Octopussy
Octopussy
Director: John Glen
Producer: Albert R. Broccoli
Writers: Ian Fleming (stories "Octopussy" and "The Property of a Lady"); George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Title Song: Lyrics by Tim Rice and Sung by Rita Coolidge
Opening Action Sequence: Bond attempts to infiltrate and destroy a cesspool of militia equipment by posing as militia general, Luis Toro. His first try fails, as he begins to arm a bomb but is stopped by the man he is impersonating. Thanks to some quick thinking, 007 gets another opportunity to destroy the military base by outmaneuvering a heat-seeking missile while escaping in a small jet.
Bond Visits: Cuba; India; East Berlin, Germany
Film Gross: $67,893,619--United States; $183,700,000--Worldwide
Plot Summary: After a British agent turns up dead
and clutching a Faberge egg, James Bond (Roger Moore) is sent on assignment
to get to the bottom of the mystery. What he discovers leads him into
a web of crime, including jewelry smuggling, a deadly ring of circus performers,
and a plot to initiate World War III.
As Bond sets out to untangle the scenario, he meets with exiled prince of India, Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan) and the deranged Russian General Orlov (Stephen Berkoff), both with their own motivations for working together in this catastrophic fiasco.
007 also encounters a seductive criminal mastermind known only as Octopussy
(Maud Adams), who has trained her gang of circus performers to aid her in
illegal activities. Will she attempt to bed Britain's top secret agent,
or kill him? The world now depends on Bond's charming demeanor
and dangerous skills, once again.
Review: It's really hard to believe that it took three writers
to come up with this confusing and mediocre Bond outing. In fact,
Octopussy's plot is its biggest downfall.
There are actually three stories here, haphazardly shoved together in
some semblance of an interesting concept. But there are so many
knots in the final product that the film is difficult to watch, particularly
if you're one of those Bond fans who views them more for the story than for
the stunts (I know you're out there somewhere). At one point in the
picture I stopped trying to make sense of it all, and just sat back to enjoy
the
suspense.
And suspense is the one element that Octopussy hands out by the ton. Unlike many 007 films, there are quite a few occasions where the viewer expects the worst (the circus bomb scene and the mid-air fight are both great examples of this). Rarely has so much sheer intensity been included in a Bond movie, particularly among those starring Roger Moore.
Speaking of Mr. Moore, he really should have hung up his tux after For Your Eyes Only. Here he's slower and more tired than ever before, and it really shows. His performance in Octopussy is noticeably "paint by number". But really, how much can you expect? Roger's been playing Bond for ten years; that's twice as long as Connery had the role before he took his much deserved break. It's time to get some new blood into the Bond personality.
After watching the fantastic, yet serious, For Your Eyes Only, the failed attempts at comedy in Octopussy made me cringe. Bond's Tarzan yell is entirely out of place and utterly stupid, along with a few other juvenile sight gags. Why can't the Bond crew stick with subtle humor?
I really liked seeing "Q" outside of the laboratory, for a change. He's actually a key player during Bond's mission this time, plus, there aren't too many goofy gadgets to get in the way of the adventure. I like Bond's equipment just as much as the next guy, but with Octopussy's convoluted and mind-boggling plot, the less distractions there are, the better.
Also in its favor is the movie's opening sequence, which is at the top of the heap, in many respects. This kind of exciting stuff is found throughout almost all of the movie, as long as you can make it past the sorry attempts at story advancement.
The only truly memorable performance in the film is Louis Jourdan as the charmingly sinister Kamal Kahn. His chilling manners at the backgammon table make for one of my favorite moments in the Bond series. It's a shame that Kamal is often overshadowed by his war-crazy comrade, General Orlov, who is constantly over-the-top as a half-baked hothead.
Octopussy's genuine suspense and its slimy lead villain repair much of the damage done by the frustrating plot, dumb characterizations and missed attempts at humor. However, a lot of the film is nothing that most Bond fans haven't seen before.
Grade: C