Enjoyed listening to your review of “Never Say Never Again,” especially given the 40-year mark as of October 2023. Our opinions of the film are at odds, however. I consider it one of the best; a welcome change from the Moorish muck Eon was foisting upon us. (“Octopussy” is one of several Bonds for which I have contempt.) Jack Schwartzman has my eternal admiration for his courage in taking the project on. And as Irvin Kershner said publicly, Sean Connery was the creative glue that held the production together. His name helped with raising money and forming distribution deals around the world. The end result was a vast improvement over “Thunderball,” a tedious, slow-moving Bahamas travelogue that even Terence Young didn’t care for. To begin with, the music is perfectly fine; including the title song. It is far superior to “Man With the Golden Gun” or “A View To A Kill.” Michel Legrand was a last-minute change when James Horner pulled out. Having done the original “Thomas Crown Affair,” “Ice Station Zebra,” and other major films, he was certainly well-qualified, and his jazz-based score gave the film an original flavour. (Even John Barry could get repetitive.) I particularly enjoyed the shark trap, and the romantic motif in the south of France. Connery had final say over script and casting, a major plus point. So we can give him credit (or blame) for the changes in Bond’s world. M was meant to be a younger bureaucrat intent on “modernizing” MI6 - meaning edging out the Double-O’s. With a new Q, we could avoid the tiresome sarcasm with Bond. In fact, the Q scene is one of my favourites. Felix Leiter seemed a genuine friend and ally, rather than the sidekick of many Eon films. Maximilian Largo and Fatima Blush are two of the best villains in the series. Domino has more depth and vulnerability than the original version (and is more athletic). The sexual encounter between Bond and Fatima was presented in an original way. The “weirdest” one was between Roger Moore and Grace Jones; the silliest in “Moonraker.” The notion of Bond as a “guest” of the villain is nothing new - go back to “Dr No.” Of course, the “guest” mode doesn’t last forever. As Largo eventually says, “Bund, ze game is over!” The climax is also superior to that of “Thunderball,” in part because of less underwater fighting. The cave battle is excellent, and the single fight between Bond and Largo is inspired by the novel. It’s wonderful to see Bond taking a well-deserved rest in the outdoor jacuzzi, his sly wink to the camera bringing Connery’s tenure as Bond to a close. This helps me forget “Diamonds Are Forever.” For this old Bond fan, “Never Say Never Again” was worth the wait. Its profits were not far behind “Octopussy” and the reviews were much better. The fact remains that Kevin McClory’s contract with Eon covered other scripts beside “Thunderball.” It’s not surprising that, once James Bond was established as a money-maker, Eon would renege on the deal. Even while declaring McClory’s rights to be limited to “Thunderball,” Eon tried to block him on that front, as well. So let Eon enjoy McClory’s rights; hopefully they’ll do a better job than that snoozefest titled, “SPECTRE.” Keep up the good work, JT.