The tenth James Bond film is a decent if formulaic actioneer that is one of Roger Moore's better outings in the role. Agent OO7 teams up with a beautiful KGB agent (Barbara Bach) to track down missing British and Soviet nuclear submarines. The trail eventually leads to an ocean-obsessed shipping magnate (Curt Jurgens) who plans to destroy the surface world and build an undersea kingdom.
The plot of "The Spy Who Loved Me" is very similar to "You Only Live Twice", with the bad guys hijacking subs instead of space capsules as part of a plot to heat up the Cold War. The pre-credit ski chase is reminiscent of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and a fight on a train is like the one in "Live and Let Die", which itself was a rip-off of "From Russia With Love". Basically, you won't find originality in TSWLM. It does what it does quite well though.
I've never been a big fan of Roger Moore. I always thought he was the worst Bond. However, here he's not only tolerable but quite good actually. He doesn't look too old, he handles himself in the action sequences, and he occasionally gets to show some depth. Like many a Bond Girl before and since, Barbara Bach looks good but she sure wasn't cast for her acting prowess. Richard Kiel inspires fear as the giant, steel-toothed assassin Jaws (a role he would reprise in the abysmal follow-up "Moonraker"), although his seeming invincibility strains belief and turns into a running gag. Curt Jurgens' head villain is yet another pale imitation of Blofeld and Goldfinger.
TSWLM boasts big sets, big action, and nifty gadgets -- including a car that turns into a submarine. It isn't too campy either. On the minus side, the disco-influenced score is dated, as is Bond's garish yellow and red ski suit. You can do better (I recommend "From Russia With Love", "Goldfinger", and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), but you can also do much worse.
*** out of ****
The plot of "The Spy Who Loved Me" is very similar to "You Only Live Twice", with the bad guys hijacking subs instead of space capsules as part of a plot to heat up the Cold War. The pre-credit ski chase is reminiscent of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and a fight on a train is like the one in "Live and Let Die", which itself was a rip-off of "From Russia With Love". Basically, you won't find originality in TSWLM. It does what it does quite well though.
I've never been a big fan of Roger Moore. I always thought he was the worst Bond. However, here he's not only tolerable but quite good actually. He doesn't look too old, he handles himself in the action sequences, and he occasionally gets to show some depth. Like many a Bond Girl before and since, Barbara Bach looks good but she sure wasn't cast for her acting prowess. Richard Kiel inspires fear as the giant, steel-toothed assassin Jaws (a role he would reprise in the abysmal follow-up "Moonraker"), although his seeming invincibility strains belief and turns into a running gag. Curt Jurgens' head villain is yet another pale imitation of Blofeld and Goldfinger.
TSWLM boasts big sets, big action, and nifty gadgets -- including a car that turns into a submarine. It isn't too campy either. On the minus side, the disco-influenced score is dated, as is Bond's garish yellow and red ski suit. You can do better (I recommend "From Russia With Love", "Goldfinger", and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), but you can also do much worse.
*** out of ****