The Ian Fleming book Live and Let Die was chosen during the production of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER to be the next film, the 8th Bond film. Times had changed a lot since the early 1960s and the slick luxuriousness of the Ken Adam sets of Dr No, Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice had given way to a more lean production design and a lighter tone to fit the style of Roger Moore.
Roger Moore had been approached by Albert Broccoli in the past already but in 1962 he was just about to begin a successful run on The Saint. Afterwards, Moore was re-contacted while he was working on THE PERSUADERS and Harry Saltzman, noting the champagne flowing on the set of this show, remarked Moore would most certainly have to loose a lot of weight to play the part of Bond. Nevertheless, Moore fit the bill, lost the weight and filled Connery’s shoes for the next 12 years.
Writer Tom Mankiewicz, who just passed away a few weeks ago, thought it would be interesting to have black villains. Having already adapted the script to fit Moore as a more humorous Bond, Mankiewicz concocted a story of Drug Trafficking (also a popular choice, considering the success of THE FRENCH CONNECTION and the blackxploitation movies of SHAFT and the like), being covered up with a saucy Voodoo Scare.
Three agents, who were monitoring a Dr. Kananga, dictator of San Monique, are killed and Bond is sent to New York to investigate. Upon arrival in New York, Bond’s driver is killed and an attempt is made to assassinate him. Bond manages to get out all right and meet up with Felix Leiter (played by the great David Hedison from VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA fame). Leiter sets Bond out on a lead with leads Bond right into a trap of Mr. Big’s. At Mr. Big’s lair Bond meets Solitaire, a young and beautiful virgin who has an uncanny ability to see the future. Bond manages to escape without any trouble and follows Mr Big to San Monique. There he is confronted by Rosie Carver, a black CIA operative who is quickly killed by Mr. Big’s men. On the island, Bond quickly figures out the scheme of Mr. Big which is nothing but a big scale drugs racket with a Voodoo scare as a cover. The story then seems to go from one comedy situation to the next until Bond manages to seduce Solitaire and is confronted by Mr Big, who turns out to be nobody else but Dr. Kananga. Bond then proceeds to free Solitaire, kill Kananga and destroy his drugs racket.
Yaphet Kotto as Mr. Big / Dr. Kananga
Roger Moore did not want to imitate Sean Connery as Bond, neither did he want to play Bond as he played the Saint or Brett Sinclair, but he does manage to give Bond a more sophisticated look with a touch of humour. The villains however do not appear to be much of a threat to him and on the whole this film is a bit of letdown. Even the presence of Sheriff J.W. Pepper as a comedic foil for Bond is no trump card for the film itself. But whereas I am writing this 38 years after the film was shot, the film turned out to be a big hit when it opened in 1973.
Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Jane Seymour played a memorable Bond Girl in Solitaire. Yaphet Kotto was an interesting villain but not really satisfactory. Geoffrey Holder played Baron Samedi, a somewhat vague Voodoo sideshow character, while David Hedison turned up later again as Felix Leiter in the Tim Dalton era. A surprising problem on this film is the lacking of a suitable John Barry score. Barry was busy working on a musical and had no time to tackle this film as well, which meant this film was scored by George Martin, who does come up with some nice tunes but who does not manage to give the film it’s musical identity. The title song though was a big hit, performed by Paul McCartney and the Wings.
Jane Seymour as Solitaire
The course of the Bond films of the seventies seemed clear: lighten up, add some humour and let Moore play Bond the Englishman with a sense of sophistication and a light touch. It would be clear in the years to come that Moore made Bond his own for his era. But where in heaven’s name was Q in Live and Let Die?
