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The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Preceded by: The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)
Succeeded by
: Moonraker (1979)

See our full list of James Bond films.

Director:
Lewis Gilbert
COUNTRY
UK/USA
GENRE
Spy/Action
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Spionen som elsket meg

RUNNING TIME
125 minutes

Producer:
Albert R. Broccoli

Screenwriter:
Christopher Wood
Richard Maibaum


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
James Bond Roger Moore
Major Anya Amasova Barbara Bach ½
Karl Stromberg Curt Jürgens ½
Jaws Richard Kiel
Naomi Caroline Munro -
Frederick Gray, Minister of Defence Geoffrey Keen -
Sheikh Hosein Edward de Souza -
Captain Benson George Baker -
Miss Moneypenny Lois Maxwell -
General Gogol Walter Gotell -
Max Kalba Vernon Dobtcheff -
Q Desmon Llewelyn -
Sergei Barsov Michael Billington -
M Bernard Lee -
U.S.S. Wayne Captain Shane Rimmer -
Aziz Fekkesh Nadim Sawalha -

 

Review

With The Spy Who Loved Me, Roger Moore's Bond era reached its zenith with elegant sophistication, lavish 1970s production values, and self-mocking silliness, and the result is one of the most fun Bond films to date. It seems Moore reacted to his early critics in the best possible way, because he is less concerned and thus a little looser and more engaging here. Another reason why he comes alive is his opposite number Barbara Bach, who fits him perfectly in her role as the Soviet agent Triple X. Although not a very good actor, she's perfectly cast and looks comfortable with Moore. When he seduces her with his trite chauvinisms and amusing sexual innuendos, she weathers it. Together they hunt the megalomaniac industrialist and marine biologist Stromberg, who as played by Curt Jürgens is one of the less distinctive Bond villains. Luckily, he's got a henchman named Jaws (Richard Kiel), whose outrageous characteristics give the film an extra zest which is still to be matched in 007 mythology. There's also an inventiveness and a sense of urgency to much of the film's shoot-em-up action, even if Moore never will look convincing in a brawl. The photographic sets were designed by Ken Adam. And Carly Simon sang the theme song "Nobody Does It Better", written by Marvin Hamlish and Carole Bayer Sager.

Copyright © 22.06.2021 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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