The Man with the Golden Gun

Call me an unimaginative and formulaic old sod but I cannot understand why so many people hate this film. Put simply it has everything; gorgeous girl, gadgets, exotic locations, three nippled Christopher Lee, amusing side-kick for three nippled Christopher Lee, martial arts and a shoot out in a freaky funhouse. So why does it constantly attract so much crticism? Possibly because some people are expecting to see some kind of grand cinematic masterpiece when they watch Bond rather than Roger Moore stuffing midgets into suitcases and Britt Ekland flouncing around in a bikini. But really, which is more fun on Christmas day when you've worked your way through the Guinness and are cracking into the whiskey? And Britt, if by some incredible quirk of fate you have nothing better to be doing these days bit reading pages such as these, I thought you were great. Right up there with the wicker man. Oh and it also has one of the best stunts ever pulled off on camera in the somersaulting car ... Read more

Guy Hamilton, the director of the cult movie Goldfinger makes a disappointing comeback. Every scene is nicely shot, details are elaborate and memorable, but the story itself is kind of dragging. The movie is nice to the eye, but does not stir emotions.

With Herve Valenchaize (sp?) as the creepy villainous sidekick! Never trusted him in Fantasy Island after seeing this movie.

It's such a horrible movie. Here's my checklist: Bad Plot: Yes Bad Bond Girl: Yes, 2nd Worst next to Jinx Bad Villain: Sort of, he's very much overrated Bad Theme Song: Yes Bad Stunts: A Little I hate Mary Goodnight, this movie is drivel. I hate it so much and I wish it would burn. AVTAK reigns supreme, the end.

Popularly considered the worst Bond film, and with good reason. Any potential menace the golden gun wielding central villian (Scaramanga) may have had as a cold and heartless killer is instantly dispelled by his superfluous third nipple and his midget butler with a funny accent. Considering the cat and mouse rivalry between Scaramanga and Bond is the central theme of the plot, it seems bizarre that the two men seem so bored and dispassionate about it. When you add Lulu's famously silly theme tune (He'll shoot ANY-OOOONE, with his GOLDEN-GUUUUN!), the contrived appearance of the stereotyped Southern Sheriff from the last film and the continued insertion of Moore's unbearably smug puns to the rest of the film's direness, you get one of the campiest films in existence. It's so tragically hilarious though, that I can see why many have a soft spot for it.

Although a marked improvement over Roger Moore's first movie Live and Let Die, this movie The Man with the Golden Gun is still one of the weaker movies during Roger Moore's tenor. But I found the movie had several good scenes to keep the viewer interested in watching. I thought the villian himself was quite likeable and found myself actually taking his side at times. Overall, this movie is not as bad as sometimes made out to be if one is willing to ignore the silly parts.

The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) was quickly released after Roger Moore's debut as James Bond in Live And Let Die (1973). Though the film probably deserves no more than three stars, Golden Gun remains a guilty pleasure for me. The movie features exotic locales (eg Beirut, Hong Kong and Macau) which keeps the film and 007 moving, two Bond Girls who get lots of screen time, and a lush, exotic musical score that works well with the Eastern themes. The primary villains are interesting in the forms of Scaramanga and Nick Nack, the latter being reminiscent of Odd Job in Goldfinger. Christopher Lee is also one of the better actors to play a Bond villain, and the evil scheme was (and remains) current (ie control of solar power). On the downside, the return of Sheriff Pepper as comic relief from Live And Let Die appears forced, and the awful sound effect during the car chase scene is sophomoric. The bottom line is that The Man With The Golden Gun has all the cited essentials as well as ... Read more