Plot
After the deaths of three MI6 agents, Bond is tasked with taking on the investigation; monitoring the goings on of a small island in the Caribbean of San Monique – led by a dictator Dr Kananga – who has a series of associates including New York Mob Boss, Mr Big.
Direction
Guy Hamilton returns for his third outing behind the camera. Some okay action sequences, but I felt it was toned down a little.
Sequences that stood out are the boat chase sequence (as pictured in the featured image) and the explosion at the drug factory.
Cast/Characters
Roger Moore took over the role of Bond, and the change is subtle, but there.
Yaphet Kotto plays the dual role of Dr Kananga and Mr Big.
Jane Seymour plays Solitaire (the character not the game)… although Solitaire does play with cards.
Gloria Hendry plays Rosie Carver, a junior CIA agent.
Returning from previous installments are Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell as M and Miss Moneypenny (no Q in this one though).
Clifton James plays Sherriff JW Pepper… more on this in a moment.
Breakdown
Roger Moore takes over the role of James Bond, an interesting choice considering Sean Connery was three years his junior, and by 1973 Moore was already 46 years of age.
This made some of the on screen relationships, with this being only the first of seven films, somewhat troubling considering most of Bond’s bed-mates are in their mid 20’s (that being said, I did notice they panned away for kissing sequences, a contrast to Connery’s almost face sucking Bond). Seymour was only 22 when this was made. I also found this iteration of Bond less misogynistic (so far),
With the ‘new era’ Bond, they seemingly are going away from the SPECTRE/Blofeld era (reportedly due to a legal issue between Eon and one of the producers. Here the big bad is Dr Kananga/Mr Big.
While I found his motive fairly modern (giving away his heroin for free to get people addicted, then buying out all the smaller players to take over the market). The addition of Voodoo, and Solitaire’s tarot cards are further additions to a mismatch of identities, that already had Blaxpoitation thrown in with Mr Big’s Harlem empire.
As this was made 10 years before I was born, I went in knowing that the two men were one and the same, and wonder if this was a surprise to people going in seeing this back in 1973?
The ‘comedic’ moments within the film particularly the Mrs Bell/pilot sequence, and all of Sheriff Pepper… just all of it, are unfunny and don’t feel like they belong in a James Bond film.
The title song, Live and Let Die by Paul Mccartney even finds its way into screenplay , when James is kidnapped the second time while trying to speak to Mr Big.
Overall
Moore’s first outing is okay. It has moments where it feels like a normal Bond film, but with a more Americanized villain in Mr Big/Kananga and his more ‘modern’ and realistic plan.
It is marred by Moore’s age, and that his love interests are decades younger than him.
Also… all of Sheriff Pepper… just every second of it is just… ugh.
Still good fun however.
3/5
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