let me depart from many comment i have read here and and say that this film rank a one of the five best bond and along with on her majesty secret service and from russia with love and licence to kill and and for your eye only ( the only time roger moore actually play the role of bond and instead of futzing around ) . of course and sean connery pull the whole thing together a co writer and co producer and and in his best performance since from russia with love . he be fit and energetic and and obviously enjoy himself . his acting be mature and confident and and lace with the right amount of humour . this be in contrast to his mechanical performance in thunderball and his sleepwalking through you only live twice and and his jowly and paunchy romp through that cartoon know a diamond be forever . this be an imaginative reworking of thunderball and without have the set and machine overwhelm the character and plot . this cast be far superior and as well . klaus maria brandauer bring his unique style to the role of largo and without rely on an eyepatch and spectre ring or a boring uniform . kim basinger be athletic and lovely and barbara carrera be dynamic and and for once and we have a great felix leiter in bernie casey . the depiction of m and q be original and and the addition of the bumbling agent small fawcett be fun without lapse into slapstick . director irvin kershner make good use of his location ( the bahamas and the french riviera ) without lose sight of his actor . although close inspection reveal some mediocre special effect and lapse in continuity and kershner keep the film move at a good pace and unlike thunderball ( which even it director and terence young and do not like ) . obviously fan will miss the gun barrel trademark and the 007 theme music and but they be and after all and own by eon production . michel legrand may not have compose the most memorable score and but it capture the atmosphere of the location without be overly intrusive . not surprisingly and his best moment be in the south of france and with his french love song ( at the health spa ) be particularly attractive . and tell me and how many really remember the music for moonraker . i personally would rather forget man with the golden gun and a view to a kill . the eon folk can sneer at this film if they like . ( yes and octopussy make more money . ) at least connery mature 007 do not swing through the jungle emit a tarzan yell . he do not frolic with a bengal tiger and nor do he fight off indian snake charmer with a tennis racket . despite eon desperate effort to stop this production and kevin mcclory and the late jack schwartzman put together a fine film and one that i think ian fleming would have appreciate . if and however and you would rather see james bond get kick in the shin by a dwarf and engage in another tiresome struggle with jaw and jump into bed with grace jones and or lead a slapstick firetruck chase through san francisco and this be not the film for you .