The James Bond script of 'You Only Live Twice' by Roald Dahl is now on display at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire. The screenplay, written in 1967, is a temporary loan from the museum's archives, which include over 100 boxes of Dahl's personal possessions. Dahl, a close friend of Ian Fleming, was tasked with rewriting the first draft in just eight weeks. This film, based on Fleming's book, was produced by Albert Broccoli and starred Sean Connery as the iconic British spy. The museum's Head of Collections, Will Phillips, highlights Dahl's unique background as a fighter pilot in World War II and his role in espionage, which influenced the script. The scene where Bond flies the autogyro Little Nellie under fire from SPECTRE helicopters is a clear nod to Dahl's own experiences in the Battle of Athens, as described in his autobiography 'Going Solo'.
The display also showcases Dahl's personal items, such as a photograph of him on set with director Lewis Gilbert and his own 007 tie. One of the most intriguing exhibits is Dahl's invention of a magnet on a string, which he used to pick up his boules. Phillips notes the similarity between this mechanism and the one in the film where the Japanese secret service uses a magnet to lift SPECTRE's henchmen. Dahl's inventiveness is not limited to the Bond screenplay; it's also evident in his children's books, like 'The Gremlins' and 'Billy and the Minpins', where he introduces suction boots. The manuscript will be on display until January 31, 2026, offering a rare opportunity to explore the creative process behind this iconic Bond film.
