Before the world-famous films came the world-famous novels. His letters also reflect his friendships with contemporaries such as Raymond Chandler, Noel Coward and Somerset Maugham. He wrote constantly, to his wife, publisher, editors, fans, friends and critics, charting 007's progress with correspondence that ranged from badgering Jonathan Cape about his quota of free copies - a coin was tossed Fleming lost - to apologising for having mistaken a certain brand of perfume and for equipping Bond with the wrong kind of gun. Fleming's output was matched by an equally energetic flow of letters. Read more produced fourteen bestselling Bond books, two works of non-fiction and the famous children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. It marked in glamorous style the arrival of James Bond, agent 007, and the start of a career that saw Fleming become one of the world's most celebrated thriller writers. He had bought the gold-plated typewriter as a present to himself for finishing his first novel, Casino Royale. On 16 August 1952, Ian Fleming wrote to his wife, Ann, `My love, This is only a tiny letter to try out my new typewriter and to see if it will write golden words since it is made of gold'. The Bacharach score and Herb Alpert open and closing sequences are memorable.Description for The Man with the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters Paperback.

Allen is always funny, and Welles does a pretty good turn as le Chiffre. When Andress is not speaking, as in the 'Look of Love' sequence or in Seller's 'shampoo' dream she's truly breathtaking. Like _What's New Pussycat_ they did manage to corral some of the most beautiful women of the time together in the same film. The film is certainly not without its merits. When they run out of story, pie fights emerge, or fusillades of bullets, or tremendous explosions. The story lacks even a real protagonist Niven and Sellers trade places in that role. It seems impossible to create a successful film with 5 directors and 10 writers (not including Ian Fleming, but including Ben Hecht, Joseph Heller, Terry Southern and Billy Wilder !!).

However, _Casino_ is simply over the top at being over the top. So I am sucker for the comedy epic/ celebrity ensemble. I should confess that as a young kid I did love the film, just as I loved _What's new Pussycat_, and when I got a little older I became a guilty admirer of _The Blues Brothers_ and _1941_. Occasional fun for the 60's lover, but completely incoherent as entertainment.

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