Roger Moore
Hardie Grant 262 pages. RRP $39.95
A couple of years back Roger Moore released a terrific
autobiography called 'My Word Is My Bond'. It was with great anticipation that I picked up a copy of
his memoir ‘Last Man Standing’. My anticipation was rewarded with delight and
joy at the most entertaining content of the book.
Sir Roger is the man who played James Bond as many times as
Sean Connery, although over a longer period (seven times), but he also held
audiences enthralled in ‘The Saint’ and ‘The Persuaders’ on the tele. He has it
down pat when it comes to playing urbane and charming, sophisticated and suave.
Some might say he is a bit wooden but I think it’s simply contained and
refined. 
The joy of the book is the stories that are full of name
dropping, a bit of wink wink, the odd naughty revelation and the shameless
stolen anecdote. Sir Roger has known the film ‘blokes’ such as
Niven, Flynn, O’Toole, Burton and Caine as well as the women from Liz and Lana
to Grace and Shelley. There’s even some Swedish royalty complemented with some
nods to the British Royals. Almost every story is a beauty and I wanted to
climb inside the book and be read to preferably by the characters themselves.
This is an insider’s book and you know almost all of them are true. This is
David Niven territory although we now know most of his stories were made up, I
am more confident Sir Roger might exaggerate or embellish but not fib. He sends
himself up a bit and is not averse to pricking the bubble of pretention
although I was over him referring to Bond as ‘Jimmy Bond’ after the third or
fourth time.
Divided nicely and sensibly into sections such as ‘The fun
and feisty – Leading Ladies’, ‘Stage Struck’, ‘Creative Geniuses’ and ‘The Good
Guys’ each of which is very nicely edited and kept in the context of the
section titles. Plus there are many great photos sprinkled throughout.
Although this book is discreet and tasteful (a couple of
language spikes but you know…)I was troubled by the treatment of his unnamed third
wife. I can’t remember if she was treated better in his previous book but I was
disappointed that she was referred to by her nationality (Italian) or ‘second
wife’ etc. His second wife, Dorothy Squires was certainly given a good run in
the first book and is warmly remembered in this book but there is obvious
bitterness towards number three and I think that’s beneath Sir Roger. I know
the divorce was nasty and there was some unpleasantness between Dad and the
kids over the split and his former wife’s subsequent book but really adults
play better surely. For the record Sir
Roger Moore’s third wife was Luisa Mattioli and they were married from 1969
(having lived together since 1961) until 2000 and had three children.
If you like your showbiz tales, especially of old Hollywood
and Pinewood as well as a bit of hot goss then this well written and
beautifully paced book is the one for you.
This year he is 88 not out and an ambassador for UNICEF this
remarkable man and entertaining writer has given many of us much joy over the years
and this book is another gift to us. Thanks Sir Roger and I wouldn’t mind
another thanks….
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