20 Things You Didn’t Know About Live And Let Die (1973)

16. A Bridge Too Far!

Live and Let Die Bond Solitaire
MGM/UA

Live And Let Die is filled with thrilling action sequences that blend perfectly with the film’s plot. One of these involves Double-0 Seven outrunning the San Monique police force in a double-decker London Routemaster Bus.

During this entertaining chase, Bond drives the bus under a low bridge, cleaving the upper deck clean off and leaving a pursuing police car to crash into it, before being deposited in a lake.

In truth, the upper deck was pre-cut and placed on rollers before the bus was shipped out to the location. The stunt driver, Maurice Patchett then drove under the bridge at full speed to make the upper deck come hurtling off.

The presence of the low bridge was also no coincidence as it was built by the film's production team. It was located on a road in Johnson Town, Hanover in Ian Fleming’s beloved Jamaica.

Perhaps the scariest feature of the chase was that, whilst Roger Moore performed some of the sequence himself, Jane Seymour was onboard the bus for the entire time!

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.