Casino Royale (1967)

Directors:

Val Guest
Ken Hughes
(more)

Writers:

Wolf Mankowitz (screenplay) &
John Law (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 April 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

CASINO ROYALE . . . the greatest JAMES BOND! 007 show on earth ! [Australian Daybill Movie Poster]

Plot:

In an early spy spoof, aging Sir James Bond comes out of retirement to take on SMERSH.

Plot Keywords:

Baccarat | Spy | Retirement | Nephew | Villain

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Evelyn Tremble / James Bond 007
Ursula Andress	...	Vesper Lynd / James Bond 007
David Niven	...	Sir James Bond / 007
Orson Welles	...	Le Chiffre
Joanna Pettet	...	Mata Bond / James Bond 007
Daliah Lavi	...	The Detainer / James Bond 007
Woody Allen	...	Jimmy Bond / 007
Deborah Kerr	...	Agent Mimi / Lady Fiona McTarry
William Holden	...	Ransome
Charles Boyer	...	Le Grand
John Huston	...	M / General McTarry
Kurt Kasznar	...	Smernov
George Raft	...	Himself
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	French Legionnaire (as Jean Paul Belmondo)
Terence Cooper	...	Cooper / James Bond 007
Barbara Bouchet	...	Moneypenny
Angela Scoular	...	Buttercup
Gabriella Licudi	...	Eliza
Tracey Crisp	...	Heather
Elaine Taylor	...	Peg
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Giovanna Goodthighs (as Jacky Bisset)
Alexandra Bastedo	...	Meg
Anna Quayle	...	Frau Hoffner
Derek Nimmo	...	Hadley
Ronnie Corbett	...	Polo
Colin Gordon	...	Casino Director
Bernard Cribbins	...	Taxi Driver
Tracy Reed	...	Fang Leader
John Bluthal	...	Casino Doorman & MI5. Man
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	'Q'
John Wells	...	'Q's' Assistant
Duncan Macrae	...	Inspector Rene Mathis
Graham Stark	...	Cashier
Chic Murray	...	Chic
Jonathan Routh	...	John
Richard Wattis	...	British Army Officer
Vladek Sheybal	...	Le Chiffre's Auctioneer
Percy Herbert	...	1st Piper
Penny Riley	...	Control Girl
Jeanne Roland	...	Captain of the Guards
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jennifer Baker	...	Le Chiffre's Assistant (uncredited)
Susan Baker	...	Le Chiffre's Assistant (uncredited)
R.S.M. Brittain	...	Sergeant Major (uncredited)
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Keystone Kop (uncredited)
Erik Chitty	...	Sir James Bond's Butler (uncredited)
Frances Cosslett	...	Michele (uncredited)
Alexander Doré	...	Extra (uncredited)
Valentine Dyall	...	Vesper Lynd's Assistant / Dr. Noah's Voice (uncredited)
Hal Galili	...	USA Officer at Auction (uncredited)
Veronica Gardnier	...	Bond Girl (uncredited)
Bob Godfrey	...	Scottish Strongman (uncredited)
Jack Gwillim	...	British Officer at Auction (uncredited)
John Hollis	...	Fred (uncredited)
Anjelica Huston	...	Agent Mimi's Hands (uncredited)
Burt Kwouk	...	Chinese General (uncredited)
John Le Mesurier	...	M's Driver (uncredited)
Yvonne Marsh	...	Bond Girl (uncredited)
Barrie Melrose	...	Extra (uncredited)
Stirling Moss	...	Driver (uncredited)
Caroline Munro	...	Guard Girl (uncredited)
Peter O'Toole	...	Scottish Piper (uncredited)
David Prowse	...	Frankenstein's Creature (uncredited)
Milton Reid	...	Temple Guard (uncredited)
Robert Rowland	...	MI5 Agent (uncredited)
Richard Talmadge	...	Keystone Kop (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl	...	Vesper Lynd (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Val Guest		(additional sequences) (scenes with Woody Allen and additional scenes with David Niven)
Ken Hughes		(Berlin scenes) (as Kenneth Hughes)
John Huston		(scenes at Sir James Bond's house) (castle in Scotland scenes)
Joseph McGrath		(scenes with Peters Sellers, Ursula Andress and Orson Welles)
Robert Parrish		(scenes with Peters Sellers and Orson Welles)
Richard Talmadge		(uncredited) (Casino Royale finale)

Writing credits
Wolf Mankowitz		(screenplay) &
John Law		(screenplay) &
Michael Sayers		(screenplay)
Ian Fleming		(suggested by the novel "Casino Royale")
Woody Allen		uncredited and
Val Guest		additional dialogue and
Ben Hecht		uncredited and
Joseph Heller		uncredited and
Terry Southern		uncredited and
Billy Wilder		uncredited and
Peter Sellers		uncredited

Produced by
Jerry Bresler	....	producer
John Dark	....	associate producer
Charles K. Feldman	....	producer

Original Music by
Burt Bacharach

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bill Lenny

Casting by
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Michael Stringer

Art Direction by
Ivor Beddoes
Lionel Couch
John Howell

Costume Design by
Julie Harris
Anna Duse		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
John O'Gorman	....	makeup artist: Ursula Andress
Joan Smallwood	....	chief hairdresser
Neville Smallwood	....	chief makeup artist

Production Management
Barrie Melrose	....	production manager
John D. Merriman	....	production manager (as John Merriman)
Douglas Peirce	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Baird	....	assistant director
Carl Mannin	....	assistant director
Anthony Squire	....	second unit director
John Stoneman	....	assistant director
Richard Talmadge	....	second unit director

Art Department
Norman Dorme	....	assistant art director
Bill MacLaren	....	construction manager (as Bill Maclaren)
Terence Morgan	....	set dresser
Tony Rimmington	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Sash Fisher	....	sound
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Bob Jones	....	sound
Richard Langford	....	sound (as Dick Langford)
John W. Mitchell	....	sound
Jim Shields	....	dialogue editor (as James Shields)
Richard Best Jr.	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Cliff Richardson	....	special effects
Roy Whybrow	....	special effects
John Richardson	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special matte work
Gerald Larn	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Stunts
Gillian Aldam	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Anderson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Brace	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tex Fuller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rusty Hood	....	stunts (uncredited)
Arthur Howell	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunt double: David Niven (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Munt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard O'Brien	....	stunt rider (uncredited)
Keith Peacock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dinny Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Reid	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Terry Richards	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Smart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Yorke	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nicolas Roeg	....	additional photography
John Wilcox	....	additional photography
Trevor Coop	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Ted Deason	....	focus puller: "a" camera (uncredited)
Wally Fairweather	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Maurice Gillett	....	supervising electrician (uncredited)
Pamela Green	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Anthony B. Richmond	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Alex Thomson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Webb	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ken Worringham	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Adamson	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Alan Strachan	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Herb Alpert	....	main title theme played by
Burt Bacharach	....	conductor
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass	....	main title theme played by
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
David Berglas	....	technical advisor
Charles K. Feldman	....	presenter
Tutte Lemkow	....	choreographer
Richard Williams	....	titles and montage effects
Lord Bolton	....	stand-in: Sir James Bond in grouse shooting scenes (uncredited)
Renée Glynne	....	continuity (uncredited)
Michael Murray	....	runner (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Famous Artists Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1967) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia-Bavaria Filmgesellschaft m.b.H. (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• BCI Eclipse (1989) (USA) (video)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video)
• Sony Video (1992) (USA) (video)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2001) (Spain) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Australia) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Bermans, London  costumes: Ursula Andress and Joanna Pettet
• Chombert  acknowledgment: from Paris - furs for Ursula Andress
• Guy Laroche  acknowledgment: from Paris - Casino dresses
• Paco Rabanne  acknowledgment: from Paris - Guard Girl dresses

Also Known As:

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:PG (DVD/video rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #29446) | Germany:12 (f) (re-rated) | West Germany:16 (f) | Brazil:14 | USA:TV-14 | Austria:16 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG | UK:U (original rating)

Filming Locations:

MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

According to writer Eric Lax, Woody Allen was astonished by what he viewed as extravagant spending on the film (for example, he was flown in and put up in an expensive hotel for several weeks doing nothing before they got around to shooting his scenes) and the chaotic production. He wrote to a friend, "The film will probably make a mint. Not money, but a single peppermint."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the pod from the flying saucer "drives" up out of the water in the underground dock, the cable pulling it is plainly visible near the bottom of the screen.

Quotes:

Agent Mimi:To your right Sir James Bond, Lady Mary. Daughter of Douglas McTarry, raped by the Campbells in 1622. In retaliation of which Lord Douglas sent his only son, Hamish, out to rape twel' Campbell lasses.
Sir James:At-t-t the same time?
Agent Mimi:Eldest first, of course. As prescribed by scripture. Youngest bore him triplets. Their union thus bounteously blessed a contract of marriage was entered into which brought the McTarrys Black Loch, Ben Tarn, the Shagsa Rock, Glenlocke and a good stretch of salmon water.

Movie Connections:

References "Climax!: Casino Royale (#1.3)" (1954)

Soundtrack:

Rule Brittania

"Too many cooks spoil the broth".

What a mess of the royal proportions - such a great cast (Peter Sellers, David Niven, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Ursula Andress, Deborah Kerr, and Jean-Paul Belmondo), the James Bond's story, plenty of beautiful (and I mean it) girls, the music by Burt Bacharach, most famous sets - but the movie is almost totally unwatchable. It started funny enough - at Sir James Bond's (David Niven) home where he was approached by four international agents that forced him to come out of retirement and head up the operation against the evil organization SMERSH. His mission is to destroy Topple LeChiffre (Orson Welles} at the baccarat tables where he never loses and wins a lot of money to supply SMERSH. Then, the movie becomes silly, stupid, pointless, and (what is the worst) not funny. Only Woody Allen, (as Bond's incompetent nephew, Jimmy Bond) brilliant as usual has appeared in two scenes and made them silly and hilarious. I think that "Casino Royale" (the way it was made) illustrates the fact that bigger is not always better - overlong and overblown, written and directed by five or more writers and directors, it brings to mind an old saying, "Too many cooks spoil the broth".

OT: the abbreviation SMERSH really existed during the WWII. It means "Death to the Spies" in Russian.