Roger Moore makes his first appearance as "Bond...James Bond" in 1973's Live and Let Die. Bond is dispatched to the States to stem the activities of Mr. Big (Yaphet Kotto), who plans to take over the Western Hemisphere by converting everyone into heroin addicts. The woman in the case is Solitaire (Jane Seymour in her movie debut), an enigmatic interpreter of tarot cards. The obligatory destructive-chase sequence occurs at the film's midpoint, with Bond being chased in a motorboat by Mr. Big's
henchmen, slashing his way through the marshlands and smashing up a wedding party. Clifton James makes the first of several Bond appearances as redneck sheriff Pepper, while Geoffrey Holder is an enthusiastic secondary villain. The title song, written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, provides the frosting on this 007 confection. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Guy Hamilton's direction lacks enthusiasm and pace, while even the art direction -- long the Bond films' real secret weapon -- seems to have fallen to a shrunken budget.
Setting aside an allright speedboat spectacular over land and water, the film is both perfunctory and predictable -- leaving the mind free to wander into the question of its overall taste. Or lack of it.
Live and Let Die has been especially well photographed and edited, and it makes clever and extensive use of its good title song, by Paul and Linda McCartney.
I know I probably shouldn't like Live and Let Die, but I do. This crackpot entry, the eighth, in the long-running James Bond series, is figuratively all over the map...[Blu-ray]
This film marks the point where I have seen six Bond films (in order of seeing them: GOLDFINGER, CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, DR. NO, YOU ONLY LOVE TWICE, LIVE AND LET DIE), and before, I thought GOLDFINGER was the best. Now, I think this by far is.
July 23, 2011
Alexander Diminiano
Super Reviewer
Roger Moore's debut 007 role is very different to Sean Connery and George Lazenby while playing as James Bond as a more relaxed, charming, humourous character. Jane Seymour looks innocent in the ways of the world... she is lovely as the clairvoyant heroine Solitaire, whose powers fade after being romanced by the suave,
and handsome British secret agent. Yaphet Kotto is a good actor and makes a great villian and Clifton James adds some comedy value as Sheriff J.W. Pepper.The set-pieces are spectacular in all the ways you would expect them to be (the bus chase, speed-boat chase and the infamous crocodiles stand out in particular), and the action is fast-paced throughout.
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