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Interestingly, and at the risk of offending some, these three elements specifically are what make the film quite endearing to me, along with his treatment of Lazaar. I thought Moore was outstanding in TMWTGG precisely because of his ruthlessness, and regret that he did not show it more often as Bond. I agree with @chrisisall that this is his most Connery'esque performance.
Like some of you have mentioned, the lunch scene between Bond and Scaramanga is pulled off quite well (as is most interactions between Moore and Lee). Moore also gets some pretty good zingers courtesy of Tom Mankiewicz's dialog ("Speak or forever hold your peace/piece" comes to mind).
At the same time, that hotel scene between Bond and Anders just doesn't work. Moore's Bond was never really about that, and I suspect Moore wasn't really about that either. It's an uncomfortable scene to watch, not because of the subject matter, but because Moore is just not handling it. I'm also not a big fan of the fight scene in the dressing room - very stiff (though Moore's fights were never that great).
I think most of my dislike of Golden Gun is the ugly production, ridiculous sequences, annoying characters and much else. To me, Moore gave a fairly conservative performance that isn't particularly memorable, but would likely offend few. I will say that I do prefer Moore's performance in The Spy Who Loved Me - it certainly helped he had a better film around him.
:-??
Sir Roger Moore is on fine form in The Spy Who Loved Me, and possibly his best performance as 007. Moore refined his version of Bond with Lewis Gilbert, a man whom Moore found to be great company. He worked well with Gilbert, in a similar vein to Terence Young and Sean Connery. Like Young and Connery, Moore found he and Gilbert to share the same sense of humour.
Instead of Moore's 007 aping Connery's 007, Gilbert encouraged Moore to express himself, the result being a supremely composed and understated, authoritative performance. Moore subtly commands the screen, with great panache and grace. It is to Gilbert's credit that he was able to coax the performance of out Moore. Moore defined, and cemented, not only his role as Bond, but also his status as leading man.
Moore also, displays a more sombre side to 007, in two fantastic scenes. The first is when Bond and Anya encounter each other in a Cairo bar, the first of their games of one-upmanship. Playfully trading blows to see who knows more about each other, things take an unexpected serious turn, when Anya mentions Tracy, the first time that she has been mentioned since Majesty's. The brief shadow that falls across Moore's face is a superb, yet subtle, piece of acting.
The second happens when Anya discovers that it was Bond who killed her lover, in the PTS; the sub-plot between her and Bond. This gives the audience an increasingly rare moment of introspection, in which the film-makers try to humanize Bond, which counterpoints well with the more fantastical storyline of Spy.
Oozing charisma and confidence, in a movie that itself is bursting with grandeur, this has to be one of the definitive performances of his career. It elevated him to superstardom in the late 70's (as he almost neared 50) and cemented his status as Connery's distinct, but worthy successor.
I'm sure this forum has already covered most of what makes his performance so good, but for me it was his steadfast assuredness and embrace of the character of James Bond, including his troubled past (Tracy references). In those more tender moments, Moore showed what a truly excellent actor he was.
Up there with Connery in DN/FRWL/GF/TB & Craig in CR as a moment when a James Bond performance transcended itself. Legendary.
Sir Roger Moore as James Bond, 007 in Moonaker
The three picture deal that Moore had signed, expired with the completion of Spy. Shrewdly, Moore would negotiate one picture deals until his retirement from the role.
After the success of Spy, Moore's stock had never been higher, and he and Cubby reached a deal relativity promptly.
Filming Moonraker would take its toll on Moore. He had a recurrence of kidney stones in Rio, and the exhausting march up the Amazon left Moore drained. Shooting Moonraker was an arduous task, and in an echo of Sean Connery, Moore was disgruntled about the time spent filming the Bonds, as well as the constant press coverage.
Whatever discomfort Moore was feeling shooting Moonraker, the performance was right on the money - laconically understated and elegantly composed. Although the screenplay does not give Moore any introspection, he has a quite brilliant scene in which Bond is trapped inside of an out of control centrifuge. When he emerges from the centrifuge, Moore's Bond, uncharacteristically, is rather shaken and very stirred, brushing aside Holly's attentions and not even quipping.
As a scientist, I love how he keeps a straight face when he says, "That's the chemical formula of a plant!" Hilarious. :D
I worship at the altar of Sir Roger Moore. ^:)^
I personally think Moore is great in it, because his acting/portrayal is perfect for the film that it is and for the film that it is trying to be. He is super cool throughout, serious when he needs to be (centrifuge) and jovial in other instances (pretty much everywhere else).
I can't see any other Bond actor pulling off a larger than life Bond film like MR as well as Sir Rog does.
Moreover, he delivers the one liners with his customary assuredness and aplomb.
My favourites, primarily due to his brilliant delivery:
"A woman?"
"A little premature, isn't it?"
"The thought had occured to me!"
So, no matter how silly this film is, I think Rog is just great in it. He is very confident and it's an effortless performance from him - I really believe he is Bond when I watch it.
Moore can't act to save his life. He has no presence. When it was finally revealed that in his previous James Bond film, a cardboard cut out was used to put him in a scene, no one was surprised and not many even noticed.
The man had the stupidest one liners imaginable. Chris Wood, the author of many of them, even winced at the ones Moore came up with on his own.
I do not own any of the Moore films. He was just never James Bond to me. He was utterly unconvincing as James Bond, and no matter how people like John Glen tried, he just never worked.
Thank goodness Timothy Dalton came along
In many ways Moore's tenure defines cinematic Bond. Connery was undoubtedly the best, but are any of the other films as purely enjoyable as TSWLM? It's daft, tacky nonsense, but utterly irresistible. MR is not one of my favourites but it has some really enjoyable elements and I find Sir Rog's performance fine.
I watched Moonraker recently, and I was struck how easy and smooth Sir Rog is in this film. In the scene where Bond thanks Corinne after she shows him the safe. Bond's thanks to her, appeared quite genuine, instead of all that pretence that one usually associate with Moore's Bond. He seemed to have realised that he had just signed Corinne death warrant, yet is comfortable with it. The greater good, I guess. Underneath the genial nature of Moore's Bond, is a ruthless bastard.
Sir Roger Moore as James Bond, 007 in....
For Your Eyes Only represents one of Moore's most satisfying and accomplished turns as 007. Moore's performance, full of his trademark charm and unflappable exterior, is undercut with a steely determination, as fitting with the tone of the film.
It is particularly, and perversely, gratifying to see Moore's Bond sweat and fight. It makes victory for Bond entitled. Moreover, in a stand out scene, Bond kicks the Locque's car, off a cliff. The scene is rather surprising and quite brutal, especially coming off the back of the light-hearted romp that was Moonraker. It is a timely reminder that Bond has a licence to kill.
Onto the relationship with For Your Eyes Only's main Bond girl. Bond sees Melina as an angel with a wing down over her parents, in classic Fleming style, and thus warns Melina from going after revenge. Some reviewers have pointed out that Bond is being hypocritical, over cautioning Melina on vengeance. However, Bond senses that Melina is a good person, although she won't be if she chooses to go down the wrong path. Bond knows what it is like to kill someone, and he desperately does not want Melina to carry that burden.
Further evidence of Bond's burgeoning affections for Melina is that he does not sleep with her until the end of their adventure. Bond cares for this girl, and so resists treating Melina like any other other meaningless conquest. This results in them having a natural romance, even going through a courtship stage, when Bond accompanies Melina on her shopping trip. Bond and Melina have one of the most beautiful relationships in the series, heightened by Moore's and Bouquet's subtle dynamic.
That was my take. What is yours?
But objectively I think in Live And Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun he was closest to Fleming's Bond.
George- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Roger- The Spy Who Loved Me
Timothy- The Living Daylights
Pierce- The World Is Not Enough
Daniel- Casino Royale
Yes, me too. =D>