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 | Tarot Card | James Bond | 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)
Vivre et laisser mourir (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Å leve og la dø (Norway) [no]
Élni és halni hagyni (Hungary) [hu]
007 - Vive e Deixa Morrer (Portugal) [pt]
Agente 007, vivi e lascia morire (Italy) [it]
Com 007 Viva e Deixe Morrer (Brazil) [pt]
Elä ja anna toisten kuolla (Finland) [fi]
James Bond 007 - Leben und sterben lassen (West Germany) [de]
James Bond, praktor 007: Zise ki ase tous allous na pethanoun (Greece) [el]
Lev og lad dø (Denmark) [da]
Leva och låta dö (Sweden) [sv]
Viu i deixa morir (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Vive y deja morir (Spain) [es]
Vivir y dejar morir (Argentina) [es]
Yasamak için öldür (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Zít a nechat zemrít (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
Zivi i pusti druge da umru (Serbia) [sr]
Zyj i pozwol umrzec (Poland) [pl]

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:

During the car / boat chase in Louisiana, the road they travel on shows the newly introduced full yellow road striping. Although still pretty rare at the time to see full yellow striping (MUDCT introduced it in late 1971), you'll notice that there are no white lines underneath. (Later scenes show that this road had just been re-surfaced, and parts have no striping at all. Hence, it was most definitely plausible to have had the full new markings present and no trace of the old ones.)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tee Hee is feeding the alligators, his wrist moves on the prosthetic arm. Later, in the train fight, his whole arm is revealed when his sleeve rips, and the arm has no wrist joint.

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:

Spoofed in Itse valtiaat - Agenttimusikaali (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

LIVE AND LET DIE

A new era for James Bond, and a fairly effective and enjoyable opening film.

Live and Let Die ushers in Roger Moore as the new James Bond. Prior to this movie, Bond had been played most often by Sean Connery, with the one exception being George Lazenby's short-lived stint in 1969 (On Her Majesty's Secret Service). Moore is very different to Connery and Lazenby. He plays Bond as a more relaxed, charming, humorous character. Over the years, many people have said that the Moore incarnation of Bond lacks the brutality of Connery's and the hard masculinity, but actually Moore is not the kind of actor to do Bond in that manner. He's merely playing to his own strengths, and creating a Bond that is akin to his acting style. I feel that Roger makes a perfectly likable 007, admittedly different to the character of the novels, but still a rousing screen hero.

The story has James Bond sent to solve the killing of three British agents. One was killed in New York, one in New Orleans, and the third on a voodoo-practising Caribbean island. Bond's starts his mission in New York, where he runs across a nasty black gangster named Mr Big and his gorgeous, tarot-reading accomplice Solitaire (Jane Seymour). Bond heads down to the Caribbean, where he "connects" Mr Big with a drug-smuggling big-shot named Dr Kananga. Then it's off to New Orleans, where Bond discovers that Kananga's master plan is to provide huge amounts of free heroin to the junkies of the world, creating a massive drug-reliant population and setting himself up as a supplier with a worldwide monopoly on the drug trade.

The title song, sung by Paul McCartney and Wings is one of the best of the series, a lively and powerful tune which fits the style and period of the film perfectly. Yaphet Kotto is a decent bad guy (his death scene at the end is both funny and memorable); Seymour is superb as the Bond girl (probably the best of the bunch apart from Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me). There are good set pieces as we have grown to expect from the Bond series, most notably a spectacular boat chase around the Louisiana bayous, a scene involving a bunch of hungry crocodiles, and a slick sequence featuring Bond's escape from corrupt island police aboard a slow and lumbering double decker bus. The film has some negatives, but not too many. The character of Baron Samedi doesn't fit in the film (check out that ludicrous closing shot, which seems to be hinting that Samedi is somehow immortal), and Clifton James's brash southern cop is an immature and irritating character who might just as well have been left out of the final cut. On the whole this is a good start to the Moore era, though. One point of interest:- Live and Let Die also features a scene in Bond's house at the very start..... only once before have we seen where Bond lives, and that was at the start of Dr No.