The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) User Reviews (378)

A nice change from the usual formula

[Maciste_Brother · 7/10 · 12 June 2007]

Often cited as one of the worst James Bond films, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN is one of my favorite of the series. Though I've seen every 007 films, some several times, I cannot describe myself as being an avid fan, so I can't be bothered with who was the best Bond and which film was most faithful to the books and which Bond girl was the best, etc. Differentiating one Bond film from the next is almost like differentiating one Twinkie from another Twinkie: simply put, it's formula film-making. With GOLDEN GUN, I can sorta see why some might think it's not up to the usual 007 extravaganza: it just doesn't follow the formula like other Bond films. There are no gadgets here and the ending is not as spectacular as other Bond flicks or some characters (the sheriff) might seem trite but of all other 007 adventures, this is the most down to earth one. I love the fact that there's no huge battle at the climax or ridiculous gadgets (the invisible car in DIE ANOTHER DAY, for example). This a Bond adventure that can actually be described as being sorta believable, which is no mean feat.

What's remarkable about GOLDEN GUN is the cinematography. The composition, the natural colors, the realism of it all. I've just watched the latest DVD edition and the image is clear and beautiful. Gone is the grubby cinematography of LIVE AND LET DIE. But it's also not as super-slick as other Bond made before or after this one. It's an odd thing to cite beautiful cinematography for such a commercial project as this one. The most stunning scenes are at the end, when Bond flies to Scaramanga's secret base.

The other great thing about GOLDEN GUN is casting Christopher Lee as Scaramanga. It's his best role/performance ever. And he's the best villain in any 007 film. Scaramanga is a real character, not a cartoon villain like 90% of Bond villains. The fact that the story is about two men going mano a mano is also a nice change from the tired "villain who wants to dominate the world" plot line. Casting Lee as Scaramanga was a stroke of genius. He's what makes THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN so memorable.

Lastly, the other memorable element is John Barry's score. It's one of his most evocative for a James Bond film. When I hear it, I can't get it out of my mind.

As Bond girls, Britt Ekland and Maud Adams are absolutely gorgeous. Though Adams' acting can be described as stiff, she's one of the classiest and is the saddest Bond girl ever (her actions propel the story) while Ekland is funny as the ditsy operative. The belly dancer at the beginning was, hmm, scary looking though.

The film's biggest weak points are: the script, which is sorely underwritten in some spots; the re-introduction of JW Pepper character, which even if he's quite funny here, is just too improbable; and the blatant AMC product placement. The last two points almost make GOLDEN GUN "jump the shark" but after the excellent climax, all is forgiven.

But the big glaring mistake in THE MAN WITH GOLDEN GUN, and probably the main reason why so many Bond fans don't like this film, is the fact that Bond doesn't appear before the opening credits. No kick-ass intro action scene with Bond in a jet-pack or falling out of plane without a parachute that sets the tone for the rest of the film. I have to admit that the film seems to be missing something because of that.

Even so, there are still many other reasons why GOLDEN GUN is my favorite: the entire karate school scene, which is the high point of the film. The abrupt "kick to the head" joke was even copied years later with Indy shooting the big man with the big sword in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; the arena scene (excellent direction there); the whole 1970s look; a confident Roger Moore who gives his best performance as 007 and says some of the funniest one liners of the series with impeccable timing. And let's not forget about Herve Villechaize as Nick Nack. He almost steals every scene he's in, which is either good or bad, depending on how you like him. In closing, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN has just the right balance of seriousness, action, acting, exotic locations and humor.

Lee's screen presence and the 360-degree spiral jump, which was a big deal n much ahead of the Fast n Furious series made it an interesting watch.

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 18 December 2020]

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs n enjoyed it then, specially with the inclusion of Lee as the villain, living extravagant lifestyle on a secluded island. The duel/showdown kinda reminded me of the western films i grew up on. Revisited it recently n found it to be entertaining.

This is the ninth in the Bond series and the second to star Roger Moore as James Bond. This time Bond is temporary relieved of his duties by M due to the threat to Bond's life by an assassin known as Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) but Bond sets out unofficially to locate Scaramanga n on a mission to recover Solex Agitator, a breakthrough technological device crucial to solving the energy crisis with solar power.

This time Bond faces a dangerous assassin, Scaramanga n his all-round personal assistant, butler, housekeeper, chef n trusted henchman known as Nick Nack. Bond also faces several kung fu fighters.

This time Bond gets to cool off with Britt Ekland, a dumb blonde with amazing tight abs n luscious lips n Maud Adams. He also gets to cool off his eyes when he flirts with a completely naked Francoise Therry in a swimming pool n gets to kiss the toned belly of Carmen du Sautoy.

Some info about Scaramanga from the book, he worked as an enforcer for the Spangled Mob, worked as a pitboy at the casino of Tiara Hotel in Las Vegas, while in fact he was executioner of cheats and other transgressors within and outside the gang. In the book he is nicknamed as Pistols n also called Paco. In the book, it is also hinted that Scaramanga is a latent homosexual but in the movie he is shown to have an attractive mistress around.

Moore's second 007 film is pretty golden!

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 5 March 2014]

This is Roger Moore's second time portraying Agent 007, where he meets hit man Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), aka the Man with the Golden Gun. Bond decides to go track down Scaramanga and find a device that can make harnessing the sun's energy possible.

Moore continues to give us his own unique brand portraying James Bond, but staying true to the character with his armor of wits, quick one-liners and cynicism. The action scenes are in abundance, and some exciting car chases, including the one in the streets of Bangkok.

Bond had some unforgettable chemistry with Bond girls Goodnight (Britt Eklund) and Andrea (Maud Adams), a trademark role in his seductive yet charming ways with the Bond Girls. Somehow, the writers saw it was fitting to squeeze in the loud-mouth character Sheriff Pepper (Clifton James), whom I thought was out of place for a spy movie. He was borderline annoying, but other more memorable characters like Hip (Soon-Tek Oh) made up for this flaw. And, to cap it off, there is an exciting cat-and-mouse chase leading to the climax of the film, keeping the audience engaged in this two-hour-plus movie.

Overall, another descent Bond film, which I thought wasn't as good as the Live and Let Die (the first 007 adventure with Moore), but certainly one to enjoy on a Saturday night.

Grade B

New entry with an exceptional villain , Scaramanga , very well played by Christopher Lee

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 5 June 2007]

This exciting ninth Bond entry gets the greatest villain named Scaramanga , an awesome Christopher Lee , here's his biography : he was born in a circus , his father was ringmaster and mother a English snakes charmer . He was a spectacular trick-shot artist when ten and a local Rio gunman at 15 . The KGB trained him in Europe where he became an overworked and underpaid assassin . He went independent in the late 50s , his current price : one million dollars a hit . No photograph on file and unknown domicile but he does have on distinguishing feature,however : a superfluous papilla and mammary gland,a third nipple . He always uses a golden bullet , hence ¨Man with the golden gun¨ . He sends a golden bullet to MI6 with number on 007 and a note requesting special delivery to Bond , it's initialled with a ¨S¨ and Scaramanga's fingerprints were on it . Scaramanga tries the death of 007 , face to face , a duel between titans : The golden gun against Walther gun . James Bond is assigned to retrieve a piece of equipment named Solex that can be used for a device to create the sun's energy . Bond explains when he kills it's under specific orders of government and those he kills are themselves killers .

Roger Moore is a sympathetic and magnificent Bond , he earns in irony , suavity and smoothness . In an interview Moore tells about the shooting : ¨It looks a paradise on the screen but it was terrible hot,the entire unit had boils because you could never take a shower . It was uncomfortable ,it looks romantic and then they went over Macao . We're shooting all those scenes of gambling and so that's all go over there and we've got tables going over there with the Blackjack and he made quite money at the gambling table during the five months of shooting¨ .

The film contains spectacular fights , the lieutenant Hip's nieces were students of the karate school , the scene was played for laughs , but the women cast were Tae-Kwon-do champions and very accomplished athletes . The struggles were carefully choreographed and performed like a dance routine requiring each participant to hit their mark at the correct time . Film is made by Eon Productions Limited on location in Hong Kong , Macau , Thailand and Pinewood Studios , London , England . The atmosphere is faithful to the actual location but the interiors on a set at Pinewood Studios . The motion picture was well directed by Guy Hamilton .

Another long Bond film, with some rather dull moments, but it's not all bad, and eventually gets better

[Beta_Gallinger · 7/10 · 15 August 2008]

The year after Roger Moore first appeared in the role of James Bond in 1973's "Live and Let Die", marking the beginning of his twelve-year stint in the role, he returned for the ninth film in the franchise, and his second of seven. Recently, knowing that this wasn't the most widely praised of all the official Bond films, I watched it with fairly low expectations, but I think my expectations were at least slightly surpassed. Like the first film starring Moore, this one didn't blow me away consistently, but I found a lot of it entertaining, mostly later in the film (if it wasn't for that, I doubt I could rate it any more than a 6/10).

Francisco Scaramanga is a renowned hit-man who uses a golden gun with golden bullets, which is why he is known as "the man with the golden gun"! MI6 receives a golden bullet with "007" on it, which suggests that James Bond is Scaramanga's next target! Because of this threat, M decides to dismiss Bond from his duties until the problem is solved. Nonetheless, Agent 007 sets out in search for Scaramanga, and during his search, he witnesses the assassination of a man who turns out to be a scientist creating a device that can harness the sun's power! Bond must track down this machine, and on his mission, he must go through Andrea Anders (Scaramanga's mistress), and Nick Nack (the hit man's servant), as he is assisted on the mission by Mary Goodnight, a mission which eventually leads to a showdown between the secret agent and his main foe!

Like "Live and Let Die", this one has some tedious moments, unsurprisingly, and for a while, it seemed to me that it was turning out to be slightly inferior to Moore's first Bond film, but like I said, I was more impressed later in the film, with a decent amount of suspense and humour. They brought back Sheriff J.W. Pepper, the stereotypical Southerner introduced in "Live and Let Die", for comic relief in this movie. The character made me laugh in the 1973 Bond film, once again gave me some laughs this time, and as I stated in my comment on the first film featuring him, I don't see why I should feel guilty for finding Sheriff J.W. Pepper amusing if I'm willing to laugh at Canadian stereotypes. One very memorable sequence is where Bond chases after a car with Pepper inside with him, which is both suspenseful AND humorous (humourous thanks to the presence of Pepper). After that, a lot of suspense takes place on the island.

Like "Live and Let Die", this second Bond film starring Roger Moore is rather polarizing with Bond fans, but both films, while not the best, I have found to be reasonably satisfying, and in my opinion, while Moore can't quite match Sean Connery (the first actor to play Ian Fleming's famous character, as I'm sure you know), he was a decent replacement, unlike George Lazenby, who was only in one film in the franchise (1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), in between Connery's last two (1967's "You Only Live Twice" and 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever"). Christopher Lee is also impressive as the main villain in this particular movie. So, while I wouldn't watch "The Man with the Golden Gun" expecting to be blown away, I would say it's worth watching, though some would obviously disagree.

Bond #9: Scaramanga turns on the light

[unbrokenmetal · 7/10 · 9 July 2008]

The killer Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) uses a special golden gun for his assignments and has a rare birthmark on his chest. That's about the only things the movie has in common with the novel which played in the Caribbean region whereas the movie takes us to Thailand where Scaramanga secretly works with solar energy. Casting Herve Villechaize was an attempt to create a sidekick for Scaramanga like Oddjob had been to Goldfinger - a bit too silly in the end. Being a child of its time, "The Man With the Golden Gun" couldn't resist some kung fu - you see better martial arts in Hong Kong productions, though. Somehow parts of the movie seem too artificial, especially the mirror labyrinth where Scaramanga likes to practice the art of killing. But the beautiful islands will stick to your memory, and there is the most fabulous car stunt so far! There's an interesting promo photo for the movie, by the way: Lee and Moore back to back, gun in hand. This is not just a duel, this is also illustrating the idea of Scaramanga being a "dark Bond", his mirror image as a bad guy with the same skills, but different ideology. "We have so much in common, Mr Bond", Scaramanga says. "Ours is the loneliest profession."

Underrated Moore Bond

[divineangel · 7/10 · 21 September 2006]

Altho there's a lot of hate for this second Moore 007, I never understood it. For a change, most of the witty dialogue works well. I think it's one of Moore's best Bond performances.

So let's break it down: The Good: - Roger Moore is witty and action ready. His fight scene in the belly dancer's room is pretty good. Tough and violent. Don't know about that cigar, but it adds a little extra somethin'.

• Herve Villechieze as Knick Knack. Not threatening, but a fun memorable sidekick with lots of playful malevolence. I love it when he shushes Bond.

• Christopher Lee. Nuff said, tho they didn't build up this character to the level they could have. Where are those deleted scenes between him and Moore (from the trailer and photos)that obviously exist?

• John Barry. Yes, Lulu's song is ridiculous. Still, I love the brassy music and this is one of Barry's most memorable catchy Bond scores. Especially during the karate scenes and the jazzy swing of Scaramenga's fun parlor.

• Kung fu. The Bond films always lucked out when it came to latching onto the culture of the day. 1974 was the height of kung fu exploitation and Bond was there. Still have BLACK BELT magazine featuring this on the cover...

The Bad: - Miss Goodnight. Giving Bond a ditzy helper...well, bad night.

• Lack of compelling plot. The energy cell and Scaramanga are too loosely tied together and the film shouldn't have tried to pull a Blofeld at the end.

• Production design. Ken Adams is sorely missing here. And what's with that ONE GUARD in the massive solar laser set? Missed opportunity there.

The Ugly: - JW Pepper.

• Slide whistle.

Moore's favorite 007 Bond movie ever - Mano E Mano Bond vs Scaramanga

[NightmareOnElmStreetFan · 10/10 · 27 March 2021]

The Man With The Golden Gun is such an Epic movie in my opinion! I love this movie to death!!!!! This is the second movie that Roger Moore did and My favorite Roger Moore's movie as Bond. When it comes to Roger Moore as James Bond, most people praise "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "For Your Eyes Only." But I prefer The Man with the Golden Gun over The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. I really enjoy this film I love that all effects are practical and done for real. The explosions, car chases, boat chases. Roger Moore does all his own stunts. I love Karate and martial arts fights in this film. I love mano e mano between Bond his Walther PPK gun and Scaramanga his (Golden Gun) on the finale on Scramanga's island. Mary Goodnight is sexy, hot and fiesty in this movie. I love that Roger Moore kicks one of the bad guy's in Hai Fat's karate school in the face and fights of Chula (Chan Yiu Lam).

Roger Moore with his enthusiasm and charm still did a great job playing his character. In the face of Energy Crisis 1973 Britain still did not fully recover from the crisis. So they made to face the Energy Crisis at that time. Bond 007 once again goes and kicks ass. Bond becomes a target of an assassin called Francisco Scaramanga played by actor Christopher Lee. So Christopher Lee and Ian Fleming were cousins in real life and Christopher Lee said that Francisco Scaramanga was his favorite role he ever played. I love this movie. I have a friend that he consider it, his favorite Roger Moore film and so do I. He said this is his favorite Roger Moore film. I have another co worker that told me that her friend visit the island Phuket Scaramanga Island but is now called James Bond Island. A Scaramanga Island in which Bond and Goodnight escape. I love Scaramanga's Golden gun.

007 is now the target of this known assassin and Scaramanga well know assassin holds A Solex editor unit in his hands. He has a high tech solar plant in possesion. He is planing to sold the plant to the higest binder. He uses Solex editor unit from the sun for his powerful laser weapon. MI6 gives a Bond a mission to get that Solex Editor Unit back, because this was the face energy of the energy crisis. Britain did not overcome the crisis. James Bond on a mission get's assasigned by Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland). The first lead brings him to Beirut later to Hong Kong and meets his contact in Hong Kong, Soon-Tek Oh as Lieutenant Hip. Soon-Tek Oh plays a good guy in this movie, he plays the bad guys in Missing in Action 2: The Beginning and Steel Justice with Martin Kove. Bond brings him to Tailand and to Hai Fat who is Scaramanga's contractor and boss. By the finale Bond brings him self to the island Phuket Phang Nga Bay, Thailand which is bad ass.

Director Guy Hamilton demended that Bond is more a tough guy like in the Ian Fleming novels so Bond had to twist Andrea Anders arm and Roger Moore hated that scene. Moore said that he could use his charm. The other scene Roger Moore hated was that scene in which Bond pushes a boy out of the boat. Roger Moore, Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee and Herve Villechaize did all great job. Actress Britt Ekland was terrified the explosions. That's one of the reasons why I love this movie to death and it is one of my favorite Bond films of all time. Because I love the island Phuket Phang Nga Bay, Thailand I love the explosions. Bond and Goodnight escape from the island that was done for real. Britt Ekland was only in bekini and Roger Moore grabed her while they were running away for their life from the exploding plant that wasn't acting that was real!!!!! They almost got killed Roger Moore felt Ekland's terrified skin and it was for real.

This movie deserves to be called one of the best Bond films it is in my top 10 Favorite Bond films and I consider it a classic that's just me. This is my favorite Roger Moore film, I baged my mom so she asked my aunt to tape me this film on VHS and my aunt did tape me this film and Live and Let Die. I forgot to meantion but I enjoyed the kickbox match in here. I love that it is the face of the energy cirisis and the final shots makes this film more realistic. Even the fights are realistic when Bond bleeds during the fight. Mary Goodnight is one of my favorite Bond girls. I love, love this movie incredible to death! It's shot with camera in a full widescreen presentation. Love this movie to death.

R. I. P. Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Herve Villechaize, Soon-Tek Oh and Richard Loo.

Scaramanga's trademark weapon was a single-shot, gold plated, 4.2-caliber handgun

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 9 July 2005]

In Guy Hamilton's 'The Man With the Golden Gun', James Bond still enjoys a good cigar, and prefers Dom Perignon '62 above the '64 offered...

He sure does love Swedish babes, and dares to kiss a talented dancer's 'magnificent' abdomen... He slaps a tall, graceful slim girl, and he slaps her hard... He attempts to overtake Scaramanga's car by crossing a canal with no bridge in sight, and pilots a small seaplane to let us see those incredible prehistoric islands off the coast of Thailand...

Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) is a world's class assassin who has stolen a prize solar energy device, but who only needs one bullet to finish a job... He likes Tabasco sauce, gold jewelry, and a girl in a bikini... He caresses his lover with a golden gun, and loves to kill for a million dollars a shot... He has a 'sign' of great sexual prowess... He perverse love/hate relationship with a mischievous French-speaking assistant, and admires Bond so much that he even keeps a mannequin of him at his island retreat... He claims to be an artist, and challenges 007 to 'a duel between titans' on the sunlit beach... A man of taste, his AMC Matador car suddenly sprouted wings and jetted off into the blue sky…

Britt Ekland spends most of the film either locked in the trunk of Scaramanga's flying car or stuck in the closet of Bond's hotel room while 007 makes love to Andrea (Maud Adams).

Maud Adams remains the only exotic woman to have starred in two different Bond features, and would also have a brief cameo in "A View To A Kill." This Swedish beauty is sick of Scaramanga's sadistic games… It was she who sent the gold bullet to M16 that set Bond on Scaramanga's tail…

Nick Nack (Hervé Villechaize) perfectly proves that the smallest of Bond's adversaries can easily give 007 big trouble... He annoyed 007 right up until the very end of the mission… His tiny mannerisms perfectly fitted the fantasy tradition of the Bond movies... He's seen so quick on his feet as he plays with the controls that operate the 'fun house' on Scaramanga island…

'The Man With the Golden Gun' remains thin and obvious 007 extravaganza with conventional expensive excitements... The boat and car chases merely reprise sequences in both 'Live and Let Die' and 'Diamonds Are Forever.'

Last note: After being absent in 'Live and Let Die,' Desmond Llewelyn returns as the beloved Q, but provides 007 no fantastic gadgets and weapons this time...

The Man With The Golden Gun? More Like The Film Made With Fool's Gold

[timdalton007 · 2/10 · 24 October 2011]

If Live And Let Die was the film that saved James Bond, then The Man With The Golden Gun is the film that just about killed it again. With the success of Roger Moore's debut Bond film, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman sought to follow it up as a fast as they possibly could. This rush to follow up one success produced one of the least successful films of the series.

Roger Moore follows up a good debut performance with a performance that is anything but good. Like Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, Moore's performance is basically sleepwalking his way through the film. His line delivery is flat virtually the whole way through no matter what the situation is be it facing down villains, seducing women or making any one of the horrible one liners. The result is one of the worst performances of any actor in the role.

Much the same can be said of Britt Ekland as Mary Goodnight. Goodnight embodies the very cliché of what a Bond girl is: a pretty face and not an ounce of acting talent. She does little more in the film than whine about how Bond is treating her yet keeps trying to get into bed with him. Outside of this whininess and helping to get the last act of the film going, neither the actress nor the character add much to the film otherwise. The result is pretty close to the worst Bond girl ever.

Much more interesting than either Bond or Goodnight is the villain: Francisco Scaramanga played by Christopher Lee. Scaramanga is almost the anti-Bond: he's suave, charming, seductive and a man who kills for money. Lee plays the role brilliantly, encompassing all of those aspects into his performance. This villain, in the hands of a lesser actor, could easily have been one dimensional, is instead a fleshed out character that is far more interesting than anyone else in the film. In fact, it's almost a shame that Christopher Lee never got the chance to be James Bond himself based on his performance here.

The rest of the cast is almost a disaster. Virtually the entire cast is played for laughs whether it is Herve Villechaize as Nick Nack, Richard Loo's over the top performance as Hai Fat and of course the unnecessary, cringe-worthy return of Clifton James as J.W. Pepper. Soon-Taik Oh's performance as Lieutenant Hip is okay, but heavily undermined by some bad dubbing. Even the usual supporting cast members disappoint such as Bernard Lee's grouchy M. If there is a shining star of the supporting cast its Maud Adams as Scaramanga's mistress Andrea Anders who, like Scaramanga, outshines the rest of the cast. The result overall is one of the worst Bond casts yet assembled.

The problem with the entire film is that it all feels rushed and lacks polish. The production design and cinematography are both good, but they lack something that worked so well in the previous Bond films. Maurice Binder turns in his first set of lackluster title sequences as well, further undermining the success of the film. Even the score from John Barry shows this lack of polish. Compare the score for this film with that of You Only Live Twice, another Bond film set largely in Asia, to illustrate the point. The score lacks Barry's usual lushness as it feels shockingly cramped and unoriginal. Much the same can be said of the title song as well. Barry is even guilty of taking the film's one truly good stunt piece and undermining it with a silly piece of music. Indeed, the entire film feels like it is being played more for laughs then for suspense, something that proves to be the undoing of it. Where does the fault of that come from though? Nothing else in the entire film is as big a culprit in that department then its script. It's a script filled with a lack of logic, overly convenient plot twists and bad one liner's. After a suspenseful pre-credit sequence, the film becomes little more than a list of Bond film clichés that undercuts suspense for the almost two hours that follows right up to the point that it manages to undermine its own climax. Writers Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz, along with director Guy Hamilton, simply reuse the formula they used in the two previous Bond films with the result being stale and unoriginal.

At the end of the day, it is easy to see how this film ends up being named one of the worst Bond films ever. Despite an excellent villain and at least one good supporting cast member, this is a film that embodies everything that can be bad about a Bond film. Bond himself is uninteresting, the girl is window dressing, it's played for laughs and it's utterly formulaic. The Man With The Golden Gun? More like a film made with fool's gold

Underrated but great James Bond movie

[FabD1 · 8/10 · 28 February 2011]

What can I tell you? When I first got acquainted with all Bond movies some 25 years ago (say around 1987), I was quick to consider this movie to be one of the worst film of the series ever. I watched it again and again, and my opinion remained the same for a very very long time. I came back to it recently upon release of the Blu Ray disc, and I must say I am now most impressed with it. I have seen it several times in the last 6 months and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite Bond movies. Why? Because it's extremely well crafted, has beautiful locations and an interesting and fun music. Also, the plot is not completely out of this world and Roger Moore is very good as Bond in this movie. I would dare say it may even be his best Bond performance.

To sum up, I urge you to (re)discover this movie. It's rather subdued in tone, may be abnormally so for a Bond movie. It's definitely no extravaganza like, say, the Spy who loved me or Die another Day, but an attentive viewing of the Man with the Golden Gun should prove very rewarding.

Pretty Good

[uroshnor54 · 7/10 · 19 July 2014]

The Man with the Golden Gun wasn't a bad movie. I actually thought it was better than Ian Fleming's novel (quite a few of the movies adapted from his books are better than them, in my opinion). I thought it started out pretty well but it did kind of lose steam by the end in my opinion.

I liked Christopher Lee and Maud Adams. Roger Moore's my favorite Bond but I didn't like him here as much as in just about all his other movies. Britt Ekland was okay but not great. And I'm usually easily pleased by most Bond girls (I actually liked Tanya Roberts's character in A View to a Kill).

The climax was pretty disappointing. The fight between Bond and Scaramanga should have gone on longer. The flying car was kind of dumb. And I thought it was kind of pointless to have Sheriff J.W. Pepper in this movie. And I was kind of hoping he'd meet that kid somehow and give him the 20,000 bahts (it is a Roger Moore Bond movie, after all, so it's not like it would have been an unbelievable coincidence).

Overall, it wasn't wonderful but not that bad either.

"Another poor victim has come to a glittering end."

[majikstl · 5/10 · 22 June 2006]

You don't review James Bond movies, you evaluate them, rate them according to how well they meet expectations. There are certain things one has come to expect, even demand of a Bond film and each individual effort either delivers or it doesn't. So, here are ten elements that make a Bond film a Bond film and how THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN rates on a scale of 1 to 10:

Title: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN: Exceedingly lame, the title might be an accurate description of the film's villain, but it is almost embarrassing in its attempt at sexual innuendo. 4 points.

Pre-Credit Teaser: A forty-year-old stereotype of a gangster (black shirt, white tie, fedora, etc.) is lured into a cheesy funhouse, that wouldn't even cut the muster at a fifth rate carnival, to do battle with Scaramanga, the world's highest paid professional assassin. This is supposed to foreshadow a duel of the titans confrontation between Scaramanga and Bond. Instead it introduces us to the rather tacky quality of the entire movie. 5 points.

Opening Credits: Same old same old from Maurice Binder. 4 points.

Theme Song: As bad as the title is, the attempt to turn it into a theme song is even worse. The music itself is catchy enough, I suppose, and the instrumental theme that pops up on the soundtrack now again is decent. But the lyrics are just plain awful in their attempt to cross themes of sex and violence: "His eye may be on you or me. Who will he bang? We shall see." Ouch! Even pop diva Lulu can't do much with such numbingly bad material. 1 point.

"Bond, James Bond": Were it not for the bits of campy humor peppered throughout the film, I suspect that Roger Moore would just nod off. It's only his second film and already he seems bored -- but with this material, who can blame him? 5 points.

Bond Babes: As Scaramanga's mistress, Maud Adams is surprisingly poignant as a woman trapped in a corrupt world and controlled by an abusive man. She shows more depth than we have come to expect from a Bond Girl, but predictably her character is killed off far too soon. And, unfortunately, the film's heroine becomes Mary Goodnight, played by Britt Ekland, the one-time Mrs. Peter Sellers. Though we are supposed to believe she is a British agent, Goodnight is a one-joke ditz of the sort that suddenly became a Bond cliché. The two cancel each other out. 5 points.

Bond Villain: It is said that Ian Fleming wanted his cousin, famed screen Dracula, Christopher Lee, to be the villain in the first Bond film, DR. NO. That didn't work out, but it is hard to say if it was worth the wait to see him here. Lee is a class act and one of the legendary screen villains of all time. Unfortunately, he is saddled with playing one of the dullest Bond villains of all time. Scaramanga seems to be as noted for his good manners as for his bloodlust. Lee seems to be enjoying the role and there is nothing intrinsically wrong with his portrayal, it is just that Scaramanga doesn't seem all the threatening. Why doesn't Bond just shoot him and be done with it? 5 points.

Bond Baddies: As sort of a Mini-Me version of Goldfinger's Oddjob, Nick Nack is apparently an all purpose butler, henchman, adorable sidekick and source of comic relief. At less than four feet tall, Hervé Villechaize is certainly not very threatening, but pound for pound and inch for inch, he is probably one of Bond's more memorable adversaries. 8 points.

Sinister Plot: The world's most notorious hired assassin apparently has a contract to kill 007, though considering Bond dodges three or four assassins in every one of his adventures, it's hard to see what the big deal is. Anyway, Bond is working on an assignment involving a missing scientist involved in harnessing solar energy and it turns out that Scaramanga is trying to take control of the world using solar energy. Wow, what a coincidence! And how lame. 3 points.

Production values: Whatever ill that can be said about the film as a whole, it will always be cherished by Bondophiles for the infamous spinning car jump. In an attempt to jazz up their image, the carmaker AMC somehow persuaded the Bond producers to let them supply the cars for TMWTGG (just as Fords costarred in GOLDFINGER and Chevys in LIVE AND LET DIE), which is the only possible reason that Scaramanga would be driving a Matador. Anyway, it is also the only possible reason that Bond would commandeer an AMC Hornet to give chase. After a fairly well staged chase through the streets of Bangkok, Bond must catch up with Scaramanga by crossing a river via a half-collapsed bridge. Thus, the car trick from two ramps twisted in opposite directions. A neat trick. And if all Matadors could sprout wings and fly like Scaramanga's, maybe AMC would still be in business. 10 points.

Bonus Points: Clifton James, as the big-bellied, tobacco-spitting, none-too-bright southern sheriff, J.W. Pepper, is back and for no apparent reason beyond being a desperate attempt to repeat a joke that fell flat when used in LIVE AND LET DIE. Minus 5 points.

Summary: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN was used as evidence that the Bond series was wearing out its welcome. Despite trying new things with the character and the formula, the film seems listless and uninspired. It is a low point, but it is also the lull before the rebirth that would come with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME.

Bond-o-meter Rating: 45 points out of 100.

Beautiful landscapes in a so-so Bond adventure

[michelerealini · 6/10 · 4 October 2005]

Let me say I like Roger Moore very much, because I grew up watching his films -he's the first Bond I've ever seen. Many people prefer Sean Connery, who is really unique, true... But how can I say Roger Moore is not good? I've also a lot of affection for Moore because I watched on TV, when I was a kid, "The Persuaders" series.

Although that his second Bond outing is not very good. That's not his fault at all, the screenplay is not good and the story itself is not very interesting. Everything is a little slower than usual, the film has neither the liveliness of "Live and let die" -the first Moore Bond flick- nor the liveliness of the previous episodes.

Here Bond has to face a refined assassin -that's all, there isn't a real thrilling intrigue

On the other hand landscapes and John Barry score are fantastic. Also the cast is strong, because Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland bring a lot of glamour. It's a pity that the movie doesn't match the usual standard.

At the time producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman didn't get along well with each other any more. In '75 their partnership broke up and let Broccoli alone at the command of 007 empire. Maybe this tensions had an influence on "The man with the golden gun", who knows...

Luckily in 1977 Bond came back with one of the best films of the series -"The spy who loved me", a real classic, the definitive Roger Moore entry as Bond.

My Favorite James Bond Movie

[Uriah43 · 7/10 · 31 July 2014]

This is the second film for Roger Moore in the role of "Agent 007" and even though this particular movie isn't the best it happens to be my favorite James Bond movie of them all. Essentially, the world's #1 assassin named "Scaramanga" (Christopher Lee) has sent a golden bullet to James Bond indicating that he is his next target. So rather than waiting around for Scaramanga to choose the time and place James Bond decides to find him first. This leads him to Beirut, Macao, Hong Kong and Bangkok in an attempt to find information that might be helpful in that regard. Now, rather than reveal the rest of the story I will just say that this movie does a good job of combining both action and comedy. As a matter of fact, I think this is probably the most humorous James Bond film ever made as it features nifty one-liners from James Bond along with "Sheriff J. W. Pepper" (Clifton James) and a midget named "Nick Nack" (Herve Villechaize). It also features two quite attractive women in Maud Adams (as Scaramanga's mistress, "Andrea") and Britt Ekland (as "Agent Goodnight"). Again, it might not be the best James Bond movie but I found it to be quite entertaining and recommend it to all fans of the series. Above average.

Golden Gun is Golden Surprise!

[aclasschris · 7/10 · 6 January 2006]

Roger Moore's second outing as Agent 007 puts him against the evil trick shot artist/assassin, Scaramanga (Christopher Lee). Hailed by many Connery fans as the film that marked the downfall of the 007 franchise, 'The Man With The Golden Gun' turns out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the entire series and one of the 'better' Roger Moore films. 'Gun' does take some getting used to, in fact, more times than not, you need to see it a few times to really begin to enjoy the film.

The cast is great, one of the better ones of the entire series. There are two leading ladies in this film, the wonderful Maud Adams, who would later star in Octopussy (1983), and the terrible Britt Ekland who just acts so dumb and hopeless that it almost angers viewers. The villain Scaramanga is top notch as well as his comical, yet silently evil assistant, Nick Nack, played by French painter Herve Villechaize. The plot of the film is very interesting, the locals are exotic (which is always an extremely important part of a bond film), and Roger Moore continues to develop his character from a Connery-clone to putting his own, charming spin on 007.

All-in-all, 'Gun' is another good 007 adventure and is quite possibly the 4th best Roger Moore Bond film. Any fan of the series should give it a second look before they hail it as 'bad'.

"Do you always take a shower with a pistol?"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 17 December 2018]

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?

The Man With the Golden Gun ****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 22 November 2012]

Roger Moore was again in top form in this 1974 film.

Believed to be targeted by a world known assassin who hasn't been seen, it becomes Moore's responsibility to get to him first.

It is only when we're into the film that it becomes known that Moore wasn't the original tart of Christopher Lee, but then he sees quite a diabolical plot that Lee has in store for mankind.

Britt Ekland gives new meaning to the dumb blonde who supposedly assists 007 in his exploits. Maud Adams, the mistress of Lee, finally admits that she was the one who drew Moore into the scheme so that by killing Lee, she could be free of him.

That southern gentleman brings comic relief to the film in a chase scene. The chase along Hong Kong's water routes was also quite memorable.

The "adorable" Herve Villechaize, a cohort of Lee, is evil and up to plenty of tricks.

Note old-timer Mark Lawrence in the beginning sequence in his losing gun battle with Lee. The former often played in gangster films of the 1930s and 1940s.

Good Second Movie for Moore

[mjw2305 · 7/10 · 22 January 2007]

Bond is back and he has to out smart a hit-man who charges $1,000,000 a shot (Christopher Lee) is the man with the golden gun, and he has the usual delusions of world domination and a thirst to pit himself against the best spy in the business.

The plot in this one does have its holes and the script has a little too much silliness and comedy to make it a classic bond film, but if it's entertainment your after then this hits the mark without question, and it still has one of the most awesome car stunts ever.

It's not the best in the series, but there's enough here to entertain you, and Christopher Lee makes a great Bond bad guy.

7/10

CLASSIC BOND ACTION

[Big Movie Fan · 7 May 2002]

This was Roger Moore's second appearance as agent 007 of the British Secret Service. In this movie he was matched against an opponent who could be considered his equal.

The great Christopher Lee played Scaramanga-the assassin who had already killed several British agents and who performed hits for 1 million dollars. Joining him was the late Herve Villechaize as the mischevious little Nick Nack.

Britt Ekland was 007's women in this film. She played Mary Goodnight and whilst she did a commendable job the script didn't give her much to do.

As always the action was fantastic. My favourites were the battle in the Martial Arts school and the finale on Scaramanga's island.

Fans of classic Bond action will love this.

The Weakest of the Bond films.

[vip_ebriega · 3/10 · 8 May 2007]

My Take: Christopher Lee's turn as the villain can't save this silly, mostly boring 007 entry.

I have long regarded "The Man with the Golden Gun" as the weakest entry, not just of Roger Moore's, but the entire franchise. This film boasts a fine performance by Christopher Lee as the lead baddie Francisco Scaramanga, but Moore is obviously unsatisfying in this entry and Britt Ekland only manages to steal a scene in the last half hour in her sexy bikini, otherwise she's totally useless.

The film concerns an attempt to assassinate James Bond. An attempt by assassin Scaramanga and his golden gun, which is mainly composed of everyday items, all made of gold. It's up to Bond to stop him, which leads him to Thailand, a confrontation with Scaramanga and his feisty little sidekick Knick Knack (Herve Villechaize), a Kung Fu battle and a boat chase (once again).

On some parts, the fantastic stunts are fun. But for most parts its a bit boring, and filled with the silliest elements even for a Bond film. Even the title song (sung by Lulu) is arguably the worst of all the Bond theme songs. An attempt to make a goofier 007 movie isn't always successful (see DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and OCTOPUSSY), and this one most likely demonstrates the worst. Worth seeing if you're a Bond fan, otherwise a weak and rather unsatisfying entry with too few moments with Lee and the stunts.

Rating: *1/2 out of 5.

Another great Bond movie

[aheaven2005 · 8/10 · 17 January 2021]

Another strong Bond movie starring Roger Moore. The locations for this one Asia are a good departure from the last couple ones happening a lot in the US. Hervé Villechaize is great in his role and brings a lot of flavour into the movie.

Goodnight, Sir.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 8 May 2007]

The nefarious (I've no idea what that means, but I know it works) super-assassin Francisco Saramanga is out to kill Bond. Because he's like that. Scaramanga charges a million dollars a hit and is the only person in the world who has a slim chance of getting to Bond. Concerned for his safety, M takes Bond off active duty.

Never perturbed (not really sure of that word either), Bond still investigates and soon discovers that Scaramanga has stolen the 'priceless' Solex Agitator. Oh yeah, one of those! A mere MacGuffin and no more. In his mission to retrieve said 'agitator' Bond travels to Thailand and Hong Kong and gets into many silly fights, one involving a midget butler. He even finds time stress-out hillbilly Sheriff JW Pepper once more and...erm...'roger' his gorgeous assistant Mary Goodnight.

It's very dumb and thoroughly unsophisticated but it's all in the name of fun and Roger Moore's light, somewhat innocent way of playing Bond just keeps you smiling all the way through. I also liked John Barry's score, despite the fact he claims it's his weakest effort on the series.

TMWTGG was the last Bond film to be shot in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and I do feel that if it was shot in Panavision then it would have more slick and polished look. 33 years on, TMWTGG looks too grainy and dated and appears older than it is. I'm not sure why Guy Hamilton chose to film it this way when 4 previous Bond films had already been made in Scope widescreen.

Definitely one of the lesser Bond movies but saved by sense of humor and never-ending fun. Rent this one.

Worst Bond Ever...Until Moonraker

[mdouglasfresno · 1/10 · 3 February 2007]

Worst Bond movie ever? "Man with the Golden Gun" or "Moonraker"? Yep, when I first saw "Man With the Golden Gun" I thought it was the worst excuse of a Bond movie imaginable. Dumb plot. Icky sidekick Nick-Nack. Poor actress in lead (Britt Ekland). Uninspired title song. And totally out-of-place, unfunny slapstick humor ("Sheriff J.W. Pepper rides again!"). But five years later I saw such shenanigans as a pigeon doing a double-take, Bond horseback riding to the strains of "The Magnificent Seven", and Jaws strolling hand-in-hand with girlfriend in "Moonraker" and I knew rock-bottom had been reached. Such efforts as "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and "You Only Live Twice" look like high art next to these turkeys.

Moore's Second Bond Mission

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 7 November 2007]

This film has an excellent cast. Brit Ekland & Maud Adams take very good care of the women of Bond here. Christopher Lee is Scaramanga & the first film role for Herve Vellicheze is a complete success as Knick Knack, his servant.

While the film has an energy gadget known as a solaxe, the main focus is the meeting of Bond with Scaramanga. This comes off quite well. There are plenty of major stunts & some great location shooting which are quite enjoyable.

The stunts are well done & with the strong cast, this is another good outing for Roger Moore. He is now firmly planted in the Bond character. This film has plenty for all the Bond fans. Enjoy the show, as this one is solid entertainment.