OCTOPUSSY
UK, 1983, 131 minutes, Colour.
Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn, Kabir Bedi, Steven Berkoff, Desmond Llewelyn, Robert Brown, Lois Maxwell, Walter Gotell, Vijay Amritraj, Geoffrey Keen, Douglas Wilmer.
Directed by John Glen.
Octopussy is a very enjoyable Roger Moore James Bond film. By this time, nine years after Live and Let Die, Moore is certainly in his stride as James Bond. He is still agile, smooth talking with some innuendo, and able to send himself up, for example dressing up in clown’s gear.
Maud Adams, who had appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun, is Octopussy with Kristina Wayborn as her associate, Magda. The suave villain of the film is Louis Jourdan. There is a good supporting cast with the regulars, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell but with Robert Brown taking Bernard Lee’s place as M. Steven Berkoff offers a maniacal performance as a bellicose Russian general. And tennis champion, Vijay Armitraj, has an opportunity to display his skills.
The film is set at beginning and end in East Germany and West Germany but spends a great deal of its time, very beautifully photographed, in India.
John Barry wrote the theme music, the music of the song with lyrics by Tim Rice, sung by Rita Coolidge.
This was to be Roger Moore’s second-last Bond film. It was also directed by John Glen who went on to direct the two films with Timothy Dalton.
1.The continued popularity of the James Bond series? Roger Moore establishing himself as James Bond? His particular manner, style, speaking, suave presentation, clownish touches.
2.The locations: East Germany and the Soviet Bloc, interiors for Russian generals meeting, the beauty of India and its buildings and cities, West Germany and the military base and the circus? The musical score, the James Bond theme, All Time High?
3.The title, the reference to the character of Octopussy, her not appearing until later in the film? Her work with Kamal Khan, her independence, the story of her father, his suicide, the role of Bond? Her collaborating with the Russians? Her skill as a jewel thief? The women in attendance? Her interest in Bond, the relationship, her attitude to him because of her father, an honourable death? Her inviting Bond to stay, the clash with Khan? The discussions with the general, the plan for the jewels? The betrayal because of the bomb? At the circus, her having to make a decision, supporting Bond?
4.The Russian general, the Cold War, the Russian leader looking like Brezhnev? The discussions about NATO, the attitude of the West? Softening? The possibility of a nuclear explosion? The personality of the general, his ranting and raving? His concern about the Faberge egg, the fake? Going to India, the discussions with Kamal Khan, destroying the fake? The plan for the explosion, his being trapped, getting out of the car, running after the train, his being shot? The other German generals and their attitude towards him?
5.Bond, the death of 009, dressed as a clown, East Germany, the knife throwers? Bond and the discussions with M, the minister? His going with the expert to the auction? Seeing Magda and Octopussy? The introduction to Kamal Khan, the rivalry in bidding? Bond and his substituting the fake egg? His being sent to India?
6.Bond in India, the local members of the Secret Service? Vijay? The hotel? Seeing Kamal Khan’s palace? Going to visit him, the game, the loaded dice, Bond’s win? Khan and his assistant, Gobinda? The pursuit of Bond? The dangers in the streets?
7.Kamal Khan as a personality, suave manner, Afghan background, with the Russians, with Octopussy? His gambling and wealth? His collaboration with the fake egg, the auction? His participating in the plot for the bomb? The finale and the confrontation with Bond?
8.Magda, with Bond, her shimmying down the wall on the scarf? Her attendance on Octopussy? Bond and his being knocked out by Gobinda? Imprisoned? The meetings with Q, the various devices, his getting out of the room, listening in to the discussions about the bomb? His being pursued by Khan, the hunt, the river, the boat, his escaping with Q's help?
9.The build-up to the transportation of the bomb, Germany? The circus? Bond and his infiltrating, taking the place of the knife-throwing twin? His disguise in the gorilla suit? His escape from Gobinda’s sword? The fight on the top of the train?
10.The circus, Bond off the train, commandeering the car, the police pursuit, entering the circus, the clown? Warning the American general? The background of the circus, performance?
11.Stopping the bomb on time? The pursuit of Khan? The final fight? Bond achieving his mission?
12.The light touch of this kind of Bond film in the 1980s? In comparison with the Sean Connery films? The later films of Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, the more serious Daniel Craig?
