Live And Let Die (1973)
Roger Moore’s First Outing As 007

Live and Let Die is the first James Bond movie to star Roger Moore as Agent 007.

After three British agents are mysteriously killed in New York, New Orleans and the Caribbean, James Bond is sent into investigate and quickly becomes a target.

The dangerous Kananga (Kotto), known professionally as Mr Big, is organising a venture using mass produced heroin that will threaten the world.

Bond meets the beautiful Solitaire (Seymour), a skilled Tarot reader, as he tries to determine Kananga’s deceitful plan. Together they succeed in escaping from Kananga and his henchmen and assisting in the destruction of the heroin refining plants.

Live and Let Die is known for enthralling voodoo ceremonies, a thrilling boat chase through the Louisiana waterways, and Bond’s incredible escape from crocodiles.

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CAST

Roger Moore James Bond
Yaphet Kotto Kananga / Mr Big
Jane Seymour Solitaire
Clifton James Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Julius Harris Tee Hee
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 Harold Strutter

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DIRECTOR

Guy Hamilton

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THEME SONG

‘Live and Let Die’ by Paul McCartney and Wings

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LOCATIONS

England, Jamaica, USA.

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QUOTES

Mr. Big: 'Is this the stupid mother who tailed you uptown?'
Bond: 'There seems to be some mistake. My name is...'
Mr. Big: 'Names is for tombstones, baby! Y'all take this honkey out and waste him! now!'

Kananga: 'Tee Hee, on the first wrong answer from Miss Solitaire, you will snip the little finger of Mr. Bond's right hand. Starting with the second wrong answer, you will proceed to the more... vital... areas.'

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INTERESTING FEATURES

Leader of His Country
At the United Nations, Doctor Kananga depicted a revolutionary figure and advocate of human rights. However, this representation was a charade - in actuality he was a corrupt Prime Minister and dangerous drug lord.

Jane Seymour and Yaphet Kotto in Live and Let Die

Solitaire
Solitaire was an innocent girl who was completely ruled by Kananga ever since she was young. She had the amazing power of clairvoyance, as she was a still a virgin woman, and dreamed of being free to live her own life.

Solitaire looked for help in the cards to give her a brighter life after having enough of her controlled existence with Kananga.

Tarot Cards
James Bond arranged a unique pack of cards for Solitaire, with all cards having the picture of “the lovers” - a gentle seduction technique. The foresight capabilities that Solitaire possessed promptly diminished.

Rosie Carver
In the jungle of San Monique, Rosie tried to set a deadly trap for 007 - she was a member of the Central Intelligence Agency working for Kananga.

Within the jungle she was killed by creepy scarecrows, part of Kananga’s covert defence system, after she botched her efforts in ensuring James Bond was eliminated.

Crocodile Estate
On the outskirts of New Orleans, within Louisiana, Kananga owned an estate with a pool of deadly crocodiles. Here, the unrefined opium, from his farmlands in San Monique, was developed into pure heroin.

Crocodile estate in Louisiana

Doctor Kananga
In Live and Let Die, Kananga was a cruel and heartless ruler yet portrayed an image of style and finesse. He ultimately made a grave blunder in his attempt to disgrace Bond.

Tee Hee
By far the most menacing henchman of Live and Let Die was Tee Hee. He had a previous crocodile encounter where he lost one of his arms - however, this had not reduced his power.

In an estate in Louisiana, owned by Kananga, he took great pleasure in trapping 007 in the middle of a lake teeming with vicious crocodiles.

In the near future, Bond would hurl Tee Hee out of a carriage of a train, leaving just his precious steel arm.

Louisiana Bayous
James Bond managed to get on the wrong side of the Louisiana police after his enquiries into the criminal world of Kananga.

Boat chase through the bayous of Louisiana

However, the police had difficulty in chasing Bond through the bayous of Louisiana - this boat chase sequence was one of the great action sequences of Live and Let Die.

Baron Samedi
Samedi made sure that the San Monique citizens did as instructed and took great care of the opium fields owned by Kananga. He was a mysterious, menacing voodoo spiritualist, named after the powerful voodoo god of death.

Kananga’s Secluded Den
In Live and Let Die, Dr. Kananga had a secret hideout below the ground. Voodoo magicians performed their harmful spells at the hidden access way within a burial ground.

One evening the people of San Monique assembled to observe a terrifying human ritual. A beautiful lady named Solitaire was to be the person sacrificed.

Jane Seymour is Solitaire

Now that her incredible prediction powers had subsided, Kananga wanted to make an example of her. He wanted to demonstrate what occurred to individuals that let him down.

Agent 007 had a few tricks up his sleeve for the voodoo men in charge and their flaunting commander. He lingered behind the scenes until the music reached a peak and then burst onto the scene.

Sneaky Work
James Bond set up two bombs in the vicinity of the ceremony. The idea was to create a major distraction while the crowd was still absorbed by the actions of a voodoo man wearing an intimidating disguise.

Heroin Cylinders
To transfer heroin to the United States Kananga made use of waterproof, steel cylindrical devices that were towed by his powerful cruiser.

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