The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Christopher Wood (screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

3 August 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

He's Bond. He's Back. He's 007.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | British | Jaws | Teeth | Sea

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Barbara Bach	...	Major Anya Amasova
Curd Jürgens	...	Karl Stromberg (as Curt Jurgens)
Richard Kiel	...	Jaws
Caroline Munro	...	Naomi
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Geoffrey Keen	...	Sir Frederick Gray
Bernard Lee	...	'M'
George Baker	...	Captain Benson
Michael Billington	...	Sergei Barsov
Olga Bisera	...	Felicca
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Edward de Souza	...	Sheikh Hosein (as Edward De Souza)
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Max Kalba
Valerie Leon	...	Hotel Receptionist
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Sydney Tafler	...	Liparus Captain
Nadim Sawalha	...	Aziz Fekkesh
Sue Vanner	...	Log Cabin Girl
Eva Reuber-Staier	...	Rubelvitch (as Eva Rueber-Staier)
Robert Brown	...	Admiral Hargreaves
Marilyn Galsworthy	...	Stromberg's Assistant
Milton Reid	...	Sandor
Cyril Shaps	...	Dr. Bechmann
Milo Sperber	...	Prof. Markovitz
Albert Moses	...	Barman
Rafiq Anwar	...	Cairo Club Waiter
Felicity York	...	Arab Beauty
Dawn Rodrigues	...	Arab Beauty
Anika Pavel	...	Arab Beauty
Jill Goodall	...	Arab Beauty
Shane Rimmer	...	Commander Carter
Bob Sherman	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Doyle Richmond	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Murray Salem	...	USS Wayne Crewman
John Truscott	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Peter Whitman	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Hassett	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Vincent Marzello	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Nicholas Campbell	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Evans	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Anthony Forrest	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Garrick Hagon	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Ray Jewers	...	USS Wayne Crewman
George Mallaby	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Christopher Muncke	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Anthony Pullen Shaw	...	USS Wayne Crewman (as Anthony Pullen)
Robert Sheedy	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Don Staiton	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Eric Stine	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Stephen Temperley	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Dean Warwick	...	USS Wayne Crewman
Bryan Marshall	...	Commander Talbot
Michael Howarth	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kim Fortune	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Barry Andrews	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kevin McNally	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Jeremy Bulloch	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Sean Bury	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
John Sarbutt	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
David Auker	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Dennis Blanch	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Keith Buckley	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Jonathan Bury	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Nick Ellsworth	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Tom Gerrard	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Kazik Michalski	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
Keith Morris	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
John Salthouse	...	HMS Ranger Crewman
George Roubicek	...	Stromberg One Captain
Lenny Rabin	...	Liparus Crewman
Irvin Allen	...	Stromberg One Crewman
Yashaw Adem	...	Stromberg One Crewman (as Yasher Adem)
Peter Ensor	...	Stromberg One Crewman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Alon	...	Russian Sub Crewman (uncredited)
Paul Bannon	...	Sub Mariner (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	...	Cortina Gunman #1 (uncredited)
Jeremy Coote	...	Guard in Submarine Pen (uncredited)
Brian Gwaspari	...	Tanker Crewman (uncredited)
George Leech	...	Cortina Gunman #2 (uncredited)
Ralph Morse	...	Skier (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	...	KGB Thug #2 (uncredited)
Victor Tourjansky	...	Man with Bottle (uncredited)
Chris Webb	...	KGB Thug #1 (uncredited)
Jeremy Wilkin	...	Captain Forsyth (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Man in the Audience at the Pyramid Theatre (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Gilbert

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(characters) uncredited
Christopher Wood		(screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
William P. Cartlidge	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Claude Renoir		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Glen

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(as Weston Drury Jnr.)
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Peter Lamont

Set Decoration by
Hugh Scaife		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Paul Engelen	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hairdressing

Production Management
David Middlemas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ernest Day	....	second unit director
John Glen	....	second unit director
Chris Kenny	....	assistant director: second unit
Ariel Levy	....	assistant director
Terence Churcher	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director (as Ernie Archer)
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
John Chisholm	....	props (uncredited)
John Fenner	....	art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon Everett	....	sound recordist
Gordon K. McCallum	....	dubbing mixer
Allan Sones	....	dubbing editor
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Evans	....	special effects: studio
John Gant	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Maley	....	special optical effects
Derek Meddings	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Bob Simmons	....	action arranger
Rick Sylvester	....	stunt performer: ski jump
Roy Alon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marc Boyle	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Brandon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tim Condren	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gerry Crampton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Clive Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Dowdall	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Eaves	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Gillard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Richard Kiel (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Haggerty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Billy Horrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunt driver: Lotus Esprit (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ed Lincoln	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jake Lombard	....	stunt skier (uncredited)
Terence Maidment	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark McBride	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dinny Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Scammell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Shepherd	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Colin Skeaping	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Smart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Willy Bogner	....	photographer: ski sequence photography
Lamar Boren	....	underwater cameraman
Alec Mills	....	camera operator
Robin Browne	....	photographer: second unit and special effects (uncredited)
John Golding	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Phillip Grosvenor	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Stanley Kubrick	....	lighting advisor: tanker scenes (uncredited)
Shaun O'Dell	....	assistant camera: plate unit (uncredited)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kenneth Post	....	camera operator: ski sequence (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
John Grover	....	assistant editor
Alan Strachan	....	assembly editor

Music Department
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Richard Perry	....	music producer: theme song

Other crew
Brian Bailey	....	production accountant
Reginald A. Barkshire	....	production controller
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main title
Willy Bogner	....	ski sequence supervisor
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
René Dupont	....	production coordinator: (Canada ) (as Rene Dupont)
Frank Ernst	....	location manager: Egypt
Marguerite Green	....	production assistant
Vernon Harris	....	script editor
Richard Kennan	....	naval advisor
Golda Offenheim	....	location manager: Bahamas
Ronald Paterson	....	fashion consultant
June Randall	....	continuity
Michael G. Wilson	....	special assistant to producer (as Michael Wilson)
Saul Cooper	....	publicity coordinator (uncredited)
Captain John Crewdson	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Guy Hamilton	....	director: pre-production (uncredited)
Barbara Jefford	....	speaking voice: Caroline Munro (uncredited)
Roger Osborne	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Danjaq (as "Danjaq S.A.")
• Eon Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1977) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists A Transamerica Company)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1977) (France) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1977) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print CinemaScope)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1977) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1977) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United Artists (1977) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1977) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2000) (Spain) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Flying Pictures  helicopter pilot provided by
• Music Centre, The  music recorded at

Runtime:

125 min | Sweden:123 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Italian | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Ireland:PG | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1977) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Abu Simbel Temple, Abu Simbel, Egypt

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

The title song "Nobody Does It Better" sung by Carly Simon and composed by Marvin Hamlisch was a hit in both the USA and UK. The song was so successful that the title "Nobody Does It Better" has become part of James Bond universe phraseology. According to the CD Soundtrack sleeve notes, it charted in the USA on 23 July 1977 and went to No. #2. It stayed there for three weeks and was in the US charts for 25 consecutive weeks. The song in the USA also achieved the classification of being a Gold Single. It entered the charts in the UK on 6 August 1977 and peaked at the No. #7 position. The soundtrack album charted in the USA on 27 August 1977 and went to the No. #40 rank.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the car chase scene with the white Lotus (just before it runs into the ocean and transforms into a sub) the helicopter can be seen firing its machine guns directly into the ground, but there are no impact plumes or sound effects as in previous scenes.

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

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Cannonball Run (1981)

Soundtrack:

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER

Bond, Back to Basics...

After the critical and commercial beating taken by THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, producer Albert Broccoli, now solely in charge of the 007 franchise, had to re-evaluate the series for the third time in less than ten years. Certainly, Roger Moore would never be believable in a Sean Connery-type Bond film, but couldn't some of the series' best elements be restored, and the comedy reduced a bit, to make Moore's Bond a bit more believable?

The research, which became the basis of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, took over two years to complete, and the script went through many writers before the final draft, by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum. With a renewed emphasis on more realistic action, Broccoli brought back Lewis Gilbert to direct; his earlier Bond effort, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, while not a major 'hit', had featured the most spectacular action sequences of the series. With Gilbert on board, the production became very reminiscent of the Connery film (Even the concept of a supertanker 'swallowing' submarines echoed YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, and the spacecraft-'eating' SPECTRE capsule).

As the villain, esteemed German actor Curt Jurgens was cast as Karl Stromberg, an ideal choice, as the actor, with his bulging eyes, 'fit' the role of a fish-like megalomaniac. Playing his henchman, Jaws, in an inspired piece of casting, giant Richard Kiel, complete with 'bear-trap' steel teeth, would provide Moore with the greatest danger he'd ever face as Bond. Kiel was, in fact, so good in the role (possibly the most popular villain of the entire 007 franchise), that he would return in MOONRAKER, to bedevil Bond some more. Less successful, dramatically, but still astonishing to watch would be Stromberg's 'hit woman', Naomi, played by voluptuous Caroline Munro.

In an effort to 'update' Bond into an era of feminists, the strongest, most independent love interest to appear in at Bond film to that point was introduced. Major Anya Amasova, played by Ringo Starr's wife, the exotically beautiful Barbara Bach, was Bond's opposite number on the Russian side, an equal to 007 in every way. In a pivotal scene, she would display a knowledge of Bond's past that even included his dead wife, Tracy (the first time Bond's marriage had been mentioned since ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE). Moore's reaction to her comment would be both emotional and abrupt, and demonstrated that he could do far more than just deliver witty one-liners.

From the spectacular ski chase pre-title sequence, climaxing with a parachute free fall off a cliff (love that 'Union Jack'), to Bond and Anya's confrontations with Jaws, in Egypt (reminiscent of Bond's fights with Oddjob in GOLDFINGER and Tee Hee in LIVE AND LET DIE), to the amazing Lotus that would do service on land and in the ocean, to the massive tanker battle while Bond disarms a nuclear warhead (shades of GOLDFINGER), THE SPY WHO LOVED ME would do homage to 007's previous adventures, and utilize humor in support of the on-screen action, instead of spoofing it (other than the brief use of the LAWRENCE OF ARABIA theme...you'll spot it).

And to top things off, Carly Simon's rendition of the film's title tune, "Nobody Does It Better", would become a Top Ten hit, worldwide.

Critics and audiences loved THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, hailing it as Moore's best work, and one of the better Bonds of all time. Things were, again, looking up for 007...but STAR WARS was about to debut, and things would go dreadfully amiss, when Broccoli decided to send Bond into space, in MOONRAKER...