The Living Daylights (1987)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Glen

Writers:

Richard Maibaum (screenplay) and
Michael G. Wilson (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

31 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Music | Thriller

Tagline:

James Bond 007 at his most dangerous in The Living Daylights

Plot:

James Bond is living on the edge to stop an evil arms dealer from starting another world war. Bond crosses all seven continents in order to stop the evil Whitaker and General Koskov.

Plot Keywords:

James Bond | Afghanistan | Defection | Arms Dealer | Cello

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Timothy Dalton	...	James Bond
Maryam d'Abo	...	Kara Milovy
Jeroen Krabbé	...	General Georgi Koskov
Joe Don Baker	...	Brad Whitaker
John Rhys-Davies	...	General Leonid Pushkin
Art Malik	...	Kamran Shah
Andreas Wisniewski	...	Necros
Thomas Wheatley	...	Saunders
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Robert Brown	...	M
Geoffrey Keen	...	Minister of Defence (Sir Frederick Gray)
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Caroline Bliss	...	Miss Moneypenny
John Terry	...	Felix Leiter
Virginia Hey	...	Rubavitch
John Bowe	...	Colonel Feyador
Julie T. Wallace	...	Rosika Miklos
Belle Avery	...	Linda (as Kell Tyler)
Catherine Rabett	...	Liz
Dulice Liecier	...	Ava
Nadim Sawalha	...	Tangier Chief of Security
Alan Talbot	...	Koskov's KGB Minder
Carl Rigg	...	Imposter
Tony Cyrus	...	Chief of Snow Leopard Brotherhood
Atik Mohamed	...	Achmed
Michael Moor	...	Kamran's Man
Sumar Khan	...	Kamran's Man
Ken Sharrock	...	Jailer
Peter Porteous	...	Gasworks Supervisor
Antony Carrick	...	Blayden Male Secretary
Frederick Warder	...	004
Glyn Baker	...	002
Derek Hoxby	...	Sergeant Stagg
Bill Weston	...	Blayden Butler
Richard Cubison	...	Trade Centre Toastmaster
Heinz Winter	...	Vienna Hotel Concierge
Leslie French	...	Lavatory Attendant
Odette Benatar	...	Girl
Dianna Casale	...	Girl
Sharon Devlin	...	Girl
Femi Gardiner	...	Girl
Patricia Keefer	...	Girl
Ruddy Rodríguez	...	Girl (as Ruddy Rodriguez)
Mayte Sanchez	...	Girl
Cela Savannah	...	Girl
Karen Seeberg	...	Girl
Waris Dirie	...	Girl (as Waris Walsh)
Karen Williams	...	Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Del Baker	...	Russian Jail Guard (uncredited)
John Barry	...	Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
Marc Boyle	...	Blayden Grounds MI6 Man (uncredited)
Simon Crane	...	Gibraltar Soldier #1 (uncredited)
Gregor Grubhofer	...	Boy with Balloon (uncredited)
Alan Harris	...	Man firing 'Ghetto Blaster' (uncredited)
Suzy Herman	...	Boy's Mother (uncredited)
Michel Julienne	...	Man in White Car (uncredited)
Gertan Klauber	...	Fairground Cafe owner (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	MI6 Agent (uncredited)
Robert Miranda	...	Pushkin's Hitman (uncredited)
Michael Percival	...	Chef (uncredited)
Hanno Pöschl	...	Prater Ferris Wheel Operator (uncredited)
Chris Webb	...	Soldier Distracted by Kara (uncredited)
Paul Weston	...	Gibraltar Soldier #3 (uncredited)
Nick Wilkinson	...	Russian Soldier on Plane (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Opera Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
John Glen

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(story) uncredited
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay) and
Michael G. Wilson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
Barbara Broccoli	....	associate producer
Tom Pevsner	....	associate producer
Michael G. Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Alec Mills		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Davies
John Grover

Casting by
Debbie McWilliams

Production Design by
Peter Lamont

Art Direction by
Terry Ackland-Snow

Set Decoration by
Michael Ford
Tal Schneider		(uncredited)
Anne Seibel		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus		(as Emma Porteous)

Makeup Department
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist
Naomi Donne	....	makeup artist
Edwin Erfmann	....	makeup artist
George Frost	....	makeup supervisor
Ramon Gow	....	hair styles supervisor
Helen Lennox	....	hair stylist
Barbara Sutton	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Leonhard Gmür	....	production manager
Sparky Greene	....	production manager
Philip Kohler	....	production manager
Denise O'Dell	....	production manager
Arno Ortmair	....	production manager
Iris Rose	....	unit manager
Anthony Waye	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terry Blyther	....	additional assistant director
Urs Egger	....	additional assistant director
Gerry Gavigan	....	assistant director
Ahmed Hatimi	....	additional assistant director
Nick Heckstall-Smith	....	additional assistant director
Terry Madden	....	assistant director: second unit
Callum McDougall	....	additional assistant director
Crispin Reece	....	additional assistant director
Arthur Wooster	....	second unit director

Art Department
Ted Ambrose	....	assistant art director
Dennis Bosher	....	assistant art director
Jille Brown	....	assistant set decorator
Ken Court	....	additional art director
Bert Davey	....	additional art director
Roger W. Deer	....	sketch artist (as Roger Deer)
Freddi Dobsak	....	additional construction manager (as Alfred Dobsak)
Tony Graysmark	....	construction manager (as Anthony Graysmark)
Bert Hearn	....	property master
Fred Hole	....	additional art director
Christoph Kanter	....	assistant set decorator
Michael Lamont	....	additional art director
Peter Manhardt	....	additional art director (as Peter Manhard)
Jim Morahan	....	assistant art director (as James Morahan)
Peter Palmer	....	production buyer
Sid Palmer	....	production buyer
Ken Pattenden	....	additional construction manager
Thomas Riccabona	....	additional art director
Jacqueline Stears	....	scenic artist
Andrew Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Duncan Guest	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Johannes Slapa	....	production buyer: Austria (uncredited)
Colin Thurston	....	prop storeman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ross Adams	....	assistant sound editor
Derek Ball	....	sound recordist
Bill Barringer	....	assistant sound editor (as William Barringer)
Robert Gavin	....	assistant sound editor
Robi Güver	....	additional sound recordist (as Roby Guever)
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Graham Hartstone)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Derek Holding	....	sound editor
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	additional sound effects
Brian Marshall	....	additional sound recordist
Vernon Messenger	....	sound editor
Colin Miller	....	sound editor
Mark Mostyn	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Musgrave	....	sound editor
Ken Nightingall	....	boom operator
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Chris Corbould	....	special effects
Matthew Harlow	....	special effects technician
Roy Moores	....	front projection
Kenneth Morris	....	special effects (as Ken Morris)
Willi Neuner	....	special effects (as Willy Neuner)
Brian Smithies	....	special effects
Joss Williams	....	special effects
Clive Beard	....	special effects (uncredited)
Simon Cockren	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Neil Corbould	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Daniel Dark	....	special effects (uncredited)
Nick Finlayson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)
John Morris	....	special effects (uncredited)
Uli Nefzer	....	special effects technician: Austria (uncredited)
Andy Williams	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Leslie Dear	....	model photographer
Richard Hewitt	....	video effects supervisor
Terry Reed	....	model maker (as Terence Reed)
John Richardson	....	special visual effects
Alan Church	....	optical camera (uncredited)
Julian Parry	....	model unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Roy Alon	....	stunt team
Del Baker	....	stunt team
Christian Bonnichon	....	driving stunts
Brian Bowes	....	horse stunts
Jake Brake	....	aerial stunts
Garry Carter	....	aerial stunts
Jorge Casares	....	horse stunts
Jo Cote	....	driving stunts
Simon Crane	....	stunt team
Graeme Crowther	....	horse stunts
Steve Dent	....	horse stunts
John Falkiner	....	snow stunts
Elaine Ford	....	stunt team
Nick Gillard	....	horse stunts
Jean-Claude Houbart	....	driving stunts (as Jean-Claude Houbard)
Ida Huber	....	snow stunts
Dominique Julienne	....	driving stunts
Michel Julienne	....	stunt team
Rémy Julienne	....	driving stunts arranger (as Remy Julienne)
Jean-Claude Justice	....	driving stunts (as Jean Claude Justice)
Jake Lombard	....	aerial stunts
Brigitte Magnin	....	driving stunts
Daniel T. O'Brien	....	aerial stunts (as Dan O'Brien)
Joaquin Olivas	....	horse stunts (as Joaquin Olias)
Miguel Pedregosa	....	horse stunts
Doug Robinson	....	stunt team
Rene Seiler	....	snow stunts
José María Serrano	....	horse stunts (as Jose Maria Serrano)
Herman Sporer	....	snow stunts
Jean-Jacques Villain	....	driving stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt supervisor
Jason White	....	stunt team
Nick Wilkinson	....	stunt team
B.J. Worth	....	aerial stunts arranger
Helen Caldwell	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Tom Delmar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Paul Heasman	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Frank Henson	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Kidd	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Valentino Musetti	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Tal Schneider	....	aerial stunts support (uncredited)
Colin Skeaping	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Les White	....	stunt double: Joe Don Baker (uncredited)
Steve Whyment	....	additional stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Anderson	....	additional camera operator
Kenneth Atherfold	....	camera grip (as Ken Atherfold)
Horst Becker	....	focus puller
Frank Elliott	....	focus puller
Mike Evans	....	focus puller (as Michael Evans)
Mike Frift	....	camera operator (as Michael Frift)
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Richard Haw	....	camera grip
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	camera grip (as Chunky Huse)
Malcolm MacIntosh	....	camera operator: second unit (as Malcolm Macintosh)
Daniel McKinny	....	focus puller (as Dan McKinny)
Phil Pastuhov	....	additional photographer
Peter Rohe	....	additional camera operator
Tom Sanders	....	additional photographer
John Tythe	....	electrical supervisor
Fred M. Waugh	....	additional camera operator (as Fred Waugh)
George Whitear	....	still photographer
Nicholas Wilson	....	focus puller
Arthur Wooster	....	photographer: second unit
Mark Hanlon	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael McDermott	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Simon Mills	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe master: second unit
Tiny Nicholls	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Matthew Glen	....	assistant editor
John Nuth	....	assistant editor
Wayne Smith	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Alan Killick	....	music editor
Stefan Kropfitsch	....	musician: cello
Dick Lewzey	....	music mixer
Gert Meditz	....	conductor: Austrian Youth Symphony Orchestra
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Nic Raine	....	orchestrator (as Nicholas Raine)

Transportation Department
Andreas Grosch	....	location transportation manager (as Andy Grosch)
Arnaud Esterez	....	transportation (uncredited)
Gerhard Rupp	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)
Mark White	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Zakaria Alaoui	....	production liaison: Morocco
Simon Atherton	....	armorer
Tina Banta	....	contact: USA
Reginald A. Barkshire	....	production controller
John Bernard	....	location manager
Sonja Beutura	....	location production secretary
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Arie Bohrer	....	location manager
Jean Bourne	....	continuity: second unit
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
Joanna Brown	....	secretary: Mr. Wilson
May Capsaski	....	production coordinator (as May Capsaskis)
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager
Allen Davies	....	assistant accountant (as Allan Davies)
Fred Evans	....	chief sculptor
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist
Sandra Frieze	....	secretary to Mr. Broccoli
Driss Gaidi	....	location manager
Hind Hanif	....	location production secretary
Charles Juroe	....	marketing director
Ihssane Khalafaoui	....	production coordinator (as Ihsanne Khalafaoui)
Christl Kirchner	....	location accountant
Sophie Koekenhof	....	location production secretary (as Sophie Koekenhoff)
Janine Lodge	....	production coordinator
Hamish McInnes	....	safety climber (as Hamish MacInnes)
Jane Meagher	....	location accountant
Douglas Noakes	....	production accountant
Pamela Parker	....	production coordinator (as Pam Parker)
Greg Powell	....	horse master
Brenda Ramos	....	production coordinator
June Randall	....	continuity
Amanda Schofield	....	secretary: Mr. Juroe
Dawn M. Severdia	....	production coordinator (as Dawn Severdia)
Mary Stellar	....	contact: USA
Daniela Stibitz	....	production coordinator
Joseph Viale	....	production liaison: Gibraltar
Rebecca West	....	publicity assistant
Marc Wolff	....	aerial liaison
Stefan Zürcher	....	location manager
Hamid Araissi	....	location manager (uncredited)
Pauline Hume	....	graphic artist: titles (uncredited)
Nick Wilkinson	....	assistant horse master (uncredited)

Thanks
His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco	....	special thanks (as His Majesty King Hassan II)

Production Companies

• Danjaq
• Eon Productions
• United Artists

Distributors

• MGM/UA Distribution Company (1987) (worldwide) (theatrical) (as MGM/UA Communications Co.)
• United Artists (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1987) (Norway) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2000) (Spain) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (Australia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Screen Opticals (title opticals)

Other Companies

• Atlas Corporation Studios  studio
• Berman's and Nathan's  costume makers
• D & D International Locations  transportation
• D & D International Locations  travel services
• David Shilling  hats
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• Gottex  swimwear
• Kenneth Turner Flowers  floral arrangements
• La Société R.E.H.A.  horse provided by
• Little Lead Soldiers  military dioramas
• Location Caterers  location catering
• Location Facilities  transportation
• Location Facilities  travel services
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded at
• Rafael Hosteleria Internacional S.A.  location catering
• Renown Freight  transportation
• Renown Freight  travel services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Spectral Marine  CIA boat suppliers
• Studios CTS  music recorded at (as C.T.S. London)
• The Travel Company  transportation
• The Travel Company  travel services
• WEA Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

James Bond 007: The Living Daylights (USA) (trailer title)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Arabic | French | German | Russian | Czech | Slovak

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-14 | Ireland:PG | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

This was the first Bond film to feature a different song over the closing credits. It was called "If There Was a Man" and was performed by _Pretenders_ who sang two songs for the movie, the other being "Where Has Everybody Gone?". The group were originally considered for the title song but, following the huge success of _Duran Duran_'s song "A View to a Kill (1985)", it was decided to go with a "trendier" group. Chrissie Hynde of the The Pretenders also has sung a cover version of the Bond song "Live and Let Die (1973)" which can be heard on the David Arnold Bond song compilation album, "Shaken and Stirred: the David Arnold James Bond Project".

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Upon leaving the plane they see a sign saying that it's 325 km to Islamabad and 200 km to Karachi. In fact Islamabad and Karachi are almost 2000 km apart.

Quotes:

[first lines]
M: Gentlemen, this may only be an exercise so far as the Ministry of Defence is concerned. But for me, it is a matter of pride that the 00 section has been chosen for this test. Your objective is to penetrate the radar installations of Gibralter. Now, the SAS has been placed on full alert to intercept you, but I know you won't let me down. Good luck, men.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in And the Word Was Bond (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Living Daylights

Dalton's Debut: Back to Fleming!

With Roger Moore's 'retirement' as 007, in the less-than-wonderful A VIEW TO A KILL, Eon Productions began searching for a new James Bond for THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. A promising candidate was Sam Neill, 39, popular star of TV's "Reilly: The Ace of Spies" (and future JURASSIC PARK dinosaur expert). But Albert Broccoli didn't like Neill's tests, and announced he wanted Welsh actor Timothy Dalton, whom he'd first approached for the role 16 years earlier. At that time, Dalton had turned down Bond, saying he was "too young". Now 41, both Dalton and Broccoli agreed he was the right age, and his tests were fabulous...but it was then discovered that the shooting schedule for THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS would conflict with Dalton's current project, BRENDA STARR, and he, reluctantly, had to pass on the project.

Then an Irish actor, who had become a major television star in America, appeared on the scene. Pierce Brosnan, 34, his "Remington Steele" TV series about to be canceled by NBC, had impressed Broccoli on a visit to the Bond set 5 years earlier, and his tests were so good that he won the role. The script was adjusted, adding more humor (quips were one of Brosnan's strong points), and things were moving along nicely...until NBC, seeing the publicity value of a potential 'James Bond' in a series, renewed "Remington Steele", throwing the entire Bond production into turmoil. The network refused to release Brosnan, and he had to leave.

Fortunately, the delay gave Timothy Dalton time to complete BRENDA STARR, and he began shooting THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS two days after STARR wrapped.

Dalton, an avid fan of Fleming's novels, preferred a harder-edged yet vulnerable Bond, with little or no humor, but screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson had already tailored the script to Brosnan, and Dalton quickly revealed that one-liners were not his strongest asset. He gave, nonetheless, a strong, smoldering performance as 007. As his leading lady, Maryam d'Abo, 26, who'd been 'discovered' while doing 007 candidate screen tests, proved quite good as a blackmailed Czech cellist Bond 'couldn't kill'. The villains, while not 'top drawer' Bond, were effective; Jeroen Krabbé as a defecting Russian general, dancer-turned-actor Andreas Wisniewski as nearly superhuman assassin Necros, and Joe Don Baker, as a 'good ol' boy' megalomaniac U.S. general.

With action around the world, and a complicated plot involving a weapons heist and sale, the story attempted to be more 'topical' by involving the Afghan/Soviet conflict (which, unfortunately, 'dated' it, as well). Bond is monogamous for the first time, and the more 'physical' portrayal of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY had returned, to the delight of Bond purists.

But LETHAL WEAPON would also debut in 1987, and the 'over-the-top' solid action film would cut deeply into THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS profits. The 007 film was considered almost 'quaint' in comparison, and Dalton would unfairly take the 'heat' for the less profitable film.

The world was changing around 007, and no one was quite sure what to do about it...