The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''The Spy Who Loved Me'' is a 1977 spy film, the tenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It is the third to star
Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 1 ...
as the fictional secret agent
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
. The film co-stars Barbara Bach and
Curt Jürgens Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and is ...
and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. The screenplay was by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum, with an uncredited rewrite by Tom Mankiewicz. The film takes its title from
Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., an ...
'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 Karl Sigmund Stromberg is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1977 James Bond film '' The Spy Who Loved Me''. Stromberg was portrayed by Curd Jürgens. The character Stromberg was created specifically for the film by writer Christo ...
, who plans to destroy the world and create a new civilisation under the sea. Bond teams up with a
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
agent,
Anya Amasova Major Anya Amasova (a.k.a. Agent XXX) is a fictional character in the James Bond film '' The Spy Who Loved Me'', portrayed by Barbara Bach. Amasova is an agent of the KGB. Biography After the theft of a submarine, M recalls Bond from a missio ...
, to stop the plans, all while being hunted by Stromberg’s powerful henchman,
Jaws Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...
. It was shot on location in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
(
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metr ...
and
Luxor Luxor ( ar, الأقصر, al-ʾuqṣur, lit=the palaces) is a modern city in Upper (southern) Egypt which includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of ''Thebes''. Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open-a ...
) and
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
(
Costa Smeralda The Costa Smeralda (, ; sdn, Monti di Mola; sc, Montes de Mola) is a coastal area and tourist destination in northern Sardinia, Italy, with a length of some 20 km, although the term originally designated only a small stretch in the com ...
,
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...
), with underwater scenes filmed at
the Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the a ...
(
Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...
), and a new soundstage built at
Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...
for a massive set which depicted the interior of a supertanker. ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' was well received by critics, who saw the film as a return to form for the franchise and praised Moore's performance. Moore himself called the film his personal favourite of his tenure as Bond. The soundtrack composed by
Marvin Hamlisch Marvin Frederick Hamlisch (June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012) was an American composer and conductor. Hamlisch was one of only seventeen people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. This collection of all four is referred to as an " E ...
also met with success. The film was nominated for three
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
amid many other nominations and novelised in 1977 by Christopher Wood as ''
James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me ''James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me'' is the official novelization of the 1977 Eon ''James Bond'' film '' The Spy Who Loved Me'', which was itself inspired by the 1962 novel of the same title by Ian Fleming. Plot Background When Ian Fleming s ...
''.


Plot

A British and a
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
ballistic-missile submarine suddenly disappear. James Bond MI6 agent 007is summoned to investigate. On the way to his briefing, Bond escapes an ambush by a squad of Soviet agents in
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, killing one during a downhill ski chase and evading the others. The plans for a highly advanced submarine tracking system are being offered in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
. There, Bond encounters Major Anya Amasova – KGB agent Triple X – as a rival for the
microfilm Microforms are scaled-down reproductions of documents, typically either films or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the original document size. ...
plans. They travel across Egypt together, encountering
Jaws Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...
a tall assassin with razor-sharp steel teethalong the way. Bond and Amasova reluctantly join forces after a truce is agreed by their respective British and Soviet superiors. They uncover evidence linking the plans to shipping tycoon and scientist Karl Stromberg. While travelling by train to Stromberg's base in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...
, 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 and discover that he had launched a mysterious new supertanker, the ''Liparus'', nine months previously. As they leave the base, a henchman on a motorcycle featuring a rocket sidecar, Jaws in a car, and Naomi, an assistant/pilot of Stromberg in an attack helicopter, chase them, but Bond and Amasova escape underwater when his car – a Lotus Esprit from Q Branch – converts into a submarine. Jaws survives a car crash, and Naomi is killed when Bond fires a sea-air missile from his car which destroys her helicopter. While examining Stromberg's underwater ''Atlantis'' base, the pair confirms that he is operating the submarine tracking system and evade an attack by a group of Stromberg's minisubs. Back on land, Bond finds out that the ''Liparus'' has never visited any known port or harbour. Amasova discovers that Bond killed her lover Sergei Barsov (as shown at the beginning of the movie), and she vows to kill Bond as soon as their mission is complete. Bond and Amasova board an American submarine to examine the ''Liparus'', but the submarine is captured by the tanker, which is revealed to be a floating submarine dock. 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, which Stromberg would survive in ''Atlantis'', and subsequently a new civilization would be established underwater. He leaves for ''Atlantis'' with Amasova, but Bond escapes and frees the captured British, Russian, and American sailors. They battle the ''Liparus'' crew and eventually breach the control room, only to learn from the dying captain of the ''Liparus'' that the commandeered British and Soviet submarines are primed to fire their missiles in only a few minutes. Bond tricks the submarines into firing the nukes at each other, destroying the subs and Stromberg's crews. The victorious submariners escape the sinking ''Liparus'' on the American submarine. The submarine is ordered by the Pentagon to destroy ''Atlantis'' but Bond insists on rescuing Amasova first. He confronts and kills Stromberg but again encounters Jaws, whom he drops into a shark tank. However, Jaws kills the tiger shark and escapes. Bond and Amasova flee in an escape pod as ''Atlantis'' is sunk by torpedoes. Amasova picks up Bond's gun and points it at him, but then chooses not to kill him and the two embrace. The Royal Navy recovers the pod and the two spies are seen in an intimate embrace through its port window, to the astonishment of their superiors on the ship.


Cast

*
Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 1 ...
as
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
, British MI6 agent 007, assigned to investigate the theft of two submarines. * Barbara Bach as
Anya Amasova Major Anya Amasova (a.k.a. Agent XXX) is a fictional character in the James Bond film '' The Spy Who Loved Me'', portrayed by Barbara Bach. Amasova is an agent of the KGB. Biography After the theft of a submarine, M recalls Bond from a missio ...
, a Soviet KGB agent XXX, also investigating the theft. Bach was cast only four days before
principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as ...
began, and performed her audition expecting just a supporting role in the film. *
Curt Jürgens Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and is ...
as
Karl Stromberg Karl Sigmund Stromberg is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1977 James Bond film '' The Spy Who Loved Me''. Stromberg was portrayed by Curd Jürgens. The character Stromberg was created specifically for the film by writer Christo ...
, a megalomaniac planning to trigger World War III and destroy the world, then recreate a new civilisation underwater. Jürgens's casting was a suggestion of director Lewis Gilbert, who had worked with him before. * Richard Kiel as
Jaws Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...
, Stromberg's seemingly indestructible juggernaut of a henchman, afflicted with
gigantism Gigantism ( el, γίγας, ''gígas'', " giant", plural γίγαντες, ''gígantes''), also known as giantism, is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average. In humans, this condition is caused by ov ...
and having a set of metal teeth. * Caroline Munro as Naomi, Stromberg's personal pilot and a would-be assassin. Munro's casting was inspired by an advertisement campaign she had made. Her voice was dubbed by an uncredited
Barbara Jefford Mary Barbara Jefford, OBE (26 July 1930 – 12 September 2020) was a British actress, best known for her theatrical performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic and the National Theatre and her role as Molly Bloom in the 1 ...
, who had previously dubbed
Daniela Bianchi Daniela Bianchi (born 31 January 1942) is an Italian actress, best known for her role of Bond girl Tatiana Romanova in the 1963 movie '' From Russia with Love''. She played a Soviet cipher clerk sent to entrap agent 007, James Bond. Bianchi's fa ...
in ''From Russia with Love''. * Geoffrey Keen as
Sir Frederick Gray This is a list of allies of '' James Bond'' who appear throughout the film series and novels. MI6 M M is a Rear Admiral of the Royal Navy, and the head of the Secret Intelligence Service. Fleming based the character on a number of peop ...
, the British Minister of Defence. Keen would reprise the role in five more ''Bond'' films. * Edward de Souza as Sheikh Hosein, an Arab sheikh and old friend of Bond; they were students at Cambridge University * George Baker as Captain Benson, a British naval officer stationed at the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
's
Faslane His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde (HMNB Clyde; also HMS ''Neptune''), primarily sited at Faslane on the Gare Loch, is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). ...
Naval Base in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. *
Lois Maxwell Lois Ruth Maxwell (born Lois Ruth Hooker; 14 February 1927 – 29 September 2007) was a Canadian actress who portrayed Miss Moneypenny in the first fourteen Eon-produced ''James Bond'' films (1962–1985). She was the first actress to play the ...
as
Miss Moneypenny Miss Moneypenny, later assigned the first names of Eve or Jane, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M (James Bond), M, who is Bond's superior officer and head of the British Secret Intelligence Serv ...
, M's secretary. * Walter Gotell as
General Gogol This is a list of allies of ''James Bond'' who appear throughout the film series and novels. MI6 M M is a Rear Admiral of the Royal Navy, and the head of the Secret Intelligence Service. Fleming based the character on a number of people ...
, the head of the KGB and Amasova's boss. Gotell previously played Morzeny in '' From Russia with Love''. Gotell would also reprise this role for five more ''Bond'' films. *
Vernon Dobtcheff Vernon Dobtcheff (born 14 August 1934) is a British actor, best known for his roles on television and film, he has acted in numerous stage productions. Biography Dobtcheff was born in Nîmes, France, of Russian descent. He attended Ascham Pre ...
as Max Kalba, an Egyptian nightclub owner and black market racketeer who possesses the microfilm and tries to encourage Bond and Amasova to bid for it. * Desmond Llewelyn as Q, MI6's head of research and development. He supplies Bond with unique vehicles and gadgets. Amasova refers to him as
Major Boothroyd Q is a fictional character in the James Bond films and film novelisations. Q (standing for Quartermaster), like M, is a job title rather than a name. He is the head of Q Branch (or later Q Division), the fictional research and development divisi ...
. * Michael Billington as Sergei Barsov, Russian agent and Anya Amasova's lover. Billington had previously screentested for the role of Bond. * Bernard Lee as M, the head of MI6. *
Shane Rimmer Shane Rimmer (born Shane Lance Deacon; May 28, 1929 – March 29, 2019) was a Canadian actor and screenwriter who spent the majority of his career in the United Kingdom. The self-proclaimed "Rent-A-Yank" of the British entertainment industry, he ...
as
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
Carter, commanding officer of USS ''Wayne''. *
Bryan Marshall Bryan Marshall (19 May 1938 – 25 June 2019) was a British actor, with a number of major credits in film and television to his name, in both his native country and Australia. Early life Marshall was born in Battersea, south London. He was educ ...
as
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
Talbott, commanding officer of HMS ''Ranger''. * Nadim Sawalha as Aziz Fekkesh, a middle-man on the trail of the stolen microfilm. * Robert Brown as Admiral Hargraves, a British Royal Navy official. Brown would later play M in four films. *Sue Vanner as Log Cabin Girl, a Russian agent who sets a trap for 007 in the pre-credit sequence. Other actors in smaller roles include Sydney Tafler as the Captain of the ''Liparus'', Eva Rueber-Staier as Rubelvitch, General Gogol's secretary; Milton Reid as Sandor, one of Stromberg's thugs; Olga Bisera as Felicca, Fekkesh's glamorous associate; Valerie Leon as the hotel receptionist in Sardinia, Cyril Shaps as Professor Beckmann, Milo Sperber as Dr. Markovitz, Albert Moses as an Egyptian bartender,
Marilyn Galsworthy Marilyn Galsworthy (born 1954) is a British actress, who acted for 15 years in the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing opposite Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina. She also had a number of television and film roles including a small one in the ...
as Stromberg's treacherous secretary.
Nicholas Campbell Nicholas Campbell (born 24 March 1952) is a Canadian film, television and voice actor and filmmaker, who won three Gemini Awards for acting. He is known for such films as ''Naked Lunch'', '' Prozac Nation'', ''New Waterford Girl'' and the tele ...
, Bob Sherman, Murray Salem,
John Truscott John Edward Truscott (23 February 1936 – 5 September 1993) was an Australian actor, production designer, costume designer and artistic director. He won two Academy Awards for his work on the 1967 film ''Camelot''. Career Truscott began hi ...
, Vincent Marzello, Garrick Hagon,
Ray Jewers Ray Jewers (15 October 1945 – 3 October 1993) was a Canadian actor. Filmography Film * ''Twilight's Last Gleaming'' (1977) as Sgt. Domino * '' A Bridge Too Far'' (1977) as U.S. radio operator * '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) as USS Wayn ...
, and George Mallaby appear as USS ''Wayne'' crewmen. Barry Andrews, Kevin McNally,
Jeremy Bulloch Jeremy Andrew Bulloch (16 February 1945 – 17 December 2020) was an English actor. In a career that spanned six decades, he gained recognition for originating the physical portrayal of Boba Fett in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, appearing as th ...
,
Sean Bury Sean Bury (born ) in Brighton, Sussex, England) is a British television and film actor, best known for his lead role as Paul Harrison in Lewis Gilbert's 1971 film ''Friends'' and the 1974 sequel '' Paul and Michelle''. Career At the age of ni ...
,
David Auker David Auker is a British film and television actor. Filmography Film *'' Unman, Wittering and Zigo'' (1971) .... Aggeridge *''Confessions of a Pop Performer'' (1975) .... Zombie (Kipper) *''Adventures of a Taxi Driver'' (1976) .... 2nd kidna ...
,
Keith Buckley Keith Buckley (born November 19, 1979) is an American singer, best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the now defunct hardcore punk band Every Time I Die and the heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things. He is also a published author. Earl ...
, and
John Salthouse John Salthouse (born John Lewis; 16 June 1951) is a British actor and producer. His best-known screen roles are those of Tony in Mike Leigh's '' Abigail's Party'' and DI Roy Galloway in ''The Bill'' from 1984 to 1987. He has also appeared in "C ...
appear as HMS ''Ranger'' crewmen. The assistant director for the Italian locations, Victor Tourjansky, had a cameo as a man drinking his wine as Bond's Lotus emerges from the beach. As an in-joke, he returned in similar appearances in another two Bond films shot in Italy, ''Moonraker'' (the Venice gondola sequence) and '' For Your Eyes Only'' (during the ski chase).


Production

Given the relatively poor financial returns and generally unfavourable response of critics to its predecessor, '' The Man with the Golden Gun'' (1974), ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' was a pivotal film for the Bond franchise. The project was plagued with difficulties from the outset, the first being the departure of Bond producer Harry Saltzman, who was forced to sell his half of the Bond film franchise in 1975 for £20 million. Saltzman had branched out into several other ventures of dubious promise, including an unfilmed biopic about
Cuthbert Grant Cuthbert James Grant (1793 – July 15, 1854) was a prominent Métis leader of the early 19th century. His father was also called Cuthbert Grant. Life Cuthbert James Grant was born in 1793 at Fort Tremblant, a North West Company trading post ...
starring Sean Connery, and consequently was struggling through personal financial reversals unrelated to Bond. Saltzman offered his shares in the company as collateral for his loans, and
UBS UBS Group AG is a multinational investment bank and financial services company founded and based in Switzerland. Co-headquartered in the cities of Zürich and Basel, it maintains a presence in all major financial centres as the largest Swi ...
attempted to foreclose on them. When Saltzman's attempted hostile takeover of
Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
led to a lawsuit, Broccoli refused to allow him to use Danjaq funds, leading to a deadlock in the company as Saltzman refused to allow another Bond film to go forward. This was exacerbated by the twin personal tragedies of his wife's terminal cancer and many of the symptoms of
clinical depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Intro ...
in himself. Under Danjaq's distribution agreement with United Artists, it was required they produce a Bond adaptation every eighteen months or run the risk of losing the rights to the series to United Artists if they did not. However, Saltzman continued blocking production on another Bond film and refused to allow Broccoli to buy his shares.
Maurice Binder Maurice Binder (December 4, 1918 – April 9, 1991) was an American film title designer best known for his work on 16 James Bond films including the first, '' Dr. No'' (1962) and for Stanley Donen's films from 1958. Early work He was born in ...
and Broccoli held negotiations about selling Saltzman's shares to Adnan Khashoggi,
David Frost Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was a British television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...
,
Lord Hanson James Edward, Baron Hanson (20 January 1922 – 1 November 2004) was an English Conservative industrialist who built his businesses through the process of leveraged buyouts through Hanson plc. Career Educated at Elland Grammar School ...
, and
Lord Harlech Baron Harlech, of Harlech in the County of Merioneth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1876 for the Conservative politician John Ormsby-Gore, with remainder to his younger brother William. He had previously ...
. Saltzman finally agreed to sell his shares directly to United Artists so that another Bond film could go forward. Although Broccoli initially objected to the deal, he acquiesced after Saltzman received a counter-offer to sell his rights to the rival studio
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
. Another troubling aspect of the production was the difficulty in obtaining a director. Guy Hamilton, who had directed the previous three Bond films as well as '' Goldfinger'' (1964), was initially set to direct. However, in November 1975, he left after being offered the opportunity to direct the 1978 film ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'', although Richard Donner subsequently took over the project.
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
, who had finished ''
Jaws Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...
'' (1975) months earlier, approached Broccoli about wanting to direct the next Bond film, but Broccoli declined his offer. By December of that year, Broccoli hired Lewis Gilbert, who had directed the earlier Bond film '' You Only Live Twice'' (1967), after screening his then-latest film, ''
Operation Daybreak ''Operation Daybreak'' (also known as ''The Price of Freedom'' in the U.S. and ''Seven Men at Daybreak'' during production) is a 1975 war film based on the true story of Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of SS general Reinhard Heydrich in ...
'' (1975). Since
Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., an ...
permitted Eon to use only the name of his novel but not the actual plot, Fleming's name was moved for the first time from above the film's title to above "James Bond 007". His name reverted to the traditional location for '' Moonraker'', the last Eon Bond film based on a Fleming novel before 2006's '' Casino Royale''. However, the credit style first used in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' has been used on all Eon Bond films since '' For Your Eyes Only'', including ''Casino Royale''.


Writing

Broccoli commissioned a number of writers to work on the script, including Stirling Silliphant,
John Landis John David Landis (born August 3, 1950) is an American comedy and fantasy filmmaker and actor. He is best known for the comedy films that he has directed – such as ''The Kentucky Fried Movie'' (1977), ''National Lampoon's Animal House'' (1978 ...
, Ronald Hardy, Anthony Burgess,
Cary Bates Cary Bates (born 1948) is an American comic book, animation, television and film writer. He is best known for his work on '' The Flash'', ''Superman'', ''Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes'' and ''Captain Atom''. Biography Early career Bates ...
, and
Derek Marlowe Derek William Mario Marlowe (21 May 1938 – 14 November 1996) was an English playwright, novelist, screenwriter and painter. Life Derek Marlowe was born in Perivale, Middlesex, and lived there and in Greenford as a child. His father was Fr ...
. The British television producer Gerry Anderson also stated that he provided a
film treatment A film treatment (or simply treatment) is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detaile ...
(although originally planned to be '' Moonraker'') very similar to what ended up as ''The Spy Who Loved Me''. Bates's script featured Bond and his former ally Tatiana Romanova teaming up to stop a
SPECTRE Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and wri ...
hijacking of a nuclear submarine coordinated by Hugo Drax from a base underneath Loch Ness. Burgess's draft, featuring characters from his previous novel '' Tremor of Intent: An Eschatological Spy Novel'', featured Bond fighting the criminal organization CHAOS in
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
and thwarting a plot to assassinate
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
by a bombing of
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. Andrew Biswell of the International Anthony Burgess Foundation described it as "an outrageous medley of sadism,
hypnosis Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychologica ...
, acupuncture, and international terrorism." Landis, working in the same office as Burgess, wrote a separate screenplay about Bond stopping a
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
of the
Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
in
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived ...
. Eventually, Richard Maibaum provided the initial draft, and at first he tried to incorporate ideas from all of the other writers into his script. Maibaum's original script featured an alliance of international terrorists—including the Red Brigades, the
Baader-Meinhof Gang The Red Army Faction (RAF, ; , ),See the section "Name" also known as the Baader–Meinhof Group or Baader–Meinhof Gang (, , active 1970–1998), was a West German far-left Marxist-Leninist urban guerrilla group founded in 1970. The ...
, the Black September Organization, and the
Japanese Red Army The was a militant communist organization active from 1971 to 2001. It was designated a terrorist organization by Japan and the United States. The JRA was founded by Fusako Shigenobu and Tsuyoshi Okudaira in February 1971 and was most active i ...
—attacking SPECTRE's headquarters in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
and deposing
Ernst Stavro Blofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a character (arts), fictional character and villain from the James Bond series of novels and films, created by Ian Fleming. A criminal mastermind with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the Secret In ...
, before trying to destroy the world with nuclear
SLBM A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhea ...
attacks on the world's
petroleum reservoir A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface accumulation of hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations. Such reservoirs form when kerogen (ancient plant matter) is created in surrounding rock by the presenc ...
s to make way for a New World Order. Maibaum did location scouting in
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
for the concept. However, this was shelved because Broccoli felt it was too political. After Gilbert was reinstated as director, he decided to bring in another writer, Christopher Wood. Gilbert also decided to fix what he felt the previous Roger Moore films were doing wrong, which was writing the Bond character too much the way
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
played him, and instead portray Bond closer to the books"very English, very smooth, good sense of humour". Broccoli asked Wood to create a villain with metal teeth, Jaws, inspired by a brace-wearing henchman named Horror in Fleming's novel. Broccoli agreed to Wood's proposed changes, but before he could set to work there were more legal complications. In the years since '' Thunderball'' (1965), Kevin McClory had set up two film companies and had been cleared to produce a rival Bond film after the imposed ten-year moratorium had expired. He was in development of a film project, with the working title ''Warhead'', in collaboration with
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
and novelist
Len Deighton Leonard Cyril Deighton (; born 18 February 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books, history and military history, but he is best known for his spy novels. After completing his national service in the Royal Air ...
. McClory had learned of Broccoli's plans to use SPECTRE, an organisation that had first been created by Fleming while working with McClory and Jack Whittingham on the very first attempt to film ''Thunderball'', back even before it was a novel, in the late 1950s. McClory filed a
injunction An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in p ...
against Eon Productions alleging copyright infringement. Not wishing to extend the already ongoing legal dispute that could have delayed the production of ''The Spy Who Loved Me'', Broccoli requested Wood remove all references to Blofeld and SPECTRE from the script. In June 1976, McClory was awarded the sole rights to SPECTRE and Blofeld. Broccoli decided to include the KGB in the film as Bond's allies after showing a group of
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 '' Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
a ''James Bond'' film during the production of '' The Blue Bird'' (1976) in the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. When they enjoyed the film but commented that it could not be shown there because it was too " anti-Russian," Broccoli decided to include characters such Amasova and Gogol who would be "not a hero, not a villain, but acceptable in terms of Russian distribution." Tom Mankiewicz, who worked on the three preceding Bond films, claims he was called in to do an extensive rewrite of the script. Mankiewicz says he did not receive credit, because Broccoli was limited to the number of non-British in key positions he could employ on the films to obtain
Eady Levy The Eady Levy was a tax on box-office receipts in the United Kingdom, intended to support the British film industry. It was introduced in 1950 as a voluntary levy as part of the Eady plan, named after Sir Wilfred Eady, a Treasury official. The lev ...
assistance. Vernon Harris also did uncredited rewrites on the script.


Filming

Tom Mankiewicz claims that
Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...
wanted to play the female lead and was willing to cut her normal rate from $400,000 per picture to $250,000, but Broccoli would not pay above $80,000. Marthe Keller and Dominique Sanda were also considered, while the original frontrunner
Lois Chiles Lois Cleveland Chiles (born April 15, 1947)Profile
entertainment.msn.com; accessed April 9, 2016. ...
was not pursued after her agent informed the producers that she had retired. Before the casting of Richard Kiel, Will Sampson and David Prowse were considered to play Jaws. The film was shot at the
Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...
in London, Porto Cervo in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...
(Hotel Cala di Volpe),
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
(
Karnak The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (, which was originally derived from ar, خورنق ''Khurnaq'' "fortified village"), comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Constru ...
, Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Gayer-Anderson Museum,
Abu Simbel temples Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel ( ar, أبو سمبل), Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. It is situated on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about s ...
),
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, Scotland,
Hayling Island Hayling Island is an island off the south coast of England, in the borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, east of Portsmouth. History An Iron Age shrine in the north of Hayling Island was later developed into a Roman temple in the 1s ...
UK,
Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...
, Switzerland and Mount Asgard on Baffin Island in the then northern Canadian territory of Northwest Territories (now located in Nunavut). As no studio was big enough for the interior of Stromberg's supertanker, and set designer Ken Adam did not want to repeat what he had done with SPECTRE's volcano base in ''You Only Live Twice''"a workable but ultimately wasteful set"construction began in March 1976 of a new sound stage at Pinewood, the 007 Stage, at a cost of $1.8 million. To complement this stage, Eon also paid for building a water tank capable of storing approximately 1,200,000 gallons (5,500,000 litres). The soundstage was so huge that cinematographer Claude Renoir found himself unable to effectively light it due to his deteriorating eyesight, and so Stanley Kubrick visited the production, in secret, to advise on how to light the stage. For the exterior, while Royal Dutch Shell, Shell was willing to lend an abandoned tanker to the production, the elevated insurance and safety risks caused it to be replaced with miniatures built by Derek Meddings's team and shot in the Bahamas. Stromberg's shark tank was also filmed in the Bahamas, using a live shark in a saltwater swimming pool. Adam decided to do experiments with curved shapes for the scenery, as he felt all his previous setpieces were "too linear". This was demonstrated with the ''Atlantis'', which is a dome and curved surfaces outside, and many curved objects in Stromberg's office inside. For Gogol's offices, Adam wanted an open space to contrast M's enclosed headquarters, and drew inspiration from Sergei Eisenstein to do a "Russian crypt-like" set. The main unit began its work in August 1976 in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...
. Don McLaughlan, then head of public relations at Lotus Cars, heard that Eon were shopping for a new Bond car. He drove a prototype Lotus Esprit with all Lotus branding taped over, and parked it outside the Eon offices at Pinewood studios; on seeing the car, Eon asked Lotus to borrow both of the prototypes for filming. Initial filming of the car chase sequence resulted in disappointing action sequences. While moving the car between shoots, Lotus test driver Roger Becker so impressed the crew with his handling of the car that for the rest of filming on Sardinia, Becker became the stunt driver. The motorcycle sidecar missile used in one chase sequence was built by film staff at Pinewood and used a standard Kawasaki Z1, Kawasaki Z900 and a custom-made sidecar outfit. The sidecar was made large enough so that a Stunt performer, stuntman could lie flat inside. It had two 10-inch Scooter (motorcycle), scooter wheels on each side, a Suzuki GT series#GT185, Suzuki 185 engine, and the detached projectile was steered through a small solid rubber wheel at the front. A heavily smoked perspex nose allowed the stuntman sufficient visibility to steer the device whilst being entirely hidden from view. A pincer-type lock held the sidecar in place until operated by the pilot via a solenoid switch. The sequences involving the outfit were sped up, as the weight of the sidecar made the outfit very difficult to control. In October, the second unit travelled to
Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...
to film the underwater sequences. To create the illusion of the car becoming a submarine, seven different models were used, one for each step of the transformation. One of the models was Wet Nellie, a fully mobile submarine equipped with an engine built by Miami-based Perry Submarines. The car seen entering the sea was a mock-up shell, propelled off the jetty by a compressed air cannon, whilst the first underwater shot of the car was a miniature model filmed in a test tank. Three full-size bodyshells were used to depict the actual car-to-submersible transition. During the model sequences, the air bubbles seen appearing from the vehicle were created by Alka-Seltzer tablets. In September, production moved to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
. While the Great Sphinx of Giza was shot on location, lighting problems caused the Giza Necropolis, pyramids to be replaced with miniatures. While construction of the ''Liparus'' set continued, the second unit (headed by John Glen (director), John Glen) departed for Mount Asgard, Baffin Island, where in July 1976 they staged the film's pre-credits sequence. Bond film veteran Willy Bogner, Jr., Willy Bogner captured the action, staged by stuntman Rick Sylvester, who earned $30,000 for the stunt. The scene of Bond skiing off the mountain was inspired by a Canadian Club, Canadian Club Whisky advertisement in ''Playboy'' magazine of Sylvester performing the same stunt. This stunt cost $500,000 – the most expensive single movie stunt at that time. Additional scenes for the pre-credits sequence were filmed in the Bernina Range in the Swiss alps. The production team returned briefly to the UK to shoot at the HMNB Clyde, Faslane submarine base before setting off to Spain, Portugal and the Bay of Biscay, where the supertanker exteriors were filmed. On 5 December 1976, with principal photography finished, the 007 Stage was formally opened by former Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The end credits state "James Bond Will Return in '' For Your Eyes Only''", but following the success of ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', the originally planned ''For Your Eyes Only'' was dropped in favour of the space-themed '' Moonraker'' for the next film.


Music

The theme song, "Nobody Does It Better", was composed by
Marvin Hamlisch Marvin Frederick Hamlisch (June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012) was an American composer and conductor. Hamlisch was one of only seventeen people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. This collection of all four is referred to as an " E ...
, written by Carole Bayer Sager, and performed by Carly Simon. It was the first theme song in the series with a different title to that of the film, although the title is in the lyrics. It was nominated for the Best Song Oscar but lost to "You Light Up My Life (song), You Light Up My Life". The song met immediate success and is featured in numerous films, including ''Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film), Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' (2005), ''Little Black Book (film), Little Black Book'', ''Lost in Translation (film), Lost in Translation'', and ''Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (film), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'' (2004). In 2004, it was honoured by the American Film Institute as the 67th greatest song as part of their 100 Years Series. The soundtrack to the film was composed by
Marvin Hamlisch Marvin Frederick Hamlisch (June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012) was an American composer and conductor. Hamlisch was one of only seventeen people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. This collection of all four is referred to as an " E ...
, who filled in for veteran John Barry (composer), John Barry, who was unavailable to work in the United Kingdom because of tax reasons. The soundtrack, in comparison to other ''Bond'' films of the time, is more disco-oriented and included a new disco rendition of the James Bond Theme, James Bond theme titled "Bond 77"; several pieces of classical music were also included in the score. For instance, while feeding a duplicitous secretary to a shark, Stromberg plays Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach's "Air on the G String", which was famous for accompanying disappointed characters in Hamlet (cigar), Hamlet cigar commercials. He then plays the opening string section of the second movement, Andante, of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 (Mozart), Piano Concerto No. 21 as his hideout ''Atlantis'' rises from the sea. The score also includes two pieces of popular film music scored by Maurice Jarre. The ''Doctor Zhivago (film), Doctor Zhivago'' theme, which is played on Anya's music box during the pre-credit sequence, and the theme from ''Lawrence of Arabia (film), Lawrence of Arabia'', which appears as background music during a desert sequence.


Release and reception

On top of the production budget, $7.5 million was spent on advertising, prints and parties for ''The Spy Who Loved Me''. On 20 May 1977, Roger Moore and Barbara Bach attended the Cannes Film Festival to promote the film's upcoming release. It opened with a Royal Premiere attended by Anne, Princess Royal, Princess Anne at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 7 July 1977. It grossed $185.4 million worldwide, with $46 million in the United States and Canada. It was United Artist's highest-grossing film at the time. It grossed £10 million in the United Kingdom. On 25 August 2006, the film was re-released at the Empire, Leicester Square for one week. It was again shown at the Empire Leicester Square on 20 April 2008 when Lewis Gilbert attended the first digital screening of the film. Eon executive Charles Juroe said that at a screening attended by Charles, Prince of Wales, during the Union Jack-parachute scene: "I have never seen a reaction in the cinema as there was that night. You couldn't help it. You could not help but stand up. Even Prince Charles stood up." This scene came in second place in a 2013 Sky Movies poll for greatest moment of the James Bond film franchise, beaten only by the "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" sequence from '' Goldfinger''. It was Roger Moore's favourite Bond film,''Inside the Spy Who Loved Me''. ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' Ultimate Edition DVD, Disk 2 and many reviewers consider it the best instalment to star the actor.


Contemporary reviews

Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'' considered the film formulaic and "half an hour too long, thanks to the obligatory shoot-'em-up conclusion, ... nevertheless the dullest sequence here" but praised Moore's performance and the film's "share of self-mockery", which she found refreshing. Charles Champlin of the ''Los Angeles Times'' felt "''The Spy Who Loved Me'' is an extravagant silliness, a high-cost undertaking in let's pretend which delivers a perfect formula. It may not be everyone's tonic, but it is what it says it is, rousingly." Gene Siskel of ''The Chicago Tribune'' praised the ski jump stunt in which he wrote that "you begin to think ''Spy'' may turn out to be as good as ''From Russia with Love'', the best Bond of all. No such luck. True, opening pace of ''Spy'' is impossible to sustain, but the rest of the picture is merely good, not great." He also found Stromberg to be less memorable than previous Bond villains, even noting that "Jaws is far more entertaining than his master." ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' remarked the film "is unoriginal and mild on suspense as these capers go. But the gimmick-laden action is bountiful and eye-ravishing, and will compensate most audiences." Christopher Porterfield, reviewing for ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine, was complimentary of the pre-titles sequence and Richard Kiel's performance as Jaws. However, he criticised the film for being too similar to previous instalments, remarking "[a]ll that's left of Bond formula here is 007 character, sexy starlets and gee-whiz gadgets. (Question: What else did it ever consist of?)" Similarly, Maureen Orth of ''Newsweek'' wrote: "After the opening sequence, much of the action in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'', the tenth James Bond screen epic and the third starring Roger Moore as Bond, is somewhat downhill. But the film, shot in seven countries, is so rich in fantasy, so filled with beautiful scenery, gorgeous women, preposterous villains and impossible situations that's it easier to suspend disbelief entirely and escape inside the gadgetry and glamour." John Simon (critic), John Simon, writing in his book ''Reverse Angle'', stated "There is a kind of film that can get away with everything, and deserves to. The latest James Bond, ''Spy Who Loved Me'', belongs in that class." Gary Arnold of ''The Washington Post'' dismissed the film as "a tolerable disappointment. The Bond movies have been so successful that it may be commercially impossible to terminate the series. However, it's been quite a while since a Bond adventure appeared to set fashions in escapist, glamorous entertainment. Once widely imitated and parodied by other producers, Bond films are now more likely to imitate themselves with decreasing effectiveness."


Retrospective reviews

On the website FilmCritic.com, Christopher Null awarded the film stars out of 5, in which he praised the gadgets, particularly the Lotus Esprit car. James Berardinelli of ''Reelviews'' wrote that the film is "suave and sophisticated", and Barbara Bach proves to be an ideal Bond girl – "attractive, smart, sexy, and dangerous". Brian Webster stated the special effects were "good for a 1979 [sic] film", and Marvin Hamlisch's music, "memorable". Danny Peary described ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' as "exceptional ... For once, the big budget was not wasted. Interestingly, while the sets and gimmicks were the most spectacular to date, Bond and the other characters are toned down (there's a minimum of slapstick humour) so that they are more realistic than in other Roger Moore films. Moore gives his best performance in the series ... [Bond and Anya Amasova] are an appealing couple, equal in every way. Film is a real treat – a well acted, smartly cast, sexy, visually impressive, lavishly produced, powerfully directed mix of a spy romance and a war-mission film." ''The Times'' placed Jaws and Stromberg as the sixth and seventh best Bond villains (respectively) in the series in 2008, and also named the Esprit as the second best car in the series (behind the Aston Martin DB5). On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 81% based on 57 reviews with an average rating of 7.20/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Though it hints at the absurdity to come in later installments, ''The Spy Who Loved Me'''s sleek style, menacing villains, and sly wit make it the best of the Roger Moore era." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average score of 55 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


Accolades

* Goldene Leinwand, Golden Screen, awarded by the German film industry. * Writers Guild of America Awards, Writers Guild of America WGA Award: Nominee for Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Comedy, Best Comedy Adapted to Another Medium: Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum. * 2 nominations for the Saturn Awards, Saturn Award granted by the United States Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Academy. **Roger Moore for Saturn Award for Best Actor, Best Actor. **Richard Kiel for Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actor.


Novelisation

When Ian Fleming sold the film rights to the James Bond novels to Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli, he gave permission only for the title ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' to be used. Since the screenplay for the film had nothing to do with Fleming's original novel, Eon Productions, for the first time, authorised a novelisation based upon the script. This would also be the first regular Bond novel published since ''Colonel Sun'' nearly a decade earlier. Christopher Wood, who co-authored the screenplay, was commissioned to write the book titled ''James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me''. The novelisation and the screenplay, although both written by Wood, are somewhat different. In the novelisation, SMERSH is still active and after James Bond. Their role begins during the pre-title. After the mysterious death of Fekkish, SMERSH appears yet again, this time capturing and torturing Bond for the whereabouts of the microfilm that retains plans for a submarine tracking system (Bond escapes after killing two of the interrogators). The appearance of SMERSH conflicts with a number of Bond stories, including the film ''The Living Daylights'' (1987), in which General Leonid Pushkin remarks that SMERSH has been defunct for over 20 years. It also differs from the latter half of Fleming's Bond novels in which SMERSH is said to have been put out of operation. Members of SMERSH from the novelisation include Amasova and her lover Sergei Barsov as well as Colonel-General Nikitin, a character from Fleming's novel ''From Russia, with Love (novel), From Russia, with Love'' who has since become the head of SMERSH. In the book, Jaws remains attached to the magnet that Bond dips into the tank, as opposed to the film where Bond releases Jaws into the water. There are also a number of elements that are either underplayed for more plausibility (the Lotus does not have any gadgets on land, unlike the film version) or are expanded to give more background to the characters (Jaws has a full history, Nikitin is in lust with Amasova, Stromberg’s name is Sigmond and is tall, bald and has a small fleshy growth on one finger - unlike the webbed fingered Karl Stromberg of the film). Neither the characters of Q or Miss Moneypenny appear in the novelisation. The henchmen who falls off the roof in Cairo is killed when he lands on top of a piano, a death Wood reused in the script for his next Bond film, '' Moonraker''.


Sale of props

The Lotus Esprit, also known as Wet Nellie, capable of transforming from car to submarine in the film, was purchased for £616,000 at a London auction in October 2013 by Elon Musk, who planned to rebuild the vehicle and attempt to make the fictional dual-purpose car be an actual dual-purpose car (underwater and on land).


See also

* ''James Bond 007: Nightfire'', a 2002 video game featuring the'' Liparus'' and ''Atlantis'' settings from this film, which also includes a Aston Martin Vanquish, submarine-car not unlike the Lotus Esprit. * "Our Man Bashir", a 1995 episode of the television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' was largely based on this film. * Outline of James Bond * Rinspeed sQuba, a submersible car inspired by the film. * Wet Nellie – a custom-built submarine created for the movie in the shape of a Lotus Esprit S1 sports car.


References


Sources

*


External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Spy Who Loved Me, The The Spy Who Loved Me (film), 1970s action thriller films 1970s spy films 1977 films British sequel films Cold War spy films Cold War submarine films 1970s English-language films Films about nuclear war and weapons British films about revenge Films directed by Lewis Gilbert Films produced by Albert R. Broccoli Films scored by Marvin Hamlisch Films set in Austria Films set in Cairo Films set in Egypt Films set in Sardinia Films set in London Films set in the Atlantic Ocean Films set in the Mediterranean Sea Films set in the Soviet Union Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films shot in the Bahamas Films shot in Egypt Films shot in Okinawa Prefecture Films shot in Malta Films shot in Sardinia Films shot in Scotland Films shot in Switzerland Films shot in the Northwest Territories James Bond films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films with screenplays by Richard Maibaum Films with screenplays by Christopher Wood (writer) Skiing films Underwater action films Underwater civilizations in fiction United Artists films Eon Productions films 1970s British films