A View to a Kill (1985)

The recovery of a microchip off the body of a fellow agent leads James Bond to a mad industrialist who plans to create a worldwide microchip monopoly by destroying California's Silicon Valley.

Director:

John Glen

Writers:

Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Michael G. Wilson (screenplay)

Stars:

Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Christopher Walken	...	Max Zorin
Tanya Roberts	...	Stacey Sutton
Grace Jones	...	May Day
Patrick Macnee	...	Tibbett
Patrick Bauchau	...	Scarpine
David Yip	...	Chuck Lee
Fiona Fullerton	...	Pola Ivanova
Manning Redwood	...	Bob Conley
Alison Doody	...	Jenny Flex
Willoughby Gray	...	Dr. Carl Mortner
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Robert Brown	...	M
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Walter Gotell	...	General Gogol

Storyline

James Bond has one more mission. Bond returns from his travels in the U.S.S.R. with a computer chip. This chip is capable of withstanding a nuclear electromagnetic pulse that would otherwise destroy a normal chip. The chip was created by Zorin Industries, and Bond heads off to investigate its owner, Max Zorin. Zorin may only seem like an innocent man, but is really planning to set off an earthquake in San Andreas, which will wipe out all of Silicon Valley. As well as Zorin, Bond must also tackle May Day and equally menacing companion of Zorin, while dragging Stacy Sutton along for the ride.

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Plot Keywords:

official james bond series | interracial kiss | interracial love | 007 | golden gate bridge | 

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Taglines:

Smooth Operator. [UK poster]

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Stacey comes out of the shack in Silicon Valley wearing a pair of coveralls, Bond comments "Pity you couldn't find one that fits", and Stacey gives him a dirty look. Roger Moore ad-libbed the line, and Tanya Roberts' reaction was genuine. Roberts had refused to film the scene until the wardrobe department made her a pair of custom-fitted coveralls that would look flattering on her. Because she was so difficult to work with, director John Glen decided to leave it in.

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Goofs

When Mayday is about to eject the man from the blimp, she is wearing her sunglasses when she puts her finger on the door release button, then they are off and in her hand between shots.

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Quotes

Max Zorin: Gentlemen, for centuries alchemists tried to make gold from base metals. Today, we make microchips from sillicon, which is common sand; but far better than gold. Now, for several years, we had a profitable partnership, you as manufacturers, while I acquired and passed on to you industrial information that made you competitive, succesful. We are now in the unique position to form an international cartel to control not only production, but distribution of these microchips. There is one obstacle -...

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Crazy Credits

James Bond will return

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Alternate Versions

In the theatrical version the opening gun barrel dots were red and the rest was black and white. Every home video print since has changed the dots to white.

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Connections

Followed by Casino Royale (2006)

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Soundtracks

A View to a Kill
Music by John Barry
Lyrics by Duran Duran
Performed by Duran Duran

User Reviews

Max Zorin for the win

Christopher Walken with a machine gun, Duran Duran while they were still popular, James Bond while he was still Roger Moore, steroid-enhanced horses, evil Grace Jones, a zeppelin: it's really tough to find something in this movie that's not cool. "A View To A Kill" wasn't too well-received when it came out, but I seriously have no idea why. It's a highly entertaining movie, filled with all of the elements that you could possibly watch Bond flicks for. It goes on for almost two and a half hours, but it contains more than enough action to justify that running time. And if there's no action, you still have a lot of Walken being completely insane, which is just as good. Highly underestimated entry.

Details

Country:

UK Iceland USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

24 May 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

A View to a Kill

Filming Locations:

C Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,687,114, 26 May 1985

Gross USA:

$50,327,960

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$50,327,960

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1