The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

"He never misses his target, and now his target is 007."

Directed by Guy Hamilton
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman
Screenplay by Richard Maibaum, Tom Mankiewicz
Based on "The Man with the Golden Gun" by Ian Fleming
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Music by John Barry
Cinematography: Ted Moore, Oswald Morris
Edited by Raymond Poulton, John Shirley
Production company: Eon Productions
Distributed by United Artists
Release date: 14 December 1974 (Japan)
Running time: 125 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: $7 million
Box office: $97.6 million

"The Man with the Golden Gun" is an action adventure thriller film directed by Guy Hamilton and written by Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz, based on "The Man with the Golden Gun" by Ian Fleming. It's the ninth installment of the "James Bond" film series which follows Secret Agent James Bond who is led to believe that he is targeted by the world's most expensive assassin while he attempts to recover sensitive solar cell technology that is being sold to the highest bidder.

Cast

• Roger Moore as James Bond
• Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga
• Britt Ekland as Mary Goodnight
• Maud Adams as Andrea Anders
• Hervé Villechaize as Nick Nack
• Richard Loo as Hai Fat
• Soon-Tek Oh as Lieutenant Hip
• Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper
• Bernard Lee as M
• Marc Lawrence as Rodney
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q
• Marne Maitland as Lazar
• Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
• James Cossins as Colthorpe
• Carmen du Sautoy as Saida

The main advantage of the film is Christopher Lee and he's the only reason to watch slow moving "The Man with the Golden Gun".

Advantages

• Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga

Disadvantages

• Too pretentious
• Some scenes are overacted
• Funny special effects

"Strangenesses"

• Seems like James Bond is absolutely immortal

Clue Moments

• The Golden Gun
• Francisco Scaramanga
• Scaramanga's Funhouse
• Bond's maze

Soundtracks

1. John Barry - Main Title - The Man With The Golden Gun
2. John Barry - Scaramanga's Fun House
3. John Barry - Chew Me In Grisly Land
4. John Barry - The Man With The Golden Gun (Jazz Instrumental)
5. John Barry - Getting The Bullet
6. John Barry - Goodnight Goodnight
7. John Barry - Let's Go Get 'Em
8. John Barry - Hip's Trip
9. John Barry - Kung Fu Fight
10. John Barry - In Search Of Scaramanga's Island
11. John Barry - Return To Scaramanga's Fun House
12. John Barry - End Title - The Man With The Golden Gun

Quotations

* * *

Lazar: Mr. Bond, bullets do not kill. It is the finger that pulls the trigger.
James Bond: Exactly. I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak or forever hold your piece.

* * *

Francisco Scaramanga: A duel between titans... my golden gun against your Walther PPK.
James Bond: One bullet against my six?
Francisco Scaramanga: I only need one, Mr. Bond.

* * *

James Bond: I mean sir, who would pay a million dollars to have me killed?
M: Jealous husbands! Outraged chefs! Humiliated tailors! The list is endless!

* * *

Francisco Scaramanga: I like a girl in a bikini. No concealed weapons.

* * *

Francisco Scaramanga: You get as much pleasure out of killing as I do, so why don't you admit it?
James Bond: I admit killing you would be a pleasure.
Francisco Scaramanga: Then you should have done that when you first saw me. On the other hand, the English don't consider it sporting to kill in cold blood, do they?
James Bond: Don't count on that.

* * *

Francisco Scaramanga: When I was a boy I was brought up in a circus. My only real friend was a huge, magnificent African bull elephant. One day, his handler mistreated him and he went berserk. Bleeding, dying, he came and found me, stood on one leg, his best trick, picked me up and put me on his back. The drunken handler came along and emptied his gun into his eye... I emptied my stage pistol into his!
James Bond: An eye for an eye.
Francisco Scaramanga: You see, Mr. Bond, I always thought I loved animals. Then I discovered that I enjoyed killing people even more.

* * *

James Bond: You live well, Scaramanga.
Francisco Scaramanga: At a million dollars a contract I can afford to, Mr Bond. You work for peanuts, a hearty well done from her Majesty the Queen and a pittance of a pension. Apart from that we are the same. To us, Mr Bond, we are the best.
James Bond: There's a useful four letter word, and you're full of it.

* * *

Francisco Scaramanga: You see, Mr Bond, like all great artists I want to create one indisputable masterpiece: the death of 007.
James Bond: You mean stuffed and mounted over your rocky mantelpiece?
Francisco Scaramanga: It's an amusing idea, but I was thinking more in terms of history.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 7/10

Entertainment: 7/10

Acting: 6/10

Originality: 6/10

Music and Sound: 7/10

7/10

previous Live and Let Die (1973)

next The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)