Marguerite LeWars was not impressed when the man at the ticket counter asked her if she wanted to act in a movie.
The reigning Miss Jamaica, she was working for an airline in Kingston when the passenger checked in. Nonplussed, she didnt believe him until he returned and signed her up to play Annabelle Chung in Dr. No, which was being filmed in Jamaica. It turns out that he was director Terence Young and while he gave the world its first cinematic taste of James Bond, it was, by choice, her last acting role.
Born into a well-connected family her sister was married to Prime Minister Michael Manley and her father was a real Officer of the British Empire today she runs a successful career company in Trinidad. On Friday, she celebrated her birthday at the launch of VIFFs James Bond gala which included a screening of Dr. No.
Her son, Gregory Kirkpatrick, who lives in Vancouver, knew his mothers visit would coincide with the 20-film retrospective and organizers were thrilled they could be there for Fridays opening.
On Aug. 30, UBC film professor Ernest Mathijs is giving an academic perspective between viewings of Octopussy and Never Say Never Again. Theres a Bond quiz night on Aug. 31 with Canadas foremost Bond expert, Murray Gillespie. And on Sept. 5, voting for Vancouverites favourite James Bond film will culminate in the screening of the favourite one. Go to VIFF.org for details and ticket information.
