Jake’s Take: One Image from Live and Let Die (Guy Hamilton, 1973)
This image from Roger Moore’s Bond debut reveals the film’s three principal attractions, its stars.
“What shall we drink to, Mr. Bond?”
“How about an earthquake?”
With this image, we have the three primary things I enjoy about Roger Moore’s first outing in the series. Moore himself is better suited to the role of suave comedian, and has talked extensively in interviews about how he would never take Bond too seriously. Nevertheless, in certain moments, he brings an edge of his own to this film. There is Jane Seymour as Solitaire, whose screen debut is an utter delight. And there is Yaphet Kotto as Kananga, an actor who surpasses his material here, bringing a sense of scale and megalomania on par with the very greatest of Bond villains.
Beyond these three actors, Live and Let Die is fascinating as an example of the franchise mirroring popular genres of their era. Blaxploitation had exploded in popularity in the early 70s, of course, and Live and Let Die ultimately feels like a blaxploitation film filtered through the lens of the Bond franchise. Concurrent with this genre mirroring is a sense of social relevance that is largely absent from earlier films. Kananga is a politician whose plot to control the heroin trade in America is more pedestrian when compared to the global machinations of SPECTRE, but certainly more relevant to the times.
Through this increased relevance and the genre reflexivity, the film expands the scope of its source novel in some fascinating ways. One example would be the character of Mr. Big in the novel being transformed here into Kananga’s alter-ego. It is no surprise at all when Kananga reveals himself to be the man behind the mystique of Mr. Big, but it’s a thoroughly satisfying reveal, due partially to the cheap makeup but mostly to the outstanding acting by Yaphet Kotto.
Interesting a film as it is, it could be a much better one. The film looks far less polished than its predecessors, and it outright drags at several points, including a 17-minute boat chase that feels interminable. There is also the introduction of the most embarrassing addition to the series: Sheriff J.W. Pepper, an insufferable bumpkin played by the excellent character actor Clifton James.
And speaking of introductions, Moore’s introductory scene is the worst executed of any of the lead actors in the series. Where there is shrewdly handled buildup and/or reveals for the other Bond stars’ debuts, Moore is merely shown waking from slumber, with nothing visually interesting about the scene. Moore always has a strong screen presence, and delivers a great one-liner on his way to answer the door (“You’re not married by any chance, are you?”), but this still feels very much like a lost opportunity.
Rankings
2. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
5. From Russia with Love
7. Thunderball
9. Goldfinger
10. Dr. No
17. You Only Live Twice
20. Live and Let Die
22. Diamonds Are Forever
JAMES BOND WILL RETURN IN THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.