"Live and Let Die" (aka Bond 8) marks the debut of Roger Moore as James Bond. This is not one of the best in the 007 series, but it's still a mostly entertaining adventure. This time Bond follows the trails of a heroin smuggler known as Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) thru New York City's Harlem, the Louisiana Bayou, and an island in the Caribbean. In the middle of his search he meets a Tarot card reader named Solitaire played by Jane Seymour (her film debut) who just happens to be working for the bad guy. "Live and Let Die" gets good mileage out of the performances by Kotto and Seymour as the main villain and beauty, and Moore is just adequate as 007. But the other actors don't really make much of an impression. In particular, Clifton James gives the film's (and maybe the series') goofiest performance as Louisiana sheriff J.W. Pepper, a character straight out of a comic book. It's impossible not to laugh at this character. Sheesh, he practically had me rolling on the floor the moment when he yelled at that old guy driving that oyster truck "Did ya evea think of gettin' a driver's license boy!" The other supporting actors (Kananga's hencemen) aren't all that impressive either. Still, there's plenty to like in "Live and Let Die". The action scenes are well done, and the film on a whole is fun. Plus, it has an excellent title song sung by Paul McCartney. I've got one big question: where's Q at?
*** (out of four)
*** (out of four)