Project Bond: Live And Let Die

I found this one a bit of a slog, to be honest. By the time the film started properly, I was already irritated by Paul McCartney singing “this ever-changing world in which we live in,” and Roger Moore did not exactly improve my mood. For one thing, he’s no Sean Connery; for another, he’s Roger Moore.

I’m not at all convinced by Moore in the leading role. It would be good if he could add another facial expression or two to his repertoire, for instance, and even when jumping across crocodiles’ heads to safety, he looks like a man trying not to wrinkle his suit on his way back to the office. On that subject, his suits of beige and blue don’t seem as fitting for the role as Connery’s blacks and greys. However, Moore does introduce the Tactleneck to the Bond franchise, as pictured above, which is nice.

This film, while entertaining enough in places, seems to go off the rails a bit, bringing in occult elements such as Tarot cards, in which we’re now supposed to believe in.* There are some rather dodgy stereotypes dished out to the black villains of the film, and Sheriff J. W. Pepper couldn’t be more reminiscent of Foghorn Leghorn if he sprouted wings. We also finally get the chance to meet Quarrel Jr., the son of Quarrel, a minor character from Dr. No, who turns up here for some reason.

Plot-wise and theme-wise, this is fairly in keeping with what I’ve seen so far, with Guy Hamilton continuing as director, toning down some of the slapstick and over-explanation of Diamonds Are Forever. Roger Moore has a lot to do to convince me as Bond, I’m sure he’ll be devastated to learn. Fortunately, he has six more films in which to do so. Super.

*Fully intentional error