A View to a Kill (1985)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

John Glen

Writers:

Ian Fleming (story)
Richard Maibaum (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 May 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Adventure Above And Beyond All Other Bonds

Plot:

An investigation of a horse-racing scam leads 007 to a mad industrialist who plans to create a worldwide microchip monopoly by destroying California's Silicon Valley.

Plot Keywords:

Silicon Valley | Microchip | James Bond | Earthquake | Computer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 20	2:30 PM	USA
Tue. July 21	1:05 AM	USA

Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Christopher Walken	...	Max Zorin
Tanya Roberts	...	Stacey Sutton
Grace Jones	...	May Day
Patrick Macnee	...	Sir Godfrey 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 / Hans Glaub
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Robert Brown	...	M
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Walter Gotell	...	General Anatol Gogol
Geoffrey Keen	...	Sir Frederick Gray
Jean Rougerie	...	Aubergine
Daniel Benzali	...	WG Howe
Bogdan Kominowski	...	Klotkoff
Papillon Soo	...	Pan Ho (as Papillon Soo Soo)
Mary Stavin	...	Kimberley Jones
Dominique Risbourg	...	Butterfly Act Compere
Carole Ashby	...	Whistling Girl
Anthony Chinn	...	Taiwanese Tycoon (as Anthony Chin)
Lucien Jérôme	...	Paris Taxi Driver (as Lucien Jerome)
Joe Flood	...	U.S. Police Captain
Gérard Buhr	...	Auctioneer (as Gérard Bühr)
Dolph Lundgren	...	Venz
Tony Sibbald	...	Mine Foreman
Bill Ackridge	...	O'Rourke
Ron Tarr	...	Guard #1
Taylor McAuley	...	Guard #2
Peter Ensor	...	Tycoon
Seva Novgorodtsev	...	Helicopter Pilot
Sian Adey-Jones	...	The Girls
Caroline Hallett	...	The Girls
Nike Clark	...	The Girls
Paula Thomas	...	The Girls
Gloria Douse	...	The Girls
Lou-Anne Ronchi	...	The Girls
Elke Ritschel	...	The Girls
Mayako Torigai	...	The Girls
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maud Adams	...	Woman in Fisherman's Wharf Crowd (uncredited)
Celine Cawley	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Helen Clitherow	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Tim Condren	...	Thug at Stacey's House (uncredited)
Clive Curtis	...	Salesman at Eiffel Tower (uncredited)
Deborah Hanna	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Kit Hillier	...	Head Waiter (uncredited)
Terri Johns	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Karen Loughlin	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Derek Lyons	...	Main Stike Mine Crew (uncredited)
Roland Malet	...	Auctioneer at Zoran's sale (uncredited)
Patricia Martinez	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Kim Ashfield Norton	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	...	Thug at Stacey's House (uncredited)
Terry Sach	...	Mining Guard searhing truck for Bond (uncredited)
Suzanne Saunders	...	KGO 7 Reporter (uncredited)
Jane Spencer	...	The Girls (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Man heard over loudspeaker at San Francisco City Hall (voice) (uncredited)
Steven Zax	...	Man in Fisherman's Wharf Crowd (uncredited)

Directed by
John Glen

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(story "From A View to a Kill")
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay) and
Michael G. Wilson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
Tom Pevsner	....	associate producer (as Thomas Pevsner)
Michael G. Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Alan Hume		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Davies

Casting by
Debbie McWilliams

Production Design by
Peter Lamont

Art Direction by
John Fenner

Set Decoration by
Crispian Sallis

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus		(as Emma Porteous)

Makeup Department
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist
Joan Carpenter	....	hair stylist
George Frost	....	makeup supervisor
Ramon Gow	....	hair styles supervisor
Vera Mitchell	....	hair stylist
Bunty Phillips	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Leonhard Gmür	....	production manager
Jon Thor Hannesson	....	production manager
Philip Kohler	....	production manager
Ned Kopp	....	production supervisor: San Francisco
Iris Rose	....	unit manager
Serge Touboul	....	production manager
Anthony Waye	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bennett	....	assistant director: second unit
Willy Bogner	....	director: ski sequence
Laurent Brégeat	....	additional assistant director (as Laurent Bregeat)
Barbara Broccoli	....	additional assistant director
Gerry Gavigan	....	assistant director
Simon Haveland	....	additional assistant director
Nick Heckstall-Smith	....	additional assistant director
Edi Hubschmid	....	additional assistant director
Terry Madden	....	additional assistant director
Serge Ménard	....	additional assistant director (as Serge Menard)
Andrew Warren	....	additional assistant director
Arthur Wooster	....	second unit director
Radu Mihaileanu	....	assistant director: stunt unit (uncredited)
Geoffrey Moore	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ted Ambrose	....	assistant art director
Michael Boone	....	assistant art director
Jille Brown	....	assistant set decorator
Kathrin Brunner	....	additional art director (as Katharina Brunner)
John Chisholm	....	property master
Ken Court	....	additional art director
Roger W. Deer	....	sketch artist (as Roger Deer)
Serge Douy	....	additional art director
Armin Ganz	....	additional art director
Michael Lamont	....	additional art director
Jim Morahan	....	assistant art director (as James Morahan)
Maciek Piotrowski	....	sketch artist
Ron Quelch	....	production buyer
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
Ernest Smith	....	scenic artist
Jacqueline Stears	....	scenic artist
Alan Tomkins	....	additional art director
Alan Cheevers	....	plasterer: stand-by on titles (uncredited)
Michel Conche	....	on-set propman (uncredited)
Barry Gibbs	....	props (uncredited)
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Mark Harris	....	art department model maker (uncredited)
Dale Haugo	....	local lead scenic artist (uncredited)
Steve Payne	....	props stand-by: second unit (uncredited)
Anne Seibel	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Bob Sherwood	....	stand-by prop (uncredited)

Sound Department
Derek Ball	....	sound recordist
Bill Barringer	....	assistant dubbing editor
Stan Fiferman	....	dubbing editor (as Stanley Fiferman)
Nigel Galt	....	dubbing editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Graham Hartstone)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack T. Knight	....	dubbing editor (as Jack Knight)
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	sound effects
Colin Miller	....	sound editor
Ken Nightingall	....	boom operator
Andrew Glen	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Patrick Moriarty	....	sound effects: action unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lawrence J. Cavanaugh	....	special effects (as Larry Cavanaugh)
John Morris	....	special effects
Kenneth Morris	....	special effects (as Ken Morris)
Willi Neuner	....	special effects (as Willy Neuner)
John Richardson	....	special effects supervisor
André Trielli	....	special effects
Joss Williams	....	special effects
Chris Corbould	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Neil Corbould	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Michael Dawson	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Nick Finlayson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
David Harris	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Andy Williams	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Leslie Dear	....	model photographer
Roy Moores	....	front projection
Charles Staffell	....	front projection
Alan Church	....	optical camera (uncredited)
Julian Parry	....	model unit (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt team supervisor (as Jim Arnett)
Pat Banta	....	stunt team
Robert Blasco	....	stunt driver
Christian Bonnichon	....	stunt driver
Jean-Claude Bonnichon	....	stunt driver
Claude Carliez	....	stunt team supervisor
Tracey Eddon	....	stunt team
Elaine Ford	....	stunt team
Martin Grace	....	action sequence arranger
Jean-Claude Houbart	....	stunt driver
Dominique Julienne	....	stunt driver
Michel Julienne	....	stunt driver
Rémy Julienne	....	driving stunts arranger (as Remy Julienne)
Jean-Claude Lagniez	....	stunt driver
Doug Robinson	....	stunt team
Michael Runyard	....	stunt team (as Mike Runyard)
Bob Simmons	....	stunt team supervisor
Bill Weston	....	stunt team
Jason White	....	stunt team
Marc Wolff	....	stunt pilot
B.J. Worth	....	parachute stunt: Eiffel Tower jump
Gillian Aldam	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Del Baker	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Dickey Beer	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Dickey Beer	....	stunt coordinator snow ski unit (uncredited)
David Brandon	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Terry Cade	....	stunts (uncredited)
Helen Caldwell	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Don 'Tweet' Caltvedt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dennis Camsey	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tim Condren	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Jean Coulter	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Gerry Crampton	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Simon Crane	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Graeme Crowther	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Clive Curtis	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Eaves	....	ski stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Stuart Fell	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Terry Forestal	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tex Fuller	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	ski stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Roger Moore, Golden Gate (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Fred Haggerty	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Michael Haynes	....	ski stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Paul Heasman	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Tom Hegarty	....	additional stunts (uncredited)
Frank Henson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rémy Julienne	....	stunt double driver: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Jean-Claude Lagniez	....	stunt double driver: Roger Moore (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunt double: Willoughby Gray (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Lincoln	....	mono ski stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark McBride	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bronco McLoughlin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Patrick Médioni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lex Milloy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Valentino Musetti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Potter	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dinny Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunt arranger (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Karen Price	....	stunt double: Tanya Roberts, Golden Gate (uncredited)
Thomas Sims	....	ski stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Tony Smart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Trevor Steedman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Malcolm Weaver	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Weston	....	stunt double: Christopher Walken (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork	....	aerial camera operator
Kenneth Atherfold	....	camera grip (as Ken Atherfold)
Willy Bogner	....	photographer: ski sequence
David L. Butler	....	aerial camera operator (as David Butler)
Jan d'Alquen	....	additional photographer
Mike Evans	....	focus puller (as Michael Evans)
Mike Frift	....	camera operator (as Michael Frift)
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Robert Hillmann	....	camera operator: second unit
Simon Hume	....	focus puller
Colin Manning	....	camera grip
Douglas Milsome	....	aerial camera operator (as Doug Milsome)
John Tythe	....	electrical supervisor
Malcolm Vinson	....	camera operator: second unit
George Whitear	....	still photographer
Arthur Wooster	....	photographer: second unit
Egil S. Woxholt	....	additional photographer (as Egil Woxholt)
John Glen	....	clapper loader: pre-shot scenes of San Francisco (uncredited)
Mark Hanlon	....	electrician (uncredited)
Alan Hume	....	camera operator: pre-shot scenes of San Francisco (uncredited)
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator: additional unit (uncredited)
Bill Pelkey	....	best boy electric: second unit (uncredited)
Nigel Seal	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Anthony Waye	....	focus puller: pre-shot scenes of San Francisco (uncredited)

Casting Department
Janet Hirshenson	....	casting: USA
Jane Jenkins	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Azzedine Alaïa	....	additional wardrobe: Grace Jones (as Azzedine Alaïa)
Tiny Nicholls	....	costume supervisor
Renate Wienert	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Nuth	....	assistant editor
Henry Richardson	....	additional editor
John S. Smith	....	additional editor
Mark Mostyn	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Alan Killick	....	music editor
Dick Lewzey	....	music mixer
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Nic Raine	....	orchestrator (as Nicholas Raine)
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Billy G. Arter	....	transportation coordinator
Arnaud Esterez	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Agust Baldursson	....	location manager
Tina Banta	....	contact: USA
Reginald A. Barkshire	....	production controller
Nicholas T. Bennett	....	pilot: Skyship 500
Steph Benseman	....	location manager
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main titles
Willy Bogner	....	director: ski sequence
Mauricette Boissard	....	location accountant (as Mauricette Boisard)
Brian Bowes	....	horse team
Joanna Brown	....	production secretary
Joe Brown	....	snow team
May Capsaski	....	production coordinator (as May Capsaskis)
Daphne Carr	....	continuity: second unit
Jennifer Collen-Smith	....	publicity assistant
Hazel Crombie	....	location accountant
Ira Curtis-Coleman	....	computer effects (as Ira Curtis Coleman)
Penny Daniels	....	continuity: second unit
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager
Christian de Lagarde	....	horse team
Jean-Marc Deschamps	....	location manager
John Eaves	....	snow team
Rory Enke	....	location manager
Tony Escritt	....	advisor: Iceland
Anthony Fairbairn	....	horse team
Nathalie Farjon	....	production coordinator
Andrea Florineth	....	snow team
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist
Norma Garment	....	production coordinator
Jerry Grayson	....	pilot
Sally Hayman	....	production coordinator
Richard Holley	....	pilot (as Rick Holley)
Charles Juroe	....	marketing director
Janine King	....	production secretary
Christl Kirchner	....	location accountant
Robert Liechti	....	pilot
Steven Link	....	snow team
Mario Luraschi	....	horse team
Jane Meagher	....	location accountant
Maureen Murphy	....	production coordinator
François Nadal	....	horse team
Douglas Noakes	....	production accountant
June Randall	....	continuity
Marcel Riou	....	horse team
Peter Rohe	....	snow team
Thomas Sims	....	snow team
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Mr. Moore
Mary Stellar	....	contact: USA
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator
Charles A. Tamburro	....	pilot (as Chuck Tamburro)
Olivier Victor-Thomas	....	horse team
Marc Wolff	....	pilot
Stefan Zürcher	....	location manager
Cathryn Blum	....	key location assistant (uncredited)
Thomas 'Doc' Boguski	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Don 'Tweet' Caltvedt	....	skydiver backup (uncredited)
Jean-Louis Monthieux	....	location manager (uncredited)
Michael Turk	....	iceberg minisub constructor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Danjaq
• Eon Productions
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• United Artists

Distributors

• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1985) (USA) (theatrical) (as MGM/UA Entertainment Co.)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Norway) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Video (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Airship Industries  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• Amberley Working Museum  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of (as Amberley Chalk Pits Museum)
• Ascot Authority, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• Azzédine Alaïa  Grace Jones' gowns
• Bollinger Champagne  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• British Ski Federation  title skiers
• C.T.S. Studios  music recorded at
• Cartier  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• Castle Air  helicopters
• Central Casting  crowd artists
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chateau of Chantilly  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• City of Paris  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• City of San Francisco  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• EMI Records  soundtrack
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• National Screen  title opticals
• Ned Kopp & Company  production manager
• Phillips Electronics  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recording
• Pinewood Studios  studio
• Renault  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of (as Renault Automobiles)
• Saga Film  production services
• Seiko Time (U.K.)  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of

Also Known As:

From a View to a Kill (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | West Germany:12 (cut) (video premiere) | Germany:12 (re-release) (uncut) | Iceland:10 (original rating) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | UK:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1985) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

2201 Broadway, Oakland, California, USA

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

The idea to set the story in California's Silicon Valley was a concept conceived by producer and co-writer Michael G. Wilson.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Bond and Sutton are on top of the burning elevator fire burns the cables and it falls down the shaft. In reality a Molotov cocktail can't produce enough heat to burn through heavy steel cables.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kimberley Jones: I thought you'd never get back.
James Bond: Well, there was a heck of a crowd on the piste!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Blues Brothers (1980)

Soundtrack:

The Four Seasons

Another worthy addition to the Bond series!

In Roger Moore's final cinematic assignment as Agent 007, the super-spy must investigate the connection between a Soviet research centre's reproduction of British high-tech blast-proof microchips based and a multi-national industrialist who is hoarding them. With a supporting cast of Christopher Walken, Grace Jones, Patrick McNee, and Tanya Roberts, and locations such as Paris and San Francisco, what you have is another Bond movie with the size and scope to match any of its contemporaries.

To start with the good points, Roger Moore is once again reliable and believable in the role of Bond, and although critics of this movie maintain he was told old by now, this is disputable. The script doesn't allow him as much of his custom wit and repartee, with the writers dropping his usual amiability towards the villain in favour of a disgusted and repulsed tone, which is quite a turn. For those sick of the movies where Bond and his enemies swap endless pleasantries despite efforts to kill each other, check out the Bond/Zorin scenes towards the middle and end of this film. Although not Moore's most memorable turn, he is very solid as 007.

Christopher Walken as Max Zorin, the product of a Nazi genetic experiment who was artificially given both incredible intelligence and psycopathy as a side effect of his mother's treatment in the concentration camps before his birth, gives us an odd-ball but distinctive performance, and is very credible as a single-minded sociopath. Grace Jones plays MayDay, Zorin's bodyguard/girlfriend/personal trainer/hit-woman/seductress and whilst she won't go down as either one of the most beautiful Bond girls or one of his most feared villains, Jones still comes across well with some menace and formidable qualities that even Bond struggles to get to grips with (quite literally!). Both Walken and Jones were odd choices for roles in a Bond movie but both acquit themselves well and gain a respectable place in the pantheon of 007's enemies.

Continuing with the positives, the regulars M, Q, Moneypenny, Frederick Gray, and General Gogol (with Lois Maxwell in her last Bond role) are dependable as ever, and are joined by David Yip as a CIA agent. As in the two previous Bond movies, Moore is joined by a fellow agent on his mission, this time Patrick McNee as Sir Godfrey Tibbett, a horse racing expert affiliated to MI6. In some brilliantly funny scenes, with Bond posing as an owner and Tibbett as his valet, the pair go undercover at Zorin's stables during a horse sale with both hamming it up to distract the guards from suspecting them as impostors. Moore and McNee also appeared together in Sherlock Holmes in New York as Holmes and Watson respectively, as well as The Sea Wolves, and their chemistry is a highlight of the film. Too bad really that Tibbett is assassinated in unusual but chilling fashion by MayDay before the film can make more of his obvious debonair charm.

Also on the plus side, the action is handled very competently, with a Siberian (actually Iceland) ski-chase featuring some extreme-sport pursuits like snowboarding before they became more well-known, an adrenaline-fuelled horse race in which Bond comes under attack from Zorin's henchmen, and a scene in which a Russian agent is fed into a propeller after he is found spying on Zorin. There are also some great stunts, such a base-jump off the Eiffel Tower and in the aforementioned ski scene. For a Bond film the plot is actually fairly logical, although it seems to have borrowed some inspiration from its predecessors. Having said that, which Bond film didn't?

However it isn't all roses. Tanya Roberts is extremely annoying and not at all believable as California's state geologist and a businesswoman whose shares Zorin is trying to buy. Every time it comes to a fight or some action she cowers and whimpers, yelling `Help me James' at the top of her shrill voice, and spends most of the time as some sort of damsel in distress for Bond to save. Apart from Mayday, the henchmen are rather boring this time, with a bunch of caricatures instead of characters: a Texan oil boss, a mad scientist (plus monocle, tweed suit, wild hair, and German accent), and a tall silent type with a facial scar as his single defining feature. Lucky then that Walken is there to bail the movie out and prove, as the tagline suggests, to provide a match for James Bond.

Also, the technically well-done chase sequence in Paris is ruined due to a ludicrous moment in which Bond-s care is hit by another and breaks in half! It looked cool driving on two wheels, but it would have been better in a cartoon. In keeping with some of the less attractive Bond conventions, some of the other action scenes are ruined by an overly-jokey feel - the San Francisco fire truck chase, for example, is played totally for laughs, and, like the Golden Gate Bridge scenes, features so much poor back-projection it is hard not to laugh. Plus, the pre-credits ski-chase is wrecked by an 80's cover of 'California Girls' being played over the action, and Bond's companion and vehicle at the end of this sequence. For all the problems in this paragraph, director John Glen deserves the blame, although he was hardly alone in getting things wrong during 007's 40-year history.

Despite criticisms from some that this is a tired movie with a re-hashed plot and an uninspired screenplay, A View To A Kill holds up pretty well. Most diehard fans of the series don't rank this too highly amongst the others, but for the less demanding viewer there is enough of the Bond formula to appreciate, without a great deal of silliness. There are a few flaws in AVTAK but the positives outweigh the negatives, and while Roger Moore didn't make a great success of his post-Bond career, at least he had a very respectable sign-of from the series with this.

Verdict: 3.5/5: Well worth watching.