Lightning Bolt (film)
| Operazione Goldman/Lightning Bolt | |
|---|---|
 Original German film poster | |
| Directed by | Antonio Margheriti |
| Starring | Anthony Eisley |
| Music by | Riz Ortolani |
| Cinematography | Riccardo Pallottini |
| Distributed by | Woolner Brothers |
Release dates | 1965 |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Operazione Goldman\Lightning Bolt is a Spanish and Italian international co-production that was co-financed by the American Woolner Brothers. The 1965 Eurospy spy-fi film directed by Antonio Margheriti originally titled to coincide with the release of Goldfinger was not released in the US until two years later. It was retitled to reflect the release of the next James Bond film Thunderball with the tagline "It strikes like a ball of thunder!"
Plot
Department "S" of the Federal Security Investigation Commission sends an international secret agent nicknamed "Goldman" due to his unlimited expense account to investigate suspected sabotage of US space program rocket launches. Sennet and his superior Captain Flanagan discover a beer baron named Rehte is destroying the rockets through laser beams fired at the rockets from Rehte's beer trucks parked outside the installation. Rehte's lair is a Dr. No type underwater city off the coast of Cape Canaveral that Sennet infiltrates and destroys.[1]
Production
Sent to Italy by the Woolner Brothers, former Hawaiian Eye actor Anthony Eisley was told by director Antonio Margheriti that he looked "too Italian". Margheriti insisted Eisley's dark hair be dyed blonde; it came out red. Eisley recalled working on the film in Rome and Lazio where the production designer recreated Florida was one of the most fun experiences that he ever had. [2] Other locations included an actual brewery and an underwater silo was a former Olympic swimming pool in Rome.[3]
To look like an American made film, director Margheriti was billed as "Anthony Dawson" whilst Wandisa Guida was billed as "Wandisa Leigh". Eisley recalled the original negative of the film was lost and for its American release they had to reassable the film from various prints that gave it a bad quality.[4] Eisley provided narration to give the print a more coherent story.
Cast
Anthony Eisley ... Lt. Harry Sennet
Wandisa Guida ... Kary
Folco Lulli ... Rehte
Diana Lorys ... Capt. Patricia Flanagan
Luisa Rivelli ... Ursula Parker
Quotes
I never liked your beer anyway – Goldman to Rethe
Notes
- ↑ pp.134-136 Blake, Matt & Deal, David The Eurospy Guide 2004 Luminary Press
- ↑ pp.134-136 Weaver, Tom Anthony Eisley Interview Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls, and Makeup McFarland, 2006
- ↑ Eisley p.136
- ↑ Eisley Interview in Weaver