When a massive underwater craft abducts U.S. and Russian submarines, global tensions are heightened to the brink of war. In order to find the true culprit, James Bond joins forces with beautiful Russian agent Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach). Together they follow a trail that leads to Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens), a powerful shipping magnate who is implementing a horrific scheme for world domination. Bond struggles to foil the plot, but Stromberg has provided him with a most lethal adversary: Jaws (Richard Kiel), a seemingly indestructible steel-toothed giant. Agent 007's adventure takes him to the Egyptian pyramids, under the sea and to a mountaintop ski chase that builds to one of the most amazing stunts ever filmed.

Climaxing with a magnificent, thrill-packed finale in Stomberg's secret submarine base (which required the construction of the world's largest soundstage), The Spy Who Loved Me is a relentlessly exciting action spectacular with romance, humor, and nail-biting suspense.

Trivia

The hull number on the sail of the U.S. submarine in Stromberg's supertanker is 593. This is the number of the USS Thresher, lost in 1963 with all hands off the Massachusetts coast.

The closing credits say, "James Bond will return in For Your Eyes Only" but, because of the successes of Star Wars (1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977),  Moonraker (1979) was chosen.

First 007 movie to be filmed in Dolby Stereo.

$1 million of the $13.5 million budget was spent by production designer Ken Adam on building the largest sound stage in the world: 336'x139'x44'. The set was used for the interior shots of Stromberg's supertanker. The tank had a capacity of 1.2 million gallons .

Fleming was so displeased with his novel that his contract with EON only allowed the title to be used. One storyline had Blofeld returning, but Kevin McClory (who co-wrote Thunderball (1965)) threatened legal action, claiming that he had exclusive use of the
SPECTRE concept. At the same time, McClory begins work on his rival Bond movie "Warhead" (renamed Never Say Never Again (1983).

Rick Sylvester was paid $30,000 for the skiing stunt in the opening sequence.

Jaws was played by Richard Kiel, who played an almost identical part a year earlier in Silver Streak (1976).

After the film's release, demand for white Lotus Esprits surges to the point that new customers had to be placed on a three year waiting list.

The character of Major Boothroyd is addressed as such by Barbara Bach for one of the only times in the movie series. Boothroyd (played by Desmond Llewellyn) is the head of Q branch, but the name Q stuck to the character.

The film was shot in Panavision scope 2.35:1.