Profile | Guy Hamilton

Film director Guy Hamilton discusses the ingredients of a successful Bond movie and looks back at a career that started with his apprenticeship in the French film business at the age of 17. The director maintains that, in his opinion, although the Bond films defy the formulaic, one of the golden rules in their production is to put the money up on the screen, particularly with the sets and stunts, which should look as expensive and spectacular as possible. His take on Bond is that the secret agent is a latter-day Saint George, albeit a lecherous one, and the villains he faces represent the dragon.

Guy Hamilton directed four films in the Bond franchise: 'Goldfinger' (1964), 'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971), 'Live and Let Die' (pictured above - 1973) and 'The Man with the Golden Gun' (1974). He was also at the helm when the role passed from Sean Connery to Roger Moore in 1973.