The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Christopher Wood (screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

3 August 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

He's Bond. He's Back. He's 007.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | British | Jaws | Teeth | Sea

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 27	6:00 AM	USA
Tue. July 28	1:05 AM	USA

Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Barbara Bach	...	Major Anya Amasova
Curd Jürgens	...	Karl Stromberg (as Curt Jurgens)
Richard Kiel	...	Jaws
Caroline Munro	...	Naomi
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Geoffrey Keen	...	Sir Frederick Gray
Bernard Lee	...	'M'
George Baker	...	Captain Benson
Michael Billington	...	Sergei Barsov
Olga Bisera	...	Felicca
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Edward de Souza	...	Sheikh Hosein (as Edward De Souza)
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Max Kalba
Valerie Leon	...	Hotel Receptionist
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Sydney Tafler	...	Liparus Captain
Nadim Sawalha	...	Aziz Fekkesh
Sue Vanner	...	Log Cabin Girl
Eva Reuber-Staier	...	Rubelvitch (as Eva Rueber-Staier)
Robert Brown	...	Admiral Hargreaves
Marilyn Galsworthy	...	Stromberg's Assistant
Milton Reid	...	Sandor
Cyril Shaps	...	Dr. Bechmann
Milo Sperber	...	Prof. Markovitz
Albert Moses	...	Barman
Rafiq Anwar	...	Cairo Club Waiter
Felicity York	...	Arab Beauty
Dawn Rodrigues	...	Arab Beauty
Anika Pavel	...	Arab Beauty
Jill Goodall	...	Arab Beauty
Shane Rimmer	...	Commander Carter
Bob Sherman	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Doyle Richmond	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Murray Salem	...	USS Wayne Crewman
John Truscott	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Peter Whitman	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Hassett	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Vincent Marzello	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Nicholas Campbell	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Evans	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Anthony Forrest	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Garrick Hagon	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Jewers	...	USS Wayne Crewman
George Mallaby	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Christopher Muncke	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Anthony Pullen Shaw	...	USS Wayne Crewman (as Anthony Pullen)
Robert Sheedy	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Don Staiton	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Eric Stine	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Stephen Temperley	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Dean Warwick	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Bryan Marshall	...	Commander Talbot
Michael Howarth	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kim Fortune	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Barry Andrews	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kevin McNally	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Jeremy Bulloch	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Sean Bury	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
John Sarbutt	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
David Auker	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Dennis Blanch	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Keith Buckley	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Jonathan Bury	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Nick Ellsworth	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Tom Gerrard	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kazik Michalski	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Keith Morris	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
John Salthouse	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
George Roubicek	...	Stromberg One Captain
Lenny Rabin	...	Liparus Crewman
Irvin Allen	...	Stromberg One Crewman
Yashaw Adem	...	Stromberg One Crewman (as Yasher Adem)
Peter Ensor	...	Stromberg One Crewman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Alon	...	Russian Sub Crewman (uncredited)
Paul Bannon	...	Sub Mariner (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	...	Cortina Gunman #1 (uncredited)
Jeremy Coote	...	Guard in Submarine Pen (uncredited)
Brian Gwaspari	...	Tanker Crewman (uncredited)
George Leech	...	Cortina Gunman #2 (uncredited)
Ralph Morse	...	Skier (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	...	KGB Thug #2 (uncredited)
Victor Tourjansky	...	Man with Bottle (uncredited)
Chris Webb	...	KGB Thug #1 (uncredited)
Jeremy Wilkin	...	Captain Forsyth (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Man in the Audience at the Pyramid Theatre (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Gilbert

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(characters) uncredited
Christopher Wood		(screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
William P. Cartlidge	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Claude Renoir		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Glen

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(as Weston Drury Jnr.)
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Peter Lamont

Set Decoration by
Hugh Scaife		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Paul Engelen	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist

Production Management
David Middlemas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ernest Day	....	second unit director
John Glen	....	second unit director
Chris Kenny	....	assistant director: second unit
Ariel Levy	....	assistant director
Terence Churcher	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director (as Ernie Archer)
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
John Chisholm	....	props (uncredited)
John Fenner	....	art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon Everett	....	sound recordist
Gordon K. McCallum	....	dubbing mixer
Allan Sones	....	dubbing editor
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Evans	....	special effects: studio
John Gant	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Maley	....	special optical effects
Derek Meddings	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Bob Simmons	....	action arranger
Rick Sylvester	....	stunt performer: ski jump
Roy Alon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marc Boyle	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Brandon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tim Condren	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gerry Crampton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Clive Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Dowdall	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Eaves	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Gillard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Richard Kiel (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Haggerty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Billy Horrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunt driver: Lotus Esprit (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ed Lincoln	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jake Lombard	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Terence Maidment	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark McBride	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dinny Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Scammell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Shepherd	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Colin Skeaping	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Smart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Willy Bogner	....	photographer: ski sequence photography
Lamar Boren	....	underwater camera operator
Alec Mills	....	camera operator
Robin Browne	....	photographer: second unit and special effects (uncredited)
John Golding	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Phillip Grosvenor	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Stanley Kubrick	....	lighting advisor: tanker scenes (uncredited)
Shaun O'Dell	....	assistant camera: plate unit (uncredited)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kenneth Post	....	camera operator: ski sequence (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
John Grover	....	assistant editor
Alan Strachan	....	assembly editor

Music Department
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Richard Perry	....	music producer: theme song

Other crew
Brian Bailey	....	production accountant
Reginald A. Barkshire	....	production controller
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main titles
Willy Bogner	....	ski sequence supervisor
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
René Dupont	....	production coordinator: Canada (as Rene Dupont)
Frank Ernst	....	location manager: Egypt
Marguerite Green	....	production assistant
Vernon Harris	....	script editor
Richard Kennan	....	naval advisor
Golda Offenheim	....	location manager: Bahamas
Ronald Paterson	....	fashion consultant
June Randall	....	continuity
Michael G. Wilson	....	special assistant to producer (as Michael Wilson)
Saul Cooper	....	publicity coordinator (uncredited)
Captain John Crewdson	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Guy Hamilton	....	director: pre-production (uncredited)
Barbara Jefford	....	speaking voice: Caroline Munro (uncredited)
Roger Osborne	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Danjaq (as "Danjaq S.A.")
• Eon Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1977) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists A Transamerica Company)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1977) (France) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1977) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print CinemaScope)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1977) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1977) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United Artists (1977) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2000) (Spain) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Flying Pictures  helicopter pilot provided by
• Music Centre, The  music recorded at

Runtime:

125 min | Sweden:123 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Italian | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Abu Simbel Temple, Abu Simbel, Egypt

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

Harry Saltzman sold his £20 million slice of James Bond during December 1975 while this movie was in pre-production.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the car chase scene with the white Lotus (just before it runs into the ocean and transforms into a sub) the helicopter can be seen firing its machine guns directly into the ground, but there are no impact plumes or sound effects as in previous scenes.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Making of James Bond - 007: Design (#1.2)" (1977)

Soundtrack:

Piano Concerto No. 21 'Elvira Madigan' Andante

Bond Explodes Back To Action

The Spy Who Loved Me put the 007 epic back on truly epic grounds after the bitter disappointment of Diamonds Are Forever and the mixed measure of Live and Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun. Spy adds vast new spectacle to the Bond epic along with strong interplay with some interesting new characters and a major improvement in the series' production values.

The idea of Bond meeting his match is the starting point for The Man With The Golden Gun, but here the match is in a rival and ally from the Soviet secret service, Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach, who admittedly is over her head here but holds her own overall). We see in Anya the direct counterpart to HMSS, complete with omnipresent leader in General Gogol (Walter Gotell, who becomes one of the series' best supporting characters) and a pretty secretary.

The Bond series also revisits the SPECTRE days in a sense, in that the antagonist is a self-contained independent force, shipping magnate Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens). Stromberg owns a vast experimental undersea headquarters, Atlantis, and the world's largest container ship, the Liparus. Stromberg becomes linked to the disappearence of several nuclear missile submarines, through a schematic of a submarine tracking system stored on microfilm. Just what Stromberg's role entails becomes the mission for both James and Anya, and both find allies in the US Navy attack boat USS Wayne, under the command of Captain Scott Carter - here is a rarity in film, a supporting character who steals the show, here thanks to the splendid performance of Thunderbirds' own Shane Rimmer.

Another supporting cast member steals the show as well, and would do so in the next Bond film. Richard Kiel joins Harold Sakata as the most memorable of James Bond's offbeat villainous henchmen - where Sakata's Oddjob killed with a rapier-sharp bowler hat, Richard Kiel's Jaws uses steel alloy teeth as well as his own gigantic height; Kiel even brings back memories of Robert Shaw's Donald "Red" Grant in one of the most memorable stages for a Bond fistfight - the Orient Express.

The film is scored by Marvin Hamlisch rather than John Barry, and Hamlisch adds a surprisingly effective disco touch to the Bond series, one that "modernizes" the series without disrupting the power of the tried-and-true music cues of before.

But the biggest quality in the film is the vastly improved production values. Shane Rimmer was not the only Thunderbirds alumni to work in the Bond universe - SFX master Derek Meddings had worked with John Stears on Man With The Golden Gun, but here he takes over the SFX unit and greatly improves the scope and quality of the effects work, aided greatly by enormous and effective sets at Pinewood Studios that combine the best of Dr. No, You Only Live Twice, and especially Thunderball.

The relationship between James and Anya is the primary drive in the tension of the film. At first both try to one-up each other, such as in decoding the microfilm, identifying an obscure logo on the microfilm, and in the famous Lotus chase sequence when she reveals she stole blueprints for the design years earlier.

But the real strain lies in the film's prologue, when Anya's lover, himself employed by Mother Russia's security service, crosses paths with James - a confrontation James may not live down now. His own feelings for Anya, however, put what is past fully in the past, and it leads to a showdown with Stromberg amid a threat of annihilation.

It all adds up to an enormously entertaining spectacle, a highlight of the Bond epic.