| This swinging spoof of Ian Fleming`s spy hero features an aging James Bond (David Niven), reluctantly dragged out of retirement to chase down the evil crime clique called SMERSH. In order to confound the forces led by the villainous Le Chiffre (Orson Welles), the Secret Service enlists five other agents, also under the name Bond, and all six converge on the titular casino. Meanwhile, Woody Allen, as the retiring secret agent`s nephew, causes havoc at every turn.The gleefully chaotic product of five directors, numerous screenwriters, and the late 1960s in general, CASINO ROYALE revels in its psychedelic spy satire premise. The comedy features a legion of stars in roles both large and small: Niven, Welles, Allen, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, William Holden, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jacqueline Bisset, Deborah Kerr, and many more. (Apparently, Sellers and Welles despised each other, and Sellers would frequently not show up for his scenes.) Amid the wackiness, there are genuine moments of hilarity, making the film a surreal romp through Bond lore and the more eccentric aspects of 1960s pop culture. |
