Book Vs. Movie: Octopussy
The Ian Fleming Short Story Vs. the 1983 Roger Moore Bond
The Margos are feeling very Bond–James Bond that is with 1983’s Octopussy based on a short story by Ian Fleming in the posthumously released Octopussy and The Living Daylights. Fleming, a former British Agent and the creator of Bond, passed away in 1964; he had left several short stories and novels that helped to continue the brand, including comic strips printed in newspapers worldwide. (We can’t promise not to giggle about the title throughout the episode!)
Major Dexter Smythe was a hero in the Second World War and was implicated in a murder scheme and a cache of Nazi gold. In the original story, Bond is a secondary character, and we learn about the tragic life of Smythe. He is a man of only 56 but acts like 96 with loss and alcoholism chasing him through life. Smythe killed a man and let him rot for 15 years under a glacier, so there is that. His pet is an octopus, and Bond allows him the opportunity to either turn himself in or take his own life. While looking for a scorpion fish to feed Octopussy, he stung to death and dragged into the water. All to be eaten by his beloved pet. Bond declares it is an accidental death and moves on.
This film brings Roger Moore back into the part of Agent 007 as he fights Russians, Maud Adam as Octopussy–a “wealthy businesswoman and smuggler” in Udaipur, India. The rest is two hours of jaw-dropping stunts, exotic locations, and fewer puns than expected.
So between the short story and movie–which did the Margos like better?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The life of Ian Fleming and the many variations of Bond over the last 60+ years
- The “plot” of this story
- The cast of the 1983 film: Roger Moore (James Bond,) Maud Adams (Octopussy,) Louis Jordan (Kamal Khan,) Kristina Wayborn (Magda,) Kabir Bedi (Gobinda,) Steven Berkoff (General Orlov,) Vijay Amritaj (Vijay,) Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny,) and Desmond Llewelyn as Q.
Clips used:
- Bond meets Octopussy
- Octopussy 1983 trailer
- Bond meets (and beats!) Kamal Khan
- Octopussy and her girl gang
- Music: All Time High by Rita Coolidge and Tim Rice
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Margo D. @BrooklynMargo www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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