Bond Night is out to prove nobody does it better when it comes to loving 1977’s other blockbuster film and its submarine car, steel jawed henchman, and Union Jack parachute.
By Michael O’Connor // Welcome back to Bond Night! This month we’re making love to that other big blockbuster film of 1977, Director Lewis Gilbert’s The Spy Who Loved Me. We’ll peek beneath the covers and behind the scenes to unveil some broken hearts and betrayals, wine and dine over a meal of Egyptian cuisine and the potent Stinger cocktail, and finally seal the deal with our verdict of this iconic Bond film. So slip into something more comfortable and don’t forget protection. By which I mean a Walther PPK, of course. What did you think I was referring to?!
HISTORY
As mentioned in last month’s column, The Man with the Golden Gun would be Bond producer Harry Saltzman’s final 007 film. After accruing a mountain of debt, Saltzman sold his 50% stake in the franchise to United Artists for £20 million. And nothing would ever be the same again.
Whereas the Bond franchise had been an independent, family owned business run by two friends and partners, now it would be a Frankenstein’s monster of an arrangement, half owned by Broccoli, and half owned by whatever studio was having its fun with the village bicycle that year. That’s largely because, like Saltzman, it wouldn’t take long for United Artists to run into its own financial difficulties. Ever since, the Bond franchise has been on and off the auctioneer’s block.
On a more personal note, Saltzman’s decision resulted in a bitter and acrimonious dissolution of both the partnership and friendship that had defined the Broccoli-Saltzman era. Broccoli was sore at Saltzman for not selling his share to him; Saltzman was embarrassed and bereft at his total financial ruin. The two would eventually reconcile, but it would take years, as both sides dealt independently with their own personal tragedies.
As for Bond fans, the results of this brave new world would be mixed. On the one hand, James Bond now spends more time in negotiating rooms than he does in movie theaters thanks to current rights holder MGM’s financial woes. On the other hand, there’s an argument to be made that the extra time between installments results in better films.
That argument doesn’t always bear fruit, but it’s hard to deny in regards to The Spy Who Loved Me. Spy was released three years after The Man with the Golden Gun, the biggest gap between Bond films up to this point in the franchise. There’s every indication the cast and crew used that time well. There is a polish and an attention to detail here that had been missing in the series since at least On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The script is tight, the pacing is lightning quick, the sets are extravagant, and the stunts are jaw dropping. And Roger Moore is at the top of his game, never more charming nor hilariously awesome than in this adventure.
Credit in large part belongs to Director Lewis Gilbert, who previously helmed You Only Live Twice. That effort was a limp, forgettable installment and the first stain on Connery’s otherwise impeccable Bond filmography. Amusingly, Gilbert gets a figurative second life here as 007 director and he uses it to take a second pass at the exact same story. That’s right. The Spy Who Loved Me is essentially a remake ofYou Only Live Twice!
Don’t believe me? Stop me if this doesn’t sound familiar: a megalomaniacal villain decides to set the USA and the USSR against each other by swallowing their craft and crew within an even larger ship. Naturally, this casts suspicion on the opposing Cold War nation, leading to the brink of war. When Bond finally uncovers the truth, the climax of the film is an enormous battle inside the villainous lair with Bond leading the captured American and Soviet military men to storm the command center and prevent armageddon.
The difference between the two films is really just the location. Twice concerns itself with the space race; Spy with nuclear submarines. And while Spy doesn’t have a giant volcano base, the combination of Karl Stromberg’s massive supertanker and his underwater base, Atlantis, is pretty close. Speaking of Stromberg, there were even plans to resurrect Ernst Stavro Blofeld as the film’s main antagonist. But our old friend and official 007 troll Kevin McClory threw up legal barriers to block that character’s inclusion, resulting in Stromberg’s creation (Editor’s Note: for more on McClory, check out the backstory for Thunderball).
Regardless of the drama behind the scenes (or perhaps because of them), The Spy Who Loved Me would be a defining and iconic chapter for the Bond franchise: it captured the zeitgeist of the times, brought the franchise roaring back from its lowest point after the financial and creative failure of The Man with the Golden Gun, introduced an iconic villain in the steel jawed henchman Jaws, and brought the world to its feet at the sight of Roger Moore’s James Bond skiing off a cliff and deploying a Union Jack parachute. The audience was finally over their messy breakup with Sean Connery; they had fallen head over heels for their new Bond… James Bond.
DINE
The Spy Who Loved Me is packed with iconic scenes, but one of the best takes place beneath the mighty grandeur of the Egyptian pyramids. In that scene, Jaws tracks down his prey and murders him by sinking his metal teeth into his neck.
Human necks weren’t exactly to our taste when my Bond Night group sat down for a meal, so we settled for Egyptian cuisine instead. There’s something immensely satisfying about this style of cooking, in large part because of its simplicity. Legumes, oil, vegetables and bread are the staples of the Egyptian diet with ample savory additions of garlic and onions and meat usually cooked on a spit over charcoal.
For the purposes of Bond Night, Egyptian food is ideal for large groups of friends or family. Load up on some handy appetizers like baba ghanoush, an eggplant based spread that pairs great with pita bread, or grape leaves stuffed with meats and vegetables. Then look to either share lamb or chicken kebabs with rice for a main entree or order enough shawerma sandwiches so everyone gets one filled with all their favorite ingredients.
For dessert, baklava is the way to go. The crispy pastry is filled with nuts and topped with sweet syrup or honey. It’s the perfect ending to a satisfying and hearty meal. If Egyptian cuisine is tough to come by in your area, look for Mediterranean, Arabic or Lebanese restaurants. You’ll likely find plenty of similarities in the menus and more than a few dishes that share an Egyptian heritage.
DRINK
If you’ve been following along with the Bond Night imbibing program thus far, you’ve probably noticed a crucial absence in your liquor cabinet: where’s the brandy?
That little oversight gets fixed right now, with one of the Bond Night crew’s favorite discoveries: the Stinger, a brandy based cocktail that sneaks in a little creme de menthe for a surprising kick in the teeth. As the legend goes, this was a favorite of navy pilots back in World War II; it had a touch of sophistication to it, but without getting too full of itself.
James Bond never sipped one of these in the films, but enjoyed it as an aperitif in the novels Thunderball and Diamonds Are Forever. It felt like a natural for this film due to Spy‘s nautical theme and its oceanic settings. There’s just something about salt air and warm, blustery days that calls to mind the Stinger. Maybe it’s the connection with the underwater creature the stingray, or maybe it’s the combination of flavors that remind one of being out on the water.
The smooth lull of caramel and dark fruit, vanilla and oak coats your tastebuds like gently lapping waves against the side of a boat. Then the mint kicks in with a tingling burst like a gust of sea breeze that simultaneously assails the senses even as it refreshes them.
For provisions, you’ll want to look for a solid VSOP Brandy. Nothing too expensive, mind you. I’ve had great luck with both Paul Masson and Christian Brothers, two budget options that are nevertheless silky smooth and dangerously drinkable all on their own.
As for the creme de menthe, shell out a little more to avoid the cheap, artificial stuff. I highly recommend Sound Spirits’ Depth Menthe, although fair warning: you may have a hard time tracking it down. It has an assertive bite that eschews the sweet, sugary flavors of its competitors. I have also heard good things about both Marie Brizard and Tempus Fugit, which may or may not be more readily available depending on your location.
Stinger
- 2.25 oz VSOP Brandy (Paul Masson or Christian Brothers)
- 0.75 oz Creme de Menthe (Sound Spirits’ Depth, Marie Brizard or Tempus Fugit)
Directions
This one’s a breeze. Add to a shaker with ice. Shake aggressively and strain into a glass.
INTERMISSION
Pause the film at 00:50:13 or right after Agent Triple X uses her trick cigarette. You’ll know it’s coming when Bond appropriately laments, “Just when it was getting interesting.” Then return to the bar to refresh everyone’s glass. This is a great opportunity to discuss the first half of the film and trade war stories about all the times you let your guard down and a beautiful spy knocked you out the exact same way.
The Spy Who Loved Me – VERDICT
I fluctuate between various stages of anxiety depending on which Bond film I’m screening for friends. Is this one too slow? Too dark? Too silly? But I never worry about The Spy Who Loved Me. The reason is simple: it’s the quintessential James Bond adventure. To paraphrase an old saying, “If you don’t like The Spy Who Loved Me, you don’t like James Bond.”
My friends were smitten, to say the least. Snarky comments were few and far between, laughs and cheers were through the roof. Nobody expected James Bond to transform his car into a submarine. No one could predict Jaws would actually fight Jaws the Shark and come away triumphant. And of course Bond skiing off a mountain and deploying a parachute with the Union Jack left everyone in the room breathless.
All of these surprises were good surprises and they get right to the heart of what makes Spy such a successful Bond adventure. James Bond at his best is wish-fulfillment entertainment with elements of drama and comedy carefully balanced to never upset the fantasy. That formula is notoriously difficult to nail; lean too far one direction and you have a campy romp where the stakes don’t feel real; lean too far the other direction and you lose the whimsy and fun and imagination that’s inherent to the Bond fantasy.
But Spy nails it. Who wouldn’t want to be this James Bond, traveling all over the world, outfitted with cool gadgets and trading wisecracks with a beautiful Russian spy?
Moreover, this is a James Bond you could aspire to become without feeling too awful about it in the morning. Connery’s Bond was exciting, dangerous, debonair; but let’s face it: he’s a misogynistic bastard. Moore’s Bond may be a bit of a rogue and a sexist, but there’s no question he’s got a heart of gold. Would Connery’s Bond return to Atlantis just to rescue a Russian spy who has promised to kill him at the end of their mission? Not likely. He would have hit the button that launched the torpedoes himself and cracked wise about how women are like fish; there’s plenty of them in the ocean.
By comparison, Moore’s Bond is practically Sir Galahad. He’s brave, courageous, and honorable, risking his life when he’s so obviously outmatched, doing things the hard way simply because it’s the right thing to do. Even Moore’s slighter stature and physical inferiority are less a detriment to his interpretation of Bond than an advantage. As one of my friends pointed out, Moore’s vulnerability is actually quite affecting, making him both more relatable and sympathetic. It’s why his battles with Jaws are some of the best in the franchise. Jaws is even more terrifying because Moore simply can’t beat him in a hand-to-hand battle; he has to outsmart him.
And of course, when Bond does get a villain on the ropes, it’s actually more satisfying watching Moore’s version of the character enact his revenge. His kills feel far more brutal, simply because the rest of the time he’s so gentlemanly and good-humored. I can both imagine being friends with this guy and also being scared out of my mind if I ever pissed him off. Roger Moore’s James Bond can deliver a beautifully corny double entendre one minute and the next he’ll shoot you in the groin, eject you out of an airlock in deep space, or kick you and your car off the side of a mountain.
RANK
Let’s not mince words. The Spy Who Loved Me is a spectacular James Bond film. It may not have the cinematic cache of a Goldfinger, From Russia with Love or On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but it achieves what it sets out to do as effortlessly and as efficiently as any Bond film in the series. Spy is the most entertaining, crowd-pleasing adventure of James Bond’s career, distilling the essence of the franchise’s best efforts into a greatest hits package that still manages to feel enthralling, unique and inventive despite its cribbing from previous films. As far as fun goes, nobody does it better.
- Goldfinger
- From Russia With Love
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
- The Spy Who Loved Me
- Live and Let Die
- Dr. No
- Thunderball
- Diamonds Are Forever
- You Only Live Twice
- The Man with the Golden Gun
Bond Night Will Return with Moonraker…
About Bond Night
Bond Night is a tradition started by myself, a bonafide Bondian, and friends whose exposure to the James Bond film franchise was limited. One film a month is paired with a region-appropriate cuisine and cocktail, and spirited discourse about each film’s merits and shortcomings. The goal of this column is to translate that experience here, walking newbies and Bond-experts alike through fifty years of the British superspy’s cinematic history (from Dr. No through today) and declassifying all the secret intel necessary for you to host your own Bond Night with friends and family.