Herve Villechaize’s portrayal of henchman Nick Nack in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) packs a pint-sized punch, but is a bit of an enigma. The bizarre setup of the start of the movie with Nick Nack as ringmaster in assassin Scaramanga’s survival-of-the-fittest circus is difficult at first to understand. But eventually, their interactions exhibit an almost trainer/trainee relationship, unique for a character pair relationship in any other James Bond movie.
Villechaize is such an interesting choice for the role, and it always makes me wonder how it’d differ with a traditional actor cast. And the more I think about it, the more I believe it was a casting that paid off. Villechaize’s unnerving voice and nuanced French accent is perfect as a vulnerable but all-knowing sidekick to Christopher Lee’s seemingly untouchable Scaramanga. There are a few times where we see Scaramanga’s annoyance with his minion, but it always ends with Scaramanga (if not begrudgingly) appreciating Nick Nack’s tests to hone the world class assassin’s skill. As in the clip above, that teasing Nick Nack voice only pushes Scaramanga harder to overcome the odds set before him, and implies that Scaramanga’s successes are a direct result of Nick Nack’s efforts.
There are a few scenes where Nick Nack uses his small stature to his benefit, but in the later scenes of the movie it does in part lead to his eventual demise…or at least his “caging” in the final boat scene. We always have to have to remember, however, that he was *this* close to killing the world’s greatest secret agent, James Bond, by way of a drop-in stabbing. Even though his mouth knife-holding method always gave me pause! Ouch!
Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James) returns in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) for more comic relief after his first stint as the bumbling counterpart to Roger Moore’s James Bond in Live And Let Die (1973).
This time around, even a vacation in a foreign country won’t detract from his ego or sense of authority. The above short clip exemplifies this – an overzealous J.W. almost blows Bond’s element of surprise (or any remaining he had, at least) on the chase for Scaramanga. Bond’s disappointment is obvious, and his reaction one of Moore’s most animated.
Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James) in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
Normally when James Bond interacts with wait staff or passersby, the scene is normally short and sweet, and his own quips and charm make the scene somewhat memorable, if at all. It’s not the case in this scene from The Man With The Golden Gun (1974), however.
As Bond searches for Scaramanga’s girl, Andrea Anders, in a hotel, this helpful worker asks Bond (Roger Moore) if he needs help with his champagne on ice delivery. Bond declines, but gladly has uses him to open the door to room 602, Andrea Anders’ room. Does Bond want the staff member to open the champage? Nope – no further assistance is needed from staff, as Bond says he wants his visit to be “a surprise.”
The hotel worker’s response is hilarious in its giddiness and glee. I wonder if it was improvised?
