Solitaire is a fictional character in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. She was portrayed by Jane Seymour.
Film biography[]
Solitaire is a psychic in the employ of Dr. Kananga. As James Bond travels to New York by plane, Solitaire describes his journey to Dr. Kananga through the use of Tarot cards. The one drawback to her ability is that she must remain a virgin in order to preserve it.
After Bond follows Kananga to the Fillet of Soul restaurant, he meets Solitaire. After a rather brief encounter with Mr. Big, Bond asks Solitaire about his future. When instructed to pick up a card Bond quizzically comments "us?” after picking up the lovers card.
When Bond and Rosie Carver visit San Monique, Solitaire tells Kananga the future, once more picking the lovers card in regard to Bond. Later that evening Bond returns to the island. After convincing Solitaire they are meant to be lovers, with odds stacked in his favor, Bond succeeds in seducing her. After losing her virginity to Bond through their sexual intercourse, Solitaire loses her psychic power, which endangers her life. Bond discovers Kananga is hiding vast areas of poppy fields. Bond and Solitaire evade Kananga's men, escaping in Quarrel Jr.'s boat.
After arriving in New Orleans, Bond and Solitaire are captured and taken to Mr Big. Before Bond can be given his skydiving lesson without a parachute, he manages to escape. Solitaire is recaptured by Kananga's henchmen and taken back to him.
While interrogating Bond at the Fillet of Soul, Kananga demands to know whether he has slept with Solitaire. When 007 refuses to answer, Kananga decides to find out for himself by putting Solitaire's psychic powers to the test. Taking Bond's watch, he reads out what he claims to be its registration number and asks Solitaire to confirm whether he is telling the truth. After some hesitation, she replies, "You speak the truth", prompting a seemingly satisfied Kananga to release Bond. Initially relieved at her narrow escape, she soon learns that she has, in fact, answered incorrectly. When Kananga asks why she allowed herself to be seduced by Bond, Solitaire protests that the cards had spoken and she had no choice in the matter. Unmoved, he slaps her to the floor and turns her over to Baron Samedi.
Later, Felix Leiter informs Bond that after a raid on the Fillet of Soul, Kananga has taken Solitaire back to San Monique, leaving three Tarot cards: the High Priestess, the Moon and Death. Arriving on San Monique, where a voodoo ceremony is already under way, Bond looks on as Soltaire is led out for sacrifice. Tied to a scaffold, she watches helplessly as a gleeful Dambala menaces her with the same snake that killed the unfortunate Baines. However, just before it can inflict the fatal bite, Bond interrupts the ceremony, shoots Dambala dead and rescues Solitaire. While attempting to escape, Bond and Solitaire make their way through an underground passageway, which ultimately leads them to Kananga and Whisper.
The pair are tied up and left to be eaten by sharks, but Bond manages to free himself and defeat Kananga, allowing the pair to escape once more.
Later, on the train, she beats Bond at gin rummy and tries to have a quiet night before Tee Hee traps her in the bed, believing Bond did it. After Bond kills Tee Hee, he rescues her out of the bed and they soon make out.
Trivia[]
- Solitaire's tarot costume from the film would probably inspire Padmé Amidala's imperial costume in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
- In the novel, Solitaire does not lose her powers upon losing her virginity.
- It is unknown whether her real name is Simone Latrelle like in the novel.
See also[]
- Solitaire (Literary)