Film Review: Octopussy - 40th Anniversary

 "Octopussy"

*** 1/2 (out of ****)

Does Roger Moore score an "all time high" in his sixth entry as James Bond in "Octopussy" (1983)?

As I continue to spend the year periodically looking back on films released in the year of my birth,1983 - to celebrate my own milestone birthday this year - it is time to take a look at one of my favorite action movie franchises, James Bond, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year.

Upon its initial release, "Octopussy" was well received by critics - Vincent Canby over at the New York Times for example wrote the movie "is actually better than most" James Bond movies - and was one of the highest grossing movies of the year. Today however the modern day sheep ("movie critics") and internet trolls have revaluated the movie and surprisingly (that's sarcasm) have all come away with the same negative opinion stating the movie doesn't work and is a "lesser" Bond movie. I sincerely don't try to be contrarian but if I ever allowed the mainstream masses to dictate my interests, I would have to discard practically everything that is meaningful to me and trade it in for a love of super hero movies! I can't understand how any of those movies are better than "Octopussy" but that's mainstream taste for you. 

In another unpopular opinion of mine, I've always said Roger Moore was my favorite actor to play Bond. I understand the "correct" answer is Sean Connery -  "Dr. No" (1962) and "Goldfinger" (1963)  I would argue are two of the best Bond movies - but I enjoyed Moore's interpretation of Bond combining suave charm and light dashes of humor. It had a Cary Grant quality to it. Whether or not anyone wants to admit it, I think Moore's interpretation of Bond has seeped into the pop culture more so than Connery's. I say that because I think when you see a modern actor playing a secret agent - in a serious role or parody - they are channeling Moore's sensibilities and mannerisms. Austin Powers for example I think is more Moore than Connery.

"Octopussy" I would say was not only one of Moore's best - "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) is another contender - but also the best Bond movie of the 1980s! It marked Moore's second to last appearance as Bond - "A View To A Kill" (1985) was his final movie and gave him the distinction of playing the character in more movies than any other actor - and I must admit Moore does show his age after playing the character for a decade, beginning with "To Live and Let Die" (1973).

But there's no way to deny "Octopussy" is a roller coaster of a movie. It exist merely as a device to hang a series of exciting action sequences on. Even former Chicago Tribune movie critic Gene Siskel - who was very critical of Moore - had to admit how action packed this movie was and gave it a "thumbs up" on his TV show with fellow critic Roger Ebert.

Today though that is one of the criticisms the "sheep" have. Too much action they say and not enough character development. While there were some back in 1983 that expressed that sentiment (Gene Siskel for one) it was largely understood one doesn't go see a James Bond action movie searching for character development. And we were fine with that as long as the movie had entertainment value - i.e. exciting action sequences, memorable gadgets, fast cars, pretty women and good villains. Today's audiences - thanks to the disappointing Daniel Craig movies - are under the delusion these movies need to pierce into Bond's soul and help us understand what makes him tick. Modern day societal "morals" and politics have contributed to this as well. Bond was too chauvinistic in their view. The character's origins needed to be explained. How did he become this way? It wasn't the first time however the Bond movies tried to appease "modern day sensibilities". When the "sensitive male" was in fashion, so too did they try to make Bond more sensitive. He even cried in one movie - "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969).

With the Cold War seeming to begin to thaw - it would be four more years until President Reagan would declared "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this Wall!" - "Octopussy" kind of, sort of reflects this shift. In one scene the Soviets are discussing mutual disarmament talks with NATO as the head of the KGB (Walter Gotell) agrees the adoption of such a proposal does not compromise Soviet defense positions. When one of the movie's villains, a Soviet general, General Orlov (Steven Berkoff) tries to challenge this, his position is immediately shot down by the Chairmen (Paul Hardwick). The General believes his tank divisions situated along the border outnumber those of the Americans and West Germany. One unexpected attack would provide them, in his words, "total victory". A decade earlier, this would be enough for a Bond plot. The General's idea would be embraced.

In "Octopussy" however, this plot line is clumsily combined with another involving a MacGuffin concerning a Faberge egg and its possible sale on the black market. This leads Bond to travel to India where he confronts an Afghan prince, Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan) and a jewel smuggler known as Octopussy (Maud Adams).

I can't pretend to fully understand all of the connections being drawn between these two storylines but I figured out enough to the point I sort of understood the relationship between all of the characters and understood who Bond must stop by the end of the movie. And that's all any viewer really needs to know. The action sequences are more than enough to serve as exciting and memorable distractions from any perceived weakness of the plot. I found myself caught in the suspense of the moment several times and I've watched this movie on a few occasions!

Despite whatever plot holes some viewers may say exist, I would still contend the screenplay by George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson is effective if for no other reason than the wit of the dialogue and the effortless way the movie manages to incorporate humor into some of its action sequences. Credit for that should also be given to the movie's director, John Glen, an English filmmaker who was behind the previous Bond movie, "For Your Eyes Only" (1981) and the proceeding Bond movies with Timothy Dalton - "The Living Daylights" (1987) and "License to Kill" (1989).

Most would agree one of the elements that makes an effective Bond movie is having a good Bond villain. I really like Louis Jourdan's performance. He doesn't take things over the top. In Jourdan's hands Kamal Khan is a man we can tell enjoys the luxuries his life enables him to. He needn't yell and scream and tell Bond all of his future plans. He is soft spoken and deadly. Many younger viewers and "critics" dislike this character and the performance claiming the exact opposite of what I wrote. Can't you people agree with me about anything! Do you have to be so contrarian! No one can tell me Steven Berkoff gives a better performance than Jourdan. Berkoff's General Orlov is the kind of broadly played evil villain Bond is usually up against. The change of pace in the Khan character is a welcomed one.

The weakest link in the cast however may unfortunately be Maud Adams. Her character is one of the least effective and dare I say least sexy Bond girls. The name is kind of provocative recalling a character name like Pussy Galore from "Goldfinger" but that is probably the most interesting aspect of the character. Could it be at age 38 some delusional producer thought  Adams was too old to be sexy? There's no personality to the character. A physically more fitting Bond girl would have been the villain played by Kristina Wayborn.

Speaking of age, despite being around 56 at the release of the movie, Roger Moore gives the best performance in the movie and does everything the plot requires of him. It is sad at 56 some refer to Moore as" too old". As a man approaching 40 myself, I resent that! One day I hope to be 56 as well. What an ageist society we live in! I wouldn't say "Octopussy" gives us Moore's best performance as Bond but everything I love about his portrayal of the character is here. A certain adolescent quality mixed with sophistication and charm. As far as I'm concerned Moore did a splendid job balancing humor and action star. It was also perfectly believable he could get any woman he layed his eyes on.

Nineteen eighty-three marked the first and only time two James Bond movies were released in theaters. Besides "Octopussy" was the release of an "unofficial" Bond movie, "Never Say Never Again" (1983) which brought back Sean Connery to the role after a twelve year absence. In perhaps a sign of Moore's popularity and the public's acceptance of him as the character, "Octopussy" made more money at the box-office. Though both movies received positive reviews.

The movie also marked one of the few times the movie's title song didn't match the title of the movie. It is hard to come up with a rhyme for "Octopussy". Instead the title song was called "All Time High" and sung by Rita Coolidge. It is one of the better Bond songs played over the typical opening credits featuring silhouettes of naked women, James Bond and guns. I image today younger audiences would have an issue with this. 

"Octopussy" is one hell of a ride. A witty and exciting adventure featuring effective performances from Roger Moore and Louis Jourdan. It was one of Moore's best Bond movies and the best Bond movie of the 1980s. Forty years later the movie holds up very well and takes us back to a time when Bond was the way we loved Bond most.