Roger Moore was worried. It was 1977. The Bond franchise felt a bit shaky after the lukewarm reception of The Man with the Golden Gun. People were starting to wonder if the 007 magic had run its course or if the tuxedo just didn't fit the seventies anymore. Then came the Lotus Esprit. Then came the submarine car. But mostly, then came a group of actors who somehow managed to balance high-stakes Cold War tension with the kind of campy fun that defined an entire decade.
When you look back at The Spy Who Loved Me cast, you aren't just looking at a list of names on a poster. You're looking at the blueprint for the modern blockbuster ensemble. It’s the film where the "Bond Girl" became a legitimate peer, where the villain's henchman became more famous than the villain himself, and where Roger Moore finally stopped trying to be Sean Connery and just became Roger Moore.
The Man in the Tuxedo: Roger Moore’s Defining Moment
Roger Moore had a specific kind of charm. It wasn't the "I will kill you with my bare hands" grit of Connery. It was more of a "I might kill you, but I’ll definitely make a pun about your tie first" vibe. By his third outing, he’d hit his stride. In this film, his performance is surprisingly layered. He’s funny, sure. But there’s that one scene—you know the one—where he mentions his late wife, Tracy. For a split second, the playboy mask slips. That tiny moment of grief, delivered with a subtle tightening of the jaw, proved Moore could handle the heavy lifting of the character’s history while still looking impeccable in a naval commander’s uniform.
He stayed in the role for years after this, but many critics, including the legendary Roger Ebert, argued this was his peak. He looked the part. He acted the part. He owned the part.
Barbara Bach and the Evolution of Anya Amasova
Most Bond films of that era treated female leads as accessories. The Spy Who Loved Me cast changed that dynamic by introducing Barbara Bach as Major Anya Amasova, code name Triple X. She wasn't just a love interest. She was a mirror.
Amasova was a KGB agent with a grudge. She had a brain. She had a mission. When she tells Bond that she knows his "stiff upper lip" routine is a front, it’s a refreshing bit of self-awareness for the series. Bach brought a cold, professional stillness to the role that made the eventual romantic tension feel earned rather than inevitable. It’s honestly impressive how she held her own against Moore’s massive screen presence, especially considering she wasn't originally a professional actress but a model. She didn't have a huge filmography before this, yet she became the template for every "competent" Bond woman that followed, from Wai Lin to Madeleine Swann.
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The Giant in the Room: Richard Kiel as Jaws
We have to talk about Jaws. Richard Kiel stood seven feet, two inches tall. He had steel teeth that actually hurt to wear—he could only keep them in for about thirty seconds at a time before he’d start gagging.
Originally, Jaws was supposed to die. The script had him killed off by a shark. But the test audiences loved him too much. Director Lewis Gilbert realized they had gold on their hands. Kiel managed to make a silent assassin sympathetic. He didn't have a single line of dialogue in this movie, yet he communicated everything through those wide, expressive eyes and that terrifying, metallic grin. Jaws wasn't just a monster; he was a force of nature. He survives a car crash, a falling building, and a shark tank. He’s the reason kids in 1977 were terrified of dark hallways.
Curt Jurgens as Karl Stromberg: The Elegant Madman
While Jaws provided the physical threat, Curt Jurgens provided the intellectual menace. His Karl Stromberg is a bit of a departure from the high-energy villains of the past. He’s sedentary. He’s obsessed with the ocean. He hates touching people (a detail Jurgens insisted on to make the character feel more alien).
Jurgens was a heavyweight of European cinema. He brought a "theatre" energy to the underwater base, Atlantis. He didn't need to scream to be scary. He just sat at the end of an absurdly long dining table and pressed buttons that dropped people into shark pits. It was a masterclass in understated villainy. Some fans find Stromberg a bit boring compared to Blofeld, but his coldness is exactly what the movie needed to balance out the more over-the-top action sequences.
The Supporting Players Who Kept the Ship Afloat
The "office" staff at MI6 is often overlooked, but in this film, they are essential.
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- Bernard Lee as M: This was toward the end of Lee's tenure, and he plays M with a weary, fatherly authority that anchors the whole movie.
- Desmond Llewelyn as Q: The gadgets in this film are legendary. The wet bike? The Lotus? Llewelyn’s playful annoyance with Bond’s "disregard for government property" is the comedic backbone of the franchise.
- Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny: The banter here is sharp. It’s short, punchy, and provides the necessary "home base" feel before Bond jets off to Egypt or Sardinia.
The Locations as Cast Members
It sounds like a cliché, but the locations in this movie really do act as characters. The Egyptian pyramids, the snowy peaks of Austria, and the crystal-clear waters of Sardinia—they all contribute to the "bigness" of the film.
Production designer Ken Adam built the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios specifically for this movie because no existing soundstage was big enough to hold the interior of the supertanker. That tanker set alone cost $1 million in 1970s money. When you watch the final battle, you aren't seeing CGI. You're seeing massive, physical steel structures and real explosions. That’s why it still looks better than many modern Marvel movies. The scale is tactile.
What People Often Get Wrong About the Casting
A common misconception is that the cast was "lucky." In reality, the casting was a desperate gamble. The producers had split up. Harry Saltzman was gone. Cubby Broccoli was on his own. He needed a hit.
They looked at dozens of women for Anya before settling on Bach. They considered making Jaws a more traditional "tough guy" before Kiel brought his unique physicality. Even the music—Marvin Hamlisch’s disco-infused score—was a massive risk that could have dated the movie instantly. Instead, it became an anthem.
The chemistry between Moore and Bach is the real secret sauce. They don't jump into bed immediately. They spend most of the movie trying to outsmart each other. That professional rivalry creates a friction that makes the ending feel like a genuine payoff.
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Why This Specific Lineup Still Matters Today
Modern Bond films are great, but they often struggle with tone. They are either too dark (Daniel Craig era) or too silly (late Pierce Brosnan era). The Spy Who Loved Me cast hit the "Golden Mean."
They took the ridiculous seriously. When Richard Kiel bites through a van, he does it with a straight face. When Moore drives a car underwater, he adjusts his tie. This commitment to the bit is what makes the movie a masterpiece of the genre. It taught filmmakers that you can have a guy with metal teeth as long as the hero treats him like a real threat.
Lessons from the Production
If you’re a film buff or a student of cinema, there are a few things to take away from how this cast was handled:
- Contrast is King: Pair a smooth, witty lead with a silent, hulking antagonist.
- Give the "Bond Girl" an Agenda: Anya Amasova had her own mission that existed independently of Bond.
- Character over Dialogue: Jaws proved that you don't need a script to be iconic; you need a silhouette and a gimmick.
Actionable Insights for Bond Fans
If you want to truly appreciate the work of this cast, do these three things during your next rewatch:
- Watch Richard Kiel’s eyes, not his teeth. You’ll see a surprising amount of comedic timing and even a bit of sadness in his performance.
- Compare Anya Amasova to earlier leads. Notice how she initiates action and saves Bond just as often as he saves her.
- Look at the naval sequences. Most of the "extras" in the submarine scenes were actual sailors, which adds a layer of realism to the chaotic final act.
To understand the history of the franchise, start with the 1977 production notes. They reveal just how close this movie came to never happening. The fact that it became a global phenomenon is a testament to the people in front of the camera as much as the people behind it. The legacy of this cast is why we still get a new Bond movie every few years. They saved the series. It’s as simple as that.