Review of Live and Let Die (1973) by Aaron N — 16 Aug 2008

Tee-Hee: There are two ways to disable an croc, you know.

James Bond: I don't suppose you'd care to tell me what they are.

Tee-Hee: One way is to take a pencil and stick it in the pressure area above its eye.

James Bond: And the other way?

Tee-Hee: Oh, the other way is twice as simple. You just stick your hand in its mouth and pull its teeth out.

Roger Moore steps in for the first time as Bond, replacing Connery and trying to find his own footing. He eases in well enough, with various changes to the character, but nothing too drastic. The movie itself is a Bond plot, with some worked in aspects to it making it a good enough Bond flick with a new Bond.

[as Bond unzips Miss Caruso's dress with the magnet in his watch].

Miss Caruso: Such a delicate touch.

James Bond: Sheer magnetism, darling.

The story involves Bond's investigation into a murder case involving the death of three English agents. These murders were at the hands of a drug kingpin known as Mr. Big, played by Yaphet Kotto, and leads Bond to different parts of the US and Caribbean, including Harlem and New Orleans. Along the way he of course meets a few women including Jayne "Dr. Quinn" Seymour, because there is always time.

Cab driver: You know where you're going?

James Bond: Uptown, I believe?

Cab driver: Uptown? You headed into Harlem, man!

James Bond: Well you just stay on the tail of that jukebox and there's an extra twenty in it for you.

Cab driver: Hey man, for twenty bucks I'd take you to a Ku Klux Klan cookout!

Part of the theme of this movie revolves around Blaxsploitation movies. This installment tries to incorporate those elements, which is off putting, but fitting with the time, much like Moonraker during the Star Wars craze.

Getting back to Moore as Bond, he plays him sort of like the Dean Martin version, very self aware of his character, very smooth and sure of himself. He is of course no Connery, but Moore's own style, which will be later improved upon in his third play at Bond in "Spy Who Loved Me," is a good approach as well.

Overall, this is a fun film, with a bit of an acceptance of a new Bond needed to enjoy it more. And it has one of my favorite Bond songs from Paul McCartney.

[Bond refuses to answer Mr. Big's question about Solitaire].

James Bond: I'm not in the habit of giving answers to... lackeys.

Mr. Big: You damn *lucky* you got an ear left to hear the question with! Which is, did you mess with that?

[pointing to Solitaire's cards].