You Only Live Twice - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[bryan]

In September 1972, United Artists was widely exhibiting this movie on a double bill with Thunderball (1965) with the tagline "The 2 Biggest Bonds of All".

[sara]

In a rather curious train of events, Robbie Williams famously sampled the introduction to this movie's title song (as sung by Nancy Sinatra) for his number one hit song "Millennium" in 1998. After You Only Live Twice (1967) wrapped, Sinatra and father Frank duetted on the song "Somethin' Stupid" topping the U.S. and U.K. charts in April 1967. Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman duetted on the same song, topping the U.K. charts in 2001.

[veronica]

"Little Nellie" was based on the real-life Wallis Autogyro. Its inventor, Wing Commander K.H. Wallis, actually flew Little Nellie in this movie. The machine was incorporated into the plot after Production Designer Ken Adam heard Wallis in a radio interview discussing his invention. Wallis had to log eighty-five flights in total to film the sequence. It was filmed in the Japanese mountains except for one scene. The scene where the rockets were fired was filmed outside of Japan, because Japanese Law forbade the firing of rockets in the air.

[darrell]

After it was discovered that Mie Hama (Kissy Suzuki) couldn't swim, Sir Sean Connery's then-wife, actress Diane Cilento, doubled for her in her swimming scenes wearing a black wig. Some reports claims that Hama could not do them because of stomach cramps.

[jesus]

As this was anticipated to be Sir Sean Connery's last appearance as James Bond, publicity material released in advance of the movie announced Bond would be killed, married, and become Japanese. While these events were portrayed in this movie, they were actually ruses as part of Bond's undercover activities.

[javier]

Tanaka's ninja training grounds are near the famous Himeji Castle in western Japan. The original fortification dates back to 1333, and successive warlords built ever-larger castle complexes on the site.

[victoria]

Two 2000GTs were chop-topped and featured in this movie. One is displayed at Toyota's headquarters, while the other is in the private collection of a Toyota executive. (When the Encore movie channel aired James Bond movies in early 2005, a 2000GT, which was located in South Africa, was in the process of restoration, as a replica convertible at Cars of the Stars Motor Museum, featuring the actual control panel used in this movie.)

[manuel]

James Bond participates in a Japanese wedding ceremony in this movie. Fortunately, he uses a false name, otherwise this would mean he would have been still married under Japanese law when he wed Tracy di Vincenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).