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The 11th EON James Bond film and 4th to star Roger Moore as 007 possessed a sense of security and risk. Firstly, the idea of Bond venturing into space did not seem as ludicrous as it would have done pre-Star Wars (1977). George Lucas's phenomenon had triggered interest in Albert R. Broccoli both creatively and financially and this is where the element of risk arises. Firing Moore out of this world was bankable and secure - the most famous film character in an innovative setting seemed a fairly safe bet after the target audience had had a collective appetite wetted with Luke Skywalker et al. A budget of $34,000,000 though - $20,000,000 more than The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - added a huge element of danger and expectation associated with the project.
The outlandishness of the plot and the absence of any trademark Fleming overtones have ultimately resulted in one of the biggest disappointments of the entire series. Moore still oozes the charm and has some great interplay with the equally as dry Michael Lonsdale, who plays billionaire Hugo Drax. "Look after Mr Bond. See that some harm comes to him" is one of the quotes of EON's franchise, but everything goes downhill from then on. Jaws, the fan-adored henchman returns but Richard Kiel's appearance completely destroys all of the factors which made his character so unique in Lewis Gilbert's second Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me. Gilbert and screenwriter Christopher Wood totally make sure that Jaws is the opposite of the ruthless and unstoppable killing machine, turning him into a comedy figure devoid of all credibility. For this reason, Kiel holds the distinction of being one of the best and one of the worst henchmen in motion picture history. Lois Chiles as Dr. Holly Goodhead isn't exactly convincing either. "Hang on, James!" while Bond is dangling from a cable car 1000 feet above Rio de Janeiro isn't exactly the greatest of lines considering she is supposed to be a qualified doctor and CIA operative. Moore's response, "The thought had occurred to me," sums up the utter stupidity in the dialogue of the heroine and the frustration mirrored by the audience.
It's a joy to see Bernard Lee's last performance as M before his untimely death, and regulars Q and Moneypenny are always a delight. Characters such as Dolly (Jaws' girlfriend) and the fact that the entire plot is basically seen as a rehash of The Spy Who Loved Me though really throw a dampener on proceedings. Shirley Bassey presents us with an awesome theme song for the third and final time, a nostalgia trip can be had with familiar film music like "Also Sprach Zarathustra", and one is also treated to a few fine one-liners at the film's climax, but overall this is a poor effort for a film that promised much more.
The extras
Production designer Ken Adam has a production film on Disc Two, which along with "Bond '79", is good. Original and rare circus footage from the pre-credits is interesting to see and, in Hindsight, would have been more appropriate if included in its entirety to convey more suspense and seriousness before Jaws falls through the top of the tent. The storyboards are average but the sky diving test footage is entertaining to watch, especially in realising how the professionals choreograph and film such a difficult opening scene. "007 in Rio" is mediocre but is cancelled out by the standard "Inside Moonraker" documentary where the Oscar nominated visual effects and Ken Adam's sets are detailed to us well. "The Men Behind the Mayhem" is an impressive little overview of the stunts throughout the series.
The summary
1979 brought us a James Bond 007 furthest away from Fleming's original character and this trait is so obviously present during one of the superspy's worst missions. A silly representation of Her Majesty's finest.
