Live and Let Die (1973)

This is Roger Moore’s first outing as the not so secret agent and while he isn’t bad, he’s definitely no Sean Connery. After three MI6 agents are quickly killed in succession, Bond is sent to investigate the dealings of Caribbean dictator Dr. Kananga, brilliantly portrayed by Yaphet Kotto. It’s Bond meets Blaxploitation and I wasn’t prepared for it.The action jumps from Harlem to New Orleans to the fictional island of San Monique, each with its share of delightful characters: the fabulous Geoffrey Holder as a voodoo priest, Julius W. Harris as a laughing henchman with a claw for an hand, and Earl Jolly Brown as a ridiculous sidekick named Whisper. It’s fantastic that the minions who work in the fabulous underground lair wear red polos and denim, no matching polyester for them. Sadly the women are again just around as arm candy with Gloria Hendry as a supposed agent who is almost as useless as Jill St. John in the last installment and Jane Seymour who although beautiful is inexplicably the only other white person in the joint. Of course the theme song rocks and is probably too good for the film, but I also totally wish Fillet of Soul actually existed and that Kotto wasn’t only here for a one off.  

Oscar Nomination: Best Music, Original Song