On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

DarthDimi

Please write your fan reviews of OHMSS here.

St_George

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

by @St_George

Directed by: Peter Hunt; Produced by: Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli; Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum – adapted from the novel by Ian Fleming (1963); Starring: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti, Ilse Steppat, George Baker, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, Bernard Horsfall, Yuri Borienko, Angela Scoular, Catherine Von Schell, Virginia North and Joanna Lumley; Certificate: PG; Country: UK/ USA; Running time: 133 minutes; Colour; Released: December 18 1969; Worldwide box-office: $82m (inflation adjusted: $505.9m ~ 13/24*)

* denotes worldwide box-office ranking out of all 24 Bond films (inflation adjusted), according to 007james.com

Plot ~ 9/10

Vying with Russia as the most Fleming-faithful big screen Bond adaptation, Majesty’s marks the filmmakers’ first attempt to return Bond to his roots after the huge excesses of the preceding flick – a trend that’s repeated itself at least twice since in the series. Having gone on for two years, following the events of Twice, 007′s hunt for Blofeld is closed down by M, much to Bond’s chagrin. So, against orders, our hero goes off after a girl he saved from suicide in the pre-titles – Teresa di Vicenzo (Tracy) – whose father, Marc-Ange Draco, is a crime syndicate chief and whom 007 hopes can inform him of Blofeld’s whereabouts. This Draco agrees to so long as Bond marries his daughter; Bond balks at the idea but falls in love with her anyway, before (posing as a heraldry expert) he infiltrates an allergy clinic in the Swiss Alps run by old baldy, whose scheme this time is to infect the globe with ‘Virus Omega’, which’ll destroy the world food supply and its economy, unless the noble title he’s seeking is accepted. A barmy scheme for sure, but lifted fully from Fleming, as is the potent love story that lies at the heart of the plot and (perhaps 2006′s Casino Royale aside) distinguishes this from every other Bond film as an engaging romantic drama accompanied by action rather than an engaging action drama accompanied by romance.

Bond ~ 7/10

Something else that distinguishes Majesty’s from every other big screen Bond effort is Bond himself – for the simple reason he’s played by the first actor to replace another in the role, as well as the only actor to have played the role just once (in the Eon series). Yes, this then was George Lazenby’s only crack at 007, but don’t let the naysayers discourage you because he gives it a good stab. While his lack of thesp training shows (he’s clunky in some dialogue-driven scenes), he literally kicks, punches and knees new impetus into the physical prowess and dexterity of the character, making the Connery Bond of Twice look like an over-the-hill heavyweight boxer. Plus, there’s a youthful vigour to this Bond and a boyish twinkle in his eye (which sort of pre-empts Moore) and, most impressive of all, no doubt thanks to playing opposite someone of the calibre of Diana Rigg, some of Lazenby’s best work comes in the demanding emotional scenes. All the same, though, this is a 007 performance that’s rough around the edges and, at times, at its core.

Girls ~ 10/10

Is there a stronger Bond movie when it comes to girls than OHMSS ? You’ll be be hard pressed to find one. Why? Mostly because it features the series’ best female character, Diana Rigg’s Tracy. Nowadays, it seems every latest Bond Girl actress suggests hers is the match of 007, when patently none have been – apart from Tracy, who in almost every way was. Smart, witty, glamorous, resourceful, tenacious, cunning, a strong skiier, an excellent driver at speed, useful in a fight, as well as appealingly glass-half-empty and, of course, beautiful in a refined, elegant way, Tracy truly is terrific. Add into the mix her melancholic doomed fate (à la Vesper in Casino Royale) and she has to be top of the Bond Girl Christmas tree. Yet OHMSS is surely the ultimate for Bond Girls because she’s not its only one. For who could forget Blofeld’s ‘Angels of Death’? The dozen or so Swinging lovelies hypnotised atop his Alp, whom unwittingly will do his bidding once back home. They’re all beautiful and good value, but the main duo, Angela Scoular’s Ruby and Catherine Von Schell’s Nancy are both delicious, so much so that Bond, despite his real romance with Tracy, can’t help but indulge in their delights – oh, the things he does for England…

Villains ~ 7/10

Inevitably, after the highs of Donald Pleasence’s Uncle Ernst in Twice, the next interpretation of Blofeld (coming as it does in this very next film) is going to be a come-down and Telly Savalas’s take on the SPECTRE chief is just that. Don’t get me wrong, the man who would become Kojak does an admirable job, investing in the cat-lover an energetic, always on-the-go demeanour and impressive physical attributes (this Blofeld skis and bobsleds, but draws the line at curling), as well as giving the character an urbane loucheness in keeping with the schnaps atmosphere of Piz Gloria. But, for all that, he’s some way short of possessing the ‘x factor’ that all the really good Bond villains do. Blofeld’s joined in his quest to join the nobility by the hard, domineering matron-esque Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat) – a sort of teutonic Hattie Jacques – and lesser minions including Yuri Borienko’s heavy Grunther (whom notably is bested by Tracy come the climax). Ultimately, like their boss, they’re fine, but a bit sub-par when it comes to Bond villainy.

Action ~ 10/10

It’s rare for a successfully plot- and character-driven Bond film to be equally strong when it comes to action, but Majesty’s most certainly is. The tone’s set by a hotel room skirmish between Bond and a Draco goon. It’s no-holds-barred stuff and only concludes when the foe’s head breaks a balustrade (“Gate crasher – I’ll leave you to tidy up”). Midway through the flick comes a pivotal piece of action – one which proved pivotal for the series too – as its the first ski sequence to feature in the movie Bond. A thrillingly dramatic chase down an Alp, at night too, it displays the daring skills of ski ace Willy Bogner (doubling as 007), features terrific cinematography and demonstrates Bond using his wits to evade and do away with his pursuers. It’s swiftly followed by a car chase, as Tracy’s red Cougar leads Bunt’s vehicle through the snow and a stock-car rally (oddly taking place after midnight on Christmas Eve, but hey). Best of all, though, is of course the flick’s double action climax. Double? Yup, first we have Draco and 007′s raid on Piz Gloria via helicopter (during which the latter oh-so coolly slides along the ice firing his gun, oh yes), then comes Bond’s intense bobsled pursuit of Blofeld. Who could ask for more?

Humour ~ 10/10

Majesty’s royally does the business in the humour stakes thanks to the fact it’s amusing when it comes to the witty, subtle gags (Draco to Bond on Tracy’s seeming indifference to him: “She likes you, I can see it”/ “You must give me the name of your oculist”; Bond on some avuncular advice from Q: “Thank you, Q, but this time I’ve got the gadgets – and I know how to use them”), but it’s also excellent at delivering the broader brushstroke laughs too – many of the scenes involving the girls at Piz Gloria (and Bond/ Bray’s interactions with them) go for the jugular, anticipating the bawdy humour for which the Moore era is most recalled. This then is a Bond film very reflective of its time – an ever growing openness to sex is represented by the Piz Gloria ‘Angels’ and the light, frank humour that follows them around, but it’s still of a time when subtle, dialogue-driven wit filled well-written scripts. In short, humour-wise, it’s the best of both worlds.

Music ~ 10/10

No question, OHMSS's music showcases John Barry’s Bond-scoring at its best. Other scores he delivered, such as Twice's, are excellent, but none are as consistently excellent as this flick’s. Both the diversity and the quality of its themes are awesome. The title theme itself (lyricless, still to this day a bold first for a Bond film) is a bass-driven, trumpet-flaring, Moog-synthesised, ominious but stirring, ice-cool tune that gets a perfect re-airing as Ski Chase during, yes, the ski chase. As if pre-empting ’70s prog rock, Moogs feature heavily elsewhere too in the almost menacing take on the Bond Theme and in Over And Out, the excellent tension-inducing build-up to the climax. But there’s a general about-turn to the tone of the mid-film music with theatrically blaring brass accentuating the almost Carry On atmos of Bond/ Bray’s dalliances with the Angels (Bond Meets The Girls; Sir Hilary’s Night Out). And brass is the order of the day too in the scene-setting march Journey To Blofeld’s Hideaway, while Battle At Piz Gloria mixes the title theme with full orchestra to soundtrack the climax. Final mention, though, must go to the Louis Armstrong-sung, early-film-featuring We Have All The Time In The World (whose theme is heard poignantly at other times – especially the end), one of the most enduring of all Bond hits.

Locations ~ 10/10

Locations-wise, Majesty’s is all about the snow. But, hey, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that when your main locale is the Swiss Alps in winter. Captured breathtakingly by Michael Reed’s cinematography, the Schilhtorn summit (on which sits the revolving restaurant that doubles as Blofeld’s Piz Gloria hideaway, the name it kept for real-life) and surrounding landscape offer bright white vistas that, with John Barry’s music, are truly inspiring – I haven’t yet skied and lived it up in the Swiss Alps, but still want to and it’s all because of OHMSS. By contrast, the tourist-teeming scenes shot in the nearby village Mürren offer a Christmas-time, almost claustrophobic coming-down-to-earth for Bond (sorry for the pun) after his exploits up the Alp, but are utterly irresistible too. Further locations include Bern (Bond’s visit to lawyer Gumbold’s office) and Lisbon and the picturesque Estoril region of Portugal for the early encounters with Draco and the oh-so fateful ending. Perfect all round, quite frankly.

Gadgets ~ 4/10

In keeping with its back-to-Fleming-basics ethos, Majesty’s doesn’t really do gadgets. This was a very wilful decision on the filmmakers’ part to return the character of Bond to one that relies on his wits rather than the latest must-haves from Q-Branch to get him out of tight scrapes – and given how well the flick executes this, as something of an inverse score maybe its points accrued here should actually be higher. Perhaps the best example of this is when 007 is imprisoned in the impressive Piz Gloria room that houses the inner workings of its cable car system. Here, with no gadget to aid his escape, Bond rips the cloth out of his pockets and uses them as gloves as he works his way along the cable running from a giant wheel to the cable car in the snowy outside. It’s a fine, tension-filled scene. The few gadgets that do pop up, though, number a bulky safe-cracker-cum-photocopier that our man uses in Blofeld’s lawyer’s office (while he passes the time flipping through a Playboy), a nifty small camera and, best of all, a SPECTRE-produced make-up set for each of the ‘Angels’ that ensures they can (under hypnosis) spread the ‘Virus Omega’.

Style ~ 10/10

Belatedly, the Eon Bonds caught up with Swinging Sixties style in OHMSS. Not only do those ‘Angels’ reflect the youthful, let’s-have-it-all attitude of London Tahn in the mid- to late ’60s, the winter fashions they sport are unquestionably Quant-esque and moddish (none more so than their most prominent member Ruby Bartlett, with her curly boy’s haircut, round spectacles and penchant for cigarette holders). Bond too is rather dandy; the beige and orange togs he wears when apprehended by Draco’s men would have given the Bond of Dr No a nosebleed, but by ’69 seem perfectly en vogue. And even psychedelia finds its way into a 007 flick, with one-time only Bond helmer (but former editor extraordinaire) Peter Hunt turning outside-office fisticuffs into an hallucinogenic zoom-in and echo-heavy fest, Blofeld’s hypnosis of his girls into reminders of Vietnam-era drug experiments and, most memorably, an epic avalanche into a bad LSD trip for Bond and Tracy. All in all then, with the usual offer of aspirational affluence as well (the casino scene is fine old-school glamour), Majesty’s' palette is a slice of boldly colourful ’60s cool.

Adjuster: +3

For decades dismissed as ‘that one with the Aussie bloke’ that was a flop (in fact, it was the UK’s #1 film of its year – check out its box-office grosses above), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one of the greats (if not the greatest?) of the series. If anything, it seems to get better with age. It has everything you could ever want in a Bond film – and more. Including Joanna Lumley. Surely now, like Lummers’ cause du jour the Gurkhas at last have been, it finally deserves to be welcomed into the loving bosom of the British – and wider movie – mainstream?

Overall: 90/100

Best bit: Bond and Tracy at the ice-rink

Best line: “It’s all right. It’s quite all right, really. She’s having a rest. We’ll be going on soon. There’s no hurry, you see. We have all the time in the world.”

Get the full treatment of my 'Bondathon' reviews here

royale65

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

It is 1968 and the producers of the 007 films, Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli, have learnt two things.

Firstly the audience would go and see a Bond movie, without Sean Connery, as exemplified by the spoof, Casino Royale.

Secondly, the “spy craze” had petered out, and still You Only Live Twice made astonishing money, thus the rules of cinema did not apply to Bond, it seems.

It was decided to film On Her Majesty's Secret Service; Cubby and Harry had been trying to film Majesty's since Goldfinger, and they chose Peter Hunt to direct.

Hunt insisted on going back to Ian Fleming, as he felt the hardware was taking over the franchise, and back to the early 007 films, Dr No and From Russia With Love, in terms of their realism.

It's a good job too, as On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of Fleming's greatest works. Hunt felt one didn't need to add things to this very fine novel, it was all there; suspense, intrigue, violence and sex, all mixed up with Fleming's prose and sense of journalistic pace and detail.

Richard Maibaum was the scribe put in charge of adapting Fleming's excellent novel. He was joined, later on, by Simon Raven, to polish up the script. Together they produced one of the truest adaptations of the series, and it's all the better for it.

The hunt for a new James Bond would prove be to be a tricky one. The producers wanted to find a hidden gem; a' la Sean Connery, but as Harry said, “finding good, undiscovered actors of 30, is not too easy”.

Timothy Dalton was approached, but he felt too young (24) and too intimidated by following Connery, so he declined. As was Roger Moore, although the producers felt that Moore was too clearly identifiable as “The Saint”.

Hunt looked at over 200 screen-tests, and only one got him truly excited; George Lazenby.

Born on the 5th of September, Lazenby dabbled in all sorts of jobs, including guitar player, combat instructor for the Australian Army and a car salesman, before moving to Europe as a male model.

Lazenby's casting agent friend suggested he'd be perfect for a role, but when she refused to go into specifics, Lazenby was not interested. When Lazenby did find out the details, however, he put everything into getting the coveted role, the role, of course, of 007.

He drove an Aston Martin, wore a Rolex watch, got one of Connery's discarded suits, and even went to the Dorchester Hotel, where Connery and Cubby had their hair cut. Cubby saw Lazenby, and thought he was a successful business man. That is how the story of Cubby discovering Lazenby, in a barber shop, began.

Then Lazenby outrageously stole into EON's Production Offices, and leaning on Harry's office door-frame, said; “I hear you're looking for a new James Bond?”.

Hunt was certainly impressed with Lazenby, and after they had watched a screen-test of a fight, so were Cubby and Harry. However, Lazenby had never acted before, so it was a big gamble on their part.

Lazenby undoubtedly had the good looks and physical prowess, but the film-makers, unconsciously maybe, decided to go with experienced actors in the guise of Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Ilse Steppat and Gabriele Ferzetti, to back Lazenby up; a truly international cast.

Gabriele Ferzetti is the epitome of charisma, even rivalling Kerim Bey in that department, as Marc Ange Draco, the head of the Union Corse, and father to Tracy.

Ilse Steppat portrays Irma Bunt, whose is very effective at playing the grotesque mother hen as Ernst Stavro Blofeld's henchwoman; a worthy successor to Rosa Klebb.

As Blofeld, Telly Savalas brings menace and sophistication to his role, and unlike Donald Pleasence's Blofeld, is wholly plausible, and takes after Ian Fleming's description of Blofeld, somewhat. The clashes of ego, between him and Bond, provide some of the films best moments.

Playing Tracy Di Vicenzo is Diana Rigg, who is truly a match for 007, being a classic “bird with a wing down”, as Fleming's finest leading ladies tended to be, which turns a hard, cynical Bond into, according to Fleming, a sentimental man, as all “hard” men have a tendency to be.

When the audience first meets Tracy, she's walking into the sea, about to commit suicide. A far cry then, from Dr No, with with Honey Ryder confidently walking out of the sea. Tracy, on the other hand, walks into the sea, asking the sea to absolve her.

It is a shocking moment, and one that lets the audience know they are not in for their usual Bond movie. Luckily Bond saves the day, and so it begins, one of the most touching, heart felt romances ever to be seen in a Bond movie. Tracy is transformed from a suicidal, spoilt person, into a self-assured, joyful and spirited woman, whose love for life matches Bond. As Tracy says in the movie; “you've given me the most wonderful present; a future”. It's even more tragic, then, to see Tracy gunned down at the end of the film. Life was just beginning for her, and for Bond.

Rigg plays the role for all it's worth, making Tracy a three dimensional character, and the greatest of all “Bond Girls”.

Of the MI6 regulars, Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell are particularity satisfying. As M, Lee is notably cold this time round, although M does let an uncharacteristic softness come through, albeit over the intercom with Miss Moneypenny.

Maxwell makes the most of her enlarged role as Moneypenny, soothing the egos of M and Bond. When Bond tosses Moneypenny his hat, at Bond's wedding, it's a moving tribute; it's almost as if Bond is saying goodbye to his and Moneypenny's flirtatious ways. The scene is emotionally, although understatedly, charged, thanks to Maxwell's charm, in the often over looked role, of Moneypenny.

The single greatest asset to On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the direction by Peter Hunt, who worked on the Sean Connery pictures as editor. Thus he has an innate understanding of the “Bond persona”, and it shows.

Taking Ian Fleming's élan and violence, and integrating it with the cinematic devices of pace and decisiveness, Hunt creates a gem of a movie. Hunt expertly delivers that one would expect from a Bond director; tempo, intrigue, suspense, plotting, character development, humour and romance, and one is left with an engaging, and surprisingly moving, piece of cinema. Kudos Mr Hunt.

In particular, Hunt fills the action scenes, with a certain panache, drive and intensity, conceiving an almost balletic, brutal action sequences, brought shatteringly to life by Lazenby, who has an unbelievable grace, poise and presence to said scenes.

Despite the romantic overtones, Majesty's doesn't scrimp on action, especially in the final third. Two major action sequences, skiing and bob-sleighing, form the backbone to the to final act, which is ingeniously shot by Willy Bogner, and compiled by Hunt, and his second unit director, and editor, John Glen; the sequences are breathtaking. More so when one factors in Michael Reed's beautiful photography and John Barry's rhythmically, foreboding, pulsing action cues, and one has a cumulative master-class, featuring all the various aspects of film making, such as directing, editing, stunt arrangers, cinematography and music; they all combine to create a supreme and elegant sequence.

Majesty's is an epic film, which is aided enormously by Reed; his work on capturing the Swizz scenery is nothing short of majestical.

The film is also helped by Barry, the musical maestro, who produced, not only the finest Bond soundtrack, but also one of the finest soundtracks, in any movie. Barry distils the “Bond mythos”, all the intrinsic qualities, like the sophistication, the danger, the intrigue, the emotion, and creates a masterpiece of film composing.

Barry also used “We Have All The Time In The World”, a haunting song, sung with great tenderness by Louis Armstrong. Barry uses the melody throughout the movie, with genuine skill. At the end of the film, Barry deploys, “We Have All The Time In The World” with devastating effect. The song segues into Barry's freshly orchestrated “James Bond Theme”, showing Bond has got his amour back on, after a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability.

Majesty's has some of the best action, the best “Bond girl”, the best music, the best direction, and has some of the best cinematography, not to mention it has a very talented cast, but what about James Bond himself?

As previously acknowledged, George Lazenby is exceptional during the action scenes, which, when added to the fact he was good looking, he moved very well, almost in a Connery-esque manner, and arrogant, Lazenby was an ideal template for portraying Bond.

With no prior acting experience Lazenby does remarkably well. At times, it must be said, Lazenby is rather wooden, but at other times, he is terrific, such as when Lazenby confronts M and Blofeld.

One can see him growing in stature throughout the movie, and by the end of it, Lazenby makes one care for Bond; he is a human Bond, much more akin to Ian Fleming's novels. Remember Lazenby was acting on instinct, and when his instinct is so true to the novels, one can imagine Lazenby developing, evolving into the role, with future efforts.

Alas, it wasn't to be. Although Lazenby was offered a seven picture contract, he declined it, following, as Lazenby ruefully admitted, after some very bad advice, from his then manager. It gave Cubby and Harry, not to mention the marketing department, a real headache.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service premièred on the 18th of December, 1969. Although a few critics showed an appreciation of the movie, and its star, on the whole audiences and critics alike were left rather bemused by Majesty's, what with the more human approach to portraying 007, a downbeat ending, plus it did not star Sean Connery.

With $80 million in box office takings, Majesty's could not compete with the Connery era takings, but, as a common misnomer, it was not a flop; in any number of countries Majesty's reached number 2, for 1970, in their box office returns.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service ranks at the top of the Bondian tree, vying with From Russia With Love as the greatest 007 movies. With stylish and kinetic, frantic direction by Peter Hunt, outstanding scoring by John Barry, a diverse cast, and an evolving, charming performance by George Lazenby, a faithful adaptation of one Ian Fleming's most brilliant novels, Majesty's is an epic, action adventure, with a heart.

Dalton12

Even if we have all the time in the world, the world is not enough :
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is directed by Peter Hunt and adapted to screenplay by Richard Maibaum from the novel written by Ian Fleming. It stars George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Ilse Steppat, Yuri Borienko and Gabriele Ferzetti. Music is by John Barry and cinematography by Michael Reed.

Bond 6 and 007 is obsessed with locating SPECTRE supremo Ernst Stavro Blofeld. After rescuing beautiful Countess Tracy di Vincenzo from suicide, this brings Bond into contact with her father, Marc Ange Draco, who agrees to help Bond find Blofeld in exchange for 007 courting Tracy. Blofeld is located in the Switzerland Alps at Piz Gloria, where he is masterminding a fiendish plot involving biological extinction of food group species'. Bond will need to use all his wits to stop the plan from being executed, he also has big matters of the heart to contend to as well......

Connery gone, but not for good as it turned out, so into the tuxedo came George Lazenby, an Australian model with no previous acting experience of note. It would be Lazenby's only stint as 007, badly advised by those around him that Bond had no future in the upcoming 70s, his head swelling with ego by the day (something he readily admits and regrets), Lazenby announced he would only be doing the one James Bond film. The legacy of OHMSS is the most interesting in the whole Bond franchise, for where once it was reviled and wrongly accused of being a flop, it now, over 40 years later, is regarded as being one of the finest entries in the whole series. Yes it is still divisive, I have seen some fearful arguments about its worth, but generations of critics and film makers have come along to laud it as essential Bond and essential Fleming's Bond at that.

Everything about OHMSS is different to what Connery's Bond had become, the gadgets are gone and heaven forbid, Bond got a heart and fell in love. He was a man, with real aggression, real emotions and forced to use brain and brawn instead of mechanical trickery. Changes in the production department, too, wasn't just about Lazenby's appearance. Peter Hunt, previously the Bond film's editor, directed his one and only Bond film, and Michael Reed on cinematography also appears for the one and only time. New Bond, new era, but reviews were mixed and in spite of making a profit of over $73 million Worldwide, this was considerably down on previous films. The reviews didn't help, with much scorn poured on Lazenby for not being Connery, but really it's hard to imagine anyone coming in and not getting beat with that particular stick! Box office take wasn't helped by the film's length, at over 2 hours 10 minutes, this restricted the number of showings in theatres, something that should be greatly noted.

Away from Bond anyway, OHMSS is a stunning action thriller in its own right. From the opening beach side fist fight, where uppercuts lift men off their feet and drop kicks propel them backwards, to helicopter attacks, bobsleigh pursuits (resplendent with punches and flinging bodies), ski chases and a car chase in the middle of a stock car race: on ice! There's enough pulse pumping action here to fill out two Bond movies. But the Bond aspects are magnificent as well. Lazenby has wonderful physicality and throws a mean punch, he cuts a fine figure of a man and he's acting inexperience isn't a problem in the hands of the astute Hunt. Lazenby is matched by Rigg as Tracy, the best Bond girl of them all, she's no bimbo, she's tough (fighting off a guy with a broken bottle), smart yet vulnerable, funny and heart achingly beautiful, her interplay with Lazenby is brilliantly executed, so much so that when the devastating finale arrives it has extra poignancy. A scene that closes the film on a downbeat note and remains the most emotional scene ever put into a Bond movie.

Savalas finally gives us a villain who can compete with Bond on a physical level, making the fight between them an evenly matched and believable one. He lacks Pleasance's sinister fizzog, though the bald pate and Grecian looks marks Savalas out as an imposing foe as well. The Swiss Alps setting is gorgeous, with Reed capturing the scope magnificently, while some of his colour lensing in the interiors soothe the eyes considerably. Barry's score is one of his best, lush romantic strains accompany Tracy and James, operatic overtures dart in and out of the Swiss scenery and the James Bond theme is deftly woven into the action sequences. Louis Armstrong's beautiful "We Have All The Time In The World" features prominently, perfectly romantic and forever to be thought of as part of the Bond Universe. Finally it's the great writing that gives us the best sequence involving the trifecta of Bond, Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) and M (Bernard Lee). 5 minutes of class that gives Moneypenny an acknowledged importance in the relationship between the two men in her life. It's just one of a number of truly excellent scenes in the greatest Bond film of them all. 10/10

Shardlake

On her Majesty Secret Service 1969

"this never happened to any of the other fella's"

When it came to make the 6th James Bond film OHMSS, Fleming’s 10th Bond novel, EON Productions (Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzman) had what is most probably the biggest challenge of the series now 50 year history, replacing Sean Connery. Connery who had decided the previous film the 5th Bond film You Only Live Twice was to be his last. Connery had grown disillusioned with the role and felt uncomfortable with the exposure that came with playing Ian Fleming’s super spy. This is not to say that Connery went out on a high, after 4 films of looking the part and applying himself most capably to the role, Connery returned in 1967 out of shape and clearly not fussed about whether he looked credibly like James Bond 007 of the previous adventures. Connery’s almost contempt for the role resulted in the weakest entry so far of the series and appeared a former shadow of himself, yes we had great cinematography, Ken Adam’s incredible set design and of course Barry’s best score to date but as was to be the case in the 70’s and the 80’s these ingredients don’t always add up to a truly great Bond film.

Peter Hunt who previously served as editor on the 5 films before was promoted to director, Hunt decided that he wanted his film to dispense with the gadgets and rely faithfully to Fleming’s text that the previous later films had started to drift away from after From Russia With Love’s fairly accurate adaptation, once again Richard Maibaum who had worked on all the scripts with the exception of the previous film You Only Live Twice, that script had been written by Roald Dahl. Maibaum managing to pretty much include everything in Fleming’s text, if there are flaws, the fact the film is out of order with novels with YOLT being set after the events of Majesty’s and Blofeld not recognising Bond despite meeting each other in previous film is a bit of a continuity error. Hunt also utilised Simon Raven to pep up some of the dialogue between Diana Rigg’s Tracy & Telly Savalas’ Blofeld, Raven added a more intellectual slant having them both quote from James Elroy Flecker.

Although the issue of who was going to play James Bond was the biggest factor, who would replace the world famous universally accepted Connery in the role? Interestingly enough Broccoli offered the role to one Timothy Dalton, Dalton would turn down the role claiming to be too young and not wanting to follow Connery but would eventually accept Cubby’s invitation 18 years later and play Bond in 1987’s The Living Daylights and 1989’s Licence To Kill. Eventually Broccoli and Saltzman would give the role to virtual unknown Australian George Lazenby, Lazenby had done some advertising work and was most famous for being the Fry’s guy. He had got himself a Connery haircut and one of the suits that the first Bond had not taken from his tailor and turned up for his audition with the 2 producers. Lazenby then admitted to Hunt after taking the role that he was not an actor, Hunt shocked said “look you’ve just persuaded two of the most ruthless people I know you are, you’re an actor”. Hunt promised if he kept it a secret he’d make him James Bond.

Hunt having already been provided with a screenplay loyal to the source by Maibaum also surrounded himself with gifted actors, Diana Rigg who was most famous for playing Emma Peel was cast in the pivotal role of Theresa di Vicenzo (Tracy) and Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Hunt also employed his neighbour George Baker in the role of Sir Hilary Bray a Professor at the London College of Arms who assists Bond, Italian actor Gabriele Ferzetti as Marc-Ange Draco head of the Union Corse, a major crime syndicate as well as being Tracy’s father. A number of dubbing took place in common place of the earlier Bond films, Fezeretti was dubbed by un-credited voice by David de Keyser and Baker dubbed Lazenby when Hunt felt his voice was not convincing enough while impersonating Bray during the Piz Gloria (Blofeld’s hideaway) segment of the film.

It is fair to say that the series owes a great debt to Terence Young the director of the Dr No, From Russia With Love and Thunderball for establishing the character, making Connery look the part and delivering a great introduction. Although for my money it is Hunt’s film which stands out as the most crafted entry of the series, whereas the previous entries seemed just like continuations for the most part not a criticism but OHMSS feels like a complete film, short of the gimmicks and full emotional resonance. The film has aged particularly well. Moments like fade from night to day using the Hotel sign reflection in the swimming pool earlier in the film that Bond is staying at in Estoril, Portugal, show a real style and panache not seen in the series before Some question Hunt’s choice of speeding up the film in the opening fight of the film but it makes for a thrilling sequence accompanied by an excellent Barry cue. Hunt aided by the film’s editor future series director John Glen who also contributed some 2nd unit work on the film, delivers the most action packed and thrilling sequences of the series.. It would not be till 2006’s Casino Royale that the series would come near to matching it. Hunt investing the film with one true downer and the kind emotional wallop not seen till Daniel Craig’s debut although even his 3rd entry 2012’s Skyfall falls short of Hunt’s one and only entry. It seems a great shame he never got a chance to direct another Bond, especially when you consider the journeyman hacks who have directed more, his approach and the style somewhat ahead of its time

John Barry who’s scored all the films since From Russia With Love was given free rein to produce a score and to experiment. Barry who had recently won an Oscar for his masterful score to The Lion In The Winter, (incidentally featuring Timothy Dalton) had started to use a earlier type of synthesiser, the Moog in his composing and wanted to utilise this new technology. Also it was deemed that the title was a bit of mouthful for a song the decision was taken for Barry for the first time since Dr No opened with Barry’s arrangement of Monty Norman’s James Bond theme that an instrumental would play over the opening credits of the film and then provide a song for use in the film as the romantic theme. Barry always stepping up to the plate with aplomb and affording the series nothing but quality work excelled with Majesty’s, not only is without doubt the finest Bond score, it also ranks as some of Barry’s finest work full stop as well as pretty much being the best action adventure score ever. Some have tried but never equalled it’s pure exhilaration, the infectious toe tapping genius is astounding, as well as producing the best action cues of the series, Barry also provided the most heart breaking song for Bond in the shape of his collaboration with Burt Bacharach's regular lyricist Hal David with the romantic theme, the Louis Armstrong sung “We Have All The Time In The World”.

Armstrong who provided in a state of ill health the vocal, this being one of his last pieces of work before his death in 1971, despite his condition it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else singing it, his voice just matching the lyrics and Barry’s emotional arrangement, the song which never was a hit at the time eventually became a top 3 chart hit in the UK in 1994 when Guinness licenced the song for one of their most memorable adverts. The song has been covered numerous times but never matching the original’s sense of world weariness captured by Armstrong in his twilight years.

It has been since the release of OHMSS a common opinion that if Connery had played Bond instead of the Australian Lazenby that the 6th James Bond film would have been undoubtedly been the best film of the series, despite the fact some people actually believe it to be anyway with or without the Scot. It’s obviously taken as a given that Connery still seen as the best 007 would have been terrific in the film. Not even taking into account that Connery was utterly uninterested in the previous film his planned last EON entry. The Bond in OHMSS is a far more emotional Bond, showing vulnerability, Connery for all his drop dead cool reading never played the character with much depth, to be honest the role didn't really require it, it’s up for debate that Connery would have aced the part had it been made earlier as originally intended, although I’m inclined to think that Connery who’d never been an actor with a huge amount of range wouldn’t have seemed right as Bond in the film. Whatever your opinion this is likely to be debated forever, one of those biggest what if moments of the series.

Though it seems that Broccoli and Saltzman never really had the faith in Lazenby that they understandably had in the well-established Connery; appearing on the poster as starring George Lazenby not George Lazenby as James Bond. The opening credits also included sequences from the previous Connery entries, giving off the idea that it was business as usual and that despite the actor being new he was to be seen as a Connery clone and not someone delivering his own interpretation of the character although Lazenby is nowhere as bad in the role as history might suggest.

I think it seems unfair to suggest that the only reason the film is so good is because Hunt surrounded Lazenby with the best cast of any Bond film was serviced with the finest script of the series and the score and all the ingredients were top notch. While Lazenby doesn’t offer the confidence that Connery exuded in the role or brought anything as unique as Moore, Dalton or Craig bought to the role, for someone who was clearly not an experienced screen actor and at times feels occasionally awkward in some scenes, he looks the part, certainly is the most convincing in the hand to hand combat sequences until Craig took on the role. He pre-dates the more emotional Bond that Dalton and Craig incorporated into their interpretations and genuinely feels vulnerable and heartbroken when it’s required. Although it’s impossible to know, he may well have grown into the role with other entries but his fate is pretty much his own doing. Taking his agents advice and believing that this character was on the way out and that the likes of Easy Rider was the future of cinema and that Bond would be obsolete within a few years, he announced he was quitting the role. It’s hard to feel sorry for him he’d also thrown his ego around on set, upset some of the cast and convinced Broccoli he was not ready for the stardom it afforded despite feeling he was a star before the public had declared him one, they never did, the actor trading off being Bond for the rest of his career but never becoming a big star in his own right.

Though fans of the film decry the missed opportunity of a follow up film that would have picked up after the emotional ending of OHMSS, an entry which would have seen Lazneby’s Bond go out for revenge, it may well have changed the face of the series and Lazenby could have gone on to make more entries, it can be speculated but it’s reception saw Broccoli and Saltzman go back to Connery a with huge financial reward to return one last time to the role. The result was a more audience friendly addition that ignored the tone established in the previous film with the first Bond returning looking almost unrecognisable in the role.

OHMSS is also the one film in the series that has probably gone under some of the worst treatment perpetrated on a Bond film, the most significant example being the 1976 CBS broadcast of the film, deciding to premier the film to coincide with the Winter Olympics the decision was taken to re-edit the film and show in a different sequence and in two parts, starting the film half way through with Bond being pursued by Blofeld’s men after escaping Piz Gloria. This version also had a rather clumsy narration as it flipped back and forth showing sequences in flashback form, completely altering the pace and destroying the narrative flow of what was the most loyal Fleming adaption of the series. The film was shown eventually in its proper version but the damage had been done. If this wasn't enough, although a number of the films have gone under edits for content while being shown on TV and being made available in home formats, none of them had actually had complete sequences edited out, the most significant and a particular fan favourite, the Gumbold safe cracking sequence. The scene comes after Bond is dropped off by Tracy and Draco after his leave has ended and we witness Bond retrieve the information that leads to him tracking down Blofeld. This segment is not only a great example of 007 using his detecting skills as well as being a significant plot point but is sound tracked by a particularly tense cue by Barry unavailable on the original vinyl LP release of the film’s score, made available much later on an extended edition on CD. The sequence along with others was reinserted when the ultimate edition DVD’s were released and now on the new Blu ray version of the film, without doubt the best treatment of the film to date.

Despite the treatment and the usual ignorant reception some give the film as it doesn't have any of the more recognised actors in the role, quality will out eventually. Considering its reception when it was released and it did have a minority of good reviews at the time, the film is now recognised by a number of the fan base and critics as the best film of the series. As someone who has always been a fan from the moment I saw it on TV as a small boy my appreciation for the film has grown as I've grown older and now like some I regard it the series highlight and Lazenby’s involvement does nothing to devalue that. Christopher Nolan declared it his favourite Bond film and then in 2010 paid it the biggest tribute by paying homage with a thrilling sequence in his film Inception that echoes the Piz Gloria big battle sequence of the film. In light of the reboot of the series the film continues to gain appreciation. While Connery and Craig remain the best actors of the series neither has been furnished with the ingredients that OHMSS was, it does seem ironic the one entry only Bond of the series is furnished with best direction, the best script and the best score amongst it’s attributes but On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the closet the series has got to masterpiece status, it’s not perfect no Bond film is and yes maybe a Dalton or Craig capable actor would have better served the material but Lazenby’s contribution has done nothing to diminish the quality of the most maligned film of the series now 50 years history.

5/5

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