Live And Let Die (Ultimate Edition) (DVD)

...Hamilton (director on the forthcoming Live and Let Die) suggested the American actor for Bond. Other options included Michael Billington, best known for a part in Gerry Anderson's camp television series UFO. Broccoli looked for a compromise and started thinking about Roger Moore again.

Roger Moore, now 45, had been considered for Bond more than once in the sixties but television contracts had always made him unavailable. His tv show ...
...back seat in busy traffic. Live and Let Die has some terrific action sequences.

David Hedison makes a decent Felix Leiter in Live and Let Die. Hedison and Moore are good friends in real life and this is evident in the secenes they act in together. The trail leads Bond to the
Fillet of Soul restaurant run by a criminal figure called Mr Big. Roger Moore looks a tad conspicuous wandering around Harlem as if he's just stepped out ... more

In 1972 the producers of the James Bond series needed a new 007 actor again. Sean Connery had finally departed after returning for 1971's Diamonds Are Forever and everyone was well aware that George Lazenby, the first non-Connery Bond, had been rejected in 1969. Stepping into Connery's shoes seemed like an impossible job. The Lazenby gamble had not paid off and Eon were not inclined to cast another young unknown actor.

The studio (MGM) suggested a Hollywood star could fill the Connery void and starting bringing up names like Clint Eastwood and Steve Mcqueen. Cubby Broccoli, the producer of the franchise, was agahst at this prospect and promptly rejected Burt Reynolds when Guy Hamilton (director on the forthcoming Live and Let Die) suggested the American actor for Bond. Other options included Michael Billington, best known for a part in Gerry Anderson's camp television series UFO. Broccoli looked for a compromise and started thinking about Roger Moore again.

Roger Moore, now 45, had been considered for Bond more than once in the sixties but television contracts had always made him unavailable. His tv show The Persuaders had just been cancelled and he was free again. Harry Saltzman, Broccoli's co-producer, was not convinced by Moore but Broccoli told the actor to lose some weight and get his long hair cut. They started to see that Moore, still handsome, 6'2 and with name recognition from the television series The Saint and a career playing heroes, might be the man to steer the franchise through this difficult period. In 1972 Roger Moore became the third official James Bond.

The pre-credit sequence is unusual in that Bond does not feature. We see a series of murders at the UN Building in New York and a Caribbean island called San Monique. The victims have all been prying into the affairs of Dr. Kananga, the enigmatic leader of San Monique. Kananga is played by Yapphet Kotto and Kotto clearly relished being the baddie in a James Bond film. The voodoo inspired titles by Maurice Binder work very well with Paul McCartney's theme song.

Into the film proper we are introduced to the new 007 in his London flat. Madeline Smith as Miss Caruso is with him and you may remember the moment where Bond uses his Magnetic watch to unzip her dress. Prior to this Bond is woken by M and there is a funny moment where a bewildered Bernard Lee watches 007 use an espresso coffee machine. Miss Moneypenny helps Bond to hide Miss Caruso. The scene is an interesting one because it shows us how Moore is going to play the role and shows that the producers have tweaked it to fit the Roger Moore persona. Moore is less tough but more suave than his predecessors with a sense of fun and mischief. He also looks incredibly young for his age. Although Moore is older than Connery in real life, he seems much, much younger than the Connery who ambled through Diamonds Are Forever.

Bond is ordered to New York to investigate the first murder. The film introduces Solitaire played by Jane Seymour. Solitaire is a tarot expert who can see the future and distant events in the present. Seymour is not the world's greatest actress but she is very beautifull in this film and her innocent potrayal of Solitaire is still considered one of the more memorable Bond girl turns. Bond takes a taxi from the Airport but his driver is killed and he must take control from the back seat in busy traffic. Live and Let Die has some terrific action sequences.

David Hedison makes a decent Felix Leiter in Live and Let Die. Hedison and Moore are good friends in real life and this is evident in the secenes they act in together. The trail leads Bond to the
Fillet of Soul restaurant run by a criminal figure called Mr Big. Roger Moore looks a tad conspicuous wandering around Harlem as if he's just stepped out his Saville Row tailers but this is the charm of Bond I suppose. It isn't supposed to taken too seriously.

I won't reveal the rest of the plot for those who have yet to get to certain Bond films but the action switches from New York to San Monique to New Orleans. There is a terrific chase involving a London double-decker bus and some memorable henchmen in Tee Hee and Baron Samedi. You may remember Tee Hee as the bloke with a metal hook for a hand. His train fight with Bond is tremendous fun. There are also superb speedboat sequences set on the Louisina bayous. Clifton James as the hapless Sheriff J.W. Pepper finds himself in the middle of this mayhem. Perhaps the most famous sequence in Live and Let Die involves Bond being trapped on a small patch of island and surrounded by crocodiles. His escape is very cool and and composed...

Live and Let Die seems like a slightly strange entry in the series. The film lacks the widescreen scope of previous Bond films and Moore is a departure from the actors who played the role before. The themes of vodoo and the occult and use of blaxploitation actors from the period give the film a dated air at times but some of those actors left us with memorable characters and, overall, I think this was a skilful reboot of the franchise. Moore does not wear a tuxedo or find himself surrounded by Bond staples. He doesn't order a martini or have a Q scene. The attempt to temporarily move away from associations with Connery gave Moore the chance to stampt his own urbane persona on the character and he does this very well. You may chuckle at the sight of Moore's LED watch and denim now, but in the early seventies this was bringing Bond up to date and fitting in with a new decade.

George Martin proves to be one of the better non-John Barry Bond composers and produces an interesting and traditional Bond score and Guy Hamilton's direction is unfussy and efficient. Overall, Live and Let Die has a lot of charm and is often hugely entertaining. Roger Moore is suave, funny and composed as Bond and there are some fantastic action set-pieces. It has flaws, a few chases could have been trimmed and the plot and atmosphere get a bit stilted at times, but this is an interesting and fun entry in the series, one which proved that another actor other than Sean Connery could play the role and take in on into the future.

Extras

Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore
DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT
Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary
Roger Moore as James Bond, Circa 1964
Live and Let Die Conceptual Art
007 MISSION CONTROL
Interactive Guide Into the World of Live and Let Die
THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY - MISSION DOSSIER
Audio Commentary Featuring Guy Hamilton
Audio Commentary Featuring Tom Mankiewicz
Inside Live and Let Die
On Set With Roger Moore
MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA, Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

New Bonus Features (Not on previous 'Special Edition DVD')
Roger Moore Commentary
Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary
Roger Moore as James Bond, Circa 1964
Live and Let Die Conceptual Art

Cast
Roger Moore
Yaphet Kotto
Jane Seymour
David Hedison

Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Harry Saltzman,
Albert R. Broccoli

Distributed by United Artists 1973 

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