LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) **1/2 Bad men, black as spades, strut forth from pimpmobiles to undertake their nefarious activities in dens such as the Oh Cult Voodoo Shop. Actually maybe they aren't that bad anyway, as they are battling the CIA and look at the year. Maybe they're just following the instructions of Soul Brother #1 and getting together "like the mob." They're plotting to give away free heroin but not make anyone take any, which relates them to the better 20th century European governments. In any event the Bond franchise hasn't gone stale yet, though the brilliant ideas are coming a little bit slower and the dialogue is notably lamer, and the formula is immediately recognizeable. Roger Moore ain't no Sean Connery, but he'll do. Much more can be said for resident Bond girl Jane Seymour, who totally outclasses the hero, material, and supporting cast; and plays very pretty against the exotic Caribbean and New Orleans locales. She's not as funny as the New Orleans funeral processions though, especially the first one. It's sad to think that racial separation and and stereotypes can't be addressed like this anymore: blacks are only allowed to enter the corporate dominated mainstream at entry levels for groveling and assimilation purposes, black separatism is only frightening or stupid; but hell, let's face it: different cultures have always looked funny to each other. And let's face the other thing: for at least the last 100 years black American culture has been far more jubilant and interesting than US honkey culture, and before that they weren't allowed to have a culture-just like now? How about that yokel redneck Sgt. Pepper? Who'd want to be his brother-in-law? Better music than usual by Paul and Linda McCartney, and affected by George Martin.
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