The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Christopher Wood (screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 August 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

. . . . In The Biggest Bond of All - Everybody's hot for Action - Everybody's hot for Romance

Plot:

James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads with the help of a KGB agent whose lover he killed.

Plot Keywords:

Tanker | Atlantis | Gadgetry | Motor Bike | Hero

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Barbara Bach	...	Major Anya Amasova
Curd Jürgens	...	Karl Stromberg (as Curt Jurgens)
Richard Kiel	...	Jaws
Caroline Munro	...	Naomi
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Geoffrey Keen	...	Sir Frederick Gray
Bernard Lee	...	'M'
George Baker	...	Captain Benson
Michael Billington	...	Sergei Barsov
Olga Bisera	...	Felicca
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Edward de Souza	...	Sheikh Hosein (as Edward De Souza)
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Max Kalba
Valerie Leon	...	Hotel Receptionist

Runtime:

125 min | Sweden:123 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Italian | Arabic

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Ireland:PG | South Korea:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Brazil:12 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1977) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Abu Simbel Temple, Abu Simbel, Egypt

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

The famous Union Jack parachute ski jump stunt during the film's pre-title sequence was originally suggested by former Bond star George Lazenby to be used in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), but the necessary equipment to film it was not available then. The Bond producers thought it was a great idea, and later added the Union Jack to the parachute and used it in this movie.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When 007 returns to Atlantis to rescue Anya; after he first arrives on the dock, he is asked by Stromberg to board an elevator. As the elevator starts upward, for a split second a member of the crew appears to be walking on a walkway behind the open metal shutters to the left of the elevator shaft. And a split second later his shadow is visible.

Quotes:

[first lines]
HMS Ranger Navigator: Captain wants to keep 500 feet.
Young officer, HMS Ranger: [over PA] Maneuvering, Control. Come in shallow to 500 feet.
Young officer, HMS Ranger: [to crewman] Keep 500 feet
HMS Ranger crewman: Keep 500 feet, sir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Making of James Bond - 007: Also Starring... (#1.3)" (1977)

Soundtrack:

Piano Concerto No. 21 'Elvira Madigan' Andante

One of Moore's finest.

Undeniably one of the finest James Bond films to star Roger Moore, the film has plenty of excess, top notch special effects (for 1977) anyway, the humor less overt and left over for puns and one liners, and one of the first strong and independent Bond women, paving the way for future love interests like Jinx and Wai Lin. The Spy Who Loved Me scarcely puts a foot wrong. Sure the plot is far fetched to the extreme (an underwater building and a villain looking to repopulate the earth in his underwater city), but it has plenty of charm and is frequently enjoyable. Moore looks very confident in his performance as Bond, the one liners oozing effort and confidence, showing he has hit his stride in this, his third appearance as the character. His chemistry with Barbara Bach is in full swing, despite her odd Russian accent, and the two of them make for a great on screen couple.

This is a return to the values of many of the Bond films that were missing the last time around. The extravagant sets are back, the villain has plenty of henchman for Bond and the cavalry to fight and the gadgets are in full swing. Everything from a parachute with the Union Jack on it to the Lotus with just about every conceivable gadget at Bond's disposal. The emphasis on sight gags and overt comedy is gone and replaced with moments of genuine suspense, just check out Bond having to steal the detonator of a nuclear weapon, not to mention the superb theme tune Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon.

It's an apt song for a series that found its footing and gave its lead actor his first classic Bond film.