Those who watched James Bond films in the latter periods of the franchise could have noticed an interesting pattern. Good theme songs (and music videos) usually meant that the film itself would be disappointing and vice versa. It could be argued that such pattern was established with Octopussy, 1983 film directed by John Glen and featuring “All Time High”, catchy theme song performed by Rita Coolidge.
The script was very loosely based on two short stories by Ian Fleming – “Octopussy” and “Property of a Lady”, but it was actually much more heavily influenced by early 1980s geopolitics. Cold War was escalating again, with many fearing that it would soon becoming “hot” and Europe turned into battlefield. It was widely believed that Soviets, with their huge advantage in manpower and conventional weapons, would easily overwhelm NATO defences and that US tactical nuclear missiles were only thing preventing the continent from ending under Communist yoke. All that at first seems to be of a little concern for British secret agent James Bond (played by Roger Moore), tasked of investigating the mysterious murder of fellow agent which might be connected with famous Fabergé eggs, some of the most valuable belongings of Russian Imperial family. Bond suspects that Soviets want to sell the eggs in order to finance their covert operations, so he starts following Kamal Khan (played by Louis Jourdan), an exiled Afghan prince who is involved in smuggling operations. Bond travels to India where he meets Kamal Khan’s associate Octopussy (played by Maud Adams), beautiful woman who leads cult-like band of women that engage in various legitimate and illegal businesses, including running a circus. Bond learns that Kamal Khan is cahoots with General Orlov (played by Stephen Berkoff), renegade Soviet commander who devised ingenious and devilish plan to get rid of Western nuclear deterrent before the invasion. Kamal Khan would, in exchange for old Tsarist treasure, use Octopussy’s circus as a cover to smuggle nuclear warhead into US Air Force base in West Germany and detonate it; the public would believe the catastrophe was accidental and force politicians to remove remaining nuclear missiles. Bond will have to use all of his skills and ingenuity to save thousands of innocent lives.
Basic premise of the film is very sound, but it is wasted as an excuse for routine escapist story that, unlike the previous instalment in the series or the Sean Connery films, has very little to do with real life. Large part of the plot takes place in India simply because George MacDonald Fraser, one of the co-writers, wanted to use its exotic locations. Film is in many ways feast for the eyes, which puts famous lakes and palaces of Udaipur to good use, and an interesting setting for car chase scenes. Roger Moore, whose hair is slightly longer in order to hide his advanced age, is returning to the portrayal of suave playboy who seems to be more interested in delivering one-liners, enjoying good life and seducing women than to actually do his work. The film, especially in the second part, becomes increasingly silly, especially in the safari scene during which Bond tames wild tigers and gives Tarzan impersonation. Later, Bond is wearing gorilla suit and in the most climactic scene is dressed as clown, being laughed at by thousands of children. In such context, the actual plot is difficult to be taken seriously. Another disappointment is Bond girl, played by Maud Adams, rather capable actress who previously appeared as unfortunate Andrea Sanders in The Man with the Golden Gun. In that film Adams had good chemistry in Moore; in this film she doesn’t. Her character appears too late in the film and has weak dialogue lines and characterisation. Kristina Wayborn leaves much better impression as Magda, trusted lieutenant in Octopussy’s small female army. Bond villains are disappointing too; while Louis Jourdan is good as Bond’s rival in suaveness, Stephen Berkoff goes hysterically over the top as overambitious military maniac. The biggest disappointment comes for fans of Kabir Bedi, one of rare Indian actors who became international star due to his role in Sandokan miniseries; here his charismatic presence is unused and he is playing one-dimensional and not particularly impressive villain.
Not all things about Octopussy are bad. John Glen directs the film very confidently, especially in the action-packed prologue set in unnamed Latin American country (which could be both Communist Cuba or Argentina, with which Britain have recently made war over Falkland Islands). Indian tennis player Vijay Armitraj provides an effective comic relief in the role of Bond’s colleague in India. Desmond Llewelyn provides something of the same in the first Bond film where Q has to take more active part in field operations (and even enjoy company of the ladies). John Barry also provides a good, although not particularly memorable score.
The most interesting thing about Octopussy is, on the other hand, its prophetic quality. Producers, hoping that they might sell their find on the markets behind Iron Curtain one day and in an effort to make basic premise less depressive, took pains to show that the main villain is a rogue and not the Soviet government. This is explicitly shown in the scene in which Orlov tries to convince his superiors to allow him to invade Europe; when they refuse, claiming that they should focus on domestic problems and that the world socialism would appear peacefully, he accuses them of being “old men” whose cowardice and incompetence would doom Soviet Union . In a way, Orlov was proven right eight years afterwards, when Soviet Union collapsed, an event which many attribute to ineptness and incompetence of its gerontocratic leadership, which has striking and disturbing similarities with certain old man currently in the White House. Yet, even the viewers who care little about geopolitics and history would probably enjoy Octopussy, Bond film which began franchise’s turn for the worse but featured enough entertainment.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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