The Spy Who Loved Me (film) could not help but stand up. Even Prince Charles stood up." It was Roger Moore's favourite Bond film, and many reviewers consider it the best installment to star the actor. Christopher Null praised the gadgets, particularly the Lotus Esprit car. James Berardinelli of Reelviews said that the film is "suave and sophisticated", and Barbara Bach proves to be an ideal Bond girl – "attractive, smart, sexy, and dangerous". Brian Webster stated the special effects were "good for a 1979 [sic] film", and Marvin Hamlisch's music, "memorable". Danny Peary described "The Spy Who Loved Me" as "exceptional ... For once, the
James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me has bravely tackled his formidable task, that of turning a typical late Bond film, which must be basically facetious, into a novel after Ian Fleming, which must be basically serious. ... the descriptions are adequate and the action writing excellent." T. J. Binyon, writing in "The Times Literary Supplement" said, "Christopher Wood's style is lusher than Ian Fleming's, and teeters throughout on the brink of parody." Maurice Richardson in "The Observer" called "The latest licensed ersatz Bond"" a ""[s]uitable silly season read." Australian novelist Eileen Alderton, writing for the "Australian Women's Weekly" called it "a gutsy, punchy novel" that has