10 Aug 2019

Parliament and Rawson Square, Nassau - Thunderball

An old governmental building is visible behind Bond at Rawson Square

In Thunderball, Bond is meeting up with Leiter, Pinder and Paula in Nassau, before going to Pinder's secret warehouse where Q is waiting. They meet in downtown Nassau, right by Parliament square in front of the Churchill Building. Leiter is looking at some trinkets at a market held on the square.


The market is housed in a building enclosed by columns in pairs on the facade. In the background one old governmental building is visible. These flamingo colored buildings are excellent examples of the colonial architecture of old Nassau.





The building where the market is can still be found on location, in the middle of Rawson Square, although the building has received walls since 1965.

Bond and Paula are heading for Pinder's warehouse in the harbour. The iconic two paired column building is seen to their left




After meeting up at the square, they follow Pinder to his warehouse in the harbour. The building with the columns in pairs can also be seen in Never Say Never Again when Bond meets with Small-Fawcett, covered here earlier. Thus, Connery is back at the same location 18 years after Thunderball when he returned as 007 in the unofficial film.




3 Aug 2019

Chateau d'Anet - Thunderball


In the pre-title of Thunderball Bond is attending the funeral of a Spectre agent named Jacques Bouvar outside of Paris. The private funeral, with only a French general and a few other guests in attendance takes place at a small chapel, supposedly located in the French countryside. 


"-The coffin, it has your initials. JB.
         -At this moment rather him than me.
"
                -Mademoiselle La Porte and Bond-


Bond and Mademoiselle La Porte observe the funeral from the balcony in the small chapel. The interior has not changed at all since 1965 and all details can be found on location. The balcony can be found in- and outside above the entrance to the chapel. 





-At least you saved the effort of removing him. Colonel Bouvar passed away in his sleep so they tell me. You sound disappointed you did not kill him yourself?
         - I am... Jacques Bouvar murdered two of my colleagues.


We are supposed to believe that the chapel is located far from the château, where Bond later catches up with colonel Bouvar, but in fact, the chapel sits right next to the château in front of the main building. The château is seen through the entrance of the chapel. 

The widow's limousine and the hearse are parked outside the chapel and Bond's Aston Martin is visible in the lower corner. 

Jacques Bouvar is given a catholic funeral. The chapel can be found on the domains of Château d'Anet which is located near Dreux, in the Eure-et-Loir department an hour outside of Paris.



The chateau was built in the mid 1500's as a gift from King Henry II of France to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers.

The end credits of Thunderball state that the "widow" of Jacques Bouvar (played by Rose Alba), is named Madame Boitier in the film, thus not having the same last name as her deceased husband. The name Boitier (and not Bouvar) could be a reference to the original owner of the château, Diane de Poitiers. The role of colonel Bouvar during the fight with Bond in the château later was played by the famous stunt man Bob Simmons.