The Man With The Golden Gun

The Man With The Golden Gun

Synopsis

James Bond receives a gold bullet inscribed with “007”, signifying he has been targeted by high-class professional assassin Francisco Scaramanga known as “The Man with the Golden Gun”. 007 is relieved of his current assignment, the search for scientist Gibson and his solex agitator, the solution to the global energy crisis, and determines to find Scaramanga. The trail leads to a specialist armorer Lazar in Macau, then to Scaramanga’s contact Andrea and industrialist Hai Fat in Hong Kong. After killing Gibson, Scaramanga steals the solex agitator and kidnaps MI6 liaison office Mary Goodnight. A homing device leads Bond to Scaramanga’s lair, an isolated island in Chinese waters. Bond travels there by seaplane, kills Scaramanga in a duel, retrieves the solex agitator, and escapes with Goodnight in Scaramanga’s junk.

Cast

Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, Hervé Villechaize, Clifton James, Richard Loo, Soon-Taik Oh, Marc Lawrence, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Marne Maitland, Desmond Llewelyn, James Cossins, Chan Yiu Lam, Carmen Sautoy, Gerald James, Michael Osborne, Michael Fleming

Producers

Harry Saltzman
Albert R. Broccoli

Director

Guy Hamilton

Release Date

19 December 1974 (UK)
19 December 1974 (USA)

World Premiere

19 December 1974, Odeon Leicester Square, London 

Locations

Macau; Hong Kong; Bangkok, Phuket, Thailand, Pinewood Studios, London, UK

Music

“The Man With The Golden Gun” – performed by Lulu, lyrics by Don Black, composed by John Barry

Vehicles

AMC Hornet Hatchback; Scaramanga’s Flying AMC Matador; Scaramanga’s junk; Mary Goodnight’s MGB GT 

Gadgets/Weapons/Technology 

  • Walther PPK 7.65mm
  • Solex agitator
  • Solar power plant
  • Industrial laser cannon
  • Tracking device
  • Golden gun used by Scaramanga a 4.2 calibre gold-plated pistol assembled from a cigarette case (the handle), lighter (the bullet chamber), fountain pen (the barrel) and cuff link (the trigger). The weapon fires one gold bullet which Scaramanga conceals in his belt buckle.
  • Beretta 950 automatic
  • Fake third nipple
  • Three-fingered sniper rifle

Trivia

This was Ian Fleming’s last 007 novel before he died

For the famous corkscrew jump, the car had to be completely stabilised, so the steering wheel was relocated to the middle of the car

Loren “Bumps” Willert performed the corkscrew stunt in one take. Director Guy Hamilton was worried the car stunt looked ‘too perfect’, and that audiences would think it was unrealistic

The kick boxing match was a real fight and many of the spectators were not aware there would be a Bond movie filming there that day

This was the last Bond film produced by Harry Saltzman

Trailer