On paper, the script probably looked pretty good, but on the screen the story is flat. There are too many sections that lack credibility, and Hamilton's direction evokes no excitement. Juvenile humor, such as a scene involving J. W. Pepper (the Louisiana Sheriff from Live and Let Die), adds nothing to the plot.

There is one scene in which the James Bond character is presented in a harsher light. When Bond visits Scaramanga's girlfriend, Andrea Anders, in her hotel room, he treats her roughly. He attempts to find out where Scaramanga is, and slaps Andrea in the process. This is the third time Bond has slapped a woman onscreen. I don't endorse the mistreatment of women, but this is the best scene in the film. There is authentic dramatic conflict here.

The script also makes use of Scaramanga's congenital oddity, a third nipple. Fleming mentions the birthmark in the novel, but nothing is ever made of it. In the film, Bond impersonates Scaramanga at one point, and thanks to Q Branch, a third nipple is added to Bond's chest This is a clever idea that might have been used even more effectively.

The duel at the end of the film is quite unsatisfying. Apparently, some footage was cut between the beach duel and the cat and mouse game in Scaramanga's "fun house." The fun house is Scaramanga's playpen for stalking practice victims. There is no build-up to Scaramanga's death scene, and it basically repeats the limp pre-credits scene, in which Scaramanga stalks a gangster through the fun house as a form of target practice. Once again, James Bond does not appear in the pre-credits sequence except in the form of a wax dummy that Scaramanga has placed in his fun house.

The concept of the fun house doesn't work at all; it seems childish for a man of Scaramanga's stature to be playing around with such carnival trappings.

 

DIRECTION

Guy Hamilton, in his fourth Bond effort, creates a film that could be subtitled "James Bond Visits the Jungle Ride at Disneyland." Like its predecessor, The Man With the Golden Gun is played much too lightly. It's all fun and games, and most of it isn't particularly fun. The film is a predictable amusement park ride.

There is no threat in the film. Christopher Lee, who portrays Scaramanga, has said that Guy Hamilton kept telling him to play the character lightly. During the final scenes on Scaramanga's island, Hamilton ordered Moore and Lee to "enjoy it more—to have fun." As John Brosnan notes, the actors had too much fun, and as a result, there is no tension in the encounter. The characters are simply too polite to each other.

Hamilton's storytelling is often obscure as well. The plot is confusing, and there are several times when things aren't clear. For example, the details concerning the solex agitator are inadequately explained until far too late. The merging of the two plots (the search for the agitator and the duel between Scaramanga and Bond) is not smooth.

Another criticism of the film is that Hamilton does not make sufficient use of Peter Mutton's admirable sets. Again, Brosnan points out that Scaramanga's lab is especially ignored, with only one technician overseeing the mess.

Perhaps I'm being too hard on Hamilton. The Bond films have always been collaborative efforts. The producers have just as much say in the direction the film takes as the director himself. To put it bluntly, the collaborative effort created an exercise in blandness in the case of Golden Gun.

 

ACTORS AND CHARACTERS

Roger Moore, in his second performance as James Bond, makes fewer attempts to toughen the character than he did in Live and Let Die. Hamilton's direction naturally released Moore's easy-going mannerisms. Even in the scene in which Moore slaps Anders, his harshness is contradictory. It's difficult to accept Roger Moore slapping anyone, much less a pretty girl. There is one funny line, though, when Bond is visiting Mr. Lazar in Thailand. (Lazar provides Scaramanga with his golden bullets.) Bond points a rifle at Lazar's crotch in an attempt to learn the whereabouts of Scaramanga. "Speak now or forever hold your peace," Bond warns, taking aim. A terrific Moore-ism.

Horror-film veteran Christopher Lee portrays Francisco Scaramanga (the "Pistols" nickname from the novel has been dropped). Lee is a distant cousin of Ian Fleming and was once told by the author that he would have made a good Dr. No. Lee is finally able to play a Bond villain, and it could have been one of the best characterizations of the series. Unfortunately, the script and direction reduce Scaramanga to an almost harmless entity. Lee's Scaramanga is much too charming and elegant to be evil. He isn't frightening in the least; in fact, he tends to evoke sympathy when the audience is told of Scaramanga's past and his tragedy with a pet elephant (one of the few Fleming elements transferred to the screen). Scaramanga, as a boy, shot a policeman who killed the elephant when it went berserk. The incident gives the villain an excuse. But there is one striking image when Scaramanga is escaping from Hong Kong with Andrea and Nick Nack on his fishing vessel. As he and Andrea stand on the deck watching the Hong Kong skyline, he caresses her face with his golden gun. Though a little obvious symbolically, it's an image that works.

Britt Ekland portrays Mary Goodnight, Bond's aide in the East. In the novels, she is Bond's second secretary, but in the film she is merely working for the Service's station in Hong Kong. Miss Ekland has been directed to play the character as a dumb blonde. Apparently, the intention was to make a comic character, which is a little patronizing to both the actress and Ian Fleming. As a result, Mary Goodnight is nothing but a clumsy fool, getting herself kidnapped or finding herself stuck in a closet Ms. Ekland does an adequate job and provides the audience with a few good laughs, but the character, though attractive, is basically an idiot.

The exotic model Maud Adams portrays Andrea Anders, Scaramanga's girl friend. It is she who sends the golden bullet engraved with "007" to Universal Export. Andrea is attempting to contact Bond so that he will rescue her from Scaramanga's clutches. Why she doesn't reveal this during the first meeting with Bond is confusing, since she's so desperate. Andrea is the film's Obligatory Sacrificial Lamb, killed by Scaramanga himself in a boxing ring in Bangkok. Miss Adams's role is the most sophisticated in the story.

Herve Villechaize (of TV's Fantasy Island) portrays Nick Nack, Scaramanga's midget manservant and bodyguard. Nick Nack is simply another version of Oddjob, although his small size and high intelligence create an interesting variation. Unfortunately, the direction of the film makes Nick Nack a figure of fun (he's even accompanied by a humorous musical theme), thereby depriving Bond of any true menace. The final battle aboard Scaramanga's vessel with Nick Nack is embarrassing—as is the way Bond punishes the character. Bond scoops up Nick Nack in a suitcase, and hoists him to the top of the ship's masthead!

Clifton James appears in another cameo in this film as J. W. Pepper. The big question, though, is what is Sheriff Pepper doing on vacation in Thailand? And furthermore, why is he considering buying a new car in Bangkok? Bond accidentally runs into him first on the floating market in Bangkok during a boat chase. Pepper becomes so excited about seeing Bond again that he is knocked into the canal by an elephant (which just happens to be standing next to him). This sequence might have been funny to anyone under twelve years old. Next we see Pepper with his wife in a new car showroom, where Bond steals a car in order to chase Scaramanga. Pepper happens to be in the passenger seat of the car when Bond hops in and drives it through the showroom window. The scene is too ludicrous for words.

M and Miss Moneypenny, as well as Q, appear on location in the Orient again. This time their headquarters is inside the sunken Queen Elizabeth, which is still sitting on its side in Hong Kong harbor. There are shades of The Poseidon Adventure when Bond visits the headquarters: the rooms slant awkwardly, but new, horizontal walkways have been built to accommodate the staff. For once, Q doesn't supply Bond with any gadgets to speak of. The only real gadget in the film, besides the false third nipple that Bond uses, is Scaramanga's golden gun, which is assembled from ordinary items such as a ballpoint pen, cigarette lighter, etc. The gun was designed and built by Colibri Lighters.

 

OTHER ASPECTS

Peter Mutton, the film's production designer, had worked on previous Bond films as art director. His sets are very good, even though they smack of Ken Adam influences. As mentioned before, the only problem with the sets is that they are underused. But Scaramanga's dining room is especially attractive, and looks similar to Dr. No's dining room. Ted Moore's cinematography is among his best work for the series, and puts the only polished touch on the film's proceedings.

Supervising editor John Shirley and his assistant, Ray Poulton, give the film the usual tight, fast-paced tempo. Their work is especially effective during the film's main set-pieces: the boat chase around the floating market and the car chase outside of Bangkok.

The car chase features a very impressive stunt which was created by the film's stunt coordinator, W. J. Milligan, Jr. At one point, Bond decides to drive his car onto a collapsed bridge, hoping to leap over the water and land on the other side. The two sections of broken bridge are curved, so that the car does a 360-degree turn in mid-air before landing on the second bridge. The stunt, performed by Milligan, is breathtaking. Each Bond film, no matter how weak it may be, features some kind of spectacular stunt that somehow makes it all seem worthwhile.

The martial arts school fight is another highlight of the film, featuring some of the best in kung-fu and karate action sequences. Bond plays it a bit nasty when he kicks one opponent in the head during the customary bow. The sequence is fun to watch, but it lacks the flash of the ninjas in You Only Live Twice. The sequence lapses into incredibility when Hip (Bond's Chinese ally) and his two teenage nieces help Bond vanquish the entire martial arts school. And why do Hip and his nieces drive away in their car, abandoning Bond to use a motorboat to make his escape?

Derek Meddings' miniatures are impressive. A model was built of Scaramanga's lab, as well as a section of the island itself, for the incredible explosion at the film's end. Scaramanga's auto-plane is also a model. This outlandish gimmick features a car that becomes an airplane.

John Barry is back to score the film. Unfortunately, Don Black is also back doing the inane lyrics for the title song. "He has a powerful weapon, he charges a million a shot; an assassin that's second to none—the man with the golden gun." The song should have been an instrumental. Performed with exaggerated zeal by Lulu, the main title theme must rank as the series' worst. The rest of the Barry score, though, is quite good. The Far Eastern setting provided him with another opportunity to create exotic Oriental music, which is successful in capturing the flavor of the locations. There are sections, though, where the music takes on a humorous quality, complementing the action on the screen.

The Man With the Golden Gun,then, represents a low point in the series. It was no financial blockbuster either, and some time elapsed before work began on the next film, mainly due to Harry Saltzman's departure. But when a new Bond film finally was scheduled, with Cubby Broccoli in total control, the series struck back with the most lavish production yet.