Octopussy (1983)
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James Bond must navigate a web of international intrigue involving stolen Soviet treasures and a high-stakes plot to destabilize Western Europe.
The story
After a British agent is mortally wounded in East Berlin, MI6 suspects Soviet involvement and sends James Bond to investigate a suspicious auction in London. Bond identifies a plot involving an exiled Afghan prince, Kamal Khan, and a mysterious woman known as Octopussy. The investigation leads Bond to India, where he discovers that a Soviet general is smuggling stolen treasures from the Kremlin. The plot escalates as Bond learns of a plan to use a nuclear weapon to force disarmament in Western Europe. Bond must navigate a series of dangerous encounters and international locations to stop the threat before it can be triggered.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the death of an agent in East Berlin, Bond attends a London auction where he identifies a fake Fabergé egg and tracks its owner, the exiled Afghan prince Kamal Khan, to his palace in India. There, he discovers Khan is working with a corrupt Soviet general, Orlov, who is smuggling stolen Kremlin treasures out of the USSR. Bond learns that Orlov intends to replace these treasures with a nuclear warhead during a circus performance in East Germany to force Western Europe into disarmament. Bond travels to East Germany, infiltrates the circus, and eventually boards a train to reach the target. He manages to stop the detonation of the warhead and confronts the conspirators. The film concludes with Bond and Octopussy returning to India, where they both survive a final confrontation with Khan's forces.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 131
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Glen
- Writers
- George MacDonald Fraser · screenplay; Richard Maibaum · screenplay; Michael G. Wilson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Roger Moore · James Bond; Maud Adams · Octopussy; Louis Jourdan · Kamal Khan; Kristina Wayborn · Magda; Kabir Bedi · Gobinda
- Genres
- spy film; action thriller
- Themes
- espionage; nuclear disarmament; cultural exchange
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; adventure
- Premise and plot tags
- spy thriller; international intrigue; Cold War
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ian Fleming's short stories 'Octopussy' and 'The Property of a Lady'.
- Franchise connections
- James Bond
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its action sequences and locations, while the plot and humor were criticized.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 63 · scale: 100 · review count: 14; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 41% · scale: 100% · review count: 49
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Reel Award · Best Sound Editing · Win; Golden Screen Award · selling over 3 million tickets · Win; Saturn Awards · Best Supporting Actress · 11th · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the first Bond movie released by MGM.; The title is based on a short story by Ian Fleming.; The character Octopussy was originally intended to be played by a South Asian actress.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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