Live and Let Die (1973)

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writer:

Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 June 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Roger Moo7re is James Bond

Plot:

007 is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organization and a reliable psychic tarot card reader.

Plot Keywords:

British | Heroin | James Bond | Cards | Tarot Card

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Roger Moore	...	James Bond
Yaphet Kotto	...	Kananga / Mr. Big
Jane Seymour	...	Solitaire
Clifton James	...	Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Julius Harris	...	Tee Hee (as Julius W. Harris)
Geoffrey Holder	...	Baron Samedi
David Hedison	...	Felix Leiter
Gloria Hendry	...	Rosie Carver
Bernard Lee	...	M
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Tommy Lane	...	Adam
Earl Jolly Brown	...	Whisper
Roy Stewart	...	Quarrel Jr.
Lon Satton	...	Strutter
Arnold Williams	...	Cab Driver 1
Ruth Kempf	...	Mrs. Bell
Joie Chitwood	...	Charlie
Madeline Smith	...	Beautiful Girl
Michael Ebbin	...	Dambala
Kubi Chaza	...	Sales Girl
Brenda Arnau	...	Singer (as B.J. Arnau)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Dix	...	Hamilton (uncredited)
James Drake	...	Dawes (uncredited)
Dennis Edwards	...	Baines (uncredited)
Stocker Fontelieu	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Lance Gordon	...	Eddie, State Trooper (uncredited)
Stephen Hendrickson	...	Mr. Bleeker (uncredited)
Roy Hollis	...	Louisiana Sheriff (uncredited)
Dan Jackson	...	Fillet of Soul Waiter (uncredited)
Della McCrae	...	Tribal Dancer (uncredited)
Marc Smith	...	UN Worker (uncredited)
Don Topping	...	San Monique Emcee (uncredited)
Gabor Vernon	...	Hungarian Delegate (uncredited)
Sylvia Kuumba Williams	...	Crying Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Guy Hamilton

Writing credits
Tom Mankiewicz		(screenplay)
Ian Fleming		(novel) uncredited

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
Harry Saltzman	....	producer

Original Music by
George Martin		(music score)

Cinematography by
Ted Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bert Bates
Raymond Poulton
John Shirley

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(as Weston Drury Jnr)

Art Direction by
Syd Cain		(supervising art director)
Robert W. Laing		(co-art director) (as Bob Laing)
Peter Lamont		(co-art director)

Set Decoration by
Simon Wakefield		(uncredited)
Frederic C. Weiler		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Julie Harris

Makeup Department
Colin Jamison	....	hairdresser
Paul Rabiger	....	chief makeup artist
Mike Jones	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Claude Hudson	....	production supervisor
Stephen F. Kesten	....	production manager: U S A Crew
Michael Rauch	....	unit manager: U S A Crew
Steven P. Skloot	....	production manager: U S A Crew

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	assistant director
Alan Hopkins	....	assistant director: USA
Raymond Becket	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Richard Jenkins	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Leon Davis	....	construction manager
Stephen Hendrickson	....	art director: U.S.A.
Patrick Weymouth	....	props
John Chisholm	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ken Barker	....	sound recordist
Chris Lancaster	....	dubbing editor
Teddy Mason	....	dubbing editor
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
Jim Shields	....	dubbing editor (as Jimmy Shields)

Special Effects by
Derek Meddings	....	special effects
Rick Baker	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	optical effects

Stunts
Bill Bennet	....	stunt coordinator
Joie Chitwood	....	stunt coordinator
Jerry Comeaux	....	stunt coordinator
Ross Kananga	....	stunt coordinator
Bob Simmons	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Smith	....	stunt coordinator
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Brayham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alonzo Brown Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joie Chitwood	....	airplane stunt driver (uncredited)
Joie Chitwood	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Brian Chung	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)
Murray Cleveland	....	stunt boat driver (uncredited)
Jerry Comeaux	....	stunt boat driver (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Koerner	....	stunt boat driver (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Maurice Patchett	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Allen Pinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rick Seaman	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Colin Skeaping	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	....	stunt boat driver (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Bouillet	....	camera operator: U.S.A.
John Harris	....	second unit cameraman
Bob Kindred	....	camera operator
Warren Rothenberger	....	camera operator: U.S.A.
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mike Roberts	....	focus puller (uncredited)
David Wynn-Jones	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Allan Foenander	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurel Staffell	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Steve Cuiffo	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Monty Norman	....	composer: The James Bond theme
Don McVay	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Koerner	....	boat driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main title
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
William Grefe	....	shark scenes by: U S A Crew
Bernard Hanson	....	location manager
Geoffrey Holder	....	choreographer
Harry Saltzman	....	presenter
Elaine Schreyeck	....	continuity
Jack Weis	....	location coordinator: U.S.A.
Scott Hamilton	....	assistant unit publicist (uncredited)
Jordan Klein Sr.	....	underwater special shark scenes (uncredited)
John Koerner	....	boat coordinator (uncredited)
Charles Russhon	....	police liaison: New York (uncredited)
Doris Spriggs	....	assistant: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	....	EON productions: legal and administration (uncredited)

Thanks
Fergus Hall	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of: tarot cards by, courtesy of Portal Gallery, London

Production Companies

• Eon Productions (as Eon Productions Limited)

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1973) (France) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1973) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1973) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1973) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United Artists (1973) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1973) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (laserdisc)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (ultimate edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (ultimate edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chevrolet  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Chevrolet Motor Division - General Motors Corp.)
• Glastron  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Glastron Boat Company)
• Evinrude Motors  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Harley Davidson Motorcycles  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Harley Davidson Motor Company Inc.)
• Budget Rent-a-Car  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Budget Rent-A-Car Inc.)
• AMF  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as A.M.F. Inc.)
• Panasonic  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Visi-Tel  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Visi-Tel Corporation)
• Dunham Coach  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as exotic cars by Dunham Coach of N.J.)
• Pan American World Airways  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Rolex  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Rolex Inc.)
• Pulsar  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Pulsar®, The Time Computer®)
• Black Stuntmen's Association (BSA)  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as The Black Stuntmen's Association, Hollywood, Calif.)
• Portal Gallery  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as tarot cards by Fergus Hall, courtesy of Portal Gallery, London)
• New Orleans Police Department, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as New Orleans Police Department)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as New Orleans International Airport)
• Orleans Levee Board  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as New Orleans Levee Board)
• New Orleans Lakefront Airport & Tenants Association  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as New York Mayor's Office of Film Co-ordination)
• New York Police Department (NYPD)  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• New York Department of Commerce & Industrial Development  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Jamaica Defence Force  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Jamaica Defence Forces)
• Jamaica Tourist Board  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Jamaica Swamp Safari  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Jamaica Swamp Safari Limited)
• Air Studios  music recorded at (as Air Studios, London)

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Hungarian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:12 | Ireland:PG | South Korea:15 | Brazil:Livre | New Zealand:PG | Canada:14A (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | UK:PG (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1973) | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

117th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Eon Productions

Trivia:

"The James Bond 007 Tarot Book" was released to coincide with the movie. It included most of the tarot cards seen in the film, these being the Major Arcana Cards. The tagline on the book's dust-jacket read: "The only complete and authentic illustrated guide to the spreading and interpretation of the popular James Bond 007 tarot fortune-telling deck with card designs based upon Fergus Hall's unique paintings."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In order for Tee Hee to be able to break the gun, he would need to have quite a bit of strength in both his claw and his real hand equally, otherwise the gun would just slip out of his hand when he tried to bend it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
UN Translator: [translating for Hungarian delegate] ... was so ably pointed out by the Secretary General in his opening remarks. But - and I must emphasize this point - no formula can or will ever cover each case. For instance...
[audio feed is unplugged]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in James Bond 007: Yesterday and Today (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

LIVE AND LET DIE

Good Bond movie with a few minor problems.

Of all the Bonds that have been made, this one is probably the darkest.

One of the things that I am missing is the humor. It misses the typical Roger Moore James Bond humor with as a result that the movie becomes a bit too serious. Sure it has some funny moment but it just misses the Roger Moore touch he added to the later Bond movies. But that's no wonder since this was Moore's first Bond, it looks like both actor and crew were still searching for the right character for Moore's Bond.

Another minor problem is the story. There happens too much in a too short amount of time. They could have resolved this by making the movie just 10 minutes longer.

But still it is a very solid Bond movie. It has some amazing character such as Baron Samedi and the legendary Sheriff J.W. Pepper that later returned in "The Man with the Golden Gun". The villains are one of the very best from the Bond series even though Kananga is a bit underused. Jane Seymour plays a great and beautiful Bond girl but again also she is a bit underused.

The atmosphere is pretty dark, mainly of course the scene's in Harlem. It's interesting but I still prefer the lighter Bond.

The movie is full with famous Bond scene's with the speed boat chase as one of the best. It's funny, spectacular and tense in other words: Typical Bond. I also always enjoy the scene's between Bond and M and this movie is no exception. Their relationship and the certain tension towards each other is priceless and always good for some hard laughs. It's pure comedy that not all people will understand.

The music by George Martin is different but it suits the movie and it's atmosphere really well! The main title song by Paul and Linda McCartney is also very good and one of the very best Bond theme songs.

Solid Bond that could have been excellent.

7/10