Plot
Following the murder of 009, while carrying a fake Fabergé egg, Bond is sent to investigate.
This leads Bond to a smuggling ring operated by the femme fatale, Octopussy, someone who has a personal family connection to him, and soon to a plan by her associates’ to cause nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union.
Direction
Directed by For Your Eyes Only Director John Glen.
Cast
Starring Roger Moore as Bond (in his 6th outing), Maud Adams as Ocopussy (she had previously appeared in Man With the Golden Gun), Louis Jordan (as Khan an associate of Octopussy – who is part of the plan for the US/Soviet Conflict) and Steven Berkoff as Gen Orlov – the mastermind of the operation to cause the conflict.
Breakdown
This is Moore’s sixth film, and looking every part of his 56 years of age by this part. When he is over two decades older than one of his concubines… then we might start to have a problem. Also he has an almost Connery aggression to his passion that I hadn’t seen before…
Starting with the cold open (with admittedly some great arial shots of Bond’s tiny airplane – with a roll your eyes comical ‘fill her up’ when he lands next to a petrol station) – it gets right into the action (following a flat opening song).
We learn about a jewelry smuggling ring, which leads bond to an exiled Afghan Prince, which leads him to the owner of a circus – businesswoman Octopussy (it’s what her father called her???) – who is also the head of the smuggling ring. What she doesn’t know is that Khan is working with a Russian General Orlov – who wants war between Europe and the US and this would allow the Soviets to invade and expand into Europe…
Slightly over inflated script – is worsened by the even more inflated runtime (131m) and with too many moments that really should have been cut down to make this an easier watch.
The ‘added’ comedy parts (Bond playing Tarzan, Bond in a gorilla suit, Bond as a clown)… ugh – are not funny.
British actor Steven Berkoff starts his 80’s antagonist typecast with this film – he puts on a terrible accent here that I’m sure he still regrets…
The ups, are some of the set pieces are pretty damn impressive (like the Russian council with the rotating floor), and the international locations are lovely. I also loved the finale, where Bond tries to save Octopussy while hanging on the outside of an airplane – and even has a fight with Khan’s guard! Impressive!
Overall
More muddled and convoluted than previous films in the antagonists plan, that felt like just too much was happening. A little long, and with Moore’s increased age – make this more a problematic watch than his previous films.
He’s still to star in A View to Kill which would be his last film (as well as the final film for Lois Maxwell’s Moneypenny too).
3/5
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