You only Live Twice / A Fistful of Dollars

You only Live Twice / A fistful of Dollars 

1971 was a good year in the UK. It might have seemed unusual at the time, but United Artists couldn’t resist the temptation to double up on 2 of their biggest commodities in Bond and Eastwood. The Dollar films were still proving to be popular as was Bond who was about to return to the role in Diamonds are Forever.   

The pairing of a western and a Bond adventure was a little strange. Perhaps even stranger was the fact that the A Fistful of Dollars portion of the double bill was rated 'X' – the Bond film carried it’s usual ‘A’ certificate meaning if any young lad wanted to specifically see the Bond feature – he’d be out of luck. 

The double feature played in cinemas around the country, including a three-week run at the London Pavilion starting in May 1971. With Clint’s Dirty Harry waiting in the wings (it would have a UK release a year later in April 1972) – Clint’s would begin reaching the dizzy hights of superstardom.

The release of You only Live Twice and A fistful of Dollars certainly provided the opportunity for some pretty wonderful publicity. Some of these have been published here on the Archive before, but I thought I’d brig them all together with the use of some unpublished ads new to the Archive for the first time. 

Bond and Clint, together at the Bournemouth Odeon 1971

Below: The Double Bill UK Quad poster, and perhaps the even rarer Double Crown poster

Below: Some rare advertising blocks for the Double Bill