JAMES BOND 007 MAGAZINE | A View To A Kill 40th Anniversary


Although box-office takings were down on Octopussy (1983), Roger Moore’s final outing as 007 still pulled in a respectable $152 million worldwide, but the search was now on to find a replacement for the actor who had played James Bond for the past 12 years. Actress Lois Maxwell also decided that A View To A Kill would be her last James Bond film after playing the role of Miss Moneypenny in every film since Dr. No (1962). Both Roger Moore and Lois Maxwell continued to be ambassadors for the James Bond film series, with Moore acting as host for Happy Anniversary 007 (1987) – an hour-long celebration of 25 years of James Bond films, which introduced Timothy Dalton as the new 007. Former Miss Moneypenny Lois Maxwell also served as host for James Bond: Licence to Thrill – another UK TV special which was screened on the ITV network on June 29, 1987, and featured archive footage and new interviews with former James Bond actors and filmmakers, along with coverage of the Royal World Charity Premiere of The Living Daylights at London's ODEON Leicester Square.

A View To A Kill marked a significant turning point in the EON Productions James Bond series. Whilst it could be argued that its star went on long past his sell-by date, it was to be the final act in Roger Moore’s 12-year tenure as Ian Fleming’s secret agent, and despite less than enthusiastic reviews, the film did perform comparatively well at the global box-office. However, times were changing and the new wave of American blockbusters were reaping even greater rewards with their ambitious use of special effects and comic-book storylines. From his debut in Live And Let Die (1973), which finally proved that a worldwide audience would accept another actor playing James Bond, to new heights of outlandish box-office success with The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979), Moore made the character his own, bringing a great deal of natural charm and humour to the role. The debut of a new director, John Glen, with For Your Eyes Only (1981) returned Bond to earth with Moore delivering a more nuanced performance in a story that acknowledged his advancing years. With hindsight this is probably where his tenure should have ended, but EON Productions were not about to kill off the goose that laid the golden eggs, and Moore and ‘Cubby’ Broccoli continued undaunted for another two films. Roger Moore formally announced his retirement from the role of James Bond on December 3, 1985 and left the series still on good terms with the producers.

40 years on A View To A Kill is now regarded as one of the weaker entries in the EON Productions series, with its star clearly too old to be a believable secret agent, and a leading lady who, despite being presented as a geologist and independent professional woman, is reduced to a screaming cypher like so many other Bond Girls at the end of the film. On the plus side, Christopher Walken gives a spirited performance as a deranged genetically engineered industrialist, assisted by Grace Jones who lends the film a bizarre slant as Zorin’s lover and kick-boxing henchwoman May Day. Her imposing character (stylishly illustrated by artist Daniel Goozee on the film posters) is visually striking, but like Jaws (Richard Kiel) before her, is undermined when she switches allegiance at the end of the film. John Barry delivers an energetic score which is woven through with variations of the main theme, and arguably a more mature score than its predecessor. A View To A Kill now comes across as a dated, tired re-hash of what had gone before, with nothing new to offer other than different actors playing the same well-worn characters. What the series needed was an injection of new blood. However, the announcement of the casting of Pierce Brosnan in June 1986 was short-lived as his chance of playing James Bond was cruelly snatched from him at the last minute. Timothy Dalton was ultimately unveiled as 007 #4 two months later. A View To A Kill (1985) was the first James Bond film to end with the announcement that “James Bond Will Return” – giving hope to cinemagoers that the series would continue. With the recent announcement that Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli were stepping down from production, it appears to be a case of history repeating, with fans now eagerly awaiting a new chapter in the long history of James Bond in the cinema. With a new studio producing and new captains at the wheel, the future of the cinematic James Bond still hangs in the balance.

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