THE WORLD’S GREATEST VILLAINS HAVE TRIED TO KILL JAMES BOND. NOW IT’S SCARAMANGA’S TURN TO TRY!
James Bond (Roger Moore) learns that Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), the world’s greatest hit man, has been paid to assassinate him; Bond goes after this man who kills with a golden gun.
The ninth film in the series brings back Clifton James’s redneck sheriff from Live and Let Die; there’s plenty of humor in this very entertaining chapter that also features an outstanding car chase.
Lee plays the assassin with three nipples the sinister way he plays Dracula, and that’s a perfect approach; Herve Villechaize is amusing as his little malignant assistant. However, Britt Ekland is stuck with the worst kind of Bond girl, written as a bimbo.
1974-U.K-U.S. 125 min. Color. Directed by Guy Hamilton. Screenplay: Richard Maibaum, Tom Mankiewicz. Novel: Ian Fleming. Song: ”The Man With the Golden Gun” (performed by Lulu). Cast: Roger Moore (James Bond), Christopher Lee (Francisco Scaramanga), Britt Ekland (Mary Goodnight), Maud Adams, Herve Villechaize, Clifton James, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell.
Trivia: Jack Palance was offered the part of Scaramanga. Adams also played the title part in Octopussy (1983). Followed by The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
Quote: “Humiliated chefs! Outraged tailors! Jealous husbands! The list is endless!” (Lee on who would want to assassinate Bond)
Last word: “I so wanted to be a Bond girl after seeing Ursula Andress in Dr. No and those beautiful locations, that I read the book ‘The Man with The Golden Gun’ and called Cubby Broccoli’s office to see him. I was already an established actress then. I had dressed as a secretary (this was early 70′s) in a plain skirt, a white blouse and my hair in twist. Cubby said that the script wasn’t finished yet and they based the story more on the title. As I was leaving, Roger More came in and said hello. Very handsome. I had to go to the States to do a movie for six weeks and on the plane back to Britain, I read that another Swedish girl had been cast in the new Bond film. I was devastated! As soon as I got home my agent called and said Cubby Broccoli wanted to see me. I naively thought he was going to apologize for me not getting the part. As I waited in his office he suddenly walked in and said ‘You are Mary Goodnight!’ I asked about that other Swedish girl and he said that is Christopher Lee’s girlfriend. I couldn’t have been happier meeting and working with Maud Adams, we have been the closest of friends ever since.” (Ekland, Media Mikes)
