As a product of their times, I'm finding the early James Bond films to be real campy and the stories not as credible as I thought they might have been. Having just started watching the franchise in order, I'm coming across more goofy elements than I thought I would, like the character of Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James) in this and the prior movie of the series, "Live and Let Die". Gee, if he isn't just plain embarrassing to watch in these pictures. I have no idea why the film makers thought it would be a good idea to have such a clueless redneck character in their movies.
Now on the flip side, I don't think you could have called for two more stunning Bond girls than Maud Adams as Miss Andrea Anders, and Britt Ekland as Miss Goodnight. Although it didn't seem very realistic that in a real life tough spot like Bond (Roger Moore) and Miss Goodnight found themselves in near the end of the picture, that she would be running around in a skimpy bikini trying to outwit the bad guy Scaramanga (Christopher Lee). Not complaining mind you, but it seems like she might have gotten a little drafty after a while.
I didn't know Hervé Villechaize ever portrayed a Bond villain, so that was a bit of a surprise for this viewer. It looked like he was pretty much doing a tryout here for his role as Tattoo in the 'Fantasy Island' television series that came out a few years later. It would have really knocked me out if he had exclaimed 'Da plane, da plane!' somewhere during the story, and I did have my eye and ear out for that, but it never came about. Come to think of it, Christopher Lee had a more than passing resemblance to Ricardo Montalban of that same series, he could easily pass for Montalban's brother.
Well, superfluous papillas and solex agitators aside, this is a fairly lively flick with the requisite amount of Bond action and fiery explosions. The only thing is, with all the build up of Scaramanga being such a formidable hit-man, the eventual showdown between him and Bond came off as anti-climactic. The genius assassin should have figured that the human James Bond might have considered replacing the mannequin James Bond to gain an advantage. Oh well, can't win them all.
Say, have you noticed how many Bond films end up on a boat?
Now on the flip side, I don't think you could have called for two more stunning Bond girls than Maud Adams as Miss Andrea Anders, and Britt Ekland as Miss Goodnight. Although it didn't seem very realistic that in a real life tough spot like Bond (Roger Moore) and Miss Goodnight found themselves in near the end of the picture, that she would be running around in a skimpy bikini trying to outwit the bad guy Scaramanga (Christopher Lee). Not complaining mind you, but it seems like she might have gotten a little drafty after a while.
I didn't know Hervé Villechaize ever portrayed a Bond villain, so that was a bit of a surprise for this viewer. It looked like he was pretty much doing a tryout here for his role as Tattoo in the 'Fantasy Island' television series that came out a few years later. It would have really knocked me out if he had exclaimed 'Da plane, da plane!' somewhere during the story, and I did have my eye and ear out for that, but it never came about. Come to think of it, Christopher Lee had a more than passing resemblance to Ricardo Montalban of that same series, he could easily pass for Montalban's brother.
Well, superfluous papillas and solex agitators aside, this is a fairly lively flick with the requisite amount of Bond action and fiery explosions. The only thing is, with all the build up of Scaramanga being such a formidable hit-man, the eventual showdown between him and Bond came off as anti-climactic. The genius assassin should have figured that the human James Bond might have considered replacing the mannequin James Bond to gain an advantage. Oh well, can't win them all.
Say, have you noticed how many Bond films end up on a boat?