Movie Review—
Octopussy (1983): Bond Film #13

Roger Moore delivers a strong performance in this, his sixth of seven outings as James Bond, Agent 007.

He's solid in the role — yet, of even greater interest to me, still growing in it. I've always felt that the Moore Bond is best judged by tracking his eyes. Moments that express, yes, his humor and even the bit over-the-top self-depreciating wit. But also his compassion.

And the threat of a frighteningly lethal James Bond.

Early on, at the backgammon table in India, focus on his eyes as he takes this game from a despicably smug and gratuitously dishonest Kamal Kahn. "Double sixes," says 007, rolling his adversary's dice, staring intensely. So confidant, he never looks down to confirm the outcome of which he is absolutely certain. "Fancy that."

Later, about to knife Bond, pinned against a wooden door, one of the two murderous carnival twins, Grischka, says to him, "And this, for my brother."

"And that's for 009," our MI6 agent responds, quickly reversing the power position and killing him. Coldly.

Bond cascades a gamut of emotion in one of the best scenes in Octopussy, his one-on-one confrontation with General Orlov, Soviet traitor. Without the awkward intrusiveness that sequences like this usually involve, the plot is advanced through Orlov's explanation of political context and personal motives.

Bond's reaction moves through efforts to reason, confusion, anger, and then, to a credible, threatening demand for Orlov to act and stop his planned slaughter.

Octopussy is a straightforward mission in most respects. The pre-title sequence has nothing to do with the rest of the plot. Yet it nicely shows Bond on a mission that at first goes wrong, then, even in Bond's escape, is cleverly tied up with the hanger explosion he went to deliver in the first place.

Using the bad guys' own missile.

So in Octopussy, we're looking at a proven, dependable Bond. Refreshing, as we face an almost obsessive fear of performance vis-à-vis aging that has led to the premature replacement of Pierce Brosnan after Die Another Day, at the age of 52.

Roger Moore is four years older in this film. He now hangs his hat instead of tossing it as he passes Miss Moneypenny en route to the two-part door entry to M's office for a predictable mission assignment and briefing. "Operation Trove," replacing 009 in investigation of a stolen Fabergé egg.

An epic entrance to India, naturally.

But what really satisfy are glimpses into the mechanics of field intelligence work. From a stuffy Sotheby's auction to the claustrophobic underside of a train car. Steady methodology that couldn't play from a 41-year-old Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights.

Bond's escape from his room in Kamal Kahn's Monsoon Palace is almost matter-of-fact: Acid-pen gadget use notwithstanding. Same when he tracks the Fabergé Coronation Egg itself, via micro-transmitter hidden in its Imperial Coach from the Q-modified display of his Seiko Sports 100 wristwatch.

Criticism that 56-year-old Roger Moore is too old for his younger leading ladies here is unfounded, in my opinion. Early romantic scenes with 29-year-old Kristina Wayborn more likely didn't work because the two (actors) simply weren't into each other.

Mark in contrast the intensely sexual, emotional, and intellectual chemistry between Moore and 38-year-old Maud Adams in her title role.

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