For Your Eyes Only (1981)
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James Bond must navigate a web of deception and Greek smugglers to recover a stolen missile command system.
The story
After a British information-gathering vessel is sunk in the Ionian Sea, the Ministry of Defence tasks James Bond with recovering the Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator (ATAC) before the Soviets can seize it. Bond's mission becomes complicated when he encounters Melina Havelock, a woman seeking revenge for the murder of her parents. As Bond navigates a series of dangerous encounters across Spain, Italy, and Greece, he must navigate a complex web of deception involving Greek smugglers and a mysterious organization to secure the technology and uncover the truth behind the conspiracy.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the sinking of the St Georges, which carried the ATAC system, Bond is tasked by MI6 to recover it before the Soviets can. He discovers that the system's location is being tracked by various interests. Bond encounters Melina Havelock, whose parents were murdered by a hitman; she seeks revenge against the perpetrators. Bond's journey takes him through Spain, where he is captured but escapes during a confrontation with the hitman. He then travels to Italy and Greece, eventually teaming up with Milos Columbo, a former smuggling partner of the villainous Aristotle Kristatos. Bond navigates a series of set pieces, including a chase in a Citroën 2CV and a confrontation in a ski resort. After a series of skirmishes, Bond and Melina eventually reach a mountaintop monastery where they confront Kristatos. Bond successfully retrieves the ATAC, and while the Soviet leader Gogol arrives to claim it, Bond throws the device off a cliff to maintain the status quo. The film ends with Bond and Melina sharing a moment of peace.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Glen
- Writers
- Richard Maibaum · screenplay; Michael G. Wilson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Roger Moore · James Bond; Carole Bouquet · Melina Havelock; Chaim Topol · Milos Columbo; Lynn-Holly Johnson · Bibi Dahl; Julian Glover · Aristotle Kristatos; Cassandra Harris · Lisl, The Countess Von Schlaf; Michael Gothard · Emile Leopold Locque; Jill Bennett · Jacoba Brink; Jack Hedley · Sir Timothy Havelock; Walter Gotell · General Anatoly Gogol; James Villiers · Bill Tanner; Desmond Llewelyn · Q
- Genres
- spy; action; thriller
- Themes
- revenge; Cold War
- Tone and mood
- serious; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- spy; action; adventure; mystery
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ian Fleming short stories 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'Risico', with elements from 'Live and Let Die', 'Goldfinger', and 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.
- Franchise connections
- James Bond
- Reception
- The film received a mixed critical reception but has improved over time, with many praising its serious tone and high-quality stunts.
- Awards and nominations
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs · song · 2004 · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was the last Bond film distributed solely by United Artists.; The production designer created a special '007' edition of the Citroën 2CV.; The pre-credits sequence was designed to link the new actor to elements from previous films.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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