Detailed item info | Movie description | Complete with ski chases, casino hijinks, high-tech gadgetry, and sultry women, the 19th installment in the James Bond franchise features the increasingly at-ease Pierce Brosnan in his third appearance as 007, in a race to save the world's oil supply. Sophie Marceau (BRAVEHEART) stars as Elektra King, the daughter of a murdered oil tycoon, while Robert Carlyle (THE FULL MONTY) plays one of the most unusual Bond villains ever: Renard, who is unable to feel pain because of a bullet lodged in his brain. Director Michael Apted, known for such films as COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, was brought in to make the story more dramatic and facilitate the addition of more complex female characters. One of the fruits of Apted's involvement is that M (Judi Dench) gets to move from behind her desk, while curvy Denise Richards (WILD THINGS) gets to show off more than her figure. Dangerous stunt work, exhilarating action sequences, and a rousing theme song from alternative rock band Garbage make this a worthy addition to the 007 series. The film also marks the 17th and final appearance of Desmond Llewelyn as Q; John Cleese is introduced as Q's successor, R.
| | Credits | | Producer: | Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson | | Cast: | Colin Salmon, Denise Richards, Desmond Llewelyn, Goldie, John Cleese, Judi Dench, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Pierce Brosnan, Robbie Coltrane, Robert Carlyle, Samantha Bond, Sophie Marceau |
| | Details | | Sound: | HiFi Sound, Stereo Sound, |
| | Notes | Theatrical release: November 19, 1999.
Shot on location in Azerbaijan, Turkey, the French Alps, and Spain.
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH grossed nearly $127 million at the domestic box office and more than $350 million worldwide.
Pierce Brosnan wanted Apted to direct because Brosnan wanted to work with more challenging material. One thing that Apted tried to do was to get M more involved in the story. Apted also wanted the the villain to display more vulnerability and be more sympathetic than the typical Bond nemesis. At one point Apted considered having Bond talk about his personal history to Elektra King. However, the producers nixed the idea, explaining that one of the characteristics of Bond is that he never talks about himself.
After working to make the female characters (M, Elektra, and Christmas Jones) more three-dimensional, Apted brought in coscreenwriter Bruce Feirstein (author of the books REAL MEN DON'T EAT QUICHE and NICE GUYS SLEEP ALONE) to add some of the more typical macho elements to the film.
Employing up to three units operating simultaneously, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is the biggest production Apted has had to manage, as well as the highest budgeted (it was three times that of EXTREME MEASURES).
The Bond franchise has been going on for about as long as Apted's SEVEN UP series, making Apted a contributor to two of the longest running film projects in history.
Many of the principal crew members have worked on Bond films before, ensuring continuity between each film. Bruce Feirstein has worked on 3 previous projects; production designer Peter Lamont, 15; stunt coordinator Simon Crane, 3; costume designer Lindy Hemming, 2; casting director Debbie McWilliams, 6; special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, 8; miniature effects supervisor John Richardson, 6; and music composer David Arnold, 1.
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is the 15th Bond film to be shot at Pinewood Studios in England.
Desmond Llewelyn, the only actor who has portrayed Q, died at the age of 85 in a car crash on December 19, 1999. Ever since GOLDEN EYE, Llewelyn had been talking about a way for his character to make a graceful exit from the Bond films. Coscreenwriter Bruce Feirstein explained in SALON, "It became sort of a running joke: Whenever we left a restaurant, he'd stuff a 10- or 12-page handwritten sequence into my pocket, each one detailing a new, ever more elaborate exit for his character." An option for Q to retire was finally included in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, with the producers and screenwriters not realizing that Llewelyn would pass away just one month after the film's release.
Maria Grazia Cucinotta (IL POSTINO) originally wanted the role of Elektra, but Apted didn't think her English was strong enough. She convinced him to cast her in a smaller part, the cigar woman.
Robbie Coltrane makes a return appearance as Valentin Zukovsky, one of the few villains to ever reappear in the Bond series. He first appeared in GOLDENEYE.
Producer Michael Wilson appears in the casino scene, opening the door for Bond and Elektra.
| | Editorial reviews | "...Solid work by the nicely matched Pierce Brosnan and Sophie Marceau..."
Variety - p.88 - Todd McCarthy
"...[Brosnan] imprints his own personality on the role....Marceau gives Bond a real woman to deal with..."
Entertainment Weekly - p.50 - Michael Sauter
"...The Bond machine, retooled and greased for the new millennium, still has a fearsome top speed..."
Total Film - p.100 - Ceri Thomas
"...Sophie Marceau does a smashing turn as Elektra, in a mischievously sexy performance..."
New York Times - p.E20 - Janet Maslin
"...One of the best post-Sean Connery Bonds....Solid and surprisingly sharp..."
USA Today - Andy Seiler (11/19/1999)
"...A splendid comic thriller, exciting and graceful, endlessly inventive..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (11/19/1999)
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