20 Things You Didn't Know About The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

17. It Wasn’t All Britt Ekland’s Fault

The Man With The Golden Gun Ending
MGM/UA

Swedish actress and former Mrs Peter Sellers, Britt Ekland is actually a good actress, but her role as Mary Goodnight sadly does not do her any favours. She gets locked in wardrobes and car boots, and inadvertently puts both herself and Bond in peril on frequent occasions.

The filmmakers, unfortunately, declined to rework a weak character from Ian Fleming’s novel into a stronger supporting role. She is Bond’s former secretary and a field agent, but that is barely explored in the film. Mary also blundered her way through the novel, inadvertently convincing Scaramanga that Bond was a spy.

Britt Ekland is often named as one of the worst Bond Girls, but she simply played the role as written. No doubt as it was felt that the bumbling operative would suit the lighter tone of Roger Moore’s Bond.

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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.