The Spy Who Loved Me is the tenth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions. It is the third to star Roger Moore. The film co-stars Barbara Bach and Curd Jürgens and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. The film takes its title from Ian Fleming’s 1962 novel The Spy Who Loved Me, the tenth book in the James Bond series, though it does not contain any elements of the novel’s plot. The storyline involves a reclusive megalomaniac named Karl Stromberg who plans to destroy the world and create a new civilization under the sea. Bond teams up with Soviet agent Anya Amasova to stop Stromberg all while being hunted by Stromberg’s powerful henchman Jaws. One of the things that I like about this film is that I could just leave the description there. Some of the Bond films stray all over the place, and not just geographically. This one is pretty straight up, which I appreciate. To flesh out the description a bit, two ballistic missile submarines—one British and one Soviet—suddenly vanish. James Bond is summoned to investigate. Bond encounters Major Anya Amasova—KGB agent Triple X—as a rival. They travel across Egypt together, encountering Jaws—a tall assassin with razor-sharp steel teeth—along the way. Bond and Amasova reluctantly join forces after a truce is agreed by their respective British and Soviet superiors. They uncover evidence pointing toward Swedish shipping tycoon and reclusive scientist Karl Stromberg. While travelling by train to Stromberg’s base in Sardinia, Bond saves Amasova from Jaws, and their cooling rivalry turns to affection. Posing as a marine biologist and his wife, they visit Stromberg’s base. Bond and Amasova then board an American submarine, USS Wayne, to examine Stromboli’s tanker Liparus, but the submarine is captured by the tanker, which is revealed to be a three-bay floating submarine dock that holds the missing British and Soviet submarines. Stromberg sets his plan in motion: the simultaneous launching of nuclear missiles from the captured British and Soviet submarines to obliterate Moscow and New York City. This would trigger a global nuclear war, and subsequently a new civilization would be established underwater, with Stromberg ruling the world. After Stromberg’s plans are foiled by Bond & Amasova and Stromberg is killed, Bond and Amasova flee in an escape pod as Stromberg’s vessel is sunk by torpedoes. The Royal Navy recovers the pod and the two spies are seen in an intimate embrace through its porthole, to the astonishment of their superiors on the ship. And THAT’S how you end a Bond film, my friends. With James and Barbara Bach in an inflatable pod, making out. Hear that, Bond Producers!!! Not with Bond dying and a tearful tribute… Jesus, the things I have to explain.
OK, on to the ratings…
Bond; 93 out of 100 I think this is Roger’s best Bond. As physical as he gets, urbane and clever, and there is good chemistry between he and Barbara. Good stuff.
Villain; 90 out of 100 Curd Jurgens has a great villain look and he carries it off well. Nothing ground breaking, nothing spectacular, but good solid work.
Bond Girl; 92 out of 100. It’s pretty much a 1 woman show here, but Barbara Bach does a great job with it. First, well, she’s Barbara Bach, then she actually carries off a half decent Russian accent, does a good job with the acting and has, as stated above, good chemistry with Moore’s Bond.
Bond Theme; 70 out of 75. Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better” was a big hit outside of being the Bond theme and was nominated for an Oscar.
Henchman; 49 out of 50. Richard Kiel wasn’t an actor, but his giant, steel toothed “Jaws” was definitely impressive, and his ability to survive multiple lethal episodes, and several Bond movies, makes him an iconic Bond villain.
M, Q, Moneypenny, misc.; 16 out of 25 Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny, Bernard Lee as M and Desmond Llewelyn as Q make for solid supporting players.
Total; 410 I know. I didn’t expect a Roger Moore Bond movie to score so high either. But all of the elements were at least good, and a few outstanding. Who knew??
Scoreboard;
- Goldfinger- 419
- The Spy Who Loved Me.- 410
- Goldeneye- 407
- Spectre-397
- Live and Let Die- 396
- Skyfall- 383
- Casino Royale / Die Another Day / Skyfall- 382
- Tomorrow Never Dies- 377
- The World is not Enough- 367
- A View to a Kill- 359
- No Time to Die- 355
- Dr. No- 346
- The Man with the Golden Gun. 331
- License to Kill- 321
- Octopussy- 255
- The Living Daylights- 228
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service- 201
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