Product Details

• Actors: Sean Connery, Kim Basinger, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Barbara Carrera, Max von Sydow
• Directors: Irvin Kershner
• Writers: Dick Clement, Ian Fleming, Ian La Frenais, Jack Whittingham, Kevin McClory
• Producers: Jack Schwartzman
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: October 17, 2000
• Run Time: 133 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (325 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004WEJZ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,112 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Never Say Never Again" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After years of enduring Roger Moore in the role of James Bond, it was good to have Sean Connery back in this 1983 film for a one-time-only trip down 007's memory lane. Connery's Bond, a bit of a dinosaur in the British secret service at (then) 52, is still in demand during times of crisis. Sadly, the film is not very good. In this rehash of Thunderball, Bond is pitted against a worthy underwater villain (Klaus Maria Brandauer); and while the requisite Bond Girls include beauties Kim Basinger and Barbara Carrera, they can't save the movie. The script has several truly dumb passages, among them a (gasp) video-game duel between 007 and his nemesis that now looks utterly anachronistic. For Connery fans, however, this widescreen print of the Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back) film is a chance to say a final goodbye to a perfect marriage of actor and character. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Sean Connery is back for his final performance as superagent James Bond in this high-velocity action thriller from the director of The Empire Strikes Back. When two atomic warheads are hijacked by the evil SPECTRE organization, Agent 007 is hurled into an explosive, pulse-pounding race to save the world from nuclear terrorists!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 129 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Missing Footage? You Can Get it Replaced. January 5, 2001

By John Cox

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

As some of the reviews here note, there is a large piece of missing footage on this DVD between chapters 19 & 20 (when the disc changes layers). Is yours missing footage? Here's how to check. Start at chapter 19 and follow Bond as he gate crashes the Casino and sticks the bouncer in the closet. If your DVD jumps from Bond leaving the bouncer in the closet with the "bomb" in his hand (Bond says,"Good boy"), to a scene inside the casino where Bond, Domino, and Largo enter the private game room (Largo saying, "These are my friends..."), then you've got a dud. What you should have seen is Bond going from the bouncer in the closet -- to a shot of Bond through the casino door peep hole -- he enters casino -- sticks gun in ice bucket -- enters video game room -- meets Domino ("My name is Bond, James Bond") -- meets Largo, etc. If yours is defective (and many of them where) the good news is you can return it and get a replacement DVD by calling MGMŐs customer service dept at 1-877-MGM-4YOU (or emailing them at [e-mail]) and following their instructions. I did this and I now have a new, complete NSNA DVD.

87 of 98 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sean Connery's Last Bond Film Is A Flawed Winner January 12, 2001

By Erik Rupp VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Holding the rights to Thunderball, Kevin McClory decided to make a new Bond Film in 1975. Amazingly enough, Sean Connery was interested in playing Bond again if he had script approval. The film originally was going to only loosely based on Thunderball, but after a few years of legal battles with EON it became simply a remake of that earlier film. Still, it is a good Bond film, even though it does have its flaws. The most obvious strength that Never Say Never Again has is Connery, Sean Connery. Even though he looked his age, he looked fit and ready for the usual Bond action. In fact, he looked like he was in better shape than he was for his last Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever, in 1971. The plot of the film very closely follows that of Thunderball, with some updating of the details and technology for 1983. Director Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back) does a fine job with the movie, and the cast gives some excellent performances (including Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo, Barbara Carerra as Fatima Blush - her performance and character seems to be the blueprint for Xenia Onatopp from Goldeneye, Kim Basinger as Domino, Bernie Casey as Felix Leiter, and the great Max Von Sydow as Blofeld). The weaknesses of the film? It doesn't quite LOOK as spectacular as the official Bond films - it has a lower budget look to it than the EON films. Another flaw: the characters of "M" and Nigel Small-Fawcett, both of whom seem like they belong in a Bond spoof rather than the real thing. Both of them ruin their respective scenes due to the attempts at comedy by Edward Fox and Rowan Atkinson. The music is often great (some really good Jazz), but at other times seems inappropriate for particular scenes.... The lack of the "James Bond Theme," also detracts a little from the film (but not much). But when you've got Sean Connery, a solid plot, and a good (overall) supporting cast, you've got a winner. NSNA could have been better, but for a Bond film outside of the official EON Productions banner Never Say Never Again acquits itself quite nicely. It's a shame that the DVD wasn't given the Bond Special Edition treatment, but it is still worth buying anyway. Read more ›

84 of 96 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars An Entire Scene Is MISSING from this DVD October 18, 2000

By gobirds2

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Did anyone out there who bought this DVD or reviewed it take the time to watch it? There is an entire scene missing from it!

After James Bond crashes the formal gala affair and leaves the doorman in the coatroom, the film jumps directly to the video duel between Largo and Bond. The scene in between is missing. That scene is where Bond surprises Domino. She had previously seen him at the health spa where he gave her a rub down, she thinking he was a member of the staff. The scene that is missing is where Bond introduces himself to her and she stumbles over her lines ordering a "Bloody Mary with plenty of Worchester sauce."

For that significant omission I can not recommend this DVD. Also, other than the trailer there are no extras on this DVD. The aesthetic qualities of this film speak for themselves.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Never Buy This Version Of Never Say Never Again October 23, 2000

By M. G Hall

Format:DVD

If you haven't bought this DVD yet,don,t. If you have,return it.There is over 4 minutes missing from this presentation which makes no sense at this point in the story.It absolutly ruins the enjoyment of the movie.The people responsible for the transfer to DVD were lazy and unprofessional.Don't accept this.Let MGM know we won't buy inferior product.If everyone returns this movie they may take more care in the future.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A somewhat mixed bag, but definitely worth owning on Blu-Ray April 21, 2009

By T. Hockman

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

For years I have had questions about Never Say Never Again that remained unanswered for lack of special features or director's commentary to explain some of the elements in this film. Finally, we hear from the director and a Bond historian about many of the backstories about how this renegade Bond film was made, and the many challenges the producers had to overcome to complete this film. I never realized just how much of a nail-biter it was for the producers to crank out a coherent movie due to all the script, logistical, budget, and legal issues that dogged the film every step of the way.
But most of all, I really wanted to understand how the AWFUL musical score got added to this film. It was really a by-product of the low-budget and chaotic schedule to get the film completed that such a counterproductive score was added. Irvin Kirschner did not approve of the score that Michel Legrand produced because it failed to convey the proper on-screen emotion, but it was too late in the production cycle and there was no money available to commission a new score. It was interesting to note that Legrand has more history and comfort writing songs than a theatrical score, and it showed clearly in this film. It was a huge editing challenge to mix and move the music that they had to scenes of the movie.

To my surprise and disappointment, the director and some other crew members had wanted Howard Shore to create the music, but some unnamed other producers were against it for reasons unexplained (probably money). If only a more mainstream composer had created the score, it would have lifted Never Say Never Again to a whole new level. The irritating music is a constant negative throughout the movie and undermines scene after scene.... The opening title sequence is marred by the terrible title track, and the main NSNA theme is so melancholy and of such poor sound quality that it gives the whole movie a B-movie feel.

Another fact revealed in the commentary is how ruthlessly the Broccolis fought this movie in court. They literally dragged Jack Schwartzmann into court almost daily during production of NSNA to dispute script changes that the Broccolis claimed were outside the scope of the allowable screenplay. Somehow, the Broccolis were getting information about all the script changes as they happened to fuel their complaints in court.

I appreciate the candor that Kirschner relates in the commentary about the musical score issues, and some other production problems, that explain some of the forces that kept NSNA from being a truly great film. At least I feel better knowing they tried to make the best film they could, and indeed, made a better film than they had any right to considering the constant budget and legal issues that dogged the film.

With the exception of Kim Basinger, who looks great in this film, the actors did a superb job in this movie. I think this was Sean's best performance as Bond besides From Russia with Love. And as others have noted, he looked much more fit in this film than in Diamonds are Forever 12 years before. He deserves a lot of credit for returning to Bond and delivering a performance with the right balance of strength, wit, and acknowledgement of age.

Oh, and don't miss Rowan Atkinson as Bond's contact in Nassau. Mr. Bean was never so funny. Read more ›