Casino Royale
45th Anniversary Edition

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First Edition: Quartet Records QRSCE037
The film was an an ambitious comedy spoof about the 007 character produced by Charles K. Feldman, who assembled a top-notch cast including Peter Sellers, David Niven, Orson Welles, Ursula Andress, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, etc. The plot is a far cry from Ian Fleming’s tense spy thriller – but it was never meant to be taken seriously… After the death of his boss, Sir James Bond (Niven) decides to battle its nefarious enemy SMERSH through confusing the heck out of them. By renaming all of its operatives to James Bond (including the girls), Sir James launches numerous parallel storylines with vari-ous characters dubbed as 007. Baccarat expert Evelyn Tremble (Sellers) is given the task to bankrupt the villainous Le Chiffre (Welles) – he is introduced to the world of espionage and love by the more experienced Vesper Lynd (Andress). In the meantime, Sir James’ illegitimate daughter Mata Bond (Joanna Pettet) breaks off her sabbatical in an Indian temple to investigate a strange organization in East Berlin, discovering the most shocking auction ever. Another relative of Sir James named Jimmy (Allen) wrecks havoc as an incredibly incompetent agent, but he is ready to surprise his uncle when all the plotlines converge in Casino Royale for a huge brawl where cowboys, Indians, legionnaires and even monkeys participate in the largest slapstick scene ever filmed. The convoluted plot is the direct result of a nine month shooting period that ate up five (credited) directors, countless screenwriters and many changes in lead actors.

One of the most lasting aspects of the film is its score, provided by Burt Bacharach who had previously worked with Feldman on What’s New Pussycat?. His infectious main theme performed by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass is just the starting point of an epic comedy ride that includes such highlights as the unforgettable 'The Look of Love' by Dusty Springfield or the epic fight music at the end of the film. Produced by record industry legend Phil Ramone, the original soundtrack LP offered selected highlights of the program, expertly edited to showcase the best parts of the entire score. Thanks to the legendary sound quality of the stereo copies, this record became one of the most highly sought after collectibles of the entire industry. But Burt Bacharach’s score deserves even more than that, so Quartet Records gave this decade-defining score a deluxe treatment to highlight all the versatility and humor the composer put into this immense spoof monument.

Other releases of Casino Royale (1967):

Soundtracks from the collection: James Bond

Soundtracks from the collection: Limited Editions