| “ | By the powers invested in me by this parish, I hereby do commandeer this vehicle and all those persons within. And that means you, smartass. | „ |
| ~ J.W. Pepper. |
Sheriff J.W. Pepper, usually simply called J.W. or Pepper, is a major character in 007’s films Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. His first name is not known.
He is a sheriff in Louisiana, United States.
He was played by the late Clifton James.
History[]
Live and Let Die[]
We first see the sheriff when he's hiding in his car behind a billboard and catches Adam, one of the henchmen of Mr. Big speeding in his car. He's after MI6's secret agent James Bond who is being chased by Mr. Big's crew.
Adam drives to a path next to the river, waiting for Bond to come past and planning to shoot him, is apprehended by Sheriff J.W. Pepper, who followed him. Before Adam can take his gun out. J.W. has drawn his gun, and orders him to spin around, to put his hands on the hood and mocking him and laughing with confidence. Seconds later he is completely caught off guard, because Bond's Glastron Speedboat jumps over the embankment alongside the pair, J.W. clumsily is overwhelmed and falls, accidentally shooting a bullet into Bond's outboard motor which starts leaking and losing gas, and his pursuer then crashes into the sheriff's police car, the occupant falling in the water and climbing out on the other side. In the ensuing chaos, Adam escapes in his car and continues the chase.
Afterward, two of Pepper's colleagues arrive laughing at the sheriff's misfortune, then Pepper takes command of their vehicle and heads to Miller Bridge, where the police have placed a "roadblock" downstream from Bond. However, Pepper fails and manages to save his colleagues who have fallen into the river. To make it worse, the walkie-talkie in his destroyed car receives a call from another policeman, to say that he's needed as soon as he's done with the speed offender. A woman of the community wants J.W. to come over to her house to shoot her dog for her, because the beast has gone mad.
Unable to keep up with Bond, Pepper enlists the help of his brother-in-law, Billy Bob, who appears to own the fastest boat on the river, but Adam knocks Billy Bob unconscious and steals the boat to chase Bond. Pepper doesn't notice right away because he's too busy bragging about his brother-in-law. On the road, Pepper and several of his team cars are involved in a series of accidents, caused by 007 jumping the bank in front of them once again.
After the pile-up, Pepper climbs out of the wreckage and continues the chase. When he finds Bond and Felix Leiter, angrily accuses Bond of being a "doomsday machine" and tries to take him into custody, but Leiter clears things up with the head of the police and has Bond's true identity as a secret agent revealed, much to J.W.s surprise, and he can't believe what he is hearing.
The Man with the Golden Gun[]
Sheriff J.W. Pepper is allegedly on a vacation to Thailand with his wife, Maybelle, after a trip on a little dragon. While Maybelle buys a souvenir, J.W. he notices an elephant sticking his trunk into his pocket before insulting him and then out of spite throwing him into the river.
Later, Bond needs a vehicle to chase Francisco Scaramanga and Nick Nack who drive a 1974 AMC Matador and have Mary Goodnight kidnapped when she was putting a transmitter in the boot of their car. Over the walkie talkie he learns she still has the keys of Bond's white Mercedes. He accidentally runs into Pepper at an AMC dealer, where Pepper is feeling the interior buildquality of the brand new AMC Hornet while Bond tries to 'lend' the car. J.W. doesn't recognize him immediatly and asks for a testdrive, which Bond humorously replies to with: "Certainly, sir". He is then a passenger, driven out of the showroom's window and Bond, makes a J-turn and sets his sights on the bronze car. During the journey Bond and Pepper suddenly recognize each other. Pepper concludes he is chasing somebody and he is willing to tag along and help, elbowing Bond in a funny way as a way of regarding him as a friend. Bond and Pepper have to avoid heavy traffic. unwittingly take the wrong path with Scaramanga on the other side. Pepper disappointedly thinks their misison is failed until James notices a destroyed bridge. 007 turns around and takes a stance, driving as far back as he can, leaving Pepper questioning what he's up to as the other bridge is another way.
Worried about what Bond intends to do, J.W. asks him if he's certain, but Bond has a run at it, asking Pepper if he has heard of Evel Knievel, and manages to cross the bridge causing a corkscrew jump, which forces J.W. to fall into the back seat, grabs himself up and looks at Bond with a happy face of amazement, and the two exchange that they both never have done such a stunt before.
When they reach a warehouse that Scaramanga has entered, the police pop up to arrest them and Pepper angrily shouts and tries to explain to them what their business is, but no one listens to him. They are interrupted when Scaramanga escapes in his car with wings on it, which enable it to fly. Bond then manages to escape without Pepper. It is likely that he was released for justice by Bond or Maybelle.
Quotes[]
- "Toby. Toby! I got me a regular Ben-Hur down here, doing 95 minimum!" ~His first line in the movie, when Adam speeds by.
- "You got a set of wheels that just won't quit boy! If that's yours that is. Ah-ah. Spin around boy! Ten fingers on the fender." ~ Apprehending Adam
Trivia[]
- Clifton James played a similar, loud-mouthed sheriff, reminiscent of J.W. Pepper in the 1980 film Superman II. All three films were partly written by Tom Mankiewicz.
- During his dealings with Adam, Pepper acts a bit racist towards the black henchman.
- There is a sheet music company named J.W. Pepper.
