FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A man (Peter O’Toole) found irresistibly attractive by nearly every woman he meets seeks help from a psychiatrist (Peter Sellers) in order to settle down and marry his girlfriend (Romy Schneider) — but O’Toole quickly finds himself sexually involved with another of Sellers’ patients (Capucine), as well as a suicidal stripper (Paula Prentiss) and eventually a bikini-clad skydiver (Ursula Andress). Meanwhile, O’Toole’s nebbishy friend (Woody Allen) falls for Schneider but is unable to seduce her, and Sellers continues his fractious relationship with his portly wife (Eddra Gale).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Capucine Films
• Comedy
• Infidelity
• Paula Prentiss Films
• Peter O’Toole Films
• Peter Sellers Films
• Psychotherapy
• Sexuality
• Ursula Andress Films
• Womanizers
• Woody Allen Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “we can be thankful” screenwriter Woody Allen “changed directions” after writing this “outrageous sex farce”, which remains simply “tiresome, sexist, grating fluff”. He argues that Peter O’Toole “had no comic timing back then”:

and that “no one is funny except Prentiss”.

I’m in agreement with Peary that this is a wearisome and dated film, with few authentic chuckles. Because clueless Schneider should stop hoping for O’Toole to change (he won’t/can’t):

… and simply get far, far away from him, it’s difficult to know who to root for here. Meanwhile, Sellers’ “long-haired and horny Viennese psychiatrist” is truly insufferable:

… and Allen merely enacts the first of many similar roles as an insecure short man hoping to score with beautiful chicks.

You can skip this one.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Colorful sets and cinematography
  

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• DVD Savant Review
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
After being lured out of retirement by his boss “M” (John Huston) — accompanied by a CIA representative (William Holden), a French intelligence agent (Charles Boyer) and a KGB agent (Kurt Kasznar) — James Bond (David Niven) escapes seduction by M’s Scottish widow (Deborah Kerr), then receives assistance from a beautiful agent (Ursula Andress) in hatching a plan to send a renowned baccarat expert (Peter Sellers) undercover as “James Bond” to win a high-stakes game against SMERSH agent Le Chiffre (Orson Welles).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Charles Boyer Films
• David Niven Films
• Deborah Kerr Films
• George Raft Films
• Jacqueline Bisset Films
• James Bond Films
• Jean-Paul Belmondo Films
• John Huston Films
• Orson Welles Films
• Peter Sellers Films
• Satires and Spoofs
• Spies
• Ursula Andress Films
• William Holden Films
• Woody Allen Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “it’s hard to believe that in 1967 we actually waited in anticipation for this so-called James Bond spoof” — helmed by no less than six directors — which was a “disappointment then” and remains “a curio today,” though “just as hard to sit through”. He argues that it’s “disjointed and stylistically erratic”, and that despite “featuring an all-star cast… , enormous sets, and some state-of-the-art special effects, it is a testament to wastefulness in the commercial bigger-is-better cinema.” DVD Savant refers to this as “perhaps the most out-of-control production of the Mod Sixties”, costing $11 million despite having no script to start with, and signing “enough big stars to float eight or nine pictures” — none of whom “knew exactly what they were getting into.”

Peary recommends watching perhaps simply those “scenes featuring Peter Sellers and Woody Allen”, but I’ll admit to enjoying Kerr’s hilarious performance in the otherwise completely unrelated first half-hour:

and Joanna Pettet (as Bond’s long-lost daughter, “Mata Bond”) visiting a wildly expressionist spy school:

— both of which would be eliminated if you focused just on Sellers and Allen. Watching for seemingly endless cameos by big-name stars (including “George Raft as Himself”) provides some passing amusement as well. Meanwhile, Burt Bacharach’s score is an instantly hummable ear-bug — be forewarned.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Creative cinematography
  
  
  
• Far-out sets
  
  
  
• Burt Bacharach’s score

Must See?
No, though it’s certainly worth a one-time look for its historical curiosity value.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Spinning Image Review
• Moria Review
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
When James Bond (Roger Moore) is sent to investigate a sociopathic industrialist (Christopher Walken) hoping to gain a monopoly on microchips by destroying Silicon Valley, he encounters both Walken’s powerful henchwoman (Grace Jones) and a blonde geologist (Tanya Roberts) determined not to let Walken’s company to buy the remaining shares in her family’s oil business.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Christopher Walken Films
• James Bond Films
• Spies

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that in “Roger Moore’s last portrayal of James Bond” he “looks trimmer and more energetic than in some of the previous efforts”, “despite what reviewers automatically reported.” While Peary admits he wishes “Bond had a few more of his famous gadgets on hand,” he asserts that the “action scenes are exciting and some of the stunt work is spectacular” (there are nifty scenes high up on both the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge). He points out that “Walken’s the first Bond villain who is not so much an evil person as a crazed neurotic” (ummm, he’s a genetically engineered sociopath…) which “makes him more memorable than some of the recent Bond foes.” However, “viewers will be more interested in [Walken’s] lover and righthand woman, Mayday, played by Grace Jones, whose exotic features and lightning-quick karate maneuvers make her an intimidating presence.” Peary concludes his review by noting that while this “picture lacks the flamboyance of other Bond films, and has a terrible slapstick chase sequence in San Francisco (with stupid cops rather than Walken’s henchmen),” it’s “overall a fast-paced, fairly enjoyable, and… worthy entry in the series.” I would agree, though being a “worthy entry in the series” doesn’t make it must-see — and only Bond fanatics are required to check it out.

Note: As fans of the franchise are undoubtedly aware, ten additional Bond flicks (with one more in production) have been released since the publication of Guide for the Film Fanatic, featuring three new actors. Determining which of these might be must-see viewing is a task for another website! One more Bond review from GFTFF — of Casino Royale (1967) — will be forthcoming.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Christopher Walken as Max Zorin
  
• Fine location shooting
  

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re an ardent fan of the series.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• FilmSite Review
• Moria Review
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
With support from his top agent Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer), SPECTRE head Ernst Blofeld (Max von Sydow) puts the world in nuclear jeopardy by replacing two dummy warheads with live ones, and demanding ransom. When aging James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent from a health spa to investigate, he soon encounters and seduces both Largo’s psychopathic assistant (Barbara Carrera) and his mistress (Kim Basinger).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• James Bond Films
• Max von Sydow Films
• Nuclear Threat
• Sean Connery Films
• Spies

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “it was great to see Sean Connery return as James Bond after a dozen years, during which time he insisted he’d never play the part again.” Notably, Connery “initiated this project itself” and “it was not part of the ongoing Roger Moore series being produced by Albert Broccoli”; a quick read through any of the reviews linked below — or Wikipedia’s entry on the film — will give a sufficient overview of why this ended up “not [as] new material, but a remake of Connery’s fourth Bond film, Thunderball.” Peary points out that while “Bond’s a bit older,” “every woman he sees is attracted to him and he still can outwit the vilest of villains,” and he notes that Bond’s “pain game ‘Domination’ [with Brandauer] is a highlight.” (I agree, though critical opinions are decidedly mixed on this.) He writes that a “very athletic Barbara Carrera (giving her best performance) as the cheerful assassin Fatima Blush and blonde Kim Basinger as Domino, Largo’s innocent girlfriend, make lasting impressions”:

… and argues that the “film is exotic” (which Bond flick isn’t?), “well acted, and stylishly directed by Irvin Kershner.” He posits that this “would be one of the best Bond films if the finale weren’t disappointing”, and in closing makes the following plea: “When will filmmakers realize that underwater fight scenes don’t work because viewers usually can’t tell the hero and villain apart and they know doubles are being used?” (Excellent points; I agree.)

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo
  
• Barbara Carrera as Fatima
  
• The “World Domination” game
  

Must See?
No, though of course Bond fans (especially “Connery-as-Bond” fans) will want to check it out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Q Network Review
• DVD Talk Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
After nearly outbidding an Afghan prince (Louis Jourdan) during the auction sale of a Faberge egg, James Bond (Roger Moore) tracks Jourdan and his companion (Kristina Wayborn) to India, where he meets a female jewelry smuggler named Octopussy (Maud Adams) who is unaware that Jourdan and his accomplice — a Soviet general (Steven Berkoff) — are working with twin circus knife throwers (Tony and David Meyer) to start an intentional nuclear “accident”.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Carnivals and Circuses
• James Bond Films
• Louis Jourdan Films
• Nuclear Threat
• Spies
• Strong Females

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this loose adaptation of “two Ian Fleming short stories, ‘Octopussy’ and ‘The Property of a Lady'” has “slow spots, little humor, and villains who aren’t nearly of the caliber of Dr. No, Goldfinger, or Blofeld” — and he points out it makes “the mistake of demeaning Bond by having him swing through the trees… emitting a Tarzan cry and having him hide in a gorilla suit and later disguise himself as a clown.”

Despite his complaints, however, Peary refers to this as “a fairly entertaining picture,” with a “sturdy performance by Moore” and “several exciting action sequences” — including Bond[‘s stunt double] surviving a truly miraculous number of near-death situations on the top of moving circus trains:

and some enjoyable girl-power when Octopussy’s red-clad posse show off their ninja moves. Meanwhile, Adams’ character is a worthy, relatively sympathetic lead female, not someone Bond needs to bring over to his side, and a powerful (albeit corrupt) businesswoman.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Maud Adams as Octopussy
  
• Fine cinematography
  
• Vibrant location shooting
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a one-time look.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Spinning Image Review
• Combustible Celluloid Review
• Moria Review
• FilmSite Review

Synopsis:
When James Bond (Roger Moore) is sent to Greece and then Italy to investigate the location of a missile command system coveted by the Soviets, he collaborates with a beautiful young woman (Carole Bouquet) seeking revenge for the death of her parents, and wards off passes from a young Olympic-hopeful skater (Lynn-Holly Johnson) whose sponsor (Julian Glover) is secretly working with the Russians.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cold War
• James Bond Films
• Revenge
• Spies

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that while “there are exciting moments” in this Bond film — in which “Moore and Bouquet find adventure underwater and high in the mountains” — “most of it is familiar Bond fare.” He describes it as “an attempt to mix spectacle with [the] tough, believable storylines of early Bond films,” and notes that “Moore does a good job, coming through as a convincing action hero for a change.” He argues that “the film itself is great in comparison to the previous Bond film, Moonraker, and is enjoyable while you’re watching it” — but “afterward, it’s one of the most forgettable of the Bond series.” He further points out that Johnson — of Ice Castles (1978) fame — is “too wholesome to be in a Bond movie”, but I think it’s her character and performance that are to blame (they’re definitely low-lights of this flick).

On the other hand, Bouquet has an ethereal beauty and focus that make her consistently pleasant to watch; while not all agree, I think she’s one of the more memorable “Bond girls”.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Fine location shooting (in Cortina d’Ampezzo and elsewhere)
  
  
• The exciting rock-climbing “cliff-hanger”
  
• Sheena Easton’s rendition of the title song

Must See?
No, though it’s a reasonably enjoyable entry in the series and worthy one-time viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Combustible Celluloid Review
• FilmSite Review
• DVD Talk Review

Synopsis:
When sent to explore the mysterious loss of the Moonraker space shuttle, James Bond (Roger Moore) meets a sinister aeronautics manufacturer (Michael Lonsdale) and eludes assassination by his steely-toothed nemesis ‘Jaws’ (Richard Kiel) while collaborating with and romancing a beautiful astronaut (Lois Chiles).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• James Bond Films
• Space Opera
• Spies
• World Domination

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “worst James Bond film to date” simply features “Roger Moore walking through the paces for his hefty paycheck and giving way to his double for a series of unimaginative action scenes and ‘humorous’ chases” — ouch! He adds that “there’s little suspense,” “the humor falls flat,” and “the filmmakers have the gall to set the finale in outer space and stage a battle right out of Star Wars.” It’s too bad beautiful Chiles plays such a lackluster heroine, and that super-human Kiel turns into a lovestruck good guy by the end (!).

Many critics have noted that this film resembles a cartoon more than an exciting adventure flick — but the location shooting, sets, and special effects (including the “pre-title sequence in which Bond and Jaws battle for a lone parachute during a free fall from a great height”) are actually pretty nifty.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Fine international location shooting
  
  

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Talk Review
• FilmSite Review
• Combustible Celluloid Review
• Moria Review
• Spinning Image Review

Synopsis:
James Bond (Roger Moore) and a rival Soviet spy (Barbara Bach) are both put on the trail of a megalomaniac (Curd Jurgens) who has plans to destroy the world through nuclear warfare and create an undersea paradise.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Curt Jurgens Films
• James Bond Films
• Spies
• Submarines
• World Domination

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “exceptional James Bond thriller” features “sets and gimmicks” that “were the most spectacular to date”, and notes that “the big budget was not wasted.” He argues that “Moore gives his best performance in the series” (though I don’t really see him making any new expressions), and that he and Bach “are an appealing couple, equal in every way.”

He goes on to posit that the “film is a real treat — a well-acted, smartly cast, sexy, visually impressive, lavishly produced, powerfully directed (by Lewis Gilbert) mix of a spy romance and a war-mission film.”

While I agree there’s much to enjoy in this film — including Claude Renoir’s “excellent photography” and Carly Simon’s hit “Nobody Does It Better” — I can’t quite agree with Peary that it’s spectacular (though it is likely Moore’s best film in the series). It is fun to see “Richard Kiel’s seven-foot-tall, metal-toothed henchman ‘Jaws’ [who] would appear in the next Bond film, Moonraker,” and who is thus allowed to survive near-death time and time again; his strength is authentically menacing, and he actually gives Bond a run for his money.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Claude Renoir’s cinematography
  
• Ken Adam’s sets
  
• Carly Simon’s rendition of “Nobody Does It Better”

Must See?
Yes, simply to see Roger Moore in the Bond series — and to check out Kiel as “Jaws”.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review
• FilmSite Review
• Spinning Image Review
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
After being sent a golden bullet by the mistress (Maud Adams) of his would-be assassin — Francisco Scaramanga, the Man With the Golden Gun (Christopher Lee) — James Bond (Roger Moore) travels to Lebanon, Hong Kong, Macau, and an island in Thailand to hunt him down, occasionally helped by his ditzy colleague Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland) and tracked by Scaramanga’s pint-sized assistant (Herve Villechaize).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Britt Ekland Films
• Christopher Lee Films
• James Bond Films
• Spies

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “Ian Fleming’s last James Bond novel became one of the least interesting Bond films,” resulting in a “very labored movie, with Bond a stiff bore.”

He notes that Bond and Scaramanga’s “shootout on the [killer’s remote] island’s funhouse” — which “benefits from the presence of Scaramanga’s diminutive servant Nick Nack (Herve Villechaize)”:

— is “the only good scene in the movie, and even it has an unsatisfying finish.”

He points out that Adams and Ekland are “uninspired leading ladies”:

and that the film features “stale humor”, a “cruddy title song by Lulu”, and “dull” opening titles. He adds that there’s an “unfortunate” reprisal by Clifton James of his “unfunny redneck sheriff from Live and Let Die” — indeed, this is the lowlight of the film.

Lee comes across the best, adding some nuance and interest to a villain who’s not all that fleshed out, but at least feels authentic.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Christopher Lee as Scaramanga
  
• Fine location shooting
  

Must See?
No; definitely feel free to skip this one.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• FilmSite Review
• Spinning Image ReviewDVD Talk Review

Synopsis:
Special agent James Bond (Roger Moore) pursues Harlan drug dealer “Mr. Big” — a.k.a. Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) — who is actually dictator of the Caribbean island San Monique, and who relies heavily on the support of a claw-armed henchman (Julius Harris), a voodoo magician (Geoffrey Holder), and a virginal tarot card reader named Solitaire (Jane Seymour).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Drug Dealers
• James Bond Films
• Spies
• Voodoo

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “Roger Moore made an unimpressive debut as James Bond in [this] unimaginative adaptation of Ian Fleming’s second novel”:

“set in New York, New Orleans, and a Caribbean island.” He notes that the “movie stumbles along most of the way”, and it’s “hard to remember Moore is playing Bond at times — in fact, if he and Seymour were black, the picture could pass as one of the black exploitation films of the day.”

He adds that “there are few interesting action sequences”, that the “motorboat chase is trite”, and that it’s all made “worse by throwing in some stupid [and racist] Louisiana cops, including pot-bellied Sheriff Pepper (Clifton James).” I mostly agree, but will admit to enjoying Bond’s nifty footwork across a pond of alligators and crocodiles, and finding the motorboat sequence appropriately exciting. The colorful sets and costumes are also a plus, as is the title song by Wings, and Geoffrey Holder’s charismatic supporting performance as Baron Samedi. But ultimately, this one is only must-see viewing for fans of the franchise.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Colorful cinematography and on-location shooting
  
  
  
• Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi
  
• The Wings’ catchy theme song

Must See?
No; this one is only must-see for Bond completists.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• FilmSite Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Spinning Image Review