Today’s quick review: Live and Let Die. The murder of three British agents draws James Bond (Roger Moore) to Harlem to investigate a vast criminal operation that’s run by Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) and guided by the fortune teller Solitaire (Jane Seymour). From there, Bond’s investigation takes him to the Caribbean island of San Monique, where he joins rookie CIA agent Rosie Carver (Gloria Hendry) to infiltrate the heart of Kananga’s operation.
Live and Let Die is a spy adventure, the eighth film in the James Bond franchise, and Roger Moore’s first excursion as Bond. Moore makes for a worthy successor to Sean Connery. He sacrifices Connery’s roguish charm for a touch more class but he keeps the spy’s unshakable confidence intact. Likewise, the movie is a slight variant on the usual Bond formula, keeping the series’ main conventions but tweaking the details and opting for a lower-stakes plot.
Live and Let Die delivers on most of what the Bond series promises. Like the other entries in the series, the film runs on danger. Bond bounces from one life-threatening situation to the next, each one more extravagant than the last. The action is supplemented by the usual complement of beautiful women, exotic locations, and maniacal villains. Changes to the formula include a surfeit of quips, fewer gadgets for Bond, and a 70s-style soundtrack.
However, Live and Let Die has a few issues that hold the movie back. For one, Dr. Kananga’s plan lacks the grandeur of his predecessors’. He has all the theatrics of a Bond villain but no masterstroke to back them up. As a result, the plot twists and turns without a clear destination in mind. What’s more, the film is not always graceful about steering Bond through his trials; more than usual, his successes come down to his enemies’ mistakes.
Live and Let Die is a solid entry into the Bond series that offers plenty of spectacle but makes a few missteps regarding the machinery of its plot. James Bond fans are likely to enjoy themselves, as will anyone in the mood for an imaginative bit of adventure. But those who are looking for a spy movie with a tight plot or an iconic plan from the villain may want to look elsewhere. For another tropical Bond movie, try Dr. No or Thunderball.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for fun adventure missing some of the usual Bond polish.