Rating: ****
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Production Design: Ken Adam
Cast: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curt Jurgens, Richard Kiel, cameo by Valerie Leon
One of my favorite Bond films, this one features a mad scientist (Curt Jurgens) who captures a couple of nuclear submarines and intends to instigate World War III. The goal is to wipe out all of the "surface dwellers" so that the ocean kingdom can prosper without the imposing threat of mankind. James Bond (Roger Moore) is teamed up with Russian agent Triple X (Barbara Bach) to track down the missing subs, which ends in an explosive free-for-all battle on a giant oil tanker. This film also debuts the appearance of Jaws (Richard Kiel), and he offers an enjoyably quirky slant to the film. The highlights include the classic heart-stopping cliff ski jump stunt, and a way too cool Lotus Esprit that transforms into a submarine. Quite inspiring. What strikes me as odd in this day and age is the nature of the "happy ending." Bond saves the world by detonating two nuclear missiles in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Uh, wouldn't this have some nasty ramifications?