You Only Live Twice
Tiger Tanaka: My friend, now you take your first civilized bath.
James Bond: Really?
[Bond is surrounded by four young Japanese women wearing only white bras and panties]
James Bond: Oh, I like the plumbing.
Tiger Tanaka: Place yourself entirely in their hands, my dear Bond-san. Rule number one: is never do anything yourself – when someone else can do it for you.
James Bond: And number two?
Tiger Tanaka: Rule number two: in Japan, men come first, women come second.
James Bond: I just might retire to here.
“You Only Live Twice” is one of my dearer films, for the simple reason that almost the entire film’s plot takes place in Japan. 😀 But on the other hand, that it’s dear to me doesn’t mean it’s among my favorites.
What’s it about?
A “NASA” spacecraft is hijacked (or better said, “swallowed”) in space by an unidentified craft. Since it’s the 60s, logically Soviets and Americans will immediately go for each other’s throats, and are one curse away from nuclear war. However, the British government suspects Japanese are also involved. Because of that they send their best operative, James Bond, to Tokyo to investigate what’s going on (accompanied by faking his death with style). In translation, they send him to work, to use an old Slavic word, undercover.
One of J.B.’s primary tasks is to contact the mysterious first man of Japanese secret service, Tiger Tanaka, and join forces in discovering why the mysterious craft that “swallowed” “NASA’s” ship landed somewhere in Japan.
James Bond soon discovers all traces lead to the company “Osato Chemicals” and its director Osato and his mysterious (and fatal) secretary, Helga. Since he barely pulled out alive with help from Tanaka’s agent (because they tried to take his head off Osato and Helga… I mean, they tried to take his head off, not take the agent off him… I mean, there’s no need to take the agent off him, J.B. will do that later himself without anyone’s help, bless him), it’s revealed it’s not Japanese who tried to cause chaos between USA and USSR, but our old friends from notorious organization “SPECTRE.”
Since they find the location where the crafts should be hidden (it’s one small island where there’s only a poor fishing settlement), Tanaka sets an important task before Bond… J.B. must infiltrate the island. And to do that, he must first become a real Japanese! He must be disguised, must learn how a Japanese behaves, must learn “ninja way” from Tanaka and his students… and must marry a Japanese woman from the island!
After these challenges, J.B. successfully discovers “SPECTRE’s” base, and for the first time meets eye to eye with the mastermind, first man of this notorious organization. It’s Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
The question arises whether James Bond can prevent in time the clash between USA and USSR and, what’s even more important, survive in “SPECTRE” organization’s lair?
Eh… where to start when it comes to this film… will it surprise you this is one of the more fun Bond films, but on the other hand also worse?
Maybe the main reason is our Seany… despite charisma and everything, it can’t escape notice Sean Connery did this film (primarily) because of big money offered by producers (Saltzman and Broccoli). Simply, Seany got fed up with Bond films. He realized his career is potentially threatened long-term, that he’ll remain recognizable only as James Bond if he continues like this and that because of commitments around filming secret agent films, he can’t participate in other projects. Though Seany will always be remembered as (most likely) best James Bond ever, at that time he perhaps also made a good move to make a turn in career, because later he worked on quite a lot of excellent films. All in all, he did a solid job, but far from the quality of previous films. So, time for a new James Bond.
Hand on heart, villains didn’t exactly (at least on me) leave much impression either. Interesting fact is Donald Pleasence wasn’t first choice for first man of “SPECTRE” organization, Blofeld. I can’t say he acted badly (moreover, his role as Blofeld later became a benchmark for future films, and parody, for what an evil mastermind can be). However, to me this presentation of Blofeld, unlike previous Bond villains, never had that ominous presence. Osato turned out meh in the end, and Helga more a hot woman without any special charisma.
But Bond girls… ah, those Japanese women… simply, if you’re “weak” for Japanese beauty, Aki and Kissy will enchant and charm you, and moreover will nicely complement their beauty with charming acting and different characters.
And the plot is a bit exaggerated and, hand on heart, shaky, but that’s why they went to the extreme.
And that’s why series producers decided to compensate for this on the visual plane, and that full steam, starting from exotic and popular locations in Japan where it was filmed (Ginza district in Tokyo, Kobe docks, Himeji castle, Shinmoe-dake volcanic mountain) to famous “Pinewood Studios” where they spent (then) a million dollars on building huge volcanic base of “SPECTRE” organization).
They didn’t spare on Bond’s gadgets either. Most impressive is autogyro/gyrocopter armed with rockets (called “Little Nellie”), with which Bond had clashes in the air with enemy helicopters (at that time, filming this scene was quite challenging). There’s also always practical cigarette mini-rocket (they say nicely cigarette smoking kills) and ninja-style weapons, like wire soaked in poison or staff (bo) with hidden blade.
Indispensable weapon is still Walther PPK, except James Bond didn’t use it in this film.
Expectedly the car of choice for Bond in Japan must be fast, fancy and high-tech (even for that time), so this honor fell to “Toyota 2000GT” model.
Famous opening number “You only live twice” was sung by Nancy Sinatra, daughter of legendary Frank Sinatra (since he wasn’t interested in participating).
With budget of 9.5 million dollars, the film earned more than excellent 111.6 million dollars.
And finally, a couple interesting facts:
- The henchman Bond fights in Osato’s office is Peter Maivia, grandfather of Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)
- The relationship between Seany and producers deteriorated so much, he often didn’t even want to act if they were present on set
- The rocket pistol and cigarette-rocket were real weapons. The manufacturer paid to appear in the film, hoping they’d become part of standard military equipment
- This is the first film where Bond is in Royal Navy uniform and where it’s seen he truly has the rank of commander
- This is the only film where Bond agrees to drink a martini that’s stirred, not shaken (this was supposed to be some joke by producers)
- Seany had quite a lot of trouble during filming in Japan. First journalists besieged him to madness, then also photographed him wherever they could (supposedly some journalist photographed him on toilet bowl, and later published it in newspapers). Then he attracted Japanese anger when he said he doesn’t consider Japanese women attractive (in the end it turned out to be wrong translation of his statement). And when he came to an interview quite casually/summery dressed, at a journalist’s comment, does one James Bond dress like that, he retorted “I’m not James Bond, but Sean Connery, a man who likes to dress so he’s comfortable”
- This is the last Bond film where voice dubbing was excessively used
- The scene where J.B. fires rockets from “Little Nellie” was filmed outside Japan, because Japanese law prohibited firing rockets from the air
- For authenticity regarding ninja, a real (and then the only) ninja master was engaged
- This was the first film where James Bond isn’t in a tuxedo
- Legendary Toshiro Mifune was offered Tanaka’s role, but refused it due to commitment to another film
- The reason why the roof was cut off on “Toyota 2000GT” model is Seany’s height
- The attempt on Bond’s assassination by ninja is based on a real historical event from the 16th century, when a ninja from Iga clan tried to kill military commander Oda Nobunaga
And with this film it can be said that one era ended, which was started by “Dr. No,” continued by “From Russia with Love,” “Goldfinger,” “Thunderball” and ended with “You Only Live Twice.” And then came time for some changes in this secret agent-womanizer’s adventures…
Dear reader, how did you like Bond’s adventures in Japan? 😊
Trailer | Imdb | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic
Format: Film | Premiere: 1967 | Runtime: 117 minutes
