Octopussy reference guide

When Agent 009 turns up dead at the British Embassy in Berlin holding a Russian Faberge egg, 007 is called in to investigate. He soon finds out that the egg is being sought by a collector named Kamal Khan, who is in league with a psychopathic Soviet general, Orlov, who is hell-bent on Soviet domination despite reprimands from his superiors. Orlov's plan involves smuggling an atomic bomb into a U.S. Air Force Base in West Germany, in the hopes of crippling the country and leaving it an easy target for Soviet conquest. Bond's investigation of Khan leads him to India, where he meets a mysterious woman named 'Octopussy' who is connected to Khan. With the bomb in place, Bond must race against time to stop the bomb from exploding & killing thousands, whilst tracking down Khan before he can escape! (Written by Derek O'Cain

Quick facts

Produced by Albert R. Broccoli

Directed by John Glen

Screenplay by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum & Michael G Wilson

UK Release Date 6th June 1983

US Release Date 10th June 1983

Worldwide Box Office $183,700,000 US

Budget $27,500,000 US

Running Time 131 Minutes

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Locations

Unnamed Caribbean/South American country; London; East & West Berlin; East Germany; West Germany; Moscow; India.

Bond, James Bond

James Bond replies in his usual manner when Kamal Khan asks 007 what his name is when he sits down with him to play backgammon.

Behind the scenes

The gas station where James pulls up to refuel his mini Acrostar was constructed at Pinewood Studios - it was created on the same spot that Fort Knox was created for Goldfinger.

Michael G. Wilson appears in two cameo roles in Octopussy, he is a member of the Soviet Security Council, and present aboard the tour boat Bond boards after escaping Kamal Khan's 'Bond hunt'.

During the taxi chase in India, a man on a bicycle goes in between a car of thugs and Bonds Tuk-Tuk Taxi whilst the two are in a fight. This was not actually part of the script. The man didn't know anything about it - he just drove straight between the two!

The sequence aboard Octopussy's circus train was filmed at Nene Valley steam railway in Peterborough. It is exactly the same place where rock group Queen shot their music video 'Breakthru' six years later.

Vijay Amritraj is actually a tennis pro in real life. §

Selected behind the scenes information courtesy IMDb.