Thunderball (1965)

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007: “Was there ever a man more misunderstood?”

Overview: SPECTRE steals two British atomic bombs, and demands a ransom of £100 million. James Bond goes to the Bahamas to stop SPECTRE’s Number two, Emilio Largo, from destroying Washington, D.C. and Miami. For the first time in the series, alcohol actually helps save Bond’s life.

What does Bond drink?

• When Bond and Domino first have lunch together, they share a bottle of chilled red wine. Bond drinks from his glass several times.
• After Bond defeats Largo at baccarat, he takes Domino to the casino’s nightclub. After perusing the menu, he orders “Beluga caviar, Dom Perignon ’55.” (For more on 007 and Dom Perignon, see the Brands section.) Domino departs with Largo before the order arrives.
• Bond returns to his suite (where one of Largo’s henchmen is waiting). The first room has a sidebar with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red and a bucket of ice. After embarrassing Largo’s henchman, Bond (at a second drink area) adds ice to a tall glass and pours in what appears to be Smirnoff Blue vodka. He then adds Cinzano dry vermouth. It’s either a martini on the rocks, or lacking a shaker, Bond intends to swirl the glass and pour the contents into another glass. We’ll never know, because the scene ends as he pours the Cinzano.
• When Bond arrives at Palmyra (Largo’s estate), a servant brings two drinks. Largo takes them and offers one to 007, asking “Rum Collins, Mr. Bond?” Bond replies (while checking the Geiger counter in his wristwatch) “Yes. Just about that hour, isn’t it?” Largo makes a gesture of offering the other drink to Vargas, but then comments, “Of course...Vargas does not drink, does not smoke, does not make love. What do you do, Vargas?” As the conversation continues, Bond takes a sip from his Rum Collins.
• When we see Bond and Domino at Junkanoo, he is pouring her a glass of champagne, presumably Dom Perignon. After returning the bottle to an ice bucket, he gets his own glass, and takes a noticeable sip.

It’s not just for happy hour anymore: When Bond is being kidnapped by Fiona Volpe and Largo’s henchmen during Junkanoo, he uses his wits and a bottle of rum (possibly Bacardi) to get away. A drunk Bahamian approaches the car, asking “Would you like to have a drink man? It’s real firewater...can’t harm you, man!” When the man leans in, Bond kicks the bottle, which spills on the top of the front seatback. 007 then seizes Fiona’s hand (she has been lighting a cigarette) and uses her still-lit lighter to ignite the rum. Bond then opens his door and rolls out of the car in the confusion. Firewater, indeed.

Product placement: Not overpowering, although bottles of Johnnie Walker, Cinzano and Smirnoff are briefly displayed.

By the book: Based on Thunderball (1961).

• After their first meeting, Bond and Domino have drinks at a restaurant outside of Nassau. Instead of red wine, they have a vodka and tonic with bitters, and a double Bloody Mary, respectively.
• After defeating Largo at baccarat, Bond has champagne and caviar (Clicquot Rosé and fifty dollars’ worth of Beluga) with Domino in the casino’s supper room.

Total: Four drinks. At least half a bottle of red wine, an undetermined amount of champagne, one vodka martini, and a rum collins.