Synopsis
A mysterious spacecraft captures Russian and American space capsules and brings the two superpowers to the brink of war. James Bond investigates the case in Japan and comes face to face with his archenemy Blofeld.
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Cast
- Sean ConneryJames Bond
- Akiko WakabayashiAki
- Mie HamaKissy Suzuki
- Tetsurō TambaTiger Tanaka
- Teru ShimadaMr. Osato
- Karin DorHelga Brandt
- Donald PleasenceErnst Stavro Blofeld
- Bernard LeeM
- Lois MaxwellMiss Moneypenny
- Desmond LlewelynQ
Recommendations
- 100
Empire
Director Lewis Gilbert effortlessly marshals the intricacies of the plot (a nutty plan by SMERSH to ignite a world war), the exotic Japanese locations, and the extravagancies of having hundreds of ninja warriors abseiling into a huge enemy base unfathomably constructed in the belly of an extinct volcano (quite the engineering feat!). - 90
The Guardian
What I can say for sure is You Only Live Twice is the Bond film I have seen most often and I have enjoyed the hell out it every single time. - 88
Rolling Stone
From the Eastern flavor of the opening theme, hauntingly sung by Nancy Sinatra, to the Japanese setting, the fifth film is the Bond series just gets better and cooler with age. The tasty script by Roald Dahl junks most of the Fleming novel, spinning its own witty Cold War fantasy. - 70
The New York Times
Although there's a lot more science-fiction than there is first-vintage James Bond in You Only Live Twice, the fifth in a series of veritable Bond films with Sean Connery, there's enough of the bright and bland bravado of the popular British super-sleuth mixed into this melee of rocket-launching to make it a bag of good Bond fun. - 70
Variety
Donald Pleasence makes a suitably menacing German heavy who appears in film’s final scenes. - 63
Chicago Sun-Times
Connery labors mightily. There is still the same Bond grin, still the cool humor under fire, still the slight element of satire. But when he puts on his cute little helmet and is strapped into his helicopter, somehow the whole illusion falls apart and what we're left with is a million-dollar playpen in which everything works but nothing does anything. - 63
ReelViews
Unfortunately, this is also among the weakest of the early Bond films, although Connery is in peak form. - 60
TV Guide Magazine
Nancy Sinatra sings the wistful title song, and the action scenes are enhanced by some of composer John Barry's best work for the Bond series.
