Octopussy (1983)

My Review

“Octopussy” is pretty much typical James Bond fare: Lots of action, exotic locations, villains, beautiful women. The story has Bond assigned to solve the murder of 009 in East Germany clutching a fake Faberge egg. The trail leads to location shoots in India, West Germany, Utah, and England.

Producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and director John Glen (“For Your Eyes Only” 1981) have provided Roger Moore a good cast to work with: Louis Jordan, Kristina Wayborn, Steven Berkoff, Vijay Amritaj, David Meyer, Anthony Meyer, Kabir Bedi, Douglas Wilmer, Albert Moses, Bruce Boa, Paul Hardwick, and Maud Adams as Octopussy.

Returning actors include Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, Desmond Llewelyn as Q, Robert Brown as M, Geoffrey Keen as the Minister of Defense, and Walter Gotell as the director of the KGB.

Screenwriters George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson (Broccoli’s step-son) have lots of stuff for Moore to do in his sixth straight 007 role, like hiding in a guerilla suit, disguised as a clown, and swinging through the trees yelling like Tarzan. As this is the thirteenth James Bond picture, Eon Productions was probably running out of fresh ideas. However, “Octopussy” was the sixth highest grossing film of 1983 for producer Cubby Broccoli, Eon Productions, United Artists, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

“Octopussy” is very watchable entertainment that viewers can get wrapped up in.