Synopsis
(The Living Daylights)
A straightforward training mission on Gibraltar turns sour for
the 00 section when 004 is murdered. Soon after, Georgi Koskov
(Jereon Krabbe), a senior Russian, is defecting in Bratislava,
and wants James Bond (Timothy Dalton) to act as lookout to ensure
his safety. A beautiful cellist, Kara Milovy (Maryam dAbo),
catches Bond's eye, and turns out to be the sniper trying to stop
Koskov. Against orders, he shoots at the stock of the gun, knocking
it out of her hands.
Koskov claims to have defected because his superior, General
Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies), who has replaced General Gogol, has
started a new operation: Smiert Spionem (Death to Spies). Pushkin
will be in Tangiers in three days' time, and Koskov suggests that
he be eliminated to stop the operation. However, the safe house
in which Koskov is being debriefed is attacked, and someone who
claims to be a KGB agent kidnaps Koskov. A label with 'Spiert
Spionem' written on it had been found by 004's body, so M orders
Bond to kill Pushkin. Bond reluctantly accepts. Bond has asked
Moneypenny to identify the woman with the cello. He therefore
travels back to Bratislava, where he discovers that the bullets
she was using were fake. He poses as a friend of Koskov's and
gets her out of the country.
In Tangiers, General Pushkin tells pseudo-General Brad Whitaker
(Joe Don Baker), a weapons dealer and Pushkin's contact in the
West, that the deal Pushkin was brokering is off, and the money
paid on deposit is to be repaid. Koskov and his 'kidnapper' Necros
are guests at Whitaker's house; Koskov is sure he has convinced
the British that Pushkin is a threat to them, and therefore they
will eliminate him. Another British agent will be killed as a
reminder. In Vienna, Bond discovers from the local agent, Saunders,
that Whitaker paid for Kara's cello, which had apparently been
a present from Koskov. Saunders is killed by Necros, and Bond
heads for Tangiers, where he stalks Pushkin. Bond is still reluctant
to kill the Russian, and Pushkin tells him that Koskov was about
to be arrested, and that Smiert Spionem was an operation disbanded
twenty years earlier. The only way they will find out what is
going on is if Pushkin dies. They therefore fake his death at
Bond's hands, and, while evading capture, Bond runs into the CIA
and his old friend Felix Leiter, who is investigating Whitaker.
Kara meanwhile has contacted Koskov directly, and discovered
Bond is not a friend. She drugs his drink, but as he falls into
unconsciousness he persuades her that he was on her side. Bond
is transported out of Tangiers on a Soviet plane to Afghanistan,
along with a fortune in diamonds. Kara changes loyalties but is
rewarded by being given to the Russians by Koskov as a defector.
Bond and Kara escape from the Russian jail, alongside a dirty,
smelly Afghan - who turns out to be Kamran Shah (Art Malik), one
of the leaders of the Mujadin, the Afghan resistance.
The next day Bond and Kara attend a trade between the Russians
and opium sellers. The sale of the opium in America will allow
Koskov and Whitaker to turn a fast profit and carry through their
arms deal. After ensuring the Afghans get their diamonds, Bond
travels back inside the base alongside the opium, with a bomb.
Kara chases after the Russian convoy, and is reluctantly followed
by Kamran and his men. Bond places the bomb in the Russian transporter,
but is spotted. At that moment, the Afghans arrive and, in the
confusion, Bond and Kara manage to fly the cargo transporter away,
with the bomb and Necros on board. Bond and Necros fight to the
death, and then Bond uses the bomb to halt the Russians chasing
after Kamran's men.
On his return to Tangiers, Bond faces Whitaker and kills him;
Pushkin saves his life from Whitakers bodyguard. Koskov
tries valiantly one last time to change sides, but Pushkin orders
him returned to Moscow in the diplomatic bag. Kara embarks on
a world tour as a solo cellist.