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Ever since I first saw this film, on my eleventh birthday, I have loved it.
Up till that point it was the only Bond film, I hadn't seen. I was set with Connery and Moore, and then there was this new Bond actor, George Lazenby. Being a youngster his acting wasn't an issue for me, but the story and visuals drew me in. Here was a Bond film that was different, in style and tone. It was clearly still a Bond film, but aside from the obvious change in Lazenby it just felt different.
On reflection there are times when Lazenby's acting shows, but never to the extreme of ruining the movie. In fact, I'd go as far as too say, it's a pretty bloody good debut for actor who'd never starred in a film before, let alone taking over from Sean Connery in one of the biggest roles in cinema.
The film itself is a true epic affair. Bond rescues Teresa DiVicenzo from suicide on a beach in Portugal, only to be set upon by a group of un-named assailants.
The usual tussle ensues, resulting in a breaking the fourth wall with Bond addressing the audience. Thankfully it doesn't happen again and comes early in the film. By the time the titles have finished, we've forgotten all about this faux pas.
The film begins with Bond being taken by his assailants for an 'appointment'
This turns out to be with Marc-Ange Draco, a underworld crime boss and father of the girl Bond rescued Tracy.
Draco asks Bond too to see his daughter some more, as he thinks a figure like Bond can help his daughter. Bond also realises the opportunity that Draco could have in getting him information in finding Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Draco bribes Bond into seeing Tracy some more and Bond returns to London. Only to be relieved of his hunt for Blofeld. Enraged Bond resigns from the service, only for Moneypenny to change his request to two weeks leave.
During this time, Bond continues his search for Blofeld using information from Draco, at the same time a real and loving relationship begins between Bond and Tracy.
On his return to duty, Bond reveals to M, he has been working on his search for Blofeld in his downtime and has strong evidence to further his pursuit. M agrees and Bond goes undercover as Sir Hilary Bray from the college of arms. Blofeld has expressed a desire to be recognised as the Counte De Bleuchamp.
In the guise of Sir Hilary Bray, Bond arrives at the mountaintop lair of Blofeld, Piz Gloria. There he finds his nemesis is posing as a Count who is treating beautiful girls in an allergy clinic.
Bond soon learns that the girls are being brainwashed for a far more sinister scheme. But not before he's bedded at least two of the girls, with others alluded too. Whilst this is a 60's Bond film, and the treatment and writing for women in the Bond films wasn't as strong as it would become in more recent entries. Bond bedding these women could be seen as doing what must be done in order to achieve his mission. But it could just as easily be rewritten to have Bond remain loyal to Tracy, especially as we had a lovely sequence earlier, with Bond and Tracy falling in love accompanied by the song, We Have All The Time In The World sung by Louis Armstrong. They even look at wedding rings!
For Bond to bed women at the clinic like this seems a little off, considering the love story that holds the film together. Could just be me though.
Bond needlessly gets caught out with one of the beautiful patients and his cover is blown.
Blofeld then goes on to explain his devious plan using his 'Angels of Death' as he calls them to release Virus Omega causing infertility in all living things. After being looked up in a relatively easily escapable room, Bond flees the mountain top lair on skis, quickly followed by Spectre and Blofeld.
For me, this is the first real big action sequence of the Bond series. Sure, we've had some great action scenes before this one, but the ski chase of Majesty's is truly epic. From the beautiful camera work and excitement, too Bond skiing on one ski. This is breathtaking to watch, even too this day.
On arrival in the village below, Bond attempts to avoid capture by hiding amongst the large crowd gathered for a local Christmas festival. Here he is rescued by Tracy in a nice little role reversal from the early part of the movie. Usually, a scene placing Tracy in such a situation would come across as trite and weak storytelling. But because of the well written story and the love story between Bond and Tracy, it makes sense to have Tracy seeking out Bond.
As the two escape, they are seen by a Spectre heavy and once again are pursued through icy roads and onto a stock car track during a race. The resulting race results in the Spectre assailant's car crashing and bursting into flames.
Bond and Tracy escape the scene, but not before being caught in a strong blizzard causing them to seek shelter in a barn for the night.
As they bed down for the night Bond takes the moment to ask Tracy to marry him. It's a lovely scene sold by the Lazenby's vulnerabilities as an actor and Dame Diana Rigg's ability as an actor. With the use of All The Time In The World as an instrumental piece, we are given a wonderful and memorable scene for the Bond series.
Of course, it isn't long before Spectre catch up with the pair again, soon after Bond and Tracy continue on skis. The resulting chase sees Blofeld cause an avalanche covering Bond and having Blofeld take Tracy with him.
Back in London Bond and M learn that Blofeld is asking for amnesty for all past crimes and recognition as Counte De Bleuchamp.
When M won't assign a task force to take on Blofeld and rescue Tracy, Bond enlists the help of Draco and his men. The climatic battle is still one of the best in Bond history. Beautifully shot and exciting. The resulting climax sees Tracy rescued and Bond chase Blofeld as Piz Gloria explodes. But not before Blofeld and Bond fight it out on a bobsled speeding down the mountainside, which results in Blofeld being caught by the neck in a tree branch, and Bond surviving the ordeal.
Considering the importance of Blofeld as a villain, it seems odd that Bond nor anybody else don't seek to get Blofeld's body to confirm his death!
The film ends with Bond and Tracy at their wedding. A tearful Moneypenny consoled by M, as Bond and Tracy drive off on their honeymoon.
However, as Bond removes the many flowers from his Aston Martin, and silver Mercedes roars past firing at Bond and his new bride. As Bond gets back into the car to give chase, he's made aware of the nightmare situation of Tracy's death.
As a motorbike policeman arrives, Bond cradles his dead wife in his arms and breaks down as the credits role and the Bond them blares out.
It's a deeply moving scene that can at times still cause my eyes too well up. Lazenby is fantastic here, and his inexperience helps sell the scene. One wonders if the effect would have been so effective had Connery still played Bond.
Majesty's is a rarity for the Bond series, not only because it was the sole film of George Lazenby, but also the sole directorial film of long-time editor and collaborator Peter Hunt.
Sadly, this would be the end of Hunt's association with the series which is a shame. I'm sure some of the seventies films could've benefitted from his input.
The supporting cast surely help Lazenby, as we have Diana Rigg as Tracy and the wonderful Telly Savalas as Blofeld. Savalas is a completely different take on the character than previously seen, unlike both Donald Pleasance and the unseen Blofeld from FRWL and TB. This is a much more dangerous Spectre number 1, who gets in on the action. It helps the hard-hitting fight sequences that would be a major part of Lazenby's Bond.
Visually Majesty's is a true epic, it looks beautiful especially in the mountainous Swiss setting, but it's also a very good story.
Certain aspects of the film have aged, but the story still holds up quite well, and its a film I still enjoy watching.
I still wish Lazenby and Hunt had returned for Diamonds Are Forever, but that remains one of life's, what if moments.
At least we got a mostly faithful adaptation of one of Fleming's best novels, resulting in a Bond film that still holds up as one of the best.
You Only Live Twice me and my friends watched it as we havent seen a James Bond Film for a while
Once, in the mid 90’s , on a trans Atlantic flight, I watched Goldeneye; they edited out EVERY, scene that depicted an aircraft in peril. Just imagine that. Lol.
I consider this film to be this generations Die Another Day in terms of jumping the shark in many respects, but something I noticed recently is the film is structured the wrong way round. In order to have a true parallel with OHMSS (which the filmmakers are clearly gunning for) Bond and Madeline should have their child at the beginning of the film, after the titles similar to the love montage from OHMSS, before any of the big action kicks off. Then the arrival of Safin back into Madelines life and the taking of the nanobots causes both Bond and Madeline to freak out and agree that she takes their daughter to a safe place, and Bond reluctantly steps back into service to keep his family safe. This would parallel Bond making his alliance with Draco, and this way we have a clear sense of the stakes and what Bond has to lose. Making Bond and Madeline estranged was a bizarre choice, and doesn't really help do any of the legwork for the story, It's like swimming in the opposite direction. Anyway, then Bond goes on his adventure meets up with Felix, decides to team up with him, Nash and Paloma to retrieve the nanobots culminating in Felixs death and the appropriate end of act 2 raising the stakes, "its a good life, make it worth it". That moment would really resonate harder if Bond and Madeline were still a thing, we knew about their daughter, and the potential peril could befall the new family. I just think it makes more sense that way round, and having Felix dying as a bridge into the 2nd act, before we have any real sense of what the story is, doesn't really work as it is. It would be like if darth vader said "tell your sister you were right" before we found out he had a sister and luke just saying "huh?"