The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

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

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Christopher Wood (screenplay by), Richard Maibaum (screenplay by)

Stars:

Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curd Jürgens

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Barbara Bach	...	Major Anya Amasova
Curd Jürgens	...	Stromberg (as Curt Jurgens)
Richard Kiel	...	Jaws
Caroline Munro	...	Naomi
Walter Gotell	...	General Gogol
Geoffrey Keen	...	Minister of defence
Bernard Lee	...	M
George Baker	...	Captain Benson
Michael Billington	...	Sergei
Olga Bisera	...	Felicca
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Edward de Souza	...	Sheikh Hosein (as Edward De Souza)
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Max Kalba
Valerie Leon	...	Hotel Receptionist

Storyline

James Bond is back again and his new mission is to find out how a Royal Navy Polaris submarine holding sixteen nuclear warheads simply disappeared while on patrol. Bond joins Major Anya Amasova and takes on a a web-handed mastermind, known as Karl Stromberg, as well as his henchman Jaws, who has a mouthful of metal teeth. Bond must track down the location of the missing submarine before the warheads are fired.

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Plot Keywords:

official james bond series | jaws | 007 | british secret service | russian spy | 

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Taglines:

It's the BIGGEST. It's the BEST. It's BOND. And B-E-Y-O-N-D.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie introduced to the world a spy sea scooter known as a "wetbike" (better known now as a jet ski), sparking a new water-activity industry. This gadget was commonly referred to as the "motorbike that rides on water."

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Goofs

When Bond and Jaws are fighting on the train, he breaks a lamp, and uses the live wires to "electrocute" Jaws. Since Bond and Jaws are struggling and their bodies are making contact, Bond would get shocked equally as much as Jaws does.

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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.
[to crewman]
Young officer, HMS Ranger: Keep 500 feet.
HMS Ranger crewman: 500 feet it is, sir.

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Crazy Credits

First opening credit sequence to incorporate specially shot footage of the actor playing James Bond (in this case, Roger Moore).

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Alternate Versions

Cut in Sweden (about 90 sec) when released theatrically. Some of the cuts are when Bond fights with Sandor, Bond fights with Jaws on the train, a fight by the pyramid and when Bond kills Stromberg.

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Connections

Referenced in James Bond Stars (2002)

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Soundtracks

Overture
(uncredited)
from Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Composed by Maurice Jarre

User Reviews

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

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.

Details

Official Sites:

MGM [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English Italian Arabic

Release Date:

3 August 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Spy Who Loved Me

Filming Locations:

Medinet Habu Temple, Thebes, Egypt

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$46,838,673

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,839,104

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 123 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm prints, original release) 4-Track Stereo (London premiere print) 6-Track Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1