Roger Moore is a pastry chef's idea of James Bond; but Christopher Lee as the archetype of the evil antagonist makes this 007 outing just about bearable.

The best Bonds, like the car that twirls, were sly without quite getting silly. The best Bonds also had Sean Connery, whose absence is sorely felt here.

Roger Moore's Bond has got a rough deal over the year, but whilst this takes itself a little too lightly it has a lot going for it.

Bond and company are let down by a lazy script, but [Roger] Moore balances the overplayed humor with a steely performance and [Christopher] Lee’s charm and enthusiasm makes Scaramanga a cool, deadly, and thoroughly enchanting adversary.