Bond Is Forever: “A View to a Kill”

Having recovered a microchip in a snowy mountainous region of Siberia, MI6 agent James Bond (Roger Moore) is briefed by Q (Desmond Llewelyn) of the circuit’s likeness to another manufactured by Zorin Industries. The microchip apparently on the open market is suspect, as it has been expressly designed to withstand an electromagnetic pulse. Bond and another agent, Sir Godfrey Tibbett (Patrick Macnee), infiltrate a thoroughbred sale conducted by Max Zorin (Christopher Walken), and learn that he is drugging steeds to fix horse races. When 007’s identity is exposed, he must evade the murderous clutches of Zorin and his partner, May Day (Grace Jones). Bond’s investigation leads him to Stacey Sutton (Tanya Roberts), granddaughter of an oil mogul, who becomes a target for Zorin when a payoff is not as expeditious as the industrialist desires. Zorin’s ultimate goal is Project Main Strike, which would involve flooding Silicon Valley in San Francisco and shifting all the power in the production of microchips to Max Zorin.

A View to a Kill (1985) was the seventh and final film for British actor Moore, who celebrated his 57th birthday during the film’s production. It is undoubtedly one of the least popular films of the series, and the main criticism seems to be the casting of Moore, whose age shows throughout (even the actor himself publicly stated as much). Moore’s charm, however, is as strong as ever. This was also the last movie for the delightful Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny. Including A View to a Kill, Maxwell had appeared in all 14 Bond movies, the only actor to do so. Caroline Bliss took over the role in the subsequent film, The Living Daylights (1987).


Though flawed, A View to a Kill is an underrated entry among the Bond movies. There is depth to the plot, which bounces 007 around to distinctive locales without the impression of a lengthy pursuit, a common complaint for films such as Live and Let Die (1973). A notable factor in the solid story is the inclusion of the KGB. There’s a suggestion that Zorin was trained by the KGB but has since abandoned the agency. When Bond is believed to have been killed, the KGB confronts Zorin and condemns him for authorizing the deed without its permission. The organization becomes a neutral presence, as Bond must intercept a KGB agent (Fiona Fullerton) to stop her from obtaining incriminating evidence against Zorin, evidence that Bond needs for himself. The movie also includes a scene in which M (Robert Brown), Q, and Moneypenny are in the field with Bond, at the racecourse for surveillance, and it’s especially fun to watch Moneypenny cheer for her horse.

A View to a Kill (or at least its title) was adapted from Ian Fleming’s short story, “From a View to a Kill”, which appeared in the collection, For Your Eyes Only. Interestingly, some of the plot owes more to Goldfinger (1964). Zorin’s plan to render Silicon Valley worthless is similar to Goldfinger’s radiation attack on Fort Knox. Likewise, Zorin gathers men to explain the corporation overthrow, and anyone not interested in the endeavor is dropped from his airship. In the same manner, Goldfinger assembled members of the mob to invest in his scheme, and the man who says no thanks is given a ride to the junkyard (though those who invested were not necessarily safe). On the same point, a couple of key criticisms of A View to a Kill involve scenes which share similarities to Goldfinger, elements in the latter film that are generally not denounced. While a villain in A View to a Kill “turns good” near the end, that is essentially what Pussy Galore does (and she is always listed as a Bond Girl, never a villain). And Zorin’s oft-criticized act of gunning down men in cold blood with an uzi can be equated with Goldfinger’s original intention of dropping nerve gas and killing all military personnel at Fort Knox.

But while A View to a Kill maintains a respectable pace and entertains with worthy action sequences, it does have lesser attributes. Yet another disapproval is Tanya Roberts, who is admittedly weak as Stacey. In the same regard, the character of Stacey is nearly insignificant, as she proves helpless in combat or with information. Roberts is undeniably stunning, but Stacey is without substance, and the actress is one of the worst female co-stars in the series. Fortunately, Stacey is hardly in the first half of the film, but, not surprisingly, when she is full engaged in the storyline, the movie decelerates considerably (it’s equally frustrating to watch Stacey wear a hardhat like a baseball cap). An incursion into a mine shaft, for the final action scene, begins leisurely but picks up and concludes explosively.

The disclaimer at the end of the previous Bond outing, Octopussy (1983), teased the film as From a View to a Kill, though the “from” would be dropped before the 1985 release. From this film on, the disclaimer in the closing credits states, “James Bond will return,” but does not specify a title.

The title song was performed by pop band, Duran Duran, who also co-wrote with Bond composer John Barry, whose incorporation of the title song into the score is beautifully done. The single reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts (the only Bond theme song to ever do so), but with Duran Duran at the height of its popularity, the song’s success was foreseeable. Barry and the band were nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

Macnee’s appearance makes yet another connection to the British TV series, The Avengers. He co-starred with Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg and with Joanna Lumley in The New Avengers. Blackman starred in Goldfinger and Rigg and Lumley (the latter in a small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-her part) were in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

B-movie action star Dolph Lundgren, who was dating Grace Jones in 1985, has a tiny, nonspeaking role as a KGB henchman for General Gogol (Walter Gotell) and is clearly seen for only a couple of brief moments. This cameo, however, marked his film debut, and he received much more screen time and corresponding acclaim later the same year as Russian boxer, Ivan Drago, in Rocky IV.

It’s certainly not a fan favorite and is frequently placed near the bottom of Bond lists (if not the very bottom), but I enjoy watching A View to a Kill. The action is tight and energetic, Moore’s charisma shines through, and Walken is a riveting foe (I find his discernible voice oddly comforting, an intriguing antithesis to his villainous roles). The film isn’t the best of the series, but it’s also not the worst, and I prefer it over other Bond movies. It’s an admirable farewell to Moore and Maxwell.

Bond Is Forever will return for its final installment next month with Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

The Avengers: Steed Has a Nightmare with "Too Many Christmas Trees"

Steed awakes from a Christmas nightmare.

Originally telecast in 1965, during Diana Rigg's first season, this Christmas episode of The Avengers opens with John Steed (Patrick Macnee) dreaming about a friend's murder at the hands of an unpleasant Santa Claus. When Steed later tells Mrs. Peel (Rigg) about his nightmare, she shows him a newspaper article about his friend--who died under mysterious circumstances in a hotel room.

On an apparent whim, Mrs. Peel invites Steed to accompany her to a weekend holiday gathering at the country estate of publisher Brandon Storey. As they approach the isolated mansion, Steed gets a strong feeling of deja vu. Once inside, he recognizes the sleigh full of presents in the hall, his outfit for the costume party, and even a guest he has never met--it's as if Steed's nightmare was coming true.

Although its plot doesn't rank with the best Avengers episodes, Too Many Christmas features all the elements that made this unique series a favorite among its many fans. Macnee and Rigg have tremendous chemistry, which is amazing considering that they had only filmed a few epsiodes at that point in their two-year run together. Their witty banter and knowing winks are Avengers trademarks. For example, when Mrs. Peel is opening Steed's Christmas cards, there's one signed: "Best wishes for the future, Cathy."

"Mrs. Gale...how nice of her to remember me," muses Steed, adding "What can she be doing in Fort Knox?"

Fans of the show know that Cathy Gale, played by Honor Blackman, was Steed's previous partner. Blackman had just starred in Goldfinger as Pussy Galore--who was involved in a scheme to devalue the gold stored at Fort Knox.


Steed tells Emma about his deja vu.

Perhaps unintentionally, the casting also features an inside joke. When Steed experiences deja vu as he and Mrs. Peel approach Brandon Storey's mansion, the scene is very reminiscent of the opening of the 1946 ghostly anthology Dead of Night. One of the stars of that British classic was Mervyn Johns, who plays Storey in Too Many Christmas Trees.

The Avengers often recycled its guest stars and Too Many Christmas Trees features several actors who appeared in other episodes: Robert James, Alex Scott, Barry Warren, and Edwin Richfield. Interestingly, many of these performers also appeared in horror pictures made by Hammer Films (for instance, Barry Warren was an aristocratic bloodsucker in the excellent Kiss of the Vampire). Director Roy Ward Baker, who helmed eight Avengers episodes in all, also worked for Hammer. Finally, Brian Clemens, who produced and wrote some of the finest Avengers outings, later wrote and directed Hammer's Kronos (aka Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter).

Another Avengers trademark was its offbeat sense of fashion. Rigg started out in black leather, but graduated to colorful jump suits in her second year. The show's costume designers also loved to put her in fanciful garb--in a Robin Hood outfit in A Sense of History, a spiked choker in A Touch of Brimstone, and playful Oliver Twist attire in Too Many Christmas Trees.

Of course, the two leads and the clever scripts are what make The Avengers a must-see series (especially during the Diana Rigg years). That alone makes this holiday episode a delightful hour for any classic TV fan.