The Spy Who Loved Me ***1/2 (out of 5) (1977)

Cast: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curd Jurgens, Richard Kiel, Caroline Munro

Directed by Lewis Gilbert

 

Some submarines end up missing from both the British and the Russians. The British send James Bond to investigate, teaming him up with his beautiful Russian spy counterpart, agent XXX, who is determined to avenge the death of her loverat the hands of Bond in a previous mission. Some microfilm leads their trail to the underwater home of Carl Stromburg, whose masterplan is to make life on land uninhabitable so people will have to live in Stromburg's dream of undersea living.

While the plot is laughable, the execution is not. This is the best of the Roger Moore era as James Bond, who plays the part for the first time with maturity and intelligence. This film is memorable due to the great Carly Simon/Marvin Hamlisch opening song "Nobody Does It Better", an incredible opening sequence with Bond skiing off a cliff using his Union Jack parachite to float his way down, and a Lotus Esprit which can also go underwater as a mini-sub. Richard Kiel as "Jaws" makes for a worthy heavy, while the many stunt pieces are better than most had been since the Connery days. Lots of fun, this entry delivers all the laughs, thrills and fun you have come to expect from a James Bond adventure.

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