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Ranking James Bond Films: #18 – “Live And Let Die” (1973)
There is an argument that the song Live And Let Die by Paul McCartney and The Wings is the greatest Bond theme song ever, but you can’t make that case for the movie.
“James Bond is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organisation and a reliable psychic tarot card reader.”
Director: Guy Hamilton
Writers: Tom Mankiewicz, Ian Fleming
Cast: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour, Clifton James, Julius Harris, Geoffrey Holder, David Hedison, Gloria Hendry, Bernard Lee
Release Date: June 27, 1973
IMDB
There is an argument that the song Live And Let Die by Paul McCartney and The Wings is the greatest Bond theme song ever, but you can’t make that case for the movie.
Roger Moore brings a satisfying hunger for the role in his first outing as 007, but his performance is wasted on a lacking story. The premise of different British Agents being murdered and Bond needing to find out who is behind it sounds excellent. Still, the execution of the location-changing mystery is loosely stitched.
The flimsiness may be because Kananga is not an elite or top-half Bond villain. A man sitting behind a door without a threatening demeanor isn’t my type of bad guy, and it’s also too much of a deficit for Moore to overcome on his own.
Live And Let Die also has the worst Bond girl acting in the franchise. Gloria Hendry as Rosie was cringeworthy, overacting, and unconvincing. Her performance is matched only by the character Sheriff Pepper, played by Clifton James. This character seems like he is from an over-the-top basic cable TV show.
The leash is long for Live And Let Die because it’s a reboot, yet the movie is still dragging you down unfriendly alleys. Plenty of nit-picks to trip on, but you will reach the other side of the street, okay. However, you’ll just want to hum the tune and forget the movie once you get there.
STANKO RATING: C
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