Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this film just fine, even if Ken Hughes, John Huston, Joseph McGrath, Robert Parrish, Val Guest and an uncredited Richard Talmadge aren't quite Martin Campbell when it comes to directing an enjoyable adaptation of 'Casino Royale', yet make no mistake, this film's gamblings don't always turn up in the final product's favor. Eh, whatever, at least the order of the official film adaptations is less all over the place than this film. Boy, I tell you what, James Bond may make for a pretty good series and a really good spy, but he's anything but the most organized spy in the film industry, or at least just when it comes to organizing the order of film adaptations, because 'Live and Let Die' was the second book and eight EON film, 'Moonraker' was the third book and eleventh EON film, 'Diamonds Are Forver' was the fourth book and sixth EON film, and, well, the list goes on. which showed up when we were 20 installments into the 'official' EON series, alone. Speaking of serious, 'seriously' though, if you was a 'seriously' 'serious' film take on James Bond's debut, then go out and check out the one with Daniel Craig.

Oh yeah, you've got Peter Sellers, whose only other espionage-esque role was Chief Inspector Clouseau, so this clearly has to be hardcore serious. Well, seeing as how this film boasts an ensemble team of skilled directors - one of whom is John Huston - and performers, - one of whom is Orson Welles - I suppose you could that this film was worth the wait, though I wouldn't particularly recommend that you say that, seeing as how this is anything but the serious piece you would expect it to be, considering the names attached. Wow, it took them four films before they finally got around to adapting what was the first installment in the '007' novel series, and this film isn't even an official member of the '007' film series, or at least not as far as EON Productions is concerned. Ridiculous circumstances lead to the involvement of a colorful cast of characters, including the villainous Le Chiffre (Orson Welles), seasoned gambler Evelyn Tremble (Peter Sellers) and Bond's bumbling nephew, Jimmy Bond (Woody Allen).

Bond is called back into duty when the mysterious organization SMERSH begins assassinating British secret agents.

This wacky send-up of James Bond films stars David Niven as the iconic debonair spy, now retired and living a peaceful existence.

Casino royale (1967 review)