bond books
Ian Fleming  
Amis Kingsley
Raymond Benson 
John Gardner
Charlie Higson
Sebastian Faulks
Jeffery Deaver
Neal Purvis screenwriter
Robert Wade screenwriter
Bondbooks

James Bond actors
Barry Nelson
Sean Connery
George Lazenby
Roger Moore
Timothy Dalton
Pierce Brosnan
Daniel Craig

James Bond Composers
Monty Norman 1
John Barry 11
George Martin 1
Marvin Hamlisch 1
Bill Conti 1
Michael Kamen 1
Eric Serra 1
David Arnold  5
James Bond Music
22 Best Bondsoundtrack

Bondgirls
Honey Ryder Ursula Andress
Britt Ekland 
Izabella Scorupco
Maud Adams 
Kristina Wayborn
Mary Stavin 
Halle Berry JINX

Bond Villians
Jaws (Rickard Kiel)

Pinewood Studios 

Mission: Thunderball
Released: December 29, 1965
Bond: Sean Connery
Director: Terrence Young
Budget: $5.6 Million
Worldwide Boxoffice: $141.2 Million
Running Time: 125 Minutes

Release Data
UK: 29th December 1965 (PG)
USA: 21st December 1965 (PG)
World Premiere: 9th December 1965 

Running Time: 125 minutes
Classification: PG (UK), PG (US)
Budget: $5.6m
Worldwide Box Office: $141.2m
US Box Office: $63.6m
US Admissions: 58.1 million
UK Box Office: N/A

Villain: Emilio Largo
Organization: SPECTRE
Scheme: The theft of nuclear warheads and blackmail of NATO
Henchmen: Vargas, Janni, Fiona Volpe
Girls: Nurse Fearing, Fiona Volpe, Domino
Allies: Felix Leiter, Pinder, Paula Caplan
Bond's Kill Count: 21

Production
Producer: Kevin McClory
Presented By: Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli
Director: Terence Young
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum, John Hopkins
Based On An Original Screenplay By: Jack Whittingham
Based On An Original Story By: Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming
Composer: John Barry

Locations
Paris, France; Shrublands, South of England, UK; MI6 HQ, London, UK; Nassau, Bahamas; Miami, USA

Mission
SPECTRE has hijacked two atomic bombs from NATO and threatens to destroy an important city in the US or England unless their ransom demand is met. James Bond has only four days to thwart SPECTRE mastermond Emillo Largo and prevent a nuclear holocaust.

plans an intricate scheme to lure James Bond into stealing a valuable Soviet decoding machine, and unknowingly deliver it into their hands. In the process, Agent 007 is to suffer a humiliating and disgraceful death.

The Bond girls are great; Fiona Volpe is the most memorable villainess in any Bond movie. She is cold hearted, smart and deadly, all while exuding an aura of beauty and sultriness. Even Domino, who is a bit of a one-dimensional character (not a big surprise considering the era the movie was released in), has her shining moments and proves herself to be stronger than she appears by eventually killing Largo.

Emilio Largo often gets a bad rap as being too "soft" to be a truly memorable villain, which is a statement I wholeheartedly disagree with. The scene between him and Bond in the casino in Nassau is brilliant, with these two strong men in a public battle of whit, each fully knowing who the other is. I also love the cruelty Largo's ordering Quist thrown into the shark tank. So, while in reality Largo is just another henchman for Blofeld, I still like him better than other classic villains including Goldfinger and Dr. No.

Thunderball also features the original Bondian underwater battle. Between the backdrop of the crystal blue Caribbean waters and the pure scale of two armies fighting underwater, Thunderball truly proves that no one does it better.

As for the film itself, the tone is set early when Red Grant kills a Bond double during the opening sequence, showing the audience that this man is Bond’s equal, even if it is not Bond himself. As the movie continues, Bond must rely on his skills as a secret agent and his God-given talents, not on Q’s gadgets and dumb luck. The plot itself is brilliant yet simple; spies don’t spend their lives battling megalomaniac villains bent on world domination. Rather, the espionage aspect of this film seems like something Bond would be more suited for in real life.

Another wonderful aspect of From Russia With Love is that it continues the Blofeld/SPECTRE arc that was begun in Dr No. Blofeld’s introduction and utilization is well done, not giving away too much of who he will become in the Bond universe while still impressing the diabolical nature of his character. There is no need to see his face yet, as he is a mere puppet-master in the film.

The true villains of the movie, Rosa Klebb and Red Grant, are brilliantly developed characters and two of the most memorable of the series. Klebb’s shoe goes down as one of the best villain “gadgets” ever and the battle between Bond and Red Grant aboard the Orient Express shows the true brutality of Bond’s job as well as just how much of a trained assassin he is. Even Kronsteen, who has minimal time, is a sinister and brilliant henchman who is a perfect fit for the film.

Of course, what would a Bond film be without the Bond Girls. First, Sylvia Trench returns for a little rendezvous with Bond in the beginning of the movie and later the gypsy battle between Zora and Vida provides some fantastic eye-candy. However, the screen really heats up when Tatiana Romanova first meets Bond in bed, wearing only a bowtie. Tatiana is, in my opinion, the most beautiful Bond girl in the series and, despite being in an early Bond movie, she is still a strong woman.

To conclude, From Russia With Love excels in that it takes its time, develops the characters and makes the viewer care for the people on the screen. In addition, it manages to avoid the “dragging” feeling prevalent in so many of the early Bond films and moves quickly enough to not lose the viewer’s interest no matter how many times it is viewed. So, due to amazing characters and their development, stunning locations, a classic plot and James Bond at his best, I can safely declare From Russia With Love as my favorite in the series.

• First pre-title action sequence
  
• First hit theme song
  
• First appearance of the back of Ernst Stavro Blofeld's head
  
• First appearance of Ernst Stavro Blofeld's white Persian cat
  
• First mention of SMERSH
  
• First relationship of any kind with the Russians
  
• First time Bond has a love affair with a Russian
  
• First appearance of Q = Desmond Llewelyn has appeared in 17 Bond films 
  
• First Q gadget (The briefcase)
  
• First villain with a gadget (Grant's watch)
  
• First Bond boat chase
  
• First appearance of Walter Gotell (Later played General Gogol)
  
• Bond's first unofficial marriage (Mr. and Mrs. Sommerset)
  
• First returning Bond girl (Sylvia Trench)
  
• First time Bond uses any kind of wireless communication device (the beeper)
  
• First time Bond is being chased by a helicopter
  
• First fight on a train
  
• First appearance of Bond's Bentley
  
• First time the alternate 007 theme is used (the one during the boat chase)
  
• First time Bond is in a Mediterranean country.
  
• First defection (even though it organized by SPECTRE)
  
• First appearance of a car phone
  
• First time 007 drives a pickup truck (1960 Chevrolet C30 flatbed)
  
• First time a wristwatch contained gadgetry
  
• First time 007 goes to Venice, Italy
  
• First time the villain avenges a colleague's death (Blofeld wants revenge for Dr. No's death)
  
• First time another Cubby Broccoli/Saltzman production appears in a Bond film (the poster for the film Call Me Bwana)
  
• First time there is nudity in a Bond movie (Tatiana is naked in Bond's hotel)
  
• First time a Bond girl kills a villain (Tatiana kills Klebb)
  
• First time a character is a lesbian
  
• First time Bond quotes Shakespeare, telling Moneypenny "Once more unto the breach..." from Henry V
  
• First female military figure
  

• The underground escape sequence was filmed with over 200 live rats, some of which escaped and ran amok on the streets of Madrid.
  
  
• The helicopter sequence was filmed in Scotland and Sean Connery dodged a real helicopter.
  
  
• Unknown to cast and crew, Pedro Armendariz (Ali Karim Bey) was dying of cancer. When his conditions was revealed, he nonetheless finished his scenes and a party was thrown in his honor. Days later, in the hospital, he committed suicide.
  
  
• In both the British and American trailers, the name of every major cast member is mentioned, except one: Sean Connery.
  
  
• One of the fighting gypsy girls, Martine Beswick, was identified as "Martin Beswick" in the main title sequence.
  
  
• Martine Beswick is an ex-Miss Jamaica.
  
  
• Daniella Bianchi was an ex-Miss Italy.
  
  
• From Russia With Love was the last movie US President John F. Kennedy saw before his assassination
  
  
• Principal photography for the film ended 2 days before a revolution in Istanbul.
  
  
• This is Sean Connery's favorite Bond film.
  
  
• Just after Bond and Tatiana jump off the Orient Express, Ian Fleming can be seen standing next to a car.
  
  
• Blofeld was played by Anthony Dawson (Dent in Dr. No) and his voice was dubbed by Eric Phollman.
  
  
• When Pedro Armendariz was too weak with cancer to act out his scenes, director Terrance Young filled in for him.
  
  
• Daniella Bianchi's voice was dubbed by Barbara Jefford
  
  
• Bond's hotel receptionist is played by Monica van der Syl who also dubbed Ursula Andress' voice in Dr No