50 years of James Bond films

The submarine also came equipped with surface-to-air missiles, mines and harpoons.

Not even James Bond's producers could ignore the success of "Star Wars," so 1979's "Moonraker" featured an arch villain camped out in Earth's orbit (Hugo Drax, played by Michael Lonsdale) ready to unleash a biological holocaust.

Back on terra firma: In "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), adapted from two Fleming short stories, Bond's search for a missing missile guidance system intersects with a woman seeking revenge for her parents' murders. The less-gadget-driven film featured locations in Greece, the Bahamas and Italy; a title song performed (on-camera) by Sheena Easton; and, as Bond's romantic interest, Carole Bouquet.

Thanks to a court decision that awarded remake rights of "Thunderball" to film producer Kevin McClory, Sean Connery was enticed to take on the James Bond role again in "Never Say Never Again" (1983). Though it closely adhered to the story of nuclear theft it also incorporated winking elements pointing to the increasing age of its star.
The title itself was an in-joke, suggested by Connery's wife, after the actor had once vowed "never again" to play Bond.

Competing against "Never Say Never Again" in cinemas in 1983 was an official Bond production with Roger Moore, "Octopussy." It ranged in locale from India to East Germany, and featured Bond in clown makeup. But it also upped his quota of Bond Girls.

After Roger Moore's seven turns as Bond, the producers were ready for a younger star with a fresh take on the Fleming character. Pierce Brosnan was approached but could not get out of his contract for the TV series "Remington Steele." Timothy Dalton, whom producers had approached back in 1969 when he was in his mid 20s, was signed for "The Living Daylights" (1987), in which he played a darker, more rueful agent less given to quips. A critical favorite and popular success, the film featured Bond among the mujahideen in Afghanistan.

Legal bouts between MGM and the producers delayed production of the next Bond adventure, by which time Dalton quit.

With "Remington Steele" cancelled, Pierce Brosnan was able to pick up the Bond baton in the 17th film of the series, "GoldenEye" (1995). The first post-Cold War Bond film, it eschewed elements of the original Ian Fleming stories with a totally originally story and script.

Jonathan Pryce as a media mogul who believes coercing superpowers into a war will boost ratings (he may have a point) in "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997). The film performed well at the box office despite opening on the same day as a little film called "Titanic."

The movies' sixth official Bond, Daniel Craig, starred in the successful 2006 reboot of the franchise, "Casino Royale." Examining the origins of the Bond character in his first assignments, the film was as lean and dashing as its star, and featured some expertly filmed and edited chase sequences, and a narrative much more emotional than the typical Bond outing.