For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Sorry, this movie sucks

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Movie Review: "007: For Your Eyes Only" (1981)Based on compilation of "007" short stories released by Ian Fleming (1908-1964) published in 1960, Eon productions' staff-screenwriter Richard Maibaum (1909-1991) joins forces with executive producer Michael G. Wilson to deliver the most accomplished action script in Roger Moore's era as the character of MI6 spy James Bond. An extraordinary range of exterior locations delivers "007" spreading his wings to be up in the air, navigating a helicopter to dispose an unfortunately-neglected character of "Blofeld" since "Diamonds are Forever" (1971) in a forgettable pre-title-sequence, underwater wreck diving with deep sea robotics, an super-accelerated chase scene at an Italian alps ski resort before an exciting showdown leads James Bond climbing up a mountain top accompanied with his fellow sidekick Milos Columbo, protrayed by highly authentically actor Chaim Topol and actresses Carole Bouquet and Lynn-Holly Johnson in their early 20s, bringing the light and the dark into romantic as erotic play for actor Roger Moore, who in his fifth portrayal as "007" handles it with such understatement at the age of 53 that punchlines as "No Head For Heights" while kicking a contemporary Mercedes-Benz with antagonist's right hand behind the steering wheel of a razor-sharp rocky cliff. These opponents in "For Your Eyes Only" have their skills mainly with hand-to-hand combat, all up front actor Julian Glover as the "007" Hyper-antagonist character of Kristatos stealing a British encryption machine to sell it to the Russian, who stays behind expectations with a minor hostile performance as Michael Lonsdale before him, who gave space-racing Super-Villian Drax in "Moonraker" (1979).Nevertheless "For Your Eyes Only" first-time directed by former-action-editor John Glen becomes a James Bond picture back down to Earth, which stands strong as full-embodied action-thriller quality entertainment. Cinematography by Alan Hume (1924-2010) delivers plain, but well-executed coverage with no surprises in a since 1977 "The Spy Who Love Me" kept CinemaScope (2.35:1 aspect ratio) film format that presents promoted editor John Grover panoramic on-location widescreen photography, live-action stunt work, especially in a stunningly-paced skiing scene, choreographed by Willy Bogner and his associates, plus the fair character close-ups, which holds its suspense to the end, preparing recurring international audiences for more Roger Moore charm, humor and strikes of boldness in two more "007" pictures already in his mid-50s. © 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

In 1969, George Lazenby's 007 stampeded the screen with the exquisitely '60s marketing battle cry of "Far up! Far out! Far more!" (and how! Like, wow!). Unfortunately, it's advice that Mr. Bond, James Bond continued to follow, well into the Roger Moore era, until the franchise had somewhat written itself into a corner of exponential excess, cultivating in the grotesque, campy bloat of Moonraker. So how to top Bond in space? Bring him back down to earth, naturally, with a cracking, gritty tale of espionage, to reestablish Bond as secret agent rather than Jedi Knight. And For Your Eyes Only nearly works as a welcome revitalization of Bond's class and spy credibility (even if it borrows even more liberally from From Russia With Love than The Spy Who Loved Me did from You Only Live Twice). It's just a shame that director John Glen seems to have overcompensated somewhat, endeavouring so tirelessly to deliver 'serious Bond' that his resulting romp, while pleasant, remains one of the blandest and least memorable outings of the series. To his credit, Glen rides the 007 franchise's most flamboyant, pointedly responsive tonal shift with ease, conjuring a distinctly vintage Fleming/John Le Carré vibe, and that rare shocker of a Bond film where (gasp!) the plot is actually its main selling point. And no, that's not just a jab at the comparative lack of 007 razzle-dazzle populating the spectacle frontier. Indeed, Glen stages a good action scene (the opening double-whammy of shipwreck and aeronautical murder are both genuinely alarming), even if many could do with having the pace and intensity accelerated to avoid pacing drifting into worrisomely laggy territory (the underwater submarine subterfuge and cliffhanger finale are all fun, but so lugubrious they're - literally, in the case of the shark-baiting water skiing - a drag). Glen makes good use of his experience as a veteran 007 second unit director, and evocatively captures the natural flavour and unassuming beauty of Italy and Greece. Still, the restrained spectacle and distinctly grey colour palate - set largely at night or in earthly locales, the only real colours pop up in Moore's gaudy wardrobe - do lend the film a disappointingly muted feel, which can't help but suck a lot of the fun out of proceedings. Serious is one thing, but snoozy is a step too far. Equally, the fawning fandom renown for the film's grit and credibility do demonstrate some selective memory: a somewhat shambling subplot having Bond subdue assailants by use of every Olympic winter sport is a strained contrivance whose fun factor wanes quickly, while a 'deus-ex-parrot' has to be one of the lamest plot devices of the entire franchise. Then there's the pre-credits sequence, which takes its place as the least thrilling and most idiotic offloading of Bond's legendary arch-nemesis imaginable (its inclusion being a thinly-veiled middle finger to Kevin McCrory, who hoarded Blofeld's rights for the execrable Never Say Never Again, is droll, but still self-indulgently stupid). And then there's Bibi - Lynn-Holly Johnson's contribution to the 'most annoying Bond girls' pantheon, whose infamous whiny, childhood petulance is excused only as cue for Moore's most amusingly acrid one-liner in his 007 tenure ("Put your clothes on and I'll buy you an ice cream"). Perhaps said ice cream could help sooth that burn. Bill Conti's jaunty disco synths and cowbells are groovy, but toe the line of distracting silliness, saved only when weaving the Bond theme in (more sparingly than usual, though - boo), while Glen anchoring the film's predominant car chase with a VW Beetle is really pushing the limit of tongue-in-cheek. And speaking of cheek: Daniel Craig's 007 may have met Queen Elizabeth, but it took Moore to take the p*ss out of Margaret Thatcher. It's a closing note of such amusing ballsiness you have to wonder how many shaken-not-stirred martinis Cubby Broccoli imbibed in before signing off on. Pairing the legendarily droll Roger Moore with the film's self-declared serious ethos could have misfired terribly, but Moore flexes his acting chops and keeps the British end up masterfully. He's starting to look a touch too old for the part here, and tempers his Bond appropriately - more sparing with the quips (though his incredulous eyebrows provide perennial punchlines in themselves), sombre and dignified visiting his wife's grave, and even more so when cautioning Melina not to be consumed by vengeance. As said vengeful firecracker, Carole Bouquet may be a touch flat, but she's elegant and credibly fierce, and welcomely far more capable than the average Bond girl. The same cannot be said for Julian Glover, whose adversary is so dull and immediately forgettable he's almost invisible while sharing scenes with his fellow actors. Thankfully, as the film's Kerim Bey surrogate, Topol is practically bursting at the seams with bawdy, infectious charisma (ten points if you recognized him without his Tevye beard, too). Cassandra Harris (Pierce Brosnan's late wife), is charmingly prissy as one of Bond's motivationally vaguer trysts. Finally, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell's Q and Moneypenny are charm incarnate as always, while James Villiers, dripping with snide contempt, covers the vacancy of M well, after Bernard Lee's tragic mid-film passing. For Your Eyes Only marks a valiant social experiment in fighting against the decade's excesses in the interests of re-grounding the ethos of the character, and for this it deserves credit. Ultimately, it's one of Bond's quieter, more sombre and reflective outings, and in somewhat steadier hands could have served as a strong character study. As it stands, it's a pleasant, suitably engaging watch, with many strong moments undermined by inconsistent silliness and a general sense of hazy disengagement. Ultimately, for better or worse, it's a moment of zen for Bond - intriguing but scarcely memorable for many outside of die-hard fans, and unlikely to spur any new recruits into posing in tuxedos (or powder blue snowsuits) in changing rooms. Maybe if you offer to buy them a delicatessen...-6.5/10

For Your Eyes Only was the first of the 1980's Bond films. It was released in 1981 and was the first Bond film to be directed by John Glen, who had worked on previous Bond films.The film, for me, marked a welcome return to the more realistic and back to basics Bond films, after the appalling OTT Moonraker. The plot revolves around Bond's hunt for a stolen submarine tracking device. I found the story easier to follow than some other Bond films, it was well-acted and the action scenes were very realistic, but spectacular. Moore was starting to look his age in this film, but he is a more grittier Bond in this film, which I liked. There are fewer gadgets, less silly humour and Bond has to use his wits more to survive in this film. I also thought that FYEO features some fantastic stunts and action sequences, notably the pre-credit scene, the snow chases and the mountain-climbing scene towards the end.The supporting cast are also exceptional. Carole Bouquet is the Bond girl and I thought that she was stunningly beautiful. Julian Glover is the villain, though he doesn't have much to do. I also enjoyed the performance of Fiddler On The Roof star Topol, who I found very amusing as Bond's ally Columbo. Cassandra Harris, formerly Mrs Pierce Brosnan, also has a small part as another lady whom Bond seduces. Although a lot of people seem to have found Lynn-Holly Johnson annoying as Bibi Dahl, I found her to be quite amusing and endearing. She is the only Bond girl that he has ever turned down to date, though.To sum up, I have always enjoyed FYEO and I think it is extremely entertaining and one of the most action-packed Bond films. I much prefer it to most of the other Roger Moore Bond films, with the exception of The Spy Who Loved Me. FYEO is the least silliest and more grounded of all of the Moore Bond films, which is why I have always liked it. I doubt that I will ever tire of watching it. I give it a solid 8 out of 10. The film was followed by Octopussy, which I also enjoy nearly as much as this. I recommend FYEO to any serious Bond fan, or fans of the earlier Bond films, to which this is very similar.

Directed by John Glen and produced by Albert Broccoli, it has script by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, and is the twelfth film in the franchise. In this film, James Bond must investigate the sudden sinking of a British spy ship in Greece and recover a machine that, if it falls into the wrong hands, can compromise the British submarine defense system. To fulfill the mission and prevent the Soviets from obtaining the lost system, the spy will take the help of a girl who seeks to avenge the death of her parents.This is another movie where Bond will protect his country in the context of the Cold War. As seen in "The Spy Who Loved Me", the threat of open war between Russians and Americans was already a situation that both powers sought to avoid, in so-called policy of "détente". In fact, Bond mentions that policy in this film, in one of the final scenes, addressing the Russian General Gogol. This is probably one of the most memorable scenes in this film. In another, Bond scale an almost vertical mountain, in order to get to villain's lair. And how can we forget the famous chase scene where Bond, at the wheel of a disjointed Citroen 2CV, makes cross-country by the Andalusian hills? In addition to that famous scenes, we must appreciate the good performance of the cast, particularly Roger Moore, which achieved to harmonized well his comic vein with the pure action scenes, showing much more the aggressiveness that he seemed to tempered in previous films. The opening theme, "For Your Eyes Only", sung by Sheena Easton, is also unforgettable.Besides the central cast, inherited from the previous films, and the continuation of Roger Moore in the role of 007, in this film participated Carole Bouquet, in the role of the Bond-girl Melina; Topol gave life to Columbus; Julian Glover represented the villain, Kristatos; Cassandra Harris took the role of Countess Lisl and Lynn- Holly Johnson gave life to the nymphet Bibi Dahl.