Andrea Anders: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Vengeance
Andrea Anders served as the enigmatic lover of infamous hitman Francisco Scaramanga. The character made her debut in the 1974 James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun, where she was brought to life by Swedish actress Maud Adams.
As the lover of Scaramanga, Andrea finds herself entangled in a dangerous web of espionage and deceit, ultimately playing a pivotal role in the film’s thrilling narrative.
Andrea Anders
In the beginning of the film, Andrea Anders is alongside Francisco Scaramanga, a renowned assassin, on his secluded island located in Red Chinese waters. She’s first seen assisting him after a swim and later joins him for sunbathing with their butler, Nick Nack.
Following the film’s opening, the storyline becomes evident: James Bond receives a message from Scaramanga containing a golden bullet inscribed with ‘007’. As the narrative progresses, however, it’s revealed that Anders sent the message and bullet, hoping Bond would eventually kill Scaramanga.
She views Scaramanga as a “monster” and is unable to leave him, fearing for her life if she were to do so.
Bond tracks the enigmatic Andrea Anders after observing her retrieving Scaramanga’s custom-made gold bullets from a Macau casino. He follows her to her Hong Kong hotel and catches her off-guard while she’s showering.
Surprised, she aims a Beretta at Bond, to which he sarcastically refers to as a ‘water pistol’. Andrea then orders Bond out of her room, holding him at gunpoint.
While Anders is on the phone with the reception desk, Bond discovers the cigarette pack containing Lazar’s bullets. Visibly shaken, she demands he return them, but Bond disarms her and pins her down for questioning about her connection to Scaramanga.
Initially uncooperative, Andrea eventually admits she’s his lover and provides Bond with Scaramanga’s whereabouts that night—the Bottoms Up Club in Hong Kong.
Later that evening, following the murder of a British scientist named Gibson, Scaramanga returns to his junk docked in Hong Kong harbor. Scaramanga then goes to the bedroom where Andrea is and he seductively brandishes his golden gun, tracing it along Andrea’s arm and lips, evoking a terrified and repulsed reaction.
Later, while Bond is involved with fellow agent Mary Goodnight, Andrea pays him a visit in his hotel room. She confesses her desire to see Scaramanga dead and offers Bond anything he wants in exchange for completing the task.
Bond mentions the Solex Agitator, to which Andrea agrees, adding that she can be his as well. They enjoy a few hours together while Mary Goodnight is hidden in the closet.
Anders returns to Scaramanga’s junk under the pretext of having been to the cinema, and when Scaramanga questions her whereabouts, she maintains her story.
As she places her jewelry in Scaramanga’s safe, she notices the Solex Agitator. Scaramanga grows suspicious and asks what she’s doing, but she simply tells him she’s putting her jewelry away.
The following day, Bond meets Anders at a Thai kickboxing match to get the Solex from her. However, he notices she isn’t responding, and discovers she has been fatally shot by Scaramanga, who had uncovered her deception.
Bond notices the Solex has fallen out of her purse onto the floor, just as Scaramanga comes and sits next to him. Bond discreetly maneuvers it with his foot as Scaramanga suggests they forget about the girl saying she’s replaceable.
Maud Adams
Maud Adams, a Swedish model and actress, was born on February 12, 1945, in Luleå, Sweden. Her journey to fame began in 1963 when a photographer discovered her working in a shop and submitted her photo to the Miss Sweden contest. This opportunity jump-started her modeling career, leading her to move to Paris and later, New York City.
Adams’ acting debut came with a minor role in the 1970 film The Boys in the Band. Throughout the 1970s, she made guest appearances in American TV series such as Hawaii Five-O and Kojak.
International recognition came when she starred as the ill-fated mistress of Francesco Scaramanga in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, alongside Christopher Lee and Roger Moore.
Adams returned to the Bond franchise in 1983 as the lead Bond girl and titular character in Octopussy and made a cameo in A View to a Kill in 1985. She continued to appear in smaller films until her last known movie, The Seekers, in 2008. Adams posed for Playboy in a Bond girls issue in September 1987.
Andrea Anders – Femme Fatale
Andrea Anders remains a captivating and enigmatic character in the James Bond universe. As the lover of Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, she was embroiled in danger with only one way out.
The talented Maud Adams, who brilliantly portrayed Andrea, also graced the screen as a Bond girl in Octopussy, cementing her legacy in the world of 007 as the second woman, after Martine Beswick, to play 2 different Bond girls.
