The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) User Reviews

"Nobody does it quite the way you do"

[majikstl · 8/10 · 29 June 2006]

You don't review James Bond movies, you evaluate them, rate them according to how well they meet expectations. There are certain things one has come to expect, even demand of a Bond film and each individual effort either delivers or it doesn't. So, here are ten elements that make a Bond film a Bond film and how THE SPY WHO LOVED ME rates on a scale of 1 to 10:

Title: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME: The title seems more appropriate for a Harlequin Romance novel, and if suitable at all for a Bond film, it would have been a better title for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Yet, it does finally work the word "spy" into the title of a Bond film. 7 points.

Pre-Credit Teaser: It's all very nicely done: Within a few minutes, we see a submarine stolen and its crew kidnapped; we meet the Soviet's top agent, who just happens to be -- surprise! -- a woman; and we get the added treat of one of Bond's greatest stunts, the great skiing-skydiving trick. A pretty cool way to kick off the film and set up the various story lines. 9 points.

Opening Credits: Arguably the silliest of all of Maurice Binder's efforts, the opening sequence finds 007 bouncing around on a trampoline while various miniature, and apparently naked, babes do gymnastics on the barrels of guns. (Pity he didn't come up with that idea for THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.) Bordering on self-parody, it is nonetheless naughty and fun and colorful and oh-so very James Bond. 9 points.

Theme Song: No beating around the bush here, the song gets right to the point: "Nobody does it half as good as you, Baby, you're the best." Just what Bond is best at is open to interpretation. The music by Marvin Hamlisch is swanky and matched by Carol Bayer Sager's dreamy and only slightly sarcastic lyrics. And Carly Simon's vocals bring it all home. Maybe not the best Bond song, but right up there. 9 points.

"Bond, James Bond": Moore finally makes the role his. The number of smug one-liners have been trimmed, yet he still invests the character with humor -- plus some warmth and charm, and unexpected sadness. And we get to see a bit of Bond's vanity as he matches wits with a female agent who is his equal and not impressed by his stock-and-trade flirtations. Moore's best appearance as Bond. 9 points.

Bond Babes: The prevailing notion has always been that "Bond Girl" equals "Bimbo," which is only partly true. Most of the women Bond encounters are highly skilled professionals -- as well as being bimbos. But Soviet agent Major Anya Amasova, a.k.a. XXX, is the first Bond Girl to give James a run for his money. She's smart, sexy, capable, resourceful and it takes her almost the whole movie to actually fall in love with Bond. What will power! As played by Barbara Bach (a.k.a., soon-to-be Mrs. Ringo Starr), Anya ranks as one of the best Bond Girls, easily worthy of 9 points.

Bond Villain: Karl Stromberg (nice villainous name, by the way) is one of those mad billionaires who hopes to create a new world order by mass genocide and building a new society, this time underwater. It is pretty much a cliché character and unfortunately Curt Jurgen plays the part like a grumpy old man and can't seem to muster up even a maniacal laugh. 5 points.

Bond Baddies: Oddjob look-a-like Sandor, played by Milton Reid, puts in an appearance long enough to die a memorable death, but it is Richard Kiel who steps into the limelight as Jaws, one of the great Bond villains. If being a hulking, seven-foot tall muscle man weren't enough, he also has steel teeth and an amazingly obsessive desire to kill 007. Playing Wile E. Coyote to Bond's Road Runner, Jaws earns 9 points.

Sinister Plot: Stromberg steals a Russian and a U.S. sub, as well as a British one, with the hopes of starting World War III and destroying the civilization as we know it today. Been there, done that. 4 points.

Production values: Romantic imagery, clever lighting effects and intriguing camera angles make this the most visually appealing Bond film. In the past, the emphasis was always on the most effective way to film action sequences, but here director Gilbert Lewis strives for that little bit extra as far as mood and romance. 9 points.

Bonus Points: Connery had his Astin Martin and Moore gets a Lotus Esprit. It is not nearly as snazzy, but it does turn into a submarine and you never know when that will come in handy. 5 points.

Summary: It had been hinted at in the three previous Bond adventures, but a new sense of style is fully apparent here. The roughness and grit that many of the purists loved about Connery's films are pretty much gone in favor of a polish and panache. Whether that is being suave or merely superficial is open to interpretation, but it does set the tone and the expectations for all future Bond adventures.

Bond-o-meter Rating: 84 points out of 100.

I simply love the parachute jump which was way before Xander Cage n i also love the one liner, "All those feathers n he still can't fly".

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 4 January 2021]

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. This is the tenth in the Bond series n the third to star Roger Moore as the secret agent James Bond. This is also one of my fav Bond film n it is very entertaining.

This time Bond has to deal with a reclusive but ultra rich scientist Stromberg, who plans to create WW3 and later aft the nuclear war, build a new civilisation under the sea. Lol. He shud have consulted Aquaman first. To thwart Stomberg's plan, Bond teams up with a Russian agent known as triple X.

This movie has one of my personal fav scene, the Union Jack-parachute scene.

This time Bond gets to cool off with Sue Vanner n Barbara Bach. And we get to cool off our eyes with Caroline Munro's amazing cleavage.

Apart from Stromberg, Bond has to face a motorbike henchman with a rocket sidecar, a small army of soldiers in red, an atractive helicopter pilot (Munro) n Stromberg's two fierce henchmen, Jaws n Sandor.

Some info on Stromberg from the book- he is totally bald, lacking eyebrows, and has a small mouth. Only the pinkie and ring finger of his left hand are webbed, as opposed to all of his digits in the film. His character is also given a rather lengthy backstory, revealing how he made his fortune and got into the shipping industry.

Some info on Jaws from the book - he used to b a basketball player but due to his sluggish reaction and his lack of speed, his career ended. Later he was arrested by the secret police for having taken part in a riot n beaten by the cops with hollow steel clubs encased in thick leather, breaking his jaw beyond repair. It was Stromberg who hired a prestigious doctor to create an artificial jaw for Jaws, that created the two rows of terrifying razor-sharp teeth.

Just like Carly sang it....

[WOZ inOZ · 8/10 · 15 October 1999]

With Roger Moore making the part his own by this; his third bond film, Albert R. Broccoli had to come up with a strong action-packed epic, if they were to attract audiences that had been spoilt rotten by 'Star Wars' the same year.

'The Spy Who Loved Me' offers no new scenarios, in fact you could easily dissect each key scene and match it to something that's been done before. There's an underwater battle like the one in 'Thunderball' a ski chase not too dissimilar to the one in 'Her Majesty's...' and even the final big shoot out is not unlike the one in 'You Only Live Twice' which was also directed by Lewis Gilbert. However 'The Spy Who Loved me' is more than merely a sum of its parts, and when each part is handled as expertly as these, you don't seem to care if it has indeed been done before.

The film like Moore exudes a certain charm, and provides a certain amount of nostalgia looking back at it now, with it's lively 70's fashions, even Bond's theme gets the disco treatment, quite superbly. Ken Adam's stunning larger than life sets fit the film's extravagant, big budget flavour perfectly. Appreciative nods must also go to some fantastically attractive women, Caroline Munro playing the enticing Naomi has to be one of the most seductive looking femme fatales to steam up a wide-screen, and more's the pity that she didn't grace it longer. Barbara Bach is equally alluring, and a fine match for Roger Moore in every sense of the word. The film also offers a wealth of laughs while not forgetting the chills and spills, Richard Keil providing all as the relentless and unforgettable Jaws. The scene where he tears open a Sherpa Van like a sardine can is particularly memorable, as is him brushing himself off after plummeting into a farmhouse from a flying Mercedes. Some fine touches of drama too, Bond's response to XXX's remarks about his career and wife are handled with compassion and reverence.

So in all everything is here you could possibly want in a 007 adventure; top stunts, beautiful women, cool villains, those gloriously huge Pinewood sets and THAT car, wrapped in an exciting globe-trotting story line where Bond has to save the world from certain destruction, accompanied by the svelte tones of Carly Simon singing 'Nobody does it better' it's not surprising that the 'Spy Who Loved Me' is one of the most memorable of all Bond films.

Fabulous nonsense, superior to all the previous Roger Moore Bonds, with an unforgettable villain

[J. Spurlin · 12 August 2010]

James Bond (Roger Moore) teams with a sexy Russian agent (Barbara Bach) to stop a web-fingered megalomaniac (Curd Jürgens) from destroying the world and rebuilding it as a new Atlantis.

"The Spy Who Loved Me" is fabulous nonsense, superior to all the previous Roger Moore Bonds, even with the obvious model shots, process shots and the occasionally corny background music by Marvin Hamlisch, who also wrote the music for the theme song, "Nobody Does It Better." (It's popular, but you can have it.) The gadgets, sets, stunts and one-liners are more outrageous than ever. Jürgens makes a good villain, and so does the shark he unleashes on traitors; but the bad guy everyone remembers is Jaws—not another shark, but a metal-mouthed giant played by Richard Kiel. He is Jürgens's best henchman—not good enough to outmatch Bond, but enough to survive for the next Bond adventure.

Everyone Kind Of Resents Jurgens Marineland Earth He's Got Planned

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 27 July 2009]

Roger Moore as James Bond has got another assignment involving the fate of the whole world. British Intelligence never gives him anything less. This time he's investigating this disappearance of both British and American nuclear powered submarines while on duty with no trace at all.

The evil genius behind it all is Curt Jurgens playing the role of an Onassis type billionaire shipping magnate who wants the world made to order for him. And in this case he believes mankind should start all over again in an undersea world which of course he will run. Just another case of a guy with all the money in the world thinking that entitles him to decide how everyone else should live and behave. Jurgens has the resources to make it stick unless 007 can do something about it.

With both the Russians and the British working on this, the powers that be which in this case is General Walter Gotell of the Soviet KGB and M of course played by Bernard Lee have decided to stop working against each other. In this case it means Moore working with beautiful Russian agent Barbara Bach and you know of course she'll be Bondified before the film is over.

Probably up to this point the most dangerous foe that James Bond ever faced was Odd Job in You Only Live Twice. But when Richard Kiel as Jaws made his appearance, he took that title away and retired the crown as far as I'm concerned. That is one menacing dude, 7'2" with a mouth full of steel teeth that finish off most people. Of course 007 ain't most people.

The Spy Who Loved Me garnered three Oscar nominations for Best Musical Score for Marvin Hamlisch and for Best Song with Nobody Does It Better for Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager and one for Art&Set Direction. I'm not sure, but this might be the most recognition the Motion Picture Academy gave a Bond film.

And this film review is dedicated to Tom Golisano, another megalomaniac billionaire who thinks he ought to be running things. We're well used to the type in my area.

Spectacular outdoors,hectic action and megalomaniac villain in a new enjoyable outing Bond

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 15 June 2007]

This time James Bond-Roger Moore third outing and best entry ,he join forces with female Russian agent named Anya Amasova(Bach)to eliminate a nasty villainous(Curt Jurgens)and his henchman, a giant steel-toothed named Jaws(Richard Kiel).He schemes to utilize captured US and Russians atomic underwater with objective to destroy the world.For the first time nuclear submarines from Russia,Britain are sailing side by side.It may look like the beginning of WWIII,but don't worry .As usual,intervene Q (Desmond LLewelyn),MonneyPenny(Lois Maxwell),M(Bernard Lee) and Russian general Gogol(Walter Gotell).Roger Moore plays perfectly the master spy,Moore tells about his Simon Templar,The Saint, that he was a private person doing things for other people to help them and was rather a boy-scout following the rules of television and James Bond is an assassin licensed to kill.He's right,the tone is perfect for the times and for Roger Moore's brand of James Bond.Times have changed and for example, the Ian Fleming book based the film ,has nothing to do with cinematographic adaptation.His beautiful co-star is Barbara Bach and of course no Bond movie would be complete without the gorgeous Bond girls(Caroline Munro,Valerie Leon,among others).The movie is an agreeable blending of frenetic action,spectacular and exciting sets and humor with tongue in cheek.The film contains the world's largest sound stage specially constructed by production designer Ken Adam.In the inauguration day was even as special guest,former Prime Minister,Sir Harold Wilson. The motion picture is shot in Sardinia, Cala Volpe.There appears the car Lotus Esprit,¨Sweet Nellie¨, with weapons and rapidly become in sub.There's a very funny scene when the Lotus comes out of the water,but in order to avoid seeing the car underwater,Kem Adam had a speedboat doing waves .The scenes were really very simple attached a cable under the van to the front of the Lotus and pulled the car out the water.The Lotus could function underwater,but had to wear breathtaking equipment inside.The producer Albert Broccoli tells that they went to Egypt in the mid-1970s,tensions were hight in the Mideast.It took some careful negotiation to get out crew into Egypt.They had to submit the script in advance and an Egyptian government official had to be present during the shooting to make Egypt certain and did not portray the country in a negative light.The most challenging sequence was the night shooting in pyramids Giza,where was re-staged the ¨Son et Lumiere¨,despite the dramatic lighting effects much of the show had to be recreated in studio(Pinewood) using special effects.While the Bond films are not travelogues ,the producers do like to take viewers to spectacular places and show them things in a way that they've never seen before.The producers gambled that audiences were ready for a more fantasy-laden Bond film.Egypt(with an impressive temple of Karnak) was a great location for cameraman Claude Renoir,made it look elegant and exotic,Claude was the nephew of the great director,Jean Renoir.He helped photograph many Renoir's great films,like the ¨Grand illusion¨.He also shot second unit on ¨Cleopatra¨and photographer the 60s cult classic,¨Barbarella¨.This is his last major film as cinematographer.The film is well directed by Lewis Gilbert who had previously directed¨You only live twice¨a decade earlier.This picture is one of the more memorable Bond-Moore.

Moore Comes into his own as Bond

[bankofmarquis · 7/10 · 26 April 2015]

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for this film as this is the first James Bond movie that I anticipated and then saw in a movie theater (I did see both The Man With the Golden Gun and Live and Let Die as the 2nd feature at a drive-in, but they don't count). So, I was a little apprehensive about re-watching a film that is a cherished memory.

I am happy to report that this movie holds up. From the tremendous "ski off the mountain" opening shot, through Maurice Bender's always terrific opening credits to Richard "Jaws" Kiel and villain Curt Jurgens underwater hideout, I was entertained throughout. True, this movie has to overcome some truly tremendous 1970's synth-pop soundtrack, but add in Barbara Bach's wonderful turn as Agent XXX, andyou have the quintessential Roger Moore Bond movie.

So, why is that? I think it is because Moore finally came into his own as Bond. In his third movie, Moore (and director Lewis Gilbert) dropped any attempt at Moore copying Sean Connery's roguish toughness and started cultivating Moore's natural tendency towards comedy. This comedic bent will, ultimately, overcome Moore's portrayal of Bond in future installments, but in TSWLM, they strike exactly the right tone.

Go back and checkout THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, you'll be pleasantly surprised on how good this movie is.

7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)

Perfect escapist fare and classic Bond movie

[robertemerald · 10/10 · 10 November 2018]

This may well be the best of the Roger Moore Bond movies. Terrific action throughout, complete with many many surprises, gadgets, do anything sports car, and truly terrific sets. The main villein is perfect, and his employees are brilliant, one giant of a man being particularly macabre. True, its an old movie now, yet its just so hammy it has a timeless charm. And the locations are charming as well. The plot is classic, and resolves itself in such a brilliant way as to have one truly on the edge of one's seat (certainly by the all explosive end, if not way before). Roger Moore is debonair and slightly restrained with plenty of silly one liners. His beau is magnificent, also restrained but with real charisma. No wonder she married a Beatle. One simply cannot go wrong with this gem.

What is the music when the Stromberg subs set off?

[declan88 · 7/10 · 11 February 2013]

Hi

I've been trying to identify what music is it that plays whe the subs set off from Strombergs tanker. I have the impression its a fairly well known classical piece but I just can;t place it. I've scanned the sound track on iTunes and its not in that (or at least at the beginning of those pieces).

If anyone knowns, I'd love to know.

Thanks very much,

Best regards

declan88

PS The Lotus coming out of the water is perhaps the favourite part of the film. The director lets the shot slowly unwind which is nice too.

One of Our Submarines is Missing

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 22 March 2022]

Ian Fleming's original 1962 novel was a bold experiment that pleased no one, so he specifically stipulated in his will it not be filmed. The producers therefore whipped up a completely unrelated screenplay.

In the hands of old pro Lewis Gilbert (related by marriage to Sydney Tafler, hence his fleeting appearance as the captain of the Liparus) it's agreeably old-fashioned and tongue-in-cheek, hailing from the days when Bernard Lee was still playing 'M', Ken Adam was still designing the sets and it seemed conceivable that the East and the West could bury their differences in the face of a common foe.

they've done it better!

[simonrosenbaum · 5/10 · 22 July 2003]

I thought I was a Bond fan but after seeing this I'm starting to have my doubts. Usually praised as one of the best Bond films I was very disappointed. Good pre-title sequence leading to the usual great song and titles (though they are starting to resemble more and more like a 70's porn film), then we're introduced to the Russian spy and your thinking nice twist it's a woman, then she opens her mouth, oh dear, how on earth did Barbara Bach get such a major part when she plainly can't act to save her life. I haven't seen a more wooden performance since I last saw Thunderbirds! Roger Moore seemed to have left his charm at home as some of his witty comments were more offensive than funny. The pacing of the film seemed all wrong and it felt very flat in places. It wasn't all bad 'Jaws' is a great henchman, the car/boat was ingenious and Marvin Hamlisch's score was surprisingly good. But on the whole a dog of a film. Just to add some more controversy I saw Moonraker at the end of last year and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.(3/10)

A walking tour of Egypt

[theliamrhodes · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

A rather bland entry into the Bond franchise sees Roger Moore do a lot of walking to different landmarks throughout Egypt for no purpose other than a ploy to increase tourism in the area or something.

I'm not sure how much inspiration it takes from the book but this movie seems to take a lot from previous Bond films without any initiative or excitement.

We have Stromberg who is essentially Blofeld if he was ordered from Wish. He's just non-threatening, boring, and urgh.

The Spy Who Loved Me also introduces the most ridiculous villain in the franchise, Jaws. I'm not sure what's worse - getting past the fast the fella has metal jaws/teeth and gets by fine, or the robotic action sequences in dire need of some lubrication. He offers nothing more than an intimidating looming presence.

Middle of the road. Not the worst, but nothing spectacular.

EVERYBODY does it better

[The_Movie_Cat · 6/10 · 21 July 1999]

The Spy Who Loved Me has a sublime theme song, superbly sung by Carly Simon. Yet on every other level the movie is a complete washout.

Commercially, it was a hit, with it's $79.9 million gross over twice that of the previous film in the series. (Though in fairness, The Man With The Golden Gun was nearly half as cheap to make). Critically, too, this film is generally regarded, if not the best of the series, then the best vehicle for Roger Moore.

Personally, I can't see why. While it IS a step up from the all-time nadir of "Golden Gun", it is still a wholly unsatisfying movie. Maybe it's the "greatest hits" mentality behind it that pleases so many, as Thunderball is gutted to form the basis of it's plot. The pre-credits teaser is a rehash of the skiing stunts from On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and many of the elements of that flawed-yet-worthwhile flick seem to be dredged up here. For this is one of the few times Bond has a relationship with a woman that isn't based solely on his libido. (Though Barbara Bach as Agent XXX must qualify as the most gratuitous display of cleavage in a Bond movie - and THAT'S a feat).

007's murdered wife is mentioned in the film, and this gives us one of the few moments where Moore does any acting. Make no mistake, while his sense of irony was a breath of fresh air in Live and Let Die, here it is a noxious odour. The constant schoolboyish, smutty puns are no longer post-modern, just DUMB, and date the film quicker than any 60's equivalent. Bach, who plays off Moore as a female counterpart, kills any repartee with what may seem wooden acting, but is probably just the actress weighed down by her heavy cod Russian accent.

Stromberg is a sub-sub-sub Blofeld, surrounded by a set that outdoes Dr.No's aquarium with all the spectacle but with none of the style. Richard Kiel does well as the mute "Jaws", but his mechanised fight then fall through a window with Roger on the train is a straight steal from the fight with Tee-Hee, just two films earlier. And Moore CAN'T do fight scenes, giving us a series of incongruous edits.

Amidst all this Deja Vu is a series of pointless, dumbed-down chases, explosions and unrealistic sex. Bond can even dodge bullets in this one, for goodness sake! But the real crime is that 95% of negative views surrounding James Bond films seem to stem from this era - and that IS unforgivable.

The Curse of Bond

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 29 July 2005]

Is there a Curse of Bond? The theory is occasionally put forward, largely in the British tabloids, that winning a part as a "Bond Girl" will act as a permanent blight on the career of the actress concerned. This theory is, of course, exaggerated; starring in Bond films does not seem to have harmed the careers of, say, Honor Blackman, Britt Ekland or Diana Rigg, who later went on to become a Dame of the British Empire. Indeed, some hitherto little known actresses (Ursula Andress, Jane Seymour, Kim Basinger) have been able to use the role as a starting-point for their rise to stardom. Nevertheless, there may be some truth in the idea; Daniela Bianchi, Claudine Auger, Lois Chiles and Carey Lowell are among those Bond Girls who are little known for anything else. If there is a Curse of Bond, it certainly seems to have affected "The Spy Who Loved Me". Its heroine may have stayed in the public eye because of her marriage to one of the Beatles, but "Can you name two films starring Barbara Bach?" would be a question to stump all but the most obsessive film buff.

"The Spy Who Loved Me" seems to have been one of a number of periodic attempts by the Bond producers (dating back at least to Pussy Galore in "Goldfinger") to answer feminist criticism of the series by providing heroines who were strong and capable as well as sexy. (Neither of the two previous heroines, the passive and fatalistic Solitaire in "Live and Let Die" and the endearingly incompetent Mary Goodnight in "The Man with the Golden Gun", fitted that particular bill). The plot has Bond joining forces with Major Anya Amasova, one of the KGB's top operatives, to foil a sinister scheme by the villain, a shipping tycoon named Stromberg. Stromberg hopes to start a nuclear war which would wipe out nearly all life on land, leaving him free to found a new underwater civilisation, and to this end has captured two nuclear submarines, one British and one Russian. (The Anglo-Russian co-operation shown in this film may reflect the growing mood of détente in the mid-seventies).

There is an extra twist to the plot in that on a previous mission Bond was responsible for the death of Anya's lover, another Russian agent. This means that Anya's character is, emotionally, considerably more complex than that of the average Bond Girl. On the one hand she hates Bond; on the other she finds herself falling for him. It is therefore unfortunate that such a weak actress was cast in the part, in my view the weakest ever cast as a Bond Girl. Handicapped by the need to assume a phony Russian accent, Bach seems quite incapable of showing any emotion, and delivers all her lines in a flat tone of voice and wearing the same wooden expression. Her main qualification for the role seems to have been her looks. (Despite the difference in colouring, she bears a close facial resemblance to Britt Ekland, who had played the heroine in the previous Bond film). It is perhaps unfortunate that the role did not go to Caroline Munro, as attractive as Bach and far more animated, who played the villainess Naomi.

There are, however, some good things about this film. I have always regarded Sean Connery as the best Bond, but this is one of Roger Moore's better contributions to the series, characterised by a greater seriousness and less jokiness than some of his outings, with some moments of genuine emotion, such as when Anya refers to his dead wife Tracy. Curt Jurgens's Stromberg is not the most memorable Bond villain- I preferred Michael Lonsdale' Drax in "Moonraker", a man with a similar scheme and similar motives- but the film did introduce one of the best villains of the whole series in the form of Richard Kiel's Jaws, an immensely strong assassin with steel teeth. Unlike most Bond villains who end up dead, Jaws survives to make another appearance in "Moonraker". There are some good chase sequences, such as the one where Bond and Anya escape in the amphibious Lotus Esprit (a good combination of excitement and humour) and the opening ski chase which ends in the famous Union Jack parachute jump. Unlike many of the pre-credits sequences, this one does have some relation to the main plot, as it is during this chase that Anya's lover is killed. With a stronger heroine, this could have been one of the best of the Bond films. 6/10

Commander James Bond, recruited to the British Secret Service from the Royal Navy. License to kill and has done so on numerous occasions.

[hitchcockthelegend · 9/10 · 2 June 2012]

The Spy Who Loved Me is directed by Lewis Gilbert and adapted to screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum from the novel written by Ian Fleming. It stars Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curt Jurgens, Richard Kiel and Walter Gotell. Music is scored by Marvin Hamlisch and cinematography by Claude Renoir.

Bond 10. Allied and Soviet nuclear submarines are mysteriously disappearing from the waters and causing friction between the nations. MI6 and the KGB have a notion that a third party is responsible and stirring up trouble for their own nefarious means. 007 is partnered with Soviet spy Major Anya Amasova (Agent XXX) and the pair are tasked with getting to the bottom of the plot before the crisis escalates.

During the whole run of the James Bond franchise there have been a few occasions when it was felt it had run out of steam. 1977 and on the back of the mediocre reception and by Bond standards the poor box office return of The Man with the Golden Gun, now was one such time. With producer Albert Broccoli striking out on his own, the stakes were high, but with a determined vision forming in his head and a near $14 million budget to work from courtesy of United Artists, Broccoli went big, and it worked magnificently. The Spy Who Loved Me is Moore's best Bond film, not necessarily his best Bond performance, but as a movie it's near faultless, it gets all the main ingredients right. Gadgets and humour were previously uneasy accompaniments to James Bond as a man, but here they serve to enhance his persona, never taking away his tough bastard edge. The suspense and high drama is back, for the first time in a Roger Moore Bond film things are played right, we don't think we are watching an action comedy, but an action adventure movie, what little lines of humour are here are subtle, not overt and taking away from the dramatic thrust.

For production value it's one of the best. Brocoli instructed the great Ken Adam to go build the 007 Stage at Pinewood so as to achieve their vision for The Spy Who Loved Me. At the time it became the biggest sound stage in the world. With such space to work from, Adam excels himself to produce the interior of the Liparus Supertanker, the home for a brilliant battle in the final quarter. Vehicles feature prominently, the amphibious Lotus Esprit moved quickly into Bond folklore, rocket firing bikes and mini-subs, helicopter, speedboat, escape pod, wet-bike and on it goes. Then there's Stromberg's Atlantis home, a wonderfully War of the Worlds type design for the outer, an underwater aquarium for the inner. Glorious locations are key, also, Egypt, Sardinia, Scotland and the Bahamas are colourful treats courtesy of Renoir's photography. Underwater scenes also grabbing the attention with some conviction.

The film also features a great cast that are led by a handsome, and in great shape, Moore. Barbara Bach (Triple X) is not only one of the most beautiful Bond girls ever, she's expertly portraying a femme of substance, intelligent, brave and committed to the cause, she is very much an equal to Bond, and we like that. The accent may be a shaky, but it's forgivable when judging Bach's impact on the picture. Jurgens as Stromberg is a witty villain, but he oozes despotic badness, sitting there in his underwater lair deliciously planning to start a new underwater world. Kiel as Jaws, the man with metal teeth, he too moved into Bond folklore, a scary creation clinically realised by the hulking Kiel. Gotell as Gogol is a presence and Caroline Munro as Naomi is memorable, while Bernard Lee's M and Desmond Llewelyn's Q get wonderful scenes of worth. They forgot to give poor Moneypenney something to chew on, but in the main it comes over that the makers were reawakened to what made Bond films great in the first place. There's even a candidate for best title song as well, Nobody Does it Better, delivered so magically by Carly Simon.

The grand vision paid off, handsomely. It raked in just over $185 million at the world box office, some $87 million more than The Man with the Golden Gun. Not bad considering it was up against a record breaking Star Wars. Critics and fans, too, were pleased. It's not perfect. It's ironic that director Lewis Gilbert returned for his second Bond assignment, because this does feel like a rehash of his first, You Only Live Twice, only bigger and better. Hamlisch underscores it at times and John Barry's absence is felt there. While if we are being particularly harsh? Then Stromberg could perhaps have been a more pro-active villain? He makes a telling mark, we know he's a mad dastard, but he only really sits around giving orders and pushing death dealing buttons. But small complaints that fail to stop this Bond from being one of the best. Hey, we even get an acknowledgement that Bond was once married, and the response from Bond is respectful to that dramatic part of his past. 9/10

More humor than the others

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 12 January 2002]

This film is not as silly as "The man with the Golden Gun", but not as serious as "For your eyes Only" this film is in the middle. I thought the film drags in the first half, but my wife disagrees. It has all the Bond saves the world excitement, with huge explosions at the ending. This film introduces the Jaws character to infuse some new blood for the Bond series.

Keeping the British end up

[Prismark10 · 10/10 · 29 May 2017]

The first Bond film I watched in the cinema and maybe one of the most audacious Bond movies made so far starting with a pre credit sequence where Bond skis off a cliff and then unfurls a Union Jack parachute. Nobody does it better even with a disco infused James Bond theme.

In the spirit of detente Bond (Roger Moore) is teamed up with beautiful Russian agent Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) to solve the mysterious disappearance of a British and Soviet nuclear submarines.

Their adventures lead to the underwater lair of megalomaniac Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) an elegant psychopath who wants to create an underwater empire with a much reduced world population.

However Anya also has an agenda to kill Bond as he killed a fellow KGB agent who was also her boyfriend.

Hot on their heels is the indestructible deadly henchman Jaws (Richard Kiel) with teeth of steel. There is also the beautiful Naomi, Stromberg's scantily clad assistant who pursues Bond in a helicopter.

The film has it all. Director Lewis Gilbert added an element of fantasy to Bond and was also inspired by what was big in the cinema. None bigger at that time than the film Jaws, so why not have killer sharks and a killer assassin called Jaws.

Gilbert also makes great use of international locations such as Egypt with allusions to Lawrence of Arabia. Then there are the gadgets such as the amphibious Lotus which can also fire a missile or the digital watch which transmits information by ticker tape.

The art direction and the sets built for this film are magnificent which rightly deserved their Oscar nomination.

More importantly, Moore feels comfortable in the role. He delivers action as well as the quips.

The Fall of the Bond Empire

[loufalce · 2/10 · 22 November 2006]

Moore's third outing as Bond, and the one that began the series descent into mediocrity.Not as good as the previous "Man With The Golden Gun"-not a great entry in itself-but it tried to retain the character and essence of Bond, this one threw all caution to the wind and gave us a comic book Bond. The faults are many.The film is overlong and you wait too long for anything really exciting to happen. The Soviet agent, as played by Barbara Bach shows no real emotion and is never seen as a threat. There is a 7 foot tall henchman named "Jaws"- with steel teeth{yeah right} and superhuman strenght.Watching him take apart a truck is unbelievable and embarrassing to the viewer at the same time. What were the producers and writers thinking when they came up with him. There is a Lotus sports car that converts into a submarine- you have to see it to disbelieve it! And the plot has yet another megalomaniac trying to dominate the world. Anything new here? On the positive side, there is his underwater lair, a crab like structure that rises and submerges, and the finale set inside a large oil tanker containing 3 hijacked nuclear submarines is quite good. The set is well designed and detailed and almost redeems this mess, even though it owes its concept to the SPECTRE missle base in the dead volcano from "You Only Live Twice". This disco era Bond, now reduced to a middle aged punster would go on to do "Moonraker" 2 years later. The less said about that, the better.After doing "For Your Eyes Only" in 1981, it seemed the series was trying to get itself back on course and back to basics, but after the wretched " A View To A Kill" and not much better "Octopussy", Moore's stint as Bond was over.At least Timothy Dalton bought a new edge to Bond, but he only lasted for 2 films.On the plus side is the theme song sung by Carly Simon-one of the best in the series.

Bond, Back to Basics...

[cariart · 7 April 2004]

After the critical and commercial beating taken by THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, producer Albert Broccoli, now solely in charge of the 007 franchise, had to re-evaluate the series for the third time in less than ten years. Certainly, Roger Moore would never be believable in a Sean Connery-type Bond film, but couldn't some of the series' best elements be restored, and the comedy reduced a bit, to make Moore's Bond a bit more believable?

The research, which became the basis of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, took over two years to complete, and the script went through many writers before the final draft, by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum. With a renewed emphasis on more realistic action, Broccoli brought back Lewis Gilbert to direct; his earlier Bond effort, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, while not a major 'hit', had featured the most spectacular action sequences of the series. With Gilbert on board, the production became very reminiscent of the Connery film (Even the concept of a supertanker 'swallowing' submarines echoed YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, and the spacecraft-'eating' SPECTRE capsule).

As the villain, esteemed German actor Curt Jurgens was cast as Karl Stromberg, an ideal choice, as the actor, with his bulging eyes, 'fit' the role of a fish-like megalomaniac. Playing his henchman, Jaws, in an inspired piece of casting, giant Richard Kiel, complete with 'bear-trap' steel teeth, would provide Moore with the greatest danger he'd ever face as Bond. Kiel was, in fact, so good in the role (possibly the most popular villain of the entire 007 franchise), that he would return in MOONRAKER, to bedevil Bond some more. Less successful, dramatically, but still astonishing to watch would be Stromberg's 'hit woman', Naomi, played by voluptuous Caroline Munro.

In an effort to 'update' Bond into an era of feminists, the strongest, most independent love interest to appear in at Bond film to that point was introduced. Major Anya Amasova, played by Ringo Starr's wife, the exotically beautiful Barbara Bach, was Bond's opposite number on the Russian side, an equal to 007 in every way. In a pivotal scene, she would display a knowledge of Bond's past that even included his dead wife, Tracy (the first time Bond's marriage had been mentioned since ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE). Moore's reaction to her comment would be both emotional and abrupt, and demonstrated that he could do far more than just deliver witty one-liners.

From the spectacular ski chase pre-title sequence, climaxing with a parachute free fall off a cliff (love that 'Union Jack'), to Bond and Anya's confrontations with Jaws, in Egypt (reminiscent of Bond's fights with Oddjob in GOLDFINGER and Tee Hee in LIVE AND LET DIE), to the amazing Lotus that would do service on land and in the ocean, to the massive tanker battle while Bond disarms a nuclear warhead (shades of GOLDFINGER), THE SPY WHO LOVED ME would do homage to 007's previous adventures, and utilize humor in support of the on-screen action, instead of spoofing it (other than the brief use of the LAWRENCE OF ARABIA theme...you'll spot it).

And to top things off, Carly Simon's rendition of the film's title tune, "Nobody Does It Better", would become a Top Ten hit, worldwide.

Critics and audiences loved THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, hailing it as Moore's best work, and one of the better Bonds of all time. Things were, again, looking up for 007...but STAR WARS was about to debut, and things would go dreadfully amiss, when Broccoli decided to send Bond into space, in MOONRAKER...

A masterpiece

[filipemanuelneto · 7/10 · 31 March 2016]

Directed by Lewis Gilbert, and produced by Albert Broccoli (Harry Saltzman left the franchise after the collapse of their personal finances), has script Richard Maibaum and Christopher Wood and is the tenth film in the franchise.

In this film, James Bond investigates the disappearance of American and Soviet submarines, a situation that is generating a great discomfort in the already strained relations between the two nuclear powers. In Egypt, after several setbacks, the secret services of both sides decide to join forces and Bond ends up collaborating without trust with Amasova Anya, the Soviet agent Triple X. The tracks drag the unlikely duo to Sardinia in order to investigate Stromberg, an industrial mysterious, passionate about the sea, living in a kind of underwater station in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

Regarded by many as one of the best achieved movies during the Roger Moore as 007, he received a script that is completely different from the original book Fleming and gives the film so many similarities to "You Only Live Twice" and "Thunderball" that comes to be confused with them. Again, this film back to pick up the American and Soviet rivalry, still very current and already quite focused on previous films in the franchise. However, this time, and the style of "détente", both countries are aware that something is happening and want to avoid open war. And it's funny to see the distrustful relationship that arises between Bond and Amasova in which both seek to be one step ahead of rivals. One of the iconic scenes of the film is the sequence filmed in Luxor, where both seek to steal a microfilm and defeat Jaws for then if they steal and fight each other for the prize. Machines and inventions are also part of this film, with an amazing amphibious car and a hollow tanker, capable of containing inside an authentic naval base. A positive note also for the opening credits, with the song "Nobody Does It Better" sung by Carly Simon.

In this film, apart from central casting inherited from the previous films, Barbara Bach gave life to the bond-girl Anya Amasova, Caroline Munro played Naomi, Curd Jürgens was the villain, Stromberg, Walter Gotell played the Russian General Gogol and Richard Kiel gave soul the ruthless killer Jaws.

Not Bad, Not great (ratings in comparison to other Bond FIlms)

[asdodge · 7/10 · 12 December 2008]

A very good Bond movie overall, sometimes overrated. Maybe it is looking back after so many Bond films, but this one kind of suffers from the overuse of the tired Bond formula- super-villain out to conquer the world through extreme measures. The plot is a perfect midpoint between "Thunderball" and "Moonraker"- stolen nuclear missiles and a megalomaniac who wishes to wipe out the world and start anew.

The plot centers on the release of stolen plans which show that someone knows how to locate nuclear submarines, thus making them easy to destroy. This technology piques the interest of the UK and USSR who both send their top agents, 007 and XXX who first battle each other, but then must work together. Unfortunately, the competitive part is silly and childish, and Barbara Bach's XXX is rather silly. Another plot point which doesn't help is that Bond killed XXX's lover on a previous mission, and she has vowed revenge. The clues lead to a demented shipping magnate and deep-sea genius named Stromberg (Curd Juergens). Stromberg introduces one of the more famous Bond henchmen- Jaws (Richard Kiel)- who could have been a great heavy, but becomes a bastion for some poor puns and jokes.

The usual big-bang action is here and the super-stunts and chases are back, returning the Bond world from espionage to near comic-book superheroism, which to me is a weakness in many of the films. All in all the storyline is solid enough and the plot flows well, but the stilted acting of the Jurgens and Barbara Bach (not a good actress, overacts, and awfully poor accent) get tiresome quickly. However, Roger Moore is as at ease with the role as he can be and balances the drop-offs of Bach well enough. There is still enough espionage and spy work to remind the viewer that Bond is a secret agent, not a superhero and the excessive puns of later movies is more subdued here.

Some Quality, & Some Nonsense

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 23 June 2008]

This is a typical Moore outing in the series. It is not as good as For Your Eyes Only. but it is slightly better than Moonraker which followed. The scenery at the pyramids in Egypt are the best of the travel log footage this film has to offer.

Casting Richard Kiel as Jaws is the most inspired piece of casting. The action sequences while looking more realistic than some films (particularly some of the later ones whose computer animation has gone into over-blown fair-tale effects), there are some effects which have not held up well over time in this film. At least Stromberg (Curt Jergens) does a good job in his role.

Carly Simon sang well with the theme but her voice is so low & soft you have to turn up your stereo in order to hear half of the theme song. Don't think her heart was in this as her voice seemed strong on other hit songs she sang. Maybe she thinks 007 is too vain?

Overall, while not Moore's best, this film did not hurt him as he went on a few more years in the series. Interesting that both the female leads have done no film work since the early 1980's. This was their last real mainstream effort in the US.

Pleasantly made, and with a really involving core relationship playing out at the heart of it, Gilbert's Bond entry is a more than effective espionage thriller.

[johnnyboyz · 7/10 · 11 August 2011]

One of the more endearing qualities of The Spy Who Loved Me is its subversive attitude to its source material combining near-effortlessly with an ongoing audience demand for what it was the Bond franchise had evolved into by that of 1977. When, at around about half way through, Barbara Bach's Soviet agent Anya Amasova points out that the film's enemy is thriving off a Capitalist ideology of supply and demand, and that the wealth he has been allowed to accumulate has essentially enabled him to reach the position he has done, it's a wonderful moment featuring the makers poking fun at the riches that come with their own franchise as well as the placing of the Russians at the forefront of humanised, logical rationalising instead of stock antagonists. Such is the nature of the piece, a really well made 'buddy' spy thriller feeding off the usual Bond formulae of darting from exotic place to exotic place and encompassing that of numerous women in the process, but never drawing attention to these things and never entrusting these characteristics to merely carry the project.

The film begins with a snapshot of life on board a British submarine; we sense not a lot goes on, the crew appear tired, even bored. Suddenly, with the plunging of the frame into some blood red hues, something finds them and it is enough to make the Captain react in the horror that he does. Such a dramatic opening is followed by that of the standardised introduction of franchise protagonist James Bond, the pre-credits sequence being transpiring into a ski chase followed by cliff jump resulting in one of the more powerful, more memorable openings to an entry. Bond, reacting to the disappearance of the submarine, is placed on a collision course with Bach's character; an agent we're informed is the Soviet Union's best and is introduced, like Bond, in the action of passionately embracing someone. The Soviets too have had a submarine taken from them, and she is following up the same leads catapulting them into a collision course with one another and some unseen elements.

If Amasova's introduction strikes us, it's down to our own brutal misconceptions; we are informed the Russians will place their best agent on the job, the male Amasova is spending her leave with lies in the foreground thus effectively shot as the composition's key figure in comparison to what appears to be just another photogenic Eastern European woman required for a love-making scene positioned in the background. We doubt their best agent is anything other than the male, but are swiftly corrected and enjoy the vibrancy Bach's character brings to proceedings; her matching of Bond's abilities as well as the playful seduction on board a crude fishing boat when the prize lies in British hands each making for good value. In spite of any other claims, Bach brings a fair deal of authenticity to the role; when told by her superior, (the head of the K.G.B., no less), that her lover has later been killed, she reacts with just the right amount of grief, anger and restraint required for a professional of her ilk given the place and the company she shares, in what is an admirable performance. Within five minutes of being on screen, we like her more than Goodnight.

One of the better villains in the series arrives in the form of Karl Stromberg (Jürgens), a man whose physical capabilities pale in comparison to that of the previous entry's Scaramanga, but whose antagonistic qualities towards our leads greatly excels that of the las villain when we recall the little reason for Christopher Lee's aforementioned character to even go up against Bond. We observe Stromberg, a shipping industry tycoon, sit in a lavish undersea base rich in paintings and affluent mise-en-scene. He is rich; rich enough to pay two business cohorts ten million dollars each but then brutal enough to organise their demises shortly thereafter. We watch him dine with a female accomplice, and note they must be rather close for her to be this near to him; but her betrayal of him sees him eliminate her with a merciless precision to the juxtaposition of classical music, wholly instilling a clinical and brutal sensibility about the man. Later, his line questioning the "need to conquer outer-space, when two thirds of our (underwater) world remains undiscovered" acts as an odd prelude to the following entry's Moonraker; an entry barely at all on the filmmakers' minds at this point.

For the most part, the film feeds off a duelling between Bond and Amasova; this oneupmanship between rival British and Soviet spies makes for great value during the film's opening act in Egypt, energy that is meticulously maintained by the director Lewis Gilbert when initial elements of distrust are fought through and the film pushes onwards into an adventure we sense is fleshed out. We enjoy the three way causality led squabble between these two and Stormberg's hulking henchman, arguably the greatest Bond henchman of them all, in Jaws (Kiel); we enjoy Gilbert's shooting of Roger Moore's silhouette amidst the towering, centuries old architecture as he peers upwards whilst in Egypt and the inferring that he is dwarfed by his locale or is out of his depth and that he may struggle with his surroundings. The varying parties chasing this lone MacGuffin in a heated, sweltering location calls to mind that of a Peckinpah or a Leone western, whereas the rising antagonism between Bond and Amasova barely ever dissipates, the circumstances of her lover's death rearing up just as it seems they've put differences aside thus pushing their relationship down another route of strife. Everything aside, the film makes for a fine thriller and is probably one of the best of its canon.

One of Moore's finest.

[eamon-hennedy · 9/10 · 18 March 2004]

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.

One of the better Moore Bond movies

[CrazyArty · 7/10 · 19 March 2022]

One of the better Roger Moore James Bond movies.

Bond works together with a beautiful Russian spy to stop a nuclear war.

Beautiful girls, cool locations, a very memorable bad guy and a brilliant car. Obviously dated now but not a bad plot.