Live and Let Die

Live and Let Die is a 1973 spy film. It was the eighth film in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It was directed by Guy Hamilton and produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, while Tom Mankiewicz wrote the script. Although the producers had approached Sean Connery to return after his role in the previous Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, he declined, sparking a search for a new actor to play Bond; Moore was signed for the lead role.

Storyline[]

Plot[]

When Bond (Roger Moore) investigates the murders of three fellow agents, he finds himself a target, evading vicious assassins as he closes in on powerful Kananga (Yaphet Kotto). Known on the streets as Mr. Big, Kananga is coordinating a global threat, using tons of self-produced heroin. As Bond tries to unravel the mastermind's plan, he meets Solitaire (Jane Seymour), a beautiful tarot-card reader, whose magic is crucial to the crime lord.

Genres[]

Action
Adventure
Spy
Thriller
Mystery
Blaxploitation
Crime Fiction
Action Thriller
Action/Adventure

Motion Picture Rating[]

Atp (Argentina)
PG (Australia)
M (Australia) (TV rating)
NRC (Australia) (original rating)
Livre (Brazil)
B (Bulgaria)
14+ (Canada)
PA (Canada) (Manitoba)
A (Canada) (Nova Scotia)
AA (Canada) (Ontario)
G (Canada) (Quebec)
14A (Canada) (video rating)
11 (Denmark)
K-16 (Finland)
K-15/13 (Finland)
K-16/13 (Finland)
Tous publics (France)
I (Hong Kong)
12 (Iceland)
14 (Iceland)
U (India)
PG (Ireland)
T (Italy)
G (Japan) (2015)
U (Malaysia)
A (Mexico)
12 (Netherlands) (TV rating)
14 (Netherlands) (original rating)
AL (Netherlands) (2000, DVD rating)
12 (Norway) (recommended rating)
16 (Norway) (1973, cinema rating)
Apt (Peru)
16 (Poland) (self-applied)
M/12 (Portugal)
G (Saudi Arabia)
PG (Singapore)
10 (South Africa)
15 (South Korea)
13 (Spain)
15 (Sweden)
PG (UK)
A (UK) (original rating)
PG (UK) (1987, re-rating)
PG (USA)
12 (West Germany) (nf)

Images[]

Cast and Crew[]

Director[]

Guy Hamilton

Writing Credits[]

Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay by)

Cast[]

Roger Moore - James Bond
Yaphet Kotto - Kananga / Mr. Big
Jane Seymour - Solitaire
Clifton James - Sheriff Pepper
Julius Harris - Tee Hee (as Julius W. Harris)
Geoffrey Holder - Baron Samedi
David Hedison - Leiter
Gloria Hendry - Rosie
Bernard Lee - 'M'
Lois Maxwell - Moneypenny
Tommy Lane - Adam
Earl Jolly Brown - Whisper
Roy Stewart - Quarrel
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)

Other Cast (in alphabetical order)[]

Alvin Alcorn - New Orleans Assassin (uncredited)
Lewis Alexander - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Irvin Allen - Fillet of Soul Waiter - New York (uncredited)
Robert Dix - Hamilton (uncredited)
James Drake - Dawes (uncredited)
Dennis Edwards - Baines (uncredited)
Stenson Falke - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Stocker Fontelieu - Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Keith Forte - Clifftop Guard (uncredited)
Lance Gordon - Eddie, State Trooper (uncredited)
William Gossling - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Charlie Gray - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Ron Gregory - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Stephen Hendrickson - Mr. Bleeker (uncredited)
Leroy E. Hollis - Louisiana Sheriff (uncredited)
Dan Jackson - Fillet of Soul Waiter (uncredited)
Robert La Bassiere - Kananga's Thug (uncredited)
Aileen Lewis - UN Delegate (uncredited)
Louis Mahoney - Fillet of Soul Patron (New York) (uncredited)
Della McCrae - Tribal Dancer (uncredited)
Olympia Brass Band of New Orleans - Jazz Funeral Procession (uncredited)
Tim Pelt - Kananga's Thug 2 (uncredited)
Shane Rimmer - Hamilton (voice) (uncredited)
Corinne Skinner-Carter - Dancer (uncredited)
Marc Smith - UN Worker (uncredited)
Don Topping - San Monique Emcee (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl - Solitaire (voice) (uncredited)
Gabor Vernon - Hungarian Delegate (uncredited)
Sylvia Kuumba Williams - Crying Woman (uncredited)

Producers[]

Albert R. Broccoli (produced by)
Harry Saltzman (produced by)

Details[]

Countries[]

UK
USA

Language[]

English
Italian

Release Dates[]

June 27, 1973 (Canada)
June 27, 1973 (USA)
July 5, 1973 (Poland)
July 12, 1973 (UK)
July 14, 1973 (Japan)
August 16, 1973 (Hong Kong)
August 17, 1973 (Ireland)
October 5, 1973 (Brazil)
November 29, 1973 (Argentina)
December 13, 1973 (Australia)
December 13, 1973 (Netherlands)
December 13, 1973 (Norway)
December 17, 1973 (Denmark)
December 17, 1973 (Spain)
December 19, 1973 (Italy)
December 19, 1973 (West Germany)
December 20, 1973 (Portugal)
December 21, 1973 (Belgium) (Gent)
December 21, 1973 (Finland)
December 21, 1973 (France)
December 22, 1973 (Greece)
December 22, 1973 (Sweden)
December 25, 1973 (Colombia)
January 1, 1974 (Uruguay)
December 30, 1974 (Turkey)
April 6, 1977 (Iceland)
February 4, 1983 (Philippines) (Davao) (re-release)
September 11, 2001 (Russia) (video premiere)
September 4, 2007 (Singapore) (DVD premiere)
September 15, 2015 (Mexico) (DVD premiere)

Also Known As[]

Live and Let Die (original title)
Vivir y dejar morir (Argentina)
Live and Let Die (UK)
Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die (UK) (complete title)
Live and Let Die (USA)
Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die (USA) (complete title)

Production[]

Writing[]

While filming Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die was chosen as the next Ian Fleming novel to be adapted because screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz thought it would be daring to use black villains, as the Black Panthers and other racial movements were active at this time.

Casting[]

Live and Let Die was the only Bond film until Casino Royale (2006) not to feature "Q", played at this stage by Desmond Llewelyn. He was then appearing in the television series Follyfoot, but was written out of three episodes to appear in the film. By then, Saltzman and Broccoli decided not to include the character, feeling that "too much was being made of the films' gadgets", and decided to downplay this aspect of the series, much to Llewelyn's annoyance.

Release and reception[]

The film was released in the United States on 27 June 1973. The world premiere was at Odeon Leicester Square in London on 6 July 1973, with general release in the United Kingdom on the same day. From a budget of around $7 million, ($43 million in 2021 dollars) the film grossed $161.8 million ($988 million in 2021 dollars) worldwide.

The film holds the record for the most viewed broadcast film on television in the United Kingdom by attracting 23.5 million viewers when premiered on ITV on 20 January 1980.

Company Credits[]

Production Companies[]

Eon Productions (made by) (as Eon Productions Limited)

Distributors[]

United Artists (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (Finland) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
United Artists (A-Asia) (1973) (Australia) (theatrical)
Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1973) (France) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (Italy) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Tuschinski Film Distribution (1973) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
Nova Film (1973) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1973) (Norway) (theatrical)
C.B. Films S.A. (1973) (Spain) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (Argentina) (theatrical) (as Artistas Unidos)
United Artists (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (ultimate edition)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (World-wide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (Blu-ray)
Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
United Artists Corporation (1977) (India) (theatrical)
United Artists (1973) (Greece) (theatrical)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (Blu-ray)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (Blu-ray) (DVD) (23-disc Bond 50 edition)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2016) (USA) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
Audio Visual Enterprises (1984) (Greece) (VHS)
CBS/Fox (1983) (USA) (video)
CBS/Fox (1984) (USA) (video) (LaserDisc)
MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1988) (USA) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
MGM/UA Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
Philips (1995) (UK) (VHS)
Philips (1995) (USA) (video) (CD-i)
Scanvideo (Finland) (VHS) (for United Artists)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (ultimate edition)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition)
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (2020) (USA) (Blu-ray) (DVD) (reprint for MGM)
Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (1995) (Canada) (VHS) (dubbed)
Warner Home Video (1982) (West Germany) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (1983) (UK) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc) (for MGM/UA)
Warner Home Vidéo (1987) (France) (VHS) (dubbed version)
Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Technical Specs[]

Runtime[]

121 mins

Color[]

Color

Sound Mix[]

Mono
6-Track Stereo

Aspect Ratio[]

1.66:1
1.85:1
4:3 (Full screen prints, along with the film itself in open matte)

Trivia[]

The producers made a conscious effort to distance the new James Bond from the character made famous by Sean Connery, perhaps an effort to avoid repeating the George Lazenby fiasco. For example: Roger Moore's Bond never orders a vodka martini (neither shaken, nor stirred), he drinks bourbon whiskey; the mission briefing occurs in Bond's flat (not seen since Dr. No in '62); the armourer Q is dropped from the film (though still mentioned); Roger Moore's James Bond does not wear a hat; he smokes cigars, not cigarettes, in brief: an English gentleman. In time, as Moore grew in to the role, many old Bond-isms returned, and some new elements were dropped.
- It is also the first film since Dr. No where Desmond Llewelyn does not appear as Q.
Moreover, Roger Moore toned down his famous mannerisms, cultivated in the role of Simon Templar, The Saint, in particular, the cocking eyebrow.
It is the first of two films featuring Louisiana Sheriff J.W. Pepper; Clifton James reprised the role in The Man with the Golden Gun.
It is the first of two films featuring David Hedison as Felix Leiter, CIA, who reprised the role in Licence to Kill. Despite the numerous appearances by Leiter in the series, Hedison is one of only two actors to have played the character more than once, the other being Jeffery Wright in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and No Time to Die.
Taking a temporary hiatus from scoring Bond films, John Barry subsequently passed the baton over to McCartney's producer, George Martin. This was the first James Bond film that Barry has in some way not been a part of.
Although never stated in the film, the Jamaican agent, Quarrel Jr., is supposed to be the son of the original Quarrel from Dr. No. Live and Let Die (the novel) featured the original Quarrel and was set before Dr. No, where the character died. However, as Dr. No was filmed first, Quarrel in Live and Let Die was changed to Quarrel, Jr. to avoid continuity problems.
This is the first James Bond film where a character used the word "Shit." It is uttered by the old woman whose flying lesson is hijacked by Bond (network-television viewers never see this). Even in 1973, that was not enough to have the film rated past PG; viewers would have to wait until 1989, for Licence to Kill (coincidentally also partly based on the novel Live and Let Die) until such language was heard again.
The Twin Towers of the old World Trade Center were still being constructed during location filming in New York City. In a zoom-in shot of "CIA headquarters" in New York City, the South Tower can be seen briefly in the background with its upper floors still in an unfinished state.
Owing to the complications of shooting in Harlem (at the time it was one of New York City's most dangerous neighborhoods), some scenes were shot in other areas of Manhattan - for example the exteriors of the Fillet Of Soul restaurant (supposedly on Harlem's famous Leroy Ave), was actually located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 94th St in the Upper East Side. The building in the film has subsequently been demolished - a high rise apartment tower now stands on the site.
The one scene that was filmed in Harlem was the outside fight scene between Bond and Mr Big's henchmen. Art director Peter Lamont had the jumble of telephone wires hanging from the buildings cut down and exposed for atmospheric effect, not realising the wires were still live and unwittingly cut off telephone service to the building.
This was the first and, to date, only James Bond film to acknowledge the supernatural. Although there are indications that Baron Samedi is simply a magician and showman, and that his "resurrection" after falling into a coffin of snakes could be explained as a trick. Solitaire's psychic abilities are more difficult to rationalize.
One of Kananga's henchmen, Adam (portrayed by Tommy Lane) played a similar role in the classic blaxploitation film, Shaft.
Coachbuilder Les Dunham provided a Chevrolet Corvette conversion (the Corvorado) which uses components from a 1971 or 1972 Cadillac Eldorado; this car was briefly seen in the blaxploitation film Superfly. He kept the vehicle for several years as a show car. One of the vehicles 007 is pursuing in the film (as a passenger in a taxicab) is a Cadillac Fleetwood Pimpmobile, along with an Eldorado coupe.
Solitaire's Tarot cards have 007 printed on the backs of them. The High Priestess card was deliberately designed to resemble Jane Seymour. This deck is also known as the Tarot of the Witches Deck designed by Fergus Hall.
Director Guy Hamilton liked the running over alligators stunt so much he named the villain after the stuntman who performed it, Ross Kananga, the owner of the alligator farm where the scene was filmed. The filmmakers discovered the farm while scouting for locations when they saw a sign warning that "TRESPASSERS WILL BE EATEN."
The speedboat jump scene over the bayou was interesting in a number of ways. The stuntman piloting Bond's boat unintentionally set a Guinness world record, and a villain's boat was not intended to destroy Sherriff Pepper's patrolcar, which it did. Due to Clifton James's spontaneous character acting in that scene, it was kept.
Bond evades several police officers when commandeering a double-decker bus - two Chevrolet Novas were seen as police vehicles. Although the Chevrolet vehicles were on loan from GM, this was a few years before the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department experimented with a similar Nova for police duty to which law enforcement agencies ordered them in bulk.
Live and Let Die is, to date, the only James Bond film to feature its theme song performed on-screen as part of the movie, namely when Bond and Leiter visit the Fillet of Soul in New Orleans (although the track is played in a different arrangement to that heard over the opening credits).

Connections[]

Follows[]

Dr. No (1962)
From Russia with Love (1963)
Goldfinger (1964)
Thunderball (1965)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Followed by[]

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Octopussy (1983)
A View to a Kill (1985)
The Living Daylights (1987)
Licence to Kill (1989)
GoldenEye (1995)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
The World is Not Enough (1999)
Die Another Day (2002)
Casino Royale (2006)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Skyfall (2012)
Spectre (2015)
No Time to Die (2021)

References[]

Dr. No (1962)

Referenced in[]

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) - Theme music heard when Bond meets Pepper again.
Spy Kids (2001)
The Mummy Returns (2001)
The Scorpion King (2002)
Die Another Day (2002) - The laser causes row upon row of explosions across a vegetated area, in this case, detonating thousands of land mines, and is reminiscent of the destruction of Kananga's poppy fields. Bond uses a revolver like he used on the island of St. Monique (in lieu of his traditional Walther-made pistol).
Flushed Away (2006) - Boat chase scene
Shrek the Third (2007) - The theme song for the movie Live and Let Die was played during King Harold's funeral.
Skyfall (2012) - In the casino in Macau, Bond uses a large reptile to step out of the pit, referencing Live and Let Die when Bond escaped from the pond by stepping on the backs of alligators.
Minions (2015) - When the minions are in the car on their way to VillainCon they cross the ramp/bridge from Live and Let Die, also in the same scene JW Pepper can be heard.
Spectre (2015) - Day of the Dead street parade whilst James Bond's mask in the festival resembles Baron Samedi; Tough physical fight on train; Black turtleneck outfit of James Bond; Wingless plane; Exploding watch saves Bond like his magnetised watch did; James Bond has a romantic interlude on a train
No Time to Die (2021) - Title reference. Title similarity. Both titles have four words and feature the word die as the last word in both. Jamaica setting and filming location.

Features[]

Roger Moore as James Bond, circa 1964 (2006) (Video) - Included on the DVD for this James Bond movie.