Dalton's Third Movie, how I would have seen it
Title: The Property of a Lady
The pre-title sequence takes place at a highly automated chemical weapons plan in Scotland, which experiences a major explosion after its internal systems and machine malfunction. Amidst scenes of chaos in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister vows to investigate. At MI6, James Bond (Timothy Dalton) and M (Robert Brown) are told by Nigel Yupland (Michael Pennington), a rising star at the Ministry of Defence, that the plant in question had already been threatened via letter, and that a similar document promises another attack in Hong Kong in 72 hours. Due the government’s intent to disband the 00 Section, they are to find the culprit as their final task. Meanwhile, in Japan, a mysterious and skilled intruder breaks into Kohoni Industries, replacing the microchip in a robot assembler destined to China before escaping after an intense chase. Having taken off her mask after said escape, Q (Desmond Llewellyn) is able to identify the intruder from photographs as Connie Webb (Catherine Zeta Jones), a former CIA operative and famed thief. Believing the break-in to be associated with a number of similar incidents across the globe, Bond is sent to Japan to make contact with Webb and find out the identity of her employer.
In Tokyo, Bond works alongside elderly spy Denholm Crisp (Anthony Hopkins) and tracks Webb into a ski resort in the mountains. Rescuing her from an avalanche after a fiercely competitive ski chase, Bond presents the thief with a highly advanced microchip meant as bait, and both are forced to make an escape after the Kohoni Twins – joint heads of Kohoni Industries – try to capture them for interrogation. Having gone their separate ways, Webb ensures the microchip reaches her employer, Sir Henry Lee Ching (Tony Leung Ka-fai), a brilliant half-British, half-Chinese entrepreneur based in Hong Kong and owner of the Industry. Taking the bait, Ching extends an invitation to Bond to meet with him at a coming party. Afterwards, the businessman has a Chinese nuclear plant sabotaged via the equipment Webb modified, and he has his henchman Rodin (Dolph Lundgren) murder the Kohoni Brothers after they refuse selling their company to him. Bond and Crisp fly to Hong Kong, being unknowingly followed by the local Chinese intelligence. After meeting with Webb for the second time, Bond attends at party at the GoldenEye HQ, Ching’s high rise building, where he is – unknowingly for the agent - unmasked by Yupland, an old friend to the businessman.
Webb is arrested, and Bond – using his Aston Martin DB5 - is pursued by Rodin in a highly advanced stealth car. After a dramatic chase across the streets of Hong Kong 007 is able to have Rodin crash into the sea, but is captured by Chinese operative Mi Wai (Michelle Reis). Brought to the presence of her superior Quen Low (Chow Yun Fat), Bond is informed Beijing has received a threat to have their nuclear plants sabotaged unless Hong Kong is declared an independent state, with a Nanjing plant having already being destroyed. Working together, Bond and Low learn Ching is secretly the grandson of an old Chinese warlord, and is likely seeking vengeance for his family against the current Chinese government. After Yupland takes Bond off the case and with Rodin killing Mi Wai after another chase, 007 fakes his own death with help from Crisp and Q, who has arrived in Hong Kong to assist him. Assisted by both elderly operatives, Bond successfully infiltrates the GoldenEye HQ, inside which Ching’s command center is placed at the building’s immense basement. Placing a bomb and rescuing Webb, Bond is captured by Rodin and brought to the presence of his enemy.
Ching confirms the truth of his ancestry, and – with his technology being present on most of the key defence systems of the world – he asserts his intention to force a British submarine to fire a missile on Beijing, starting a campaign of revenge against China whilst punishing Britain for meekly surrendering Hong Kong. The bomb suddenly explodes, resulting in the rapid flooding of the basement levels and the disruption of Ching’s plot. After freeing himself and drowning Rodin, Bond kills Ching with the businessman’s own technology, making a successful escape with Webb. Being later informed by Crisp that Yupland has been arrested and the 00 Section saved from disbandment, Bond and Webb celebrate the New Year together.
Cast
Timothy Dalton - James Bond
Catherine Zeta Jones - Connie Webb
Tony Leung Ka-Fai - Sir Henry Lee Ching
Michelle Reis - Mi Wai
Chow Yun Fat - Quen Low
Anthony Hopkins - Denholm Crisp
Dolph Lundgren - Rodin
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Caroline Bliss - Miss Moneypenny
Robert Brown - M
Michael Pennington - Nigel Yupland
Stellen Skarsgaard - Otto Winkhardt (banker)
Ken Watanabe - Kohoni Brother #1
Andy Lau - Kohoni Brother #2
Colin Firth - Dr. Ronberdy (sceintist)