The James Bond Movie Guide
Kyle W. Bell
Smashwords Edition 1.2, December 2010
Originally Published June 2010
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Copyright © Kyle Bell 2010
License Notes:
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Cover design by Angel Cortes cortesangel@live.com
Introduction
James Bond is a movie icon. His status as the world's pre-eminent spy has been unchallenged for nearly fifty years. The films span several generations. Fans include both young and old, Western and Eastern, male and female, spy aficionados and just casual viewers. While the Cold War has come and gone, this super spy has lived the test of time. The James Bond series has entertained us with its wit, pulse-pounding action, gorgeous women, exotic locales, sleek cars, and imaginative gadgets. The formula is tested and it works almost every time, partially thanks to the actors that make Bond their own. It's a franchise that honors its traditions, yet is not afraid to adapt to the times.
Sean Connery typified the masculine, suave with attitude persona that is James Bond. George Lazenby's Australian background was panned, yet his performance following up on Connery was almost destined for failure. Roger Moore's charm and sense of humor gave him a lasting fan base. Timothy Dalton entered the role at a time of transition both for the franchise and for global politics near the end of the Cold War. Pierce Brosnan's cool demeanor and clean cut good looks helped him rejuvenate a franchise that needed updated for a new generation. Daniel Craig brought a darker side to the character that reflected a growing uncertainty that went with the times.
The James Bond Movie Guide is the ultimate source for this renowned movie franchise. With a collection of reviews and summaries for the 22 films, you will learn about each in detail and without fear of spoilers. A list of facts and cast for each film is included, along with series-wide facts, trivia, figures, and charts. Adding to the value are reviews for James Bond video games dating back to GoldenEye, as well as a list of the top 10 greatest James Bond theme songs.
As an avid fan of the James Bond universe, it was a pleasure putting The James Bond Movie Guide together. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. No other movie out there can match the level of excitement that I get when I go to see a new Bond film. Enough of my obsession, though. Let's get straight to the first film in the series....
The 1960s are often referenced as a cultural revolution. In politics, a young Irish-Catholic president was elected in John F. Kennedy. In music there were rock bands emerging from Britain like The Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Who. And in film there was another British fellow by the name of James Bond making his debut, or more accurately, Sean Connery as James Bond. Dr. No, based on the Ian Fleming novel, was the first in a series of Bond films that continue to this day.
The storyline in Dr. No is relatively basic for a Bond film, yet integral in establishing a number of recurring themes throughout the franchise. The British spy agency MI6 dispatch their top secret agent James Bond (aka 007) to Kingston, Jamaica after a British agent's radio goes dead on the island. It turns out that they were murdered and its Bond's job to find out why. With the help of the CIA's Felix Leiter, Bond finds out about a Chinese operation on Crab Key island run by Dr. No.
Dr. No set the stage for future Bond films in many areas. It mixed fast action with espionage and many love interests (some deadly). There are a few scenes involving car chases (also frequent in Bond films), hand-to-hand combat and clever spy tricks (Bond used powder on a suitcase to tell whether someone was in his room by their fingerprint). It also established the criminal organization SPECTRE, deformed or deranged villains and the first Bond girl (Ursula Andress).
As far as my thoughts on the movie itself, I felt that the plot flowed quite well until they reached Crab Key. Building up to this point, you would expect a grand explanation of everything that you had watched for the past two hours and it wasn't really there. This was definitely not one of the more satisfying endings. On the other hand, Connery established his role as James Bond quite well. He would not cement his unmatched portrayal of the character until Goldfinger. Good looks, charm and a witty sense of humor are all trademarks of Connery that would live on in future movies.
Setting the stage for the 007 universe was never easy. There were many different books they could have used as source material, including Thunderball, which was meant to be the first Bond movie. Due to a legal dispute, that got pushed back until 1965 as the fourth film and was replaced by Dr. No. On a budget of just $1 million dollars, the director did not have a lot to work with. It shows with the technology, but it is an action film at its core. Without Connery at the central role, I don't think this movie would have made it. His considerable charisma made this a film to remember.
8 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Terence Young
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkely Mather
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by Monty Norman
Main Theme - "James Bond Theme"
Composed by Monty Norman
Performed by John Barry
Editing by Peter R. Hunt
Studio - EON Productions
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - May 8, 1963
Running Time - 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Budget - $1,000,000
Worldwide Gross - $59,600,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Ursula Andress - Honeychile 'Honey' Ryder
Joseph Wiseman - Dr. Julius No
Jack Lord - Felix Leiter
Bernard Lee - M
Anthony Dawson - Professor R.J. Dent
Zena Marshall - Miss Taro
John Kitzmiller - Quarrel
Eunice Gayson - Sylvia Trench
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Peter Burton - Major Boothroyd
Yvonne Shima - Sister Lily
Michel Mok - Sister Rose
From Russia with Love
One year after the release of the first James Bond film, Dr. No, director Terence Young was busy at work on the second film. Based on the Ian Fleming novel for which President Kennedy told Time magazine was one of his nine favorite books, From Russia with Love is also mentioned frequently as one of the best films in the Bond movie franchise. Sean Connery reprised his role as James Bond with the help of the newly minted Bond girl (and 1960's Miss Universe runner-up) Daniela Bianchi.
The storyline in From Russia with Love is a lot easier and more enjoyable to follow than Dr. No. It involves a Soviet cryptography device known as Lektor. MI6 received word from one of their stations in Turkey that a Russian consulate clerk named Tatiana Romanova (Bianchi) wanted to defect and would provide them with a Lektor in return for safe passage to London.
However, the crime syndicate SPECTRE was also in search of a Lektor and convinced Romanova that she was doing a secret mission on behalf of Moscow. The whole idea is to play the two sides against one another and it plays out brilliantly on film. Large scale explosions, chases, and beautiful women. It's all here. You won't want to miss the memorable train ride or boat chase, either.
From Russia with Love had plenty of its own firsts in a Bond movie. For starters, the credits were run shortly after an opening action sequence, something that continues to this day. In Dr. No, the movie started with the opening credits. It introduced Q and Q branch, the maker of James Bond's gadgets. It also introduced the leader of SPECTRE, Ernst Blofeld and the Persian cat that he strokes. It is also the first Bond film with a theme song with lyrics.
As far as acting goes, the cast is absolutely stunning. Not really with high profile names, but more with the quality of their performance. I would dare to say that this was the best acted Bond film in the franchise’s history. What it lacks in special effects, car chases and sophisticated gadgetry it more than makes up for with an interesting plot and actors that know how to perform. While this isn't my favorite Bond film (or Connery Bond film for that matter), it is definitely near the top.
9.5 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Terence Young
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "From Russia with Love"
Composed by Lionel Bart
Performed by Matt Monro
Editing by Peter R. Hunt
Studio - EON Productions
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - April 8, 1964
Running Time - 1 Hour 58 Minutes
Budget - $2,000,000
Worldwide Gross - $78,900,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Daniela Bianchi - Tatiana
Pedro Armendáriz - Kerim Bey
Lotte Lenya - Rosa Klebb
Robert Shaw - Grant
Bernard Lee - M
Eunice Gayson - Sylvia
Walter Gotell - Morzeny
Francis De Wolff - Vavra
George Pastell - Train Conductor
Nadja Regin - Kerim's Girl
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Aliza Gur - Vida
Martine Beswick - Zora
Vladek Sheybal - Kronsteen
Goldfinger
From Russia with Love was such a success in 1964 that they couldn't even wait a year to release a new Bond film. Goldfinger is the seventh novel by Ian Fleming to portray the British agent James Bond and the third film in the series. Sean Connery returns in what could be described as his most sensational performance in any Bond movie (perhaps even his entire career as an actor).
What's different? A new director (Guy Hamilton), a new villain and new locations. Goldfinger is really the first Bond film to heavily use gadgets as Bond pays a visit to Q branch for the first time (in the last movie Q gave him a suitcase while he was being briefed by M). It's also the first Bond film to feature an Aston Martin as its main car, complete with oil slick, radar, a bulletproof shield and a passenger ejector seat.
As you can tell by the name, Auric Goldfinger is the main villain in the movie. "I don't expect you to talk Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" Possibly the most memorable line of any Bond villain in series history. Goldfinger is the story of a gold smuggler who plans to break into the world's largest bank - Fort Knox. He is accompanied by a Korean bodyguard named Oddjob who is best known for his deadly hat. One of the most memorable Bond girls, Pussy Galore, flies Goldfinger's personal jet.
When you think of a Bond film, Goldfinger is probably the most prominent that comes to mind. It set the franchise on course to great success and cemented Sean Connery's place as "the" James Bond in the minds of many. The action, drama, love interests and technology that was ahead of its time are all classic Bond. This is by far my favorite of the classic Bond films. Whereas Dr. No and From Russia with Love's storylines seem irrelevant to today's world, the central theme of Goldfinger - greed - will never die.
10 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "Goldfinger"
Composed by John Barry, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
Performed by Shirley Bassey
Editing by Peter R. Hunt
Studio - EON Productions
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - December 24, 1964
Running Time - 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Budget - $3,000,000
Worldwide Gross - $124,900,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Honor Blackman - Pussy Galore
Gert Frobe - Auric Goldfinger
Shirley Eaton - Jill Masterson
Tania Mallet - Tilly Masterson
Harold Sakata - Oddjob
Bernard Lee - M
Martin Benson - Solo
Cec Linder - Felix Leiter
Austin Willis - Simmons
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Bill Nagy - Midnight
Michael Mellinger - Kisch
Peter Cranwell - Johnny
Nadja Regin - Bonita
Thunderball
After successfully shooting three Bond films, Sean Connery returned in the fourth. Outperforming his prior three films would be challenging. Indeed, it was proven impossible with the storyline that was used and the much-needed action that was missing throughout the film.
The story takes place in Nassau, Bahamas, and is based on the Ian Fleming novel of the same title. SPECTRE has hijacked a NATO bomber equipped with two nuclear bombs. They threaten to set it off in a city of their choosing if they are not paid a ransom. James Bond follows a lead to the Bahamas where he meets the SPECTRE agent Largo, known as Number 2.
Thunderball epitomizes what was wrong with early Bond films. With its cheesy green screen backgrounds, particularly at the end of the movie with a high speed boat losing control, Thunderball's age is quite apparent. Not to mention the fact that we don't walk around today with jetpacks strapped to our back as a mode of transportation, if the intention of its inclusion was a prophetic one.
The automobile from Goldfinger, an Aston Martin DB5, makes a return in Thunderball. It doesn't play nearly as prominent a role in this film as it did in the last. Early in the film it actually sprays water at some on-coming enemies - not the most imposing weapon you would expect from a Bond vehicle. As far as gadgets are concerned, Thunderball is fairly light on them, although an underwater device is used that allows Bond to breath.
I felt that Thunderball could have used a lot more action, shorter scenes and a better cast of characters. After playing opposite to Auric Goldfinger, a colorful and inventive megalomaniac, Bond goes up against Largo in Thunderball. He isn't a very satisfying villain and has a personality that just seems to fall flat. Unfortunately the character isn't rescued by the climactic underwater fight scene whose pace is just too slow for enjoyment.
Thunderball had high expectations upon its release in 1965, just a year after Goldfinger. After a successful stint at the helm, director Guy Hamilton stepped aside to allow Terence Young a third shot at the Bond universe. What he directed was the most disappointing Bond film yet. While this was certainly a downgrade from Connery's first three Bonds, it sadly is not his worst, either.
6.5 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Terence Young
Produced by Kevin McClory, Albert R. Broccoli, and Harry Saltzman
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming, Kevin McClory, and Jack Whittingham
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "Thunderball"
Composed by John Barry and Don Black
Performed by Tom Jones
Editing by Peter R. Hunt
Distributed by MGM UA
U.S. Release Date - December 21, 1965
Running Time - 2 Hours 10 Minutes
Budget - $5,600,000
Worldwide gross - $141,200,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Claudine Auger - Domino Derval
Adolfo Celi - Emilio Largo
Luciana Paluzzi - Fiona Volpe
Rik Van Nutter - Felix Leiter
Guy Doleman - Count Lippe
Molly Peters - Patricia Fearing
Martine Beswick - Paula Caplan
Bernard Lee - M
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Roland Culver - Foreign Secretary
Earl Cameron - Pinder
Paul Stassino - Angelo Palazzi / Major Francois Derval
Rose Alba - Madame Boitier
You Only Live Twice
After a semi-disastrous fourth film, James Bond returns two years later (the first Bond film to be released more than a year after its predecessor) in You Only Live Twice. Sean Connery announced shortly after the film's release that it would be his last Bond film. Obviously this was not the case as he would return in Diamonds are Forever. His hiatus from the franchise would lead to the series' only one-time Bond, George Lazenby, to emerge.
Early in the film Bond dies. This was a first in the franchise and was not attempted again until Casino Royale. Alright, he doesn't actually die. As an attempt to throw of SPECTRE, the organization behind the kidnapping of an American and Russian spaceship, MI6 stages Bond's death and a funeral aboard one of their Naval vessels. Of course Bond isn't dead at all and he finds himself investigating a Japanese corporation suspected of supporting SPECTRE.
You could credit You Only Live Twice as being the movie that most influenced spoofs on the franchise. The portrayal of Bond's arch-nemesis Ernst Blofeld is what Austin Power's Dr. Evil is based off of. This is the first film in the series to actually show Blofeld's face (the others just used his voice and showed his Persian cat). The extravagant volcano lair has also been the source of a good deal of parody at the franchise's expense.
Despite the over-the-top nature of You Only Live Twice, it is still among the best in the series. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, who would return a decade later for The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, the direction that he took with You Only Live Twice was certainly more fantastical than prior films, what with capturing spaceships orbiting Earth and having a base inside of a volcano. Although one could argue that the idea of gassing a military base (Goldfinger) was unrealistic as well.
The fascination with outerspace is not one that was lost in future Bond films. While Dr. No had dealt with a U.S. rocket being shot into space, You Only Live Twice was the first Bond film (appropriately timed with the U.S./Russian space race) to actually involve scenes that took place outside of this planet. Many future Bonds followed suit, such as Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker, GoldenEye and Die Another Day.
With the departure of Sean Connery after You Only Live Twice, the classic Bond as we know it came to an end. While he would return after the short-lived tenure of George Lazenby, his portrayal of Bond would never be the same. Connery's retirement from the role of 007 was the only handover of Bond that was arguably unnecessary and completely voluntary. But as they say, Bond will be back, and so will Sean Connery.
8.5 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Roald Dahl
Cinematography by Freddie Young
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "You Only Live Twice"
Composed by John Barry and Leslie Bricusse
Performed by Nancy Sinatra
Editing by Peter R. Hunt
Studio - EON Productions
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - June 13, 1967
Running Time - 1 Hour 57 Minutes
Budget - $9,500,000
Worldwide Gross - $111,600,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Akiko Wakabayashi - Aki
Mie Hama - Kissy Suzuki
Tetsuro Tanba - Tiger Tanaka
Teru Shimada - Mr. Osato
Karin Dor - Helga Brandt
Donald Pleasence - Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Bernard Lee - M
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Charles Gray - Dikko Henderson
Tsai Chin - Ling
Peter Fanene Maivia - Car Driver
Burt Kwouk - Spectre 3
Michael Chow - Spectre 4
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The name's Lazenby, George Lazenby. It doesn't quite slip off the tongue like James Bond, but the producers of the series evidently figured it would do. If you haven't heard of him I won't fault you for it. Only the biggest Bond aficionados probably know who he is. Following the iconic Sean Connery as James Bond, Lazenby really never stood a chance. It probably didn't help that his only prior acting experience involved a commercial.
Despite not being much of an actor prior to his role as James Bond, Lazenby did a rather admirable job in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He had an immense amount of weight on his shoulders and comparisons to Sean Connery were inevitable. I doubt even a seasoned veteran actor could have handled the pressure as well as Lazenby. He was originally scheduled to reprise the role in seven movies, but his agent leaked word that he would not come back and his stint as Bond was over.
Lest ye overlook On Her Majesty's Secret Service for casting Lazenby as Bond, it has a vital plot element involving a ring that explains a lot about the character. I'm not going to spoil what happens, you will just have to watch the movie for yourself, but Bond does get married. When I first watched License to Kill without having seen this, I was always curious what Felix meant when he said that Bond was married once. You won't have to wait until the next film to know how it ends.
Whereas You Only Live Twice depended heavily on theatrics, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is more loyal to the book than any other Bond film. The story leaves off where You Only Live Twice ended with Bond tasked with hunting down SPECTRE's leader Blofeld. Having gone cold, Bond's boss M removes him from the case, prompting Bond to submit his resignation from MI6 (which gets declined). It turns out that Blofeld is hiding in the Swiss Alps using the cover of an allergy research facility.
Aside from Lazenby, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has a strong cast. Telly Savalas plays as Ernst Blofeld, the second actor to play him on screen. Diana Rigg of The Avengers fame plays as Bond girl (and wife) Tracy. Lazenby himself is an Australian, although his accent is not heavy at all. My biggest criticism of him was that he tried too much to act like Sean Connery. They even had him go to the same barber and wear the same suit as Connery.
Unlike every other future Bond, Lazenby never got a fair shot at distinguishing his characterization of Bond. He was plucked out of obscurity and expected to become James Bond overnight. It was quite absurd. At least Roger Moore had experience with his spy television series The Saint before he took over the role. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was actually credited in Goldfinger as being the planned fourth Bond film. Plans got changed when legal issues around Thunderball were settled. As fate will have it, On Her Majesty's Secret Service became the unfortunate victim of bad timing and an inexperienced actor who could never live up to the standard that Sean Connery set.
8 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Peter R. Hunt
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum
Cinematography by Michael Reed
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Composed by John Barry
Performed by John Barry Orchestra
Editing by John Glen
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - December 18, 1969
Running Time - 2 Hours 20 Minutes
Budget - $7 million
Worldwide Gross - $87.4 million
Cast
George Lazenby - James Bond
Diana Rigg - Tracy Di Vicenzo
Telly Savalas - Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Gabriele Ferzetti - Marc Ange Draco
Ilse Steppat - Irma Bunt
Angela Scoular - Ruby Bartlett
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Catherine Schell - Nancy
George Baker - Sir Hilary Bray
Bernard Lee - M
Bernard Horsfall - Shaun Campbell
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Yuri Borionko - Grunther
Virginia North - Olympe
Geoffrey Cheshire - Toussaint
Diamonds Are Forever
Never say never again. Following the brief era of George Lazenby as James Bond, Sean Connery returned to his role as the super spy in Diamonds are Forever. As it so happened, it would be his last (official) Bond movie. It would also be his worst. Where On Her Majesty's Secret Service tried to return Bond to his roots, Diamonds are Forever began what Roger Moore would pick up in a series of ridiculously conceived storylines and villains.
Diamonds are Forever is the seventh James Bond film. Based on the Ian Fleming novel of the same name, Guy Hamilton directs his second of four James Bond movies. Bond is tasked with infiltrating a smuggling ring. He impersonates a diamond smuggler by the name of Peter Franks throughout much of the movie. Eventually he catches up with his long-time foe Ernst Blofeld.
Two of my least favorite Bond villains in all of the films are Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, a not too subtly murderous gay couple. When you didn't think the story could get any weirder they involved a satellite in outerspace with the ability to shoot lasers with the help of diamonds. At one point Bond finds himself at a lab owned by the unfortunately cast Willard Whyte, played by country singer and sausage mogul extraordinaire Jimmy Dean, where he retreats on a moon buggy with flappy arms. The series really hits an all-time low when Blofeld is shown in drag. You can't make this stuff up.
Sean Connery as Bond comes off as impotent in Diamonds are Forever. He meanders around during the final battle set on an oil rig in Baja California while helicopters overhead lob grenades. Not only is this one of the slowest action sequences I have seen in what is meant to be a climax, Bond's allies end up doing most of the work for him. It all comes to an unintentionally hilarious end with Bond slamming Blofeld, who was attempting to escape in an undersized submarine, against a wall.
The biggest problem with Diamonds are Forever is that it does not take itself seriously at all. Sean Connery clearly is only interested in money at this point. He shows a disinterest in his character throughout the movie. To make matters worse, Blofeld is played by the third actor in the series. And if you thought it couldn't get worse than that, the actor that plays Blofeld was cast as a Bond ally in You Only Live Twice. If I had a choice to get my money back, I would just avoid watching this embarrassment of a Bond movie.
5 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "Diamonds Are Forever"
Composed by John Barry and Don Black
Performed by Shirley Bassey
Editing by Bert Bates and John Holmes
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - December 17, 1971
Running Time - 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Budget - $7,200,000
Worldwide Gross - $116,000,000
Cast
Sean Connery - James Bond
Jill St. John - Tiffany Case
Charles Gray - Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Lana Wood - Plenty O'Toole
Jimmy Dean - Willard Whyte
Bruce Cabot - Bert Saxby
Putter Smith - Mr. Kidd
Bruce Glover - Mr. Wint
Norman Burton - Felix Leiter
Joseph Furst - Dr. Metz
Bernard Lee - M
Desmond Llewelyn - Q
Leonard Barr - Shady Tree
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Margaret Lacey - Mrs. Whistler
Live and Let Die
After You Only Live Twice, Sean Connery called it quits. Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore were considered for the role of Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but ultimately the role was offered and accepted by Australian-born George Lazenby. But when Lazenby announced that he would not be returning as Bond, Connery was courted back for one last time with a big paycheck. After Diamonds are Forever, Sean Connery officially retired, despite later unofficially un-retiring in the unofficial Never Say Never Again. Phew! Got all that? Good.
Oddly enough they actually cast a guy who was older than Sean Connery to replace the noticeably older James Bond. Enter Roger Moore. You either love him or you hate him. His reimagined portrayal of James Bond was a welcome reset to the franchise after Connery's pitiful performance in Diamonds are Forever. While he didn't have the good looks and rugged features of Connery, Moore had another tool at his disposal: humor.
Live and Let Die is a film adaptation of the Ian Fleming novel of the same name. It is the eighth Bond film and is directed by Guy Hamilton. It tells the story of a drug lord known as Mr. Big who plans on driving his competitors out of business by distributing heroin for free on the streets of American cities. The British get involved when three of their agents get murdered during investigations of his drug business. Moore finds himself traveling between New York City, the Caribbean island of San Monique and New Orleans.
The movie has been criticized for it's so-called "blaxploitation". Most of the cast is black, with the exception of familiar Bond characters like Felix Leiter, M and Moneypenny. The racial overtones are definitely strong and can be attributed to the time period that it was released. The other Bond films never dealt with race much. This one in particular uses racial epithets like "honky" and refers to the villain's car as a "pimpmobile".
Regardless of any controversy that the film has created, Live and Let Die is easily one of Moore's best Bond films. It is best known for its use of voodoo in the plot, crocodile farm and memorable boat chase that introduced the stereotypical Southern sheriff J. W. Pepper. Bond's wrist watch is one of his more useful gadgets in the franchise, serving as a magnet that can deflect bullets and as a saw. The only thing it can't do is cook an omelet.
Roger Moore's entry into the role of Bond is quite controversial, whether it is his jovial take on the Bond character or the racial overtones in the storyline. One thing is for sure: Live and Let Die has the best theme song of any Bond film. Paul McCartney and the Wings did a masterful job. While it is certainly debatable how masterful of a Bond Moore is, his first entry was a success that earned him the role for a long time to come. He would go on to star as Bond in more movies than Connery.
8 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz
Cinematography by Ted Moore
Music by George Martin
Main Theme - "Live and Let Die"
Composed by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
Performed by Paul McCartney & Wings
Editing by Bert Bates, Raymond Poulton and John Shirley
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - June 27, 1973
Running Time - 2 Hours 2 Minutes
Budget - $7,000,000
Worldwide Gross - $126,400,000
Cast
Roger Moore - James Bond
Yaphet Kotto - Kananga / Mr. Big
Jane Seymour - Solitaire
Clifton James - Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Julius Harris - Tee Hee
Geoffrey Holder - Baron Samedi
David Hedison - Felix Leiter
Gloria Hendry - Rosie Carver
Bernard Lee - M
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny
Tommy Lane - Adam
Earl Jolly Brown - Whisper
Roy Stewart - Quarrel Jr.
Lon Satton - CIA Agent Harold Strutter
Arnold Williams - Cab Driver 1
The Man with the Golden Gun
It's said that no two finger prints are exactly alike. The same can be said for a James Bond movie. Love him or hate him, Roger Moore has taken the character in a new direction, and unlike Lazenby, he's comfortable in his own skin. The Man with the Golden Gun is one of my favorite Bond's starring Roger Moore, assisted by Christopher Lee (of Dracula fame no less) as the triple nippled villain Francisco Scaramanga.
Bond comes under threat early when a golden bullet with "007" engraved in it is received by MI6. Scaramanga, known as the Man with the Golden Gun, immediately is suspected of having been hired to assassinate Bond. It's said that for each contract Scaramanga earns $1 million dollars. Bond's boss, M, insists that he go on leave while they track Scaramanga. Instead, Bond takes his time off to find Scaramanga himself.
The Man with the Golden Gun was one of the first Bond films to be influenced by current events in its plot. The energy crisis of the 1970s inspired the solar energy aspect of the film with Bond seeking the Solex Agitator. Throughout the movie, Bond finds himself in a number of exotic Far East locations (the exception being Beirut, where his investigation starts off). Bond travels between Macau, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Scaramanga's lair was off of the Chinese coast in the movie, but was actually shot in coastal Thailand. While he has assistant Mary Goodnight as a Bond girl, he shows more interest in Scaramanga's girlfriend, Andrea Anders.
Christopher Lee was a great choice for Scaramanga, even though he might not have seemed like the ideal Bond villain just from his performances in the Dracula movies. His height, seriousness and confidence all play to his advantage. This is one of the few Bond movies where you actually get the feeling that the villain is more powerful than 007. Not only is Scaramanga an assassin that sports a one-shot kill Golden Gun, he just looks more physically imposing than Moore. It's fair to say that they are equals.
There are a number of elements in The Man with the Golden Gun that make it an enjoyable Bond movie. It has all of the action elements you expect with Bond paying visit to a martial arts school (involuntarily), a car chase with one of the more remarkable stunts performed in a Bond movie and a fun house finale. Sure, it doesn't take itself as seriously as some other Bond movies, but this is no Diamonds are Forever, either.
7.5 out of 10
Quick Facts
Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman
Novel/Story by Ian Fleming
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz
Cinematography by Ted Moore and Oswald Morris
Music by John Barry
Main Theme - "The Man with the Golden Gun"
Composed by John Barry
Performed by Lulu
Editing by Raymond Poulton and John Shirley
Distributed by United Artists
U.S. Release Date - December 19, 1974
Running Time - 2 Hours 5 Minutes
Budget - $7,000,000
Worldwide Gross - $97,600,000
Cast
Roger Moore - James Bond
Christopher Lee - Francisco Scaramanga
Britt Ekland - Mary Goodnight
Maud Adams - Andrea Anders
Herve Villechaize - Nick Nack
Clifton James - Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Richard Loo - Hai Fat
Soon-Tek Oh - Lieutenant Hip
Marc Lawrence - Rodney
Bernard Lee - M
Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny