Parents' Guide to

Live and Let Die

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

So-so '70s Bond entry has sex, drugs, action, violence.

Movie PG 1973 121 minutes
Live and Let Die Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 16+

Based on 3 parent reviews

bigmoviefan2020
bigmoviefan2020 Adult
November 25, 2020
age 18+

Mature film

R: intense violence/throughout, some sex/suggestive images an strong language
jmo97
jmo97 Adult
November 28, 2016
age 15+

Ok for an introduction to Moore's Bond films

I feel that with Moore giving more puns than Connery (or at least, it felt like it), Moore was starting to depend on them. Sure enough, he would use a lot of them in his 007 run. He felt kind of passive in this film at times. I was really surprised by the villain in this movie: Yaphet Kotto had a good plot as Dr. Kananga, and he was my favorite aspect of this film. The sheriff was annoying, though. There is the usual amount of Bond sexual content in this film: he's with at least three women (he's shown undressing one), as well as some sexual images of women in various states of undress (including some provocative cards and a suggestive opening titles sequence); there's a fair amount of action violence (including a comic, non-graphic scene of a guy exploding), and some drug content (including a plot involving heroin). If you know to expect these things by now in a Bond film, then I'd say let the parents judge if it's worth watching. As an entertainment film, I thought it was just ok. 6.0/10

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When three MI6 agents are mysteriously killed in the same 24-hour period, Agent 007, James Bond (Roger Moore) is sent to investigate. He first goes to Harlem, where he encounters Mr. Big, a drug lord, and his servant Solitaire (Jane Seymour), who reads Tarot cards and predicts her boss's future. Escaping an attempt on his life, Bond heads to San Monique, where he seduces Solitaire and runs into the Caribbean Prime Minister Kananga (Yaphet Kotto), who is somehow connected with Mr. Big and a huge heroin business. After a trip to New Orleans, and a run in with Sheriff J.W. Pepper, Bond returns to San Monique for a showdown. But can he escape Kananga's deadly shark tank?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (18):

Making his debut as James Bond, Roger Moore was gentler and more reserved than his predecessor Sean Connery, and was certainly more prone to bits of deadpan comedy. His first movie is a mixed bag. It has a strong villain in Yaphet Kotto, but Jane Seymour as the main Bond girl is perhaps a bit too helpless and passive. Secondary Bond girl, African-American Gloria Hendry, became Bond's first interracial romance.

LIVE AND LET DIE goes a bit too far over the top at times, such as a simple murder in New Orleans that somehow involves an entire funeral procession, an extended and tiresome speedboat chase, and the annoying presence of redneck sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James), who returned for the next movie. On the plus side, the movie makes great use of sharks, crocodiles, and snakes, and has some fun gadgets, such as a "shark gun" that explodes its prey with a blast of air. However, the best part is definitely Paul McCartney's theme song, a highlight of the series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. How intense is it? How many characters have to die so that Bond can save the world? Are there any consequences?

  • Bond is definitely a good guy, but his methods and behavior are questionable. Is he a role model? Does he seem "cool"? Is he someone to emulate? Why or why not?

  • How are women portrayed in the movie? Are they realistic? Strong?

  • How explicitly is heroin referred to or shown in this movie? Would it have been better to show more, or less?

  • How does Roger Moore compare to Sean Connery as James Bond?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate