Vue Sur Bond 007

Québec, 24-26 February 2006

Sir Roger Moore has revealed a well-kept secret - James Bond doesn't speak French very well.

Or at least Moore, the actor who played Agent 007 in seven of the super spy movies, admits he has trouble with the language.

"I speak relatively little, except when I'm at home and I'm asking for things," Moore said Friday. He lives in Switzerland.

The smooth-talking 78-year-old made the comment at a news conference to launch the James Bond film festival which took place in Québec City.

The objective of the festival is to raise funds for UNICEF, particularly for children suffering from HIV-AIDS. Organizers hope to raise $1 billion globally and some of the money will go to poor children in Guatamala. The special ambassador for UNICEF said he was convinced to participate in the film fest by the daughter of Harry Saltzman, Hilary who lives in Québec City. Harry Saltzman, who died in 1994, co-produced most of the earlier British secret agent movies. He was originally from Sherbrooke, Québec. "I said 'Well you just talked me into it, didn't you.' "

The tribute to Saltzman took place Saturday.

Sir Roger Moore was sharing the weekend spotlight with Britt Ekland, one of the so-called Bond girls, and Richard Kiel, who played the bad guy Jaws in two of the films.

"It was great pleasure working Richard and Britt Ekland, who like my wife, is Swedish," Moore said. "I have very good taste."

Christina (Kiki) Tholstrup, Sir Roger Moore's fourth wife, is also attending the festival, along with Guy Hamilton, director of four of the action-packed movies, and Shirley Bassey, who sang several Bond theme songs.

Sir Roger charmed UNICEF conference on February 22

Only Sir Roger Moore would know how to get a roomful of people laughing at a news conference called to report on the plight of dying children worldwide.
“The name’s Moore,” the Bond actor said dryly as he stepped up to the microphone, causing ripples of laughter to spread among members of UNICEF Canada and the media. “It used to be Bond, but that was when I had a lot of hair and I didn’t wear glasses, and I was about 10 stone lighter.”

Witty, charming and very down to earth.

But after all, he’s the UNICEF goodwill ambassador and he was very willing to spread the goodwill today, providing interview after interview - mostly about his Bond role.

Moore is so self-effacing he says doesn’t even like the “Sir” title attached to his name, “unless I’m talking to an inferior,” he jousted playfully to a reporter. Actually, the UNICEF goodwill ambassador is looking fit and healthy, although years removed from being the cool and debonair British secret agent. Although his eyes are wrinkled, his freckled and tanned face doesn’t look that of a 78-year-old man. Sir Roger with his wife Kristina in Mont-Saint-Anne

He looks to be aging gracefully, as James Bond would. And he still embraces having done the part and for being known as “Bond.”

“Sean (Connery) has always resented it. But I’m quite happy,” he said before lining up another quip.

“It’s better to be known for that than robbing a bank.”

He goes to movies, but not to Bond movies because he doesn’t like questions about the modern Bond characters. If he was honest and didn’t like their work, he would be called bitter. So he doesn’t bother to go.

He doesn’t act much any more, preferring instead to work on documentaries, the latest on a biblical story to be shot in Malta.

This is not to say he still doesn’t enjoy the trappings of the Bond-role success. He and his fourth wife, Kristina, have two homes - one in Monaco and another in the hills on the eastern part of Switzerland.

He doesn’t drink martinis anymore, but when he did he liked gin martinis, not vodka. “You make it with a little lemon twist, put it in the deep freeze, put your glass in the deep freeze, and when it comes out nice it’s nice and frosty.”

Also, the gin is important. Tanqueray only, he said. He still loves cars. He drives a Volvo XC90, which is good in the snow, and the latest-model Mercedes. But a big part of his life is with UNICEF.

UNICEF Canada presented its 50th anniversary report showing that while more children are surviving than 50 years ago, 29,000 children under 5 are dying every day from illnesses like pneumonia that are very treatable.

The Canadian government has stepped up to help the cause with the announcement today by Josée Verner, Minister of International Co-operation, of $46.5 million in aid.

Sir Roger Moore, who has been the official goodwill ambassador of UNICEF since 1991, has travelled to the hardest-hit areas to see the progress that UNICEF is making with children.

He said he is “always humbled” by the work that is being done. Much progress has been done, according to Nigel Fisher, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada. In 1955, he said, the harsh reality was that 210 out of every 1,000 children born would die before reaching the age of 5. Today, that number has been decreased to 79.

Fisher added that 3 million more children survived in the year 2000 than in 1990, an 11 per cent decrease in the under-5 mortality rate in that decade alone.

However, rates of mortality in 14 countries, nine in sub-Saharan Africa, are rising, due mostly to the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS.

And globally, 10.6 million children are dying from preventable causes every year. Pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections kill about 2 million children every year, making it the leading cause of death of children under 5.

The solution, Fisher said, is to increase the efforts so that mass immunization programs and the distribution of vitamin A tablets can help these children.

Three questions to Sir Roger

Sir Roger kindly accepted to answer three questions about this successful event. If he would have to pick a moment from this successful event, it's seeing a 1.800 theatre absolutely full, and a queue of hundreds more outside hoping to get in! What a tribute to Harry !

The objective of the festival was to raise money for children suffering from HIV-AIDS and also for children from Guatemala. Could you tell me a bit more about it ?

One of the countries that I have visited as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador is Guatemala, and memories of the children I met there hold a special place in my heart. UNICEF is working in Guatemala to improve child health through immunization, clean water supply and sanitation; to ensure that every child has access to education and schooling, and building a protective, safe and peaceful environment for children in a post-war country.

The humanitarian needs are especially great right now, as children and their families are still reeling from the Hurricane Stan disaster of last year, and UNICEF is on the ground helping them to rebuild their lives. Given this need and the geographical focus of the Festival of the Three Americas, supporting UNICEF’s work in Guatemala was a perfect fit.

Due to the huge success of the festival, are you planning to take part in another one in the future ?

This was very much a unique event which I don't think will ever be repeated. No doubt there'll be future celebrations or conventions, but not on this scale and probably in the USA - so for me, living in Europe, I have to say unlikely I'll get involved.

But the US based Bond folks, like Richard Kiel, are always keen to support these events, so they'll certainly attract crowds.

Hilary Saltzman, a happy director

She worked with the press, stars, transportation, benefit dinner and pre-show cocktail, and of course the concert, however none of this would have been possible without the incredible team that worked with me from the "Festival D'Eté de Québec" office and of course the very talented team behind the show made up of Steve Barakatt, Nic Raine and Pierre Gagnon.

It was a beautiful feeling to see my father so honoured by his fellow countrymen. Honestly if I had filled the theater with just friends and family the response could not have been better...

Could you please give me some anecdotes, especially involving Roger Moore !

Sir Roger Moore is "The Saint" he walks with a halo! Truly a man with a great heart and no ego. The work he does for UNICEF is inspiring. Richard Kiel and Guy Hamilton are also so generous with their support and sharing of stories from back in the day. Britt Ekland another of our guests was as gracious as she is beautiful. Nic Raine's talent was shining out over the orchestra and truly created a musical treat. The Bond family is one filled with heart and generosity and these are friendships that will Never Die Another Day...

Anders Frejdh, the massive Bond fan who came from Sweden

Anders is a 32 old massive Bond fan who came especially from Sweden to attend "Vue Sur Bond 007". He was privileged to spend a couple of hours with Sir Roger and about
25 other distinguished people. True, I have been a James Bond fan since 1985/1986 The first film I saw was The Spy Who Loved Me. In my spare time I put in a lot of time managing my personal website dedicated to James Bond.

Anders is also a contributor to "Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", the fan publication from JBIFC.

The best souvenir from the event was really to be able to go there at all ! To take part in the best, biggest and most professionally organised Bond theme event I have ever experienced was the largest souvenir ! Anders Frejdh pictured with Sir Roger

And of course, to meet such lovely, friendly and larger-than-life persons like Sir Roger Moore and Hilary Saltzman was a genuine pleasure and something I will never forget ! Both of them really have overwhelming personalities.

Anders met ... André Desgreniers, a Quebecois who is a member team of Michael Billington Fans Website: I was there not only for Bond but to see the man, the actor, one who gave a lot. To give here one should understand this as to give good moment as an actor, but also as an Ambassador for UNICEF. I grew up with Roger Moore, first The Saint, then Lord Brett Sinclair and keep watching him in different movies. As a fan of Bond, I enjoyed going to movies theater and see him playing the most world known secret agent. I wanted also to meet the spy who killed my good friend, Michael Billington, in The Spy Who Loved me. I admire Roger Moore because he is a man who is staying humble. As a great lover of United Kingdom, I can say he kept that nice reputation of British people to be a gentleman, and I like it. He is close to his fans and people appreciate it.

Vue sur Bond 007 was a great premiere for Québec City as usually, those events occured mainly in Montreal or Toronto. Seeing those Bond actors/actresses and one producer alive, well, there is no word to describe it. You may be old, but you feel young again. I couldn't attend to all activities related to the event, I know it was a real success and hope he will come back.

Interviews: Marie-France Vienne

Photos: Louise Leblanc and Renaud Philippe

Many thanks / Un tout grand merci à: Sir Roger Moore, Hilary Saltzman, Geneviève de Montigny, Jean-François Pedneault, André Desgreniers, Claude Leclerc, Anders Frejdh.