December 19, 1974 (London, premiere)
December 20, 1974 (UK and USA)
The Man with the Golden Gun is a 1974 spy film and the ninth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, and the second to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. A loose adaptation of Ian Fleming's novel of the same name, the film has Bond sent after the Solex Agitator, a device that can harness the power of the sun, while facing the assassin Francisco Scaramanga, the "Man with the Golden Gun". The action culminates in a duel between them that settles the fate of the Solex.
The Man with the Golden Gun was the fourth and final film in the series directed by Guy Hamilton. The script was written by Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz. The film was set in the face of the 1973 energy crisis, a dominant theme in the script. Britain had still not yet fully overcome the crisis when the film was released in December 1974. The film also reflects the then popular martial arts film craze, with several kung fu scenes and a predominantly Asian location, being set and shot in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Macau. Part of the film is also set in Beirut, Lebanon, but it was not shot there.
The film was met with mixed reviews, and some critics described it as the lowest point in the canon up to that time. Christopher Lee's portrayal of Scaramanga as a villain of similar skill and ability to Bond was generally praised, but reviewers criticized the film as a whole, particularly its comedic approach and the performances of Moore and Britt Ekland. Although the film was profitable, it is the fourth lowest grossing film in the series. It was also the last film to be co-produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, with Saltzman selling his 50% stake in Danjaq, LLC, the parent company of Eon Productions, after the release of the film.
Storyline
Sound Effects Used
- CINESOUND GUNSHOT 01
- SKYWALKER EXPLOSION 01 (Only heard in the remastered version.)
- SKYWALKER EXPLOSION 12 (Only heard in the remastered version.)
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - LONG SHELL SCREAM RICCO
_CINESOUND_GUNSHOT_01.png "The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) CINESOUND GUNSHOT 01.png (803 KB)")
