Plot
Agent 007 is assigned to hunt for a lost British encryption device and prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

Release Year: 1981

Rating: 6.8/10 (32,558 voted)

Director: John Glen

Stars: Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Topol

Storyline
After disposing of a familiar looking face, Bond is sent to recover a communication device, known as an ATAC, which went down with a British Spy ship as it sunk. Bond must hurry though, as the Russians are also out for this device. On his travels, he also meets Melina Havelock, whose parents were brutally murdered. Bond also encounters both Aristotle Kristatos and Milos Colombo. Each of them are accusing the other of having links with with the Russian's. Bond must team up with Melina, solve who the true ally is and find the ATAC before it's too late.

Writers: Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson

Cast:
Roger Moore - James Bond
Carole Bouquet - Melina
Topol - Columbo
Lynn-Holly Johnson - Bibi
Julian Glover - Aristotle Kristatos
Cassandra Harris - Lisl
Jill Bennett - Brink
Michael Gothard - Emile Leopold Locque
John Wyman - Kriegler
Jack Hedley - Havelock
Lois Maxwell - Moneypenny
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Geoffrey Keen - Minister of Defence
Walter Gotell - General Gogol
James Villiers - Tanner

Taglines: My name is Bond - James Bond

Official Website: MGM |

Release Date: 26 June 1981

Filming Locations: Achillion Palace, Gastouri, Corfu, Greece

Box Office Details

Budget: $28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $6,834,967 (USA) (28 June 1981) (952 Screens)

Gross: $195,300,000 (Worldwide) (1982)

Runtime: 127 min

Trivia:
Stuntman Paolo Rigoni died during the filming of the bobsled chase.

Goofs:
Continuity: When Bond and Melina are dragged under water behind Kristatos' yacht, in one shot Melina's swimming suit has slipped down showing her naked bum. In the next shot it is back in place while her hands are still tied so she couldn't have done it herself.

Quotes:
[first lines]
Vicar: Mr. Bond, Mr. Bond. I'm so glad I caught you. Your office called. They're sending a helicopter to pick you up. Some sort of emergency.
James Bond: It usually is. Thank you.

One of Roger's best!

Rating: 10/10

Undeniably one of Roger Moore's best outings as 007, For Your Eyes Only was an attempt by Cubby Broccoli to bring Bond down to earth after the over the top, but brilliant, Moonraker. Surprisingly this works very well, with the action sequences being more realistic (what with a car chase, ski chase and a small scale assault on the villain's residence instead), but brilliant too. For Roger Moore the film offers his best performance as James Bond. The puns are played down more here and while he does still have a little twinkle in his eye at times, his performance reflects more an older 007, a man who has lost his wife and is still fighting to save the world and right wrongs. This is demonstrated in the superb pre-title sequence in which after visiting his wife's grave, he is kidnapped by Blofeld (unofficially Blofeld however) and taken on a wild helicopter ride. The moment were he visits Tracy's grave sees Roger convey so much in one scene, he shows that he is not just the comedic 007, but he can be a serious one too. We see how the character has come to view revenge on Blofeld as he tells the dream like Melina (a beautiful and enchanting performance from Carole Bouquet) that before setting out on revenge as she hopes to do, she must first dig two graves. Some would see this as hypocrisy, whereas it is the words of a Bond who has come to analyse the hardship of a licence to kill.

With Julian Glover portraying a more down to earth villain and the plot centering around the Cold War, For Your Eyes Only is a great 80's Bond film, with scatterings of what would be developed into the Timothy Dalton years, such as the serious Bond and the more down to earth story telling. Following on the heels of two of the biggest Bond films in terms of scope and financial success, For Your Eyes Only was a risk, but it worked. While it did not outgross Moonraker, it's financial intake was close and while it does possess the entertainment factor that both Moonraker and The Spy Who Loved Me did, it is an artistic success, with great performances, an engrossing storyline, wonderful characterization and superb direction from John Glen in his directorial debut for a Bond film. He stages the abundance of chase scenes well and is helped by the fact that he has a good script to go with. On top of that Sheena Easton delivers a great theme tune.

A great film and one deserving of classic status.

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