Admittedly, I did not like this film at first and I can't adequately explain the reasons why. Was it because I didn't like George Lazenby, or that it distanced itself from the Sean Connery outings? On second viewing though, I was surprised at how wrong I initially was. It is not the best Bond but it is light years away from the worst. George Lazenby may be a tad inexperienced and the least charismatic of the Bonds, but he is still likable and does try hard, that I can see. And it does tone down some of the gadgetry and spectacle, however in doing that the film does boast some of the best and slickest sequences in a Bond film. The story is believable and sticks closely to the book, and the script goes into a greater psychological depth. Consequently both Bond's pursuit of Blofeld and romance with the feisty Tracy are wholly believable. Terry Savalas is great as Blofeld, and Diana Rigg is splendid as Tracy. The cinematography and scenery are beautiful, and John Barry's score and Louis Armstrong's theme song are simply terrific. In conclusion, better than I thought and dare I say underrated. 8/10 Bethany Cox
641 Reviews
Not a Bad Deal at All.
Bob-4527 September 2001
To understand the controversy behind `On Her Majesty's Secret Service,' one must understand the events so impacting the spy genre by the time of its production in 1969. After the back to back tremendous successes of `Goldfinger' and `From Russia With Love,' every hack producer and distributor rushed to make spy movies. There were serious ones (`The Spy That Came in From the Cold,' `The Ipcress File'), satirical ones (`Our Man Flint,' `The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,' `Get Smart' ), and incredibly silly ones (`The Silencers,' `Last of the Secret Agents,' `Casino Royale'). `Casino Royale' was especially damaging, since it was (VERY LOOSELY) based on a Fleming novel, and used the character of James Bond, 007. In fact, in `Casino Royale,' nearly EVERYBODY played `James Bond'. `If we don't know what we are doing, how will the enemy,' was the explanation `James Bond' (David Niven) gave to explain why MI6 was calling all its agents `James Bond'. To protect their franchise, the producers of the `real' James Bond movies emphasized in their promotion `Sean Connery IS James Bond.' In a demonstration of `gratitude,' Connery up and quit the series, leaving `On Her Majesty's Secret Service,' which was shortly to go into production, without a `Bond.'
Arguably the most ambitious and difficult to shoot of ALL the Bond films (at least to that time), it's a miracle ANYTHING works in OHMSS. Much of the time it works VERY well, though the shaky underpinnings of the first hour frequently threaten to undo it. There is so much choppy editing and dubbed dialogue, one begins to suspect he is watching a foreign film. The second hour plus works much better, all the more surprising since it was shot first. One reason may be that the film went WAY over both shooting schedule and budget, and there was enough made up `bad' press to put a great deal of pressure on the producers, first time director, Peter Hunt and star, George Lazenby. In the middle of it all, Lazenby's publicist announced that Lazenby was not going to do another Bond (Lazenby is credible when he says that announcement was not his idea. One suspects, from the bonus material, that Cubby Broccoli planted that story to discredit Lazenby, should the film fail). Add to all this the films' tacked-on, unhappy ending (planned to be the prologue for `Diamonds are Forever'), which plays completely against the humor of earlier moments, and it's a wonder the film was NOT a dismal failure. Quite the contrary, OHMSS is one of the BEST of the Bond films, filled with nonstop action, outstanding stunts, incredible sound, the best score (along with `Goldfinger') and a credible enough romance to lend it genuine poignancy. Lazenby overcame many tremendous handicaps: having to replace one of the best known and popular actors in the world; he was 28, younger than Connery when he made `Dr. No'; he was completely inexperienced as an actor (OHMSS was Lazenby's FIRST movie, not just his first starring role); his accent (thick Australian outback) and the INCREDIBLE physical demands (Lazenby did many of his own stunts). Considering all this, Lazenby is downright remarkable. Certainly, in my opinion he is better than either the snooty Timothy Dalton or the lightweight Roger Moore were in ANY of their outings as Bond.. The bonus feature on the DVD concludes with strong evidence that Lazenby became a scapegoat, despite the eventual financial success of OHMSS. Lazenby, refreshingly displays no bitterness that his career nearly ended as soon as it began. He's had a reasonably busy career playing character roles and we have OHMSS. Not a bad deal at all.
Arguably the most ambitious and difficult to shoot of ALL the Bond films (at least to that time), it's a miracle ANYTHING works in OHMSS. Much of the time it works VERY well, though the shaky underpinnings of the first hour frequently threaten to undo it. There is so much choppy editing and dubbed dialogue, one begins to suspect he is watching a foreign film. The second hour plus works much better, all the more surprising since it was shot first. One reason may be that the film went WAY over both shooting schedule and budget, and there was enough made up `bad' press to put a great deal of pressure on the producers, first time director, Peter Hunt and star, George Lazenby. In the middle of it all, Lazenby's publicist announced that Lazenby was not going to do another Bond (Lazenby is credible when he says that announcement was not his idea. One suspects, from the bonus material, that Cubby Broccoli planted that story to discredit Lazenby, should the film fail). Add to all this the films' tacked-on, unhappy ending (planned to be the prologue for `Diamonds are Forever'), which plays completely against the humor of earlier moments, and it's a wonder the film was NOT a dismal failure. Quite the contrary, OHMSS is one of the BEST of the Bond films, filled with nonstop action, outstanding stunts, incredible sound, the best score (along with `Goldfinger') and a credible enough romance to lend it genuine poignancy. Lazenby overcame many tremendous handicaps: having to replace one of the best known and popular actors in the world; he was 28, younger than Connery when he made `Dr. No'; he was completely inexperienced as an actor (OHMSS was Lazenby's FIRST movie, not just his first starring role); his accent (thick Australian outback) and the INCREDIBLE physical demands (Lazenby did many of his own stunts). Considering all this, Lazenby is downright remarkable. Certainly, in my opinion he is better than either the snooty Timothy Dalton or the lightweight Roger Moore were in ANY of their outings as Bond.. The bonus feature on the DVD concludes with strong evidence that Lazenby became a scapegoat, despite the eventual financial success of OHMSS. Lazenby, refreshingly displays no bitterness that his career nearly ended as soon as it began. He's had a reasonably busy career playing character roles and we have OHMSS. Not a bad deal at all.
Not perfect, but a realistic, classic Bond
Orpington17 August 2004
On Her Majesty's Secret Service will probably always remain the most controversial entry in the Bond series, thanks both to its unusually human and romantic story, and the notorious casting of novice actor George Lazenby as OO7. Some think these elements ruin the film, while others hail OHMSS as the best Bond ever. I wouldn't go that far in my praise, but for me this is still one of the classic Bond films, true to Ian Fleming's original vision and arguably showing OO7 in a more realistic light than any other film in the franchise.
To get the Lazenby issue out of the way first, it is certainly true to say that he lacks the charisma of the man he (temporarily) replaced, Sean Connery, and his impossibly chiselled jaw is somewhat irritating. However, he does look the part, and for a first-time actor he turns in a remarkably assured performance, particularly in the fight scenes but also in Bond's more tender moments, most notably in the highly emotional finale. If Lazenby had gone on to make more Bond films (and it was his own decision not to do so) he could well have developed into a very fine OO7, but as it is I still find his performance in OHMSS perfectly acceptable, and not damaging to the film in any way.
The film itself represented a conscious attempt to get back to Fleming after the increasingly extravagant antics of Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. Director Peter Hunt, who had edited the classic early Connery films, was very keen to remain faithful to Fleming's original story, and as a result OHMSS has an unusually strong emphasis on character and plot, with the gadgetry and humour found in most Bond films largely jettisoned. Rather like From Russia with Love, OHMSS feels like a real spy adventure, as Bond tracks Blofeld down and even adopts a disguise as he infiltrates his arch-enemy's Alpine hideaway, Piz Gloria. Where this film is unique, however, is in the level of emotion it invests in OO7's relationships with others. We see this early in the film when Bond quarrels with M and submits his resignation, a sequence which really brings out the affection which both M and Moneypenny have for him, but which M especially prefers to keep concealed. This affection is brought out again near the end during Bond and Tracy's wedding, when Q sheds his normal exasperation and shows us his fondness and respect for OO7.
However, it is of course the relationship between Bond and Tracy which gives the film its emotional heart. OHMSS sees Bond fall genuinely in love for the first and only time, and personally I found the film's romantic scenes both tender and touching, particularly for being so unexpected in a Bond film. The casting of Diana Rigg as Tracy helps immeasurably in making us believe in this romance, as she is a rare example of a proper actress taking on the role of a Bond girl, and her dynamic, spirited performance makes it easy to see why Bond would fall for her and marry her. It also helps the film's tragic conclusion, itself unique in the Bond franchise, pack far more of an emotional punch than might otherwise have been the case.
Of course, the film has more going for it than just an unusually human Bond.
Hunt directs with great skill, and the Alpine scenery that dominates the film looks absolutely stunning. There is no shortage of great action either, the highlights being a tense and gripping ski chase and an equally thrilling bobsleigh pursuit. Telly Savalas makes for a very effective Blofeld, understated and sinister, and his Rosa Klebb-like henchwoman Irma Bunt is played with relish by Ilse Steppat. There are also echoes of FRWL in the character of Draco, Tracy's father, who is a charismatic Bond ally in the style of Kerim Bey. Special mention should be given to John Barry, who produced his greatest Bond soundtrack for OHMSS. The opening instrumental theme, with its sombre and foreboding tone, sets the serious mood of the film, while the classic We Have All the Time in the World, sung by Louis Armstrong, is the perfect soundtrack to Bond and Tracy's doomed love.
However, while OHMSS is undoubtedly a classic Bond film, it just falls short of my personal top five for two principal reasons. The first of these is that the film is too long, primarily because the central section, where Bond infiltrates Piz Gloria in disguise, is dragged out for far longer than was necessary. Blofeld's plan to use beautiful women as carriers of a devastating eco-virus is the other main weakness, because it is totally preposterous and does not fit into the film's serious nature. I must admit also that, good as Lazenby is, I do wish Connery had agreed to make this film, because with him on board, and a little more editing, I think it could have been the best Bond ever, even beating FRWL. As it is, OHMSS is still a very strong film, its bold deviations from the Bond formula paying off handsomely. It is just a crying shame that it did not perform better at the Box Office, because this would encourage the Bond producers to shift to the high-camp, comic style that would dominate the franchise during the 1970s; sadly, it would be more than a decade before a serious, Flemingesque Bond would reappear on the big screen.
To get the Lazenby issue out of the way first, it is certainly true to say that he lacks the charisma of the man he (temporarily) replaced, Sean Connery, and his impossibly chiselled jaw is somewhat irritating. However, he does look the part, and for a first-time actor he turns in a remarkably assured performance, particularly in the fight scenes but also in Bond's more tender moments, most notably in the highly emotional finale. If Lazenby had gone on to make more Bond films (and it was his own decision not to do so) he could well have developed into a very fine OO7, but as it is I still find his performance in OHMSS perfectly acceptable, and not damaging to the film in any way.
The film itself represented a conscious attempt to get back to Fleming after the increasingly extravagant antics of Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. Director Peter Hunt, who had edited the classic early Connery films, was very keen to remain faithful to Fleming's original story, and as a result OHMSS has an unusually strong emphasis on character and plot, with the gadgetry and humour found in most Bond films largely jettisoned. Rather like From Russia with Love, OHMSS feels like a real spy adventure, as Bond tracks Blofeld down and even adopts a disguise as he infiltrates his arch-enemy's Alpine hideaway, Piz Gloria. Where this film is unique, however, is in the level of emotion it invests in OO7's relationships with others. We see this early in the film when Bond quarrels with M and submits his resignation, a sequence which really brings out the affection which both M and Moneypenny have for him, but which M especially prefers to keep concealed. This affection is brought out again near the end during Bond and Tracy's wedding, when Q sheds his normal exasperation and shows us his fondness and respect for OO7.
However, it is of course the relationship between Bond and Tracy which gives the film its emotional heart. OHMSS sees Bond fall genuinely in love for the first and only time, and personally I found the film's romantic scenes both tender and touching, particularly for being so unexpected in a Bond film. The casting of Diana Rigg as Tracy helps immeasurably in making us believe in this romance, as she is a rare example of a proper actress taking on the role of a Bond girl, and her dynamic, spirited performance makes it easy to see why Bond would fall for her and marry her. It also helps the film's tragic conclusion, itself unique in the Bond franchise, pack far more of an emotional punch than might otherwise have been the case.
Of course, the film has more going for it than just an unusually human Bond.
Hunt directs with great skill, and the Alpine scenery that dominates the film looks absolutely stunning. There is no shortage of great action either, the highlights being a tense and gripping ski chase and an equally thrilling bobsleigh pursuit. Telly Savalas makes for a very effective Blofeld, understated and sinister, and his Rosa Klebb-like henchwoman Irma Bunt is played with relish by Ilse Steppat. There are also echoes of FRWL in the character of Draco, Tracy's father, who is a charismatic Bond ally in the style of Kerim Bey. Special mention should be given to John Barry, who produced his greatest Bond soundtrack for OHMSS. The opening instrumental theme, with its sombre and foreboding tone, sets the serious mood of the film, while the classic We Have All the Time in the World, sung by Louis Armstrong, is the perfect soundtrack to Bond and Tracy's doomed love.
However, while OHMSS is undoubtedly a classic Bond film, it just falls short of my personal top five for two principal reasons. The first of these is that the film is too long, primarily because the central section, where Bond infiltrates Piz Gloria in disguise, is dragged out for far longer than was necessary. Blofeld's plan to use beautiful women as carriers of a devastating eco-virus is the other main weakness, because it is totally preposterous and does not fit into the film's serious nature. I must admit also that, good as Lazenby is, I do wish Connery had agreed to make this film, because with him on board, and a little more editing, I think it could have been the best Bond ever, even beating FRWL. As it is, OHMSS is still a very strong film, its bold deviations from the Bond formula paying off handsomely. It is just a crying shame that it did not perform better at the Box Office, because this would encourage the Bond producers to shift to the high-camp, comic style that would dominate the franchise during the 1970s; sadly, it would be more than a decade before a serious, Flemingesque Bond would reappear on the big screen.
Great Bond film
ametaphysicalshark14 March 2008
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a sadly under-appreciated Bond film which is stylishly-directed and features an outstanding score, like most of these early Bond films. Other than a silly self-referential line in the teaser and some sappy romantic montages, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a thrilling adventure which sees Bond traveling to the Swiss Alps to encounter villains and partake in dangerous action sequences.
It sounds like a Bond film, alright, but this is actually quite different from the formulaic films one would later expect from the series, and the sort of film Bond was gravitating towards with "Thunderball" and "You Only Live Twice". It certainly delivers on the promise of sexual innuendo and lots of provocatively dressed women, but it's a different sort of Bond in that it seems to be more straight-faced and harsh, culminating in what is probably the saddest Bond ending. It's also probably the closest to Fleming's version of Bond outside of "Casino Royale", although "The Living Daylights" was also somewhat similar to the literary Bond. As a Fleming fan it is nice to see the Bond series take after the books.
Lazenby, who has been frequently criticized and is many people's least favorite Bond, actually does a decent job of the role. He's nowhere near as good as Connery, of course, but I thought that other than the scenes where he tried to seriously emote, he carried the film with his charisma and physical presence. I strongly believe he should have continued in the role. Lazenby fits the content of the film, which is certainly far more down to Earth than many other Bond films, and focuses heavily on hand-to-hand combat in the action scenes, which is somewhat refreshing after the overblown (entertaining, but seriously outrageous) action scenes in "You Only Live Twice". This is a genuinely good script, with a solid plot, good dialogue, and good characterization.
It's not just a throwaway action flick, it's an excellent espionage thriller with a strong dramatic core, and as fun as things like "Goldfinger" certainly are, it's nice to see one of these movies treat women as more than mere sex objects, and it's interesting to see a Bond girl paired with a Bond who reacts as a human would and not a cartoon character. Diana Rigg is probably my favorite Bond girl. She gives a strong performance and is helped by an excellent script which gives her a fair amount to do.
By staying closer to the source material, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" dramatically improves on its two predecessors and features some of the best locations in the series, although I admit my familiarity with the majority of the Swiss shooting locations gives me a nostalgic view of things. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a strong contender for the title of best Bond film.
9/10
It sounds like a Bond film, alright, but this is actually quite different from the formulaic films one would later expect from the series, and the sort of film Bond was gravitating towards with "Thunderball" and "You Only Live Twice". It certainly delivers on the promise of sexual innuendo and lots of provocatively dressed women, but it's a different sort of Bond in that it seems to be more straight-faced and harsh, culminating in what is probably the saddest Bond ending. It's also probably the closest to Fleming's version of Bond outside of "Casino Royale", although "The Living Daylights" was also somewhat similar to the literary Bond. As a Fleming fan it is nice to see the Bond series take after the books.
Lazenby, who has been frequently criticized and is many people's least favorite Bond, actually does a decent job of the role. He's nowhere near as good as Connery, of course, but I thought that other than the scenes where he tried to seriously emote, he carried the film with his charisma and physical presence. I strongly believe he should have continued in the role. Lazenby fits the content of the film, which is certainly far more down to Earth than many other Bond films, and focuses heavily on hand-to-hand combat in the action scenes, which is somewhat refreshing after the overblown (entertaining, but seriously outrageous) action scenes in "You Only Live Twice". This is a genuinely good script, with a solid plot, good dialogue, and good characterization.
It's not just a throwaway action flick, it's an excellent espionage thriller with a strong dramatic core, and as fun as things like "Goldfinger" certainly are, it's nice to see one of these movies treat women as more than mere sex objects, and it's interesting to see a Bond girl paired with a Bond who reacts as a human would and not a cartoon character. Diana Rigg is probably my favorite Bond girl. She gives a strong performance and is helped by an excellent script which gives her a fair amount to do.
By staying closer to the source material, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" dramatically improves on its two predecessors and features some of the best locations in the series, although I admit my familiarity with the majority of the Swiss shooting locations gives me a nostalgic view of things. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a strong contender for the title of best Bond film.
9/10
Lazenby kicks some serious arse as 007!
OllieSuave-0071 April 2014
This is the first and only film starring George Lazenby as James Bond 007, where he helps mobster Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti) track down arch nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas), where takes him to Switzerland and poses as Sir Hilary Bray to find out Blofeld's secret plan. Along the way, Bond woos Draco's daughter, Tracy (Diana Rigg).
This movie goes at a steady pace with some intriguing scenes that I've found appealing including 007 attempting to escape from Blofeld's pursuing henchman and the romantic chemistry between Bond and Tracy. Lazenby proves he is a formidable Bond that can could some serious butt, using his own moves and stunts when grappling with the henchman. This makes Bond an even more serious force to be reckoned with and an agent to fear more, in addition to his already famous license to kill.
Lazenby as Bond is a women charmer and equipped with a few one-liners and somewhat suaveness. However, his Bond has a serious and sensitive tone as evident in his emotional interaction with Tracy, who becomes one of the more unique Bond Girls, stealing Bond's heart and coming to rescue his life a few times. This makes this one of the more touching Bond movies.
The plot itself picks up speed right from the start, drags towards the middle and abruptly comes to an action-packed climax. As with many of the Bond movies, there are a lot of talk and less action, but this one lacks some suspense and humor as well. The good acting, though, counterbalances it. It's not one of the best Bonds, but overall, it's a pretty movie.
Grade B-
This movie goes at a steady pace with some intriguing scenes that I've found appealing including 007 attempting to escape from Blofeld's pursuing henchman and the romantic chemistry between Bond and Tracy. Lazenby proves he is a formidable Bond that can could some serious butt, using his own moves and stunts when grappling with the henchman. This makes Bond an even more serious force to be reckoned with and an agent to fear more, in addition to his already famous license to kill.
Lazenby as Bond is a women charmer and equipped with a few one-liners and somewhat suaveness. However, his Bond has a serious and sensitive tone as evident in his emotional interaction with Tracy, who becomes one of the more unique Bond Girls, stealing Bond's heart and coming to rescue his life a few times. This makes this one of the more touching Bond movies.
The plot itself picks up speed right from the start, drags towards the middle and abruptly comes to an action-packed climax. As with many of the Bond movies, there are a lot of talk and less action, but this one lacks some suspense and humor as well. The good acting, though, counterbalances it. It's not one of the best Bonds, but overall, it's a pretty movie.
Grade B-
Blofeld getting branched off is quite hilarious in an otherwise tragic Bond film.
Fella_shibby3 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently.
The way Lazenby ran on the beach like a pànsy n his skirt made me laugh then.
This is the sixth in the Bond series n the only one of George Lazenby as James Bond. Here Bond faces Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who is planning a bacteriological warfare while residing n running a clinic/research institute on a mountain-top hideout in the Swiss Alps.
Along with Blofeld n his henchmen, Bond faces an avalanche, machine gun totting Irma Bunt and a tragic loss.
Bond gets to cool off with Diana Rigg, Angela Scoular n Catherine Von Schell. This film is notable for the lack of gadgets and for the tragic ending. The film is a bit gory, a guy chasing Bond skis into a snow blower.
Some info about Bunt from the book - in the movie series, Bond nevr gets a chance to kill Bunt as she was the person who shot Bond's wife and her fate never explained in the movie series but in the book, Bunt is assumed to have died in the conflagration when Bond destroys Blofeld's castle. In the book, Bond's wife is not shot by Bunt but by Blofeld.
This is the sixth in the Bond series n the only one of George Lazenby as James Bond. Here Bond faces Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who is planning a bacteriological warfare while residing n running a clinic/research institute on a mountain-top hideout in the Swiss Alps.
Along with Blofeld n his henchmen, Bond faces an avalanche, machine gun totting Irma Bunt and a tragic loss.
Bond gets to cool off with Diana Rigg, Angela Scoular n Catherine Von Schell. This film is notable for the lack of gadgets and for the tragic ending. The film is a bit gory, a guy chasing Bond skis into a snow blower.
Some info about Bunt from the book - in the movie series, Bond nevr gets a chance to kill Bunt as she was the person who shot Bond's wife and her fate never explained in the movie series but in the book, Bunt is assumed to have died in the conflagration when Bond destroys Blofeld's castle. In the book, Bond's wife is not shot by Bunt but by Blofeld.
The most moving film in any Bond picture...
Nazi_Fighter_David7 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Like "From Russia With Love," "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is filled with mysterious characters and realistic action
Blofeld's plot involves germ warfare and his stronghold this time is a converted Swiss allergy clinic
The film is loaded with actionski chases, bobsled chases, car chases, helicopter attacks, fights in the surf, fights in the hotel, fights in the office
Peter Hunt succeeded in distracting the audience from noticing that a new Bond was on duty
The new Bond pauses to take a finger of caviar... Dom Perignon'57 and five-star Hennessey brandy are his mouthwashes of choice... He discovers that he lived with his aunt in Pett Buttom, and his family motto is 'The World Is Not Enough.' He impersonates a genealogist to gain entrance to Piz Gloria... He wants to take the head of SPECTRE to Augsburg (West Germany) to verify certain records regarding his claim to a title... He spurns a Mafioso one million gold dowry; uses telescopic sight from a sniper's rifle to spot a beautiful young woman on the beach; wipes away a Contessa's tears; drives his Aston Martin wearing a hat and smoking a cigarette, and turns to the viewer saying in perfect seriousness, "This never happened to the other fella."
The sixth Bond film takes place all over Europe with a united nations of glamorous babes called 'angels of death,' where 007 finally meets his female match, falls in love, and gets married The motion picture is an emotional story that reveals more of the world of 007
It starts with Bond, ready to resign from the Secret Service for being taking off Operation Bedlam... With John Barry's best music, Bond reminds us of a whole bunch of familiar faces... He begins to look over his mementos which include Honey's knife belt from 'Dr. No,' and the strangler watch from 'From Russia with Love.' The sequences from all the previous Bond films reinforced the idea that this new Bond is still a member of the same team, a man who answers to a crusty retired Admiral, and still is engaged in sexy banter with a loving secretary...
It is Draco's daughter though, the ravishing Tracy (Diana Rigg), who adds a bit of class to the role of the Bond girl, and makes the film quiet interesting... Tracy is the troubled woman who steals Bond's heart... She is a spoiled woman wandering fully clothed into the sea... She is dangerous with her red Ford Cougar, a broken bottle, and at the baccarat table...
Gabriele Ferzetti is one of the most sympathetic Mafia dons ever to charm the screen Draco likes the fact that Bond is interested in his daughter, and he's determined to help her find the right husband
Telly Savalas' Blofeld does reveal sides to his character previously unseen: the class snobberywhich M remarks upon, and the vanity which Tracy flatters to force him off his guard, and his irritation with one of his skiers who ends up in a tree... Posing as a world-famous allergist, this bald arch-villain would only give up his deadly scheme throughout the world if offered a complete pardon for past crimes and a title...
Irma Bunt was perfectly portrayed by German actress Ilse Steppat, who, unfortunately died soon after the film's release She is Blofeld's second-in-command, who keeps the Count's attractive 'patients' under control...
Angela Scoular (Ruby) becomes Bond's first conquest when she writes her room number in lipstick on 007's inner thigh
Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) hands her boss a request for two weeks leave rather than Bond's dictated resignation... Her act results at once funny, moving and warm: 'What would I do without you?' ask both Bond and M separately once she's settled their contretemps...
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" features Barry's exquisite song, "We Have All the Time in the World," which is sung with real emotion by Louis Armstrong...
The new Bond pauses to take a finger of caviar... Dom Perignon'57 and five-star Hennessey brandy are his mouthwashes of choice... He discovers that he lived with his aunt in Pett Buttom, and his family motto is 'The World Is Not Enough.' He impersonates a genealogist to gain entrance to Piz Gloria... He wants to take the head of SPECTRE to Augsburg (West Germany) to verify certain records regarding his claim to a title... He spurns a Mafioso one million gold dowry; uses telescopic sight from a sniper's rifle to spot a beautiful young woman on the beach; wipes away a Contessa's tears; drives his Aston Martin wearing a hat and smoking a cigarette, and turns to the viewer saying in perfect seriousness, "This never happened to the other fella."
The sixth Bond film takes place all over Europe with a united nations of glamorous babes called 'angels of death,' where 007 finally meets his female match, falls in love, and gets married The motion picture is an emotional story that reveals more of the world of 007
It starts with Bond, ready to resign from the Secret Service for being taking off Operation Bedlam... With John Barry's best music, Bond reminds us of a whole bunch of familiar faces... He begins to look over his mementos which include Honey's knife belt from 'Dr. No,' and the strangler watch from 'From Russia with Love.' The sequences from all the previous Bond films reinforced the idea that this new Bond is still a member of the same team, a man who answers to a crusty retired Admiral, and still is engaged in sexy banter with a loving secretary...
It is Draco's daughter though, the ravishing Tracy (Diana Rigg), who adds a bit of class to the role of the Bond girl, and makes the film quiet interesting... Tracy is the troubled woman who steals Bond's heart... She is a spoiled woman wandering fully clothed into the sea... She is dangerous with her red Ford Cougar, a broken bottle, and at the baccarat table...
Gabriele Ferzetti is one of the most sympathetic Mafia dons ever to charm the screen Draco likes the fact that Bond is interested in his daughter, and he's determined to help her find the right husband
Telly Savalas' Blofeld does reveal sides to his character previously unseen: the class snobberywhich M remarks upon, and the vanity which Tracy flatters to force him off his guard, and his irritation with one of his skiers who ends up in a tree... Posing as a world-famous allergist, this bald arch-villain would only give up his deadly scheme throughout the world if offered a complete pardon for past crimes and a title...
Irma Bunt was perfectly portrayed by German actress Ilse Steppat, who, unfortunately died soon after the film's release She is Blofeld's second-in-command, who keeps the Count's attractive 'patients' under control...
Angela Scoular (Ruby) becomes Bond's first conquest when she writes her room number in lipstick on 007's inner thigh
Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) hands her boss a request for two weeks leave rather than Bond's dictated resignation... Her act results at once funny, moving and warm: 'What would I do without you?' ask both Bond and M separately once she's settled their contretemps...
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" features Barry's exquisite song, "We Have All the Time in the World," which is sung with real emotion by Louis Armstrong...
Thanks for the Memory...
Xstal12 January 2022
There's a new boy taking over the Bond role, scores quite highly subsequently in the poll, pinnacle of his career, all downhill sadly from here, til Daniel Craig arrives to give the franchise soul.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld has a very cunning plan, join the NYPD as soon as he can, you can watch him on the telly, save a lass quite ably, but for now he has to play the crazy man.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld has a very cunning plan, join the NYPD as soon as he can, you can watch him on the telly, save a lass quite ably, but for now he has to play the crazy man.
The best Bond film and a fantastic film in its own right. If you're a lover of great films, give this one a go.
steven-447677 November 2021
This is an absolutely beautiful film. For me it really stands out as something quite different from the rest of the franchise. There is a high artistic quality and loving care about this film which isn't present with most of the rest of the series. Outstandingly suspenseful action, some lovely introspective moments, and a beautiful romance awaits.
The thing that I find truly remarkable throughout the entire film is the direction by Peter R Hunt. Every single shot is discerningly and lovingly composed, so beautiful to look at. A beautiful romantic energy permeates the experience of this film. Cinematographer Michael Reed deserves much credit for his role creating these beautiful shots as well.
What's more, when the action scenes begin there is a wonderfully fierce powerful energy surrounding Lazenby's Bond and his enemies. The action scenes, including the car chase and skirmishes across the snow, have this fantastic nervous tension to them. We really feel as if we're part of the seriousness of Bond and Tracy's situation.
Adding to creating the experience of this movie is the gorgeous soundtrack from John Barry. I can't overstate how it really contributes enormously here. The music on offer really feels outstanding from the rest of the series.
Diana Rigg's Bond girl character Tracy is used wonderfully well. Unlike seemingly many Bond films where the girl is barely given anything to do apart from stand around half-naked, Tracy is an instrumental part of the story. She's there in the first act and the third act, and when she's absent during the middle of the film she is in our thoughts (perhaps as she is also in Bond's thoughts). We learn much about her and her family, and her character really has some kind of halfway decent development here. Bond isn't the only character who cares about her in this film either.
Perhaps many people do not like Lazenby's portrayal of Bond. The reality is however is that Bond is a different character in this film compared with most of the others. He is more introspective and meticulous. Perhaps a more respectable and relatable gentleman than many other Bond films too - he has normal human weaknesses and imperfections, yet manages to remain composed whatever the situation.
Telly Savalas as Blofeld is also greatly rewarding this time round. He's wonderfully charismatic and a great gentleman counterpart for Bond. His presence in this picture never gets old.
As we cross the 2 hour mark the film grows a little tiresome for a short while, but there is still so much to enjoy in the composition of every shot, at the very least we can just sit back and enjoy the beauty.
While in many Bond films the finale just seems to drag on and on and the film seems too long even with the standard 130 minute runtime, in OMHSS the finale carries some really powerful emotional weight. It's a seriously stressful scenario (not simply the cliche "bad guys take over the world") There's a lot immediately at stake as the characters are deeply personally vested in the outcome here.
The pacing of the film in general is very well balanced. Introspective moments and suspenseful action very elegantly flow between each other.
If you're a film lover you should give this movie a go. All the James Bond stuff aside it is a beautiful cinematic experience in its own right.
The thing that I find truly remarkable throughout the entire film is the direction by Peter R Hunt. Every single shot is discerningly and lovingly composed, so beautiful to look at. A beautiful romantic energy permeates the experience of this film. Cinematographer Michael Reed deserves much credit for his role creating these beautiful shots as well.
What's more, when the action scenes begin there is a wonderfully fierce powerful energy surrounding Lazenby's Bond and his enemies. The action scenes, including the car chase and skirmishes across the snow, have this fantastic nervous tension to them. We really feel as if we're part of the seriousness of Bond and Tracy's situation.
Adding to creating the experience of this movie is the gorgeous soundtrack from John Barry. I can't overstate how it really contributes enormously here. The music on offer really feels outstanding from the rest of the series.
Diana Rigg's Bond girl character Tracy is used wonderfully well. Unlike seemingly many Bond films where the girl is barely given anything to do apart from stand around half-naked, Tracy is an instrumental part of the story. She's there in the first act and the third act, and when she's absent during the middle of the film she is in our thoughts (perhaps as she is also in Bond's thoughts). We learn much about her and her family, and her character really has some kind of halfway decent development here. Bond isn't the only character who cares about her in this film either.
Perhaps many people do not like Lazenby's portrayal of Bond. The reality is however is that Bond is a different character in this film compared with most of the others. He is more introspective and meticulous. Perhaps a more respectable and relatable gentleman than many other Bond films too - he has normal human weaknesses and imperfections, yet manages to remain composed whatever the situation.
Telly Savalas as Blofeld is also greatly rewarding this time round. He's wonderfully charismatic and a great gentleman counterpart for Bond. His presence in this picture never gets old.
As we cross the 2 hour mark the film grows a little tiresome for a short while, but there is still so much to enjoy in the composition of every shot, at the very least we can just sit back and enjoy the beauty.
While in many Bond films the finale just seems to drag on and on and the film seems too long even with the standard 130 minute runtime, in OMHSS the finale carries some really powerful emotional weight. It's a seriously stressful scenario (not simply the cliche "bad guys take over the world") There's a lot immediately at stake as the characters are deeply personally vested in the outcome here.
The pacing of the film in general is very well balanced. Introspective moments and suspenseful action very elegantly flow between each other.
If you're a film lover you should give this movie a go. All the James Bond stuff aside it is a beautiful cinematic experience in its own right.
James Bond/George Lazenby against Blofeld/Telly Savalas who attempts a plan for world domination by spreading a lethal plague
ma-cortes11 October 2017
It begins for James Bond (George Lazenby) on a deserted beach where a young woman (Diana Rigg) tries to drown herself . Bond is sent by MI6 to foil arch-villain Spectra enemy . James Bond goes on his assignment to track down Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) who has peculiar ways of dealing with people who cross him . Blofeld is head of S.P.E.C.T.R.E and is trying the world control by expanding a plague through gorgeous women infected with a deadly virus . As Blofeld is planning a germ warfare assault on the entire world , James Bond needs to find a way to reach him and fast . He intends to marry the daughter of the biggest crime syndicate (Gabriele Ferzetti) in the west in order to get information on Blofeld's whereabouts , and the trail eventually leads to a remote alpine institute in Switzerland . However, Blofeld is not as easy to kill and at the end takes place a lethal confrontation across the snowy landscapes .
The most emotional adventure of Bond career , including the ordinary noisy action being staged with all the mechanical efficiency of the classic Bond pictures with a bit more bite . Here Bond takes on the extremely nasty Blofeld who develops a dangerous virus and threatens to unleash it upon the world unless he receives a fortune and a pardon for all his previous crimes . Many feel this one to be one of the best written of the 007 films ; in fact , the script was written by the prestigious writer Richard Maibaum , and might have been the most notorious had Sean Connery continued with the series . Director Peter Hunt -previously film editor- keeps the action moving and staging a thrilling snow pursuit with one nasty torn to pieces in a snow plough , villains falling from cliffs and impressive avalanches . After ¨Diamonds are forever¨ (1971) Connery told her he'd never play James Bond again , being replaced by Lazenby ; however , many years later , there Sean was, playing James Bond again , her response was for him to "never say never again" ; though , for a big salary he accepted ¨Never say never again¨ (1983) by Irwin Kershner . Australian George Lazenby who took a crack at playing the super-spy with mixed results . Lazenby steps athletically into Connery's oo7 character . But his posterior career was a flop, performing ¨B¨ or ¨C¨ movies as ¨Black Eliminator¨, ¨Kill factor¨ , ¨Hell Hunters¨ , ¨Spider's web¨, ¨4 dogs playing Poker¨ or ¨Twin sitters¨ . Here James Bond/Lazenby bedding and dealing with a variety of wonderful women , the bond girls are the followings : Catherine Schell , Julie Ege , Mona Chong , Joanna Lumley , among others . And , of course , including the regulars : Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny , Bernard Lee as 'M' , Desmond Llewelyn as Q and George Baker.
It includes the song ¨we have all the time in the world¨ sung by Louis Armstrong as well as the customary enjoyable score by John Barry . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Michael Reed , shot on numerous locations in Grindelwald , Kanton Bern, Switzerland , Sesimbra, Setúbal, Rossio,Estoril , Lisbon, Portugal Marlow , Buckinghamshire , Queen Victoria Street, Blackfriars, and Pinewood studios , London England, UK . The motion picture ¨On her majesty's secret service¨ financed since longtime producers : Albert ¨Cubby¨ Broccoli , Harry Saltzman , being well directed by Peter Hunt who edited earlier OOO7 movies , he directs moving and pacily . Hunt made a big number of acceptable thrillers as ¨Death hunt¨, ¨Wild geese¨, Assassination¨, and ¨Shut at the devil¨.
The most emotional adventure of Bond career , including the ordinary noisy action being staged with all the mechanical efficiency of the classic Bond pictures with a bit more bite . Here Bond takes on the extremely nasty Blofeld who develops a dangerous virus and threatens to unleash it upon the world unless he receives a fortune and a pardon for all his previous crimes . Many feel this one to be one of the best written of the 007 films ; in fact , the script was written by the prestigious writer Richard Maibaum , and might have been the most notorious had Sean Connery continued with the series . Director Peter Hunt -previously film editor- keeps the action moving and staging a thrilling snow pursuit with one nasty torn to pieces in a snow plough , villains falling from cliffs and impressive avalanches . After ¨Diamonds are forever¨ (1971) Connery told her he'd never play James Bond again , being replaced by Lazenby ; however , many years later , there Sean was, playing James Bond again , her response was for him to "never say never again" ; though , for a big salary he accepted ¨Never say never again¨ (1983) by Irwin Kershner . Australian George Lazenby who took a crack at playing the super-spy with mixed results . Lazenby steps athletically into Connery's oo7 character . But his posterior career was a flop, performing ¨B¨ or ¨C¨ movies as ¨Black Eliminator¨, ¨Kill factor¨ , ¨Hell Hunters¨ , ¨Spider's web¨, ¨4 dogs playing Poker¨ or ¨Twin sitters¨ . Here James Bond/Lazenby bedding and dealing with a variety of wonderful women , the bond girls are the followings : Catherine Schell , Julie Ege , Mona Chong , Joanna Lumley , among others . And , of course , including the regulars : Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny , Bernard Lee as 'M' , Desmond Llewelyn as Q and George Baker.
It includes the song ¨we have all the time in the world¨ sung by Louis Armstrong as well as the customary enjoyable score by John Barry . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Michael Reed , shot on numerous locations in Grindelwald , Kanton Bern, Switzerland , Sesimbra, Setúbal, Rossio,Estoril , Lisbon, Portugal Marlow , Buckinghamshire , Queen Victoria Street, Blackfriars, and Pinewood studios , London England, UK . The motion picture ¨On her majesty's secret service¨ financed since longtime producers : Albert ¨Cubby¨ Broccoli , Harry Saltzman , being well directed by Peter Hunt who edited earlier OOO7 movies , he directs moving and pacily . Hunt made a big number of acceptable thrillers as ¨Death hunt¨, ¨Wild geese¨, Assassination¨, and ¨Shut at the devil¨.
Worst of the Bond films I've seen
kylopod16 February 2006
If there is an enduring mystery, it is why so many people consider this movie one of the best, if not the best, in the James Bond series. I first watched it shortly after re-watching some of the early Bond flicks like "Goldfinger" and "From Russia with Love," both of which hold up well today, even after having been imitated and satirized countless times. The inferiority of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was evident to me in just the first few minutes, which feature a repetitive and almost incoherent sequence of events where Bond goes about his business and keeps getting suddenly attacked by henchmen hiding behind the curtains.
What immediately struck me was the stunningly bad acting from Sean Connery's replacement George Lazenby, as he woodenly delivered the standard one-liners. I know I'm not the only one who has had this reaction. But I keep hearing people say things like, "Well, Lazenby was bad, but not as bad as Timothy Dalton." That response leaves me bewildered. Dalton may not have been right for the Bond role, but he's a classically trained actor who had an impressive résumé long before being cast as James Bond. Lazenby wasn't an actor at all; he was a fan who somehow won himself the role, perhaps because of his looks. It's true that people with no prior acting experience have been known to give fine performances. Playing an action hero doesn't require great thespian ability, anyway: Arnold Schwarzenegger has demonstrated that again and again. But Lazenby lacks even a basic screen presence. He walks with the grace of an elephant (actually, that statement is highly unfair to elephants), and he sucks energy away from the screen. His one redeeming quality is that he's a fine athlete. He should have been the stunt double.
Unfortunately, this film calls for more acting chops than the usual Bond flick, because it deals with Bond falling in love. It features scenes of high drama, but Lazenby blows them all because he is unable to show the needed level of complex, understated emotion. If Lazenby was to appear in any Bond film, I would think this one would be the least appropriate candidate.
The movie deals with Bond's romance by having one of those video sequences where we see the two chatting and enjoying themselves together in various casual locations, but we don't hear anything they're saying. The message is that they're falling for each other, even if we don't have a clue why or how. This type of sequence is a sure sign of amateur direction. We need to experience the relationship along with the characters. That's one of the purposes of movies.
The sequence occurs early in the film, then the girl promptly disappears until much later. It's just as well, since there's no chemistry between the characters, not even for a moment. The center of the movie involves Bond disguising himself as a Scotsman and traveling to an institute where people are receiving weird hypnotic suggestions about loving the flesh of chickens. I'm not sure if the humor here is intentional or not. But there's no excuse for scenes like this, considering that the earlier Connery films managed to avoid camp.
What do people see in this film? Presumably that it has good action sequences. There's a nice chase scene through the snow, but it doesn't compare to the best parts of "Goldfinger," and it comes after two hours by which time I was already getting fidgety. Telly Savalas is well-cast as the villain, but he makes too few appearances, and there isn't much about his mad personality or snide dialogues with Bond. He's all business. The movie contains no scenes remotely as exciting as the fight with Odd Job, or the dialogues between Bond and Goldfinger. Or that fantastically filmed scene in "From Russia With Love" where the agent is following Bond and we see his face appearing in each of the train windows successively. (Now that is good direction.)
Sometimes I had the feeling that the people involved in the film knew it was terrible and were trying to sabotage it. I've seen only a handful of Bond films, but I'm guessing that this is the only one that shows 007 looking into a Playboy magazine. (What is the world coming to?!) I suspect it's also the only one to make a joke at the expense of Bond's manhood, when the "Scottish" Bond drops his kilt in front of a woman and she immediately bursts into hysterical laughter--supposedly because she is surprised to find out that the "rumor" about Scotsmen and kilts is true. As Dr. Evil would say, riiiiight. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a disgrace to the series and doesn't deserve any more respect.
What immediately struck me was the stunningly bad acting from Sean Connery's replacement George Lazenby, as he woodenly delivered the standard one-liners. I know I'm not the only one who has had this reaction. But I keep hearing people say things like, "Well, Lazenby was bad, but not as bad as Timothy Dalton." That response leaves me bewildered. Dalton may not have been right for the Bond role, but he's a classically trained actor who had an impressive résumé long before being cast as James Bond. Lazenby wasn't an actor at all; he was a fan who somehow won himself the role, perhaps because of his looks. It's true that people with no prior acting experience have been known to give fine performances. Playing an action hero doesn't require great thespian ability, anyway: Arnold Schwarzenegger has demonstrated that again and again. But Lazenby lacks even a basic screen presence. He walks with the grace of an elephant (actually, that statement is highly unfair to elephants), and he sucks energy away from the screen. His one redeeming quality is that he's a fine athlete. He should have been the stunt double.
Unfortunately, this film calls for more acting chops than the usual Bond flick, because it deals with Bond falling in love. It features scenes of high drama, but Lazenby blows them all because he is unable to show the needed level of complex, understated emotion. If Lazenby was to appear in any Bond film, I would think this one would be the least appropriate candidate.
The movie deals with Bond's romance by having one of those video sequences where we see the two chatting and enjoying themselves together in various casual locations, but we don't hear anything they're saying. The message is that they're falling for each other, even if we don't have a clue why or how. This type of sequence is a sure sign of amateur direction. We need to experience the relationship along with the characters. That's one of the purposes of movies.
The sequence occurs early in the film, then the girl promptly disappears until much later. It's just as well, since there's no chemistry between the characters, not even for a moment. The center of the movie involves Bond disguising himself as a Scotsman and traveling to an institute where people are receiving weird hypnotic suggestions about loving the flesh of chickens. I'm not sure if the humor here is intentional or not. But there's no excuse for scenes like this, considering that the earlier Connery films managed to avoid camp.
What do people see in this film? Presumably that it has good action sequences. There's a nice chase scene through the snow, but it doesn't compare to the best parts of "Goldfinger," and it comes after two hours by which time I was already getting fidgety. Telly Savalas is well-cast as the villain, but he makes too few appearances, and there isn't much about his mad personality or snide dialogues with Bond. He's all business. The movie contains no scenes remotely as exciting as the fight with Odd Job, or the dialogues between Bond and Goldfinger. Or that fantastically filmed scene in "From Russia With Love" where the agent is following Bond and we see his face appearing in each of the train windows successively. (Now that is good direction.)
Sometimes I had the feeling that the people involved in the film knew it was terrible and were trying to sabotage it. I've seen only a handful of Bond films, but I'm guessing that this is the only one that shows 007 looking into a Playboy magazine. (What is the world coming to?!) I suspect it's also the only one to make a joke at the expense of Bond's manhood, when the "Scottish" Bond drops his kilt in front of a woman and she immediately bursts into hysterical laughter--supposedly because she is surprised to find out that the "rumor" about Scotsmen and kilts is true. As Dr. Evil would say, riiiiight. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a disgrace to the series and doesn't deserve any more respect.
The James Bond Series: Best of the Bunch.
Captain_Couth16 October 2004
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) in my opinion was the best film of the series. I felt that George Lazenby was unfairly slagged by the critics for his performance. He did the best that he could. His acting fit very well for his character.
The direction moved the film at an even pace. The action set pieces were impressive and Diana Rigg was hot. Telly Savalas was excellent as Blofield, he gave the character a suave touch. But you call tell that underneath his mack daddy act he was all business, and violent business indeed.
Everything about this movie had a cool aura to it. The stunt scenes were amazing (for it's era) and the cinematography was beautifully shot. I had one bone to pick with the film. The in jokes got a bit heavy handed. Other than that it's a fun film. Too bad George Lazenby was demoted to B-Movie hell after this flick (at least he got a three picture deal with Golden Harvest where he made three classic action films).
I have to give this movie a high recommendation. If you love the James Bond series you'll enjoy this one.
The direction moved the film at an even pace. The action set pieces were impressive and Diana Rigg was hot. Telly Savalas was excellent as Blofield, he gave the character a suave touch. But you call tell that underneath his mack daddy act he was all business, and violent business indeed.
Everything about this movie had a cool aura to it. The stunt scenes were amazing (for it's era) and the cinematography was beautifully shot. I had one bone to pick with the film. The in jokes got a bit heavy handed. Other than that it's a fun film. Too bad George Lazenby was demoted to B-Movie hell after this flick (at least he got a three picture deal with Golden Harvest where he made three classic action films).
I have to give this movie a high recommendation. If you love the James Bond series you'll enjoy this one.
Quick Reviews!!
malkane3161 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Definitely one of the most emotional Bond films, and one of the strangest for several reasons. Lazenby plays the role only once, and does an OK job, but he seems neither strong or serious enough to play the character effectively, or is he capable of dealing with the charm or humour as well as the other actors. However, he acts well and ensures that the film has become a strong favourite.
Bond marries a Countess in order to gain her family's help in finally bringing down SPECTRE and Blofeld. Blofeld is planning to unleash a germ which will completely destroy life, and he is using Women from each country to complete his plan. He keeps them at his mountain lodge, and gives them subliminal messages in their sleep. Bond infiltrates as a Scottish historian, but soon finds himself genuinely falling for his wife. Bond ends Blofeld's plans, but he escapes, and in a shock ending, gets his revenge on Bond.
The film gets marks for its dark finish, and for having some of the best action sequences in the series, and we get to know Blofeld better here than in any other film Savalas gives him an almost jolly edge, while previously he was pure evil. However, his smile is clearly a mask making his deeds all the more frightening. Unfortunately, Loius Armstrong's song is overused, but the theme tune is good. The audience now wanted an end to Blofeld, and began to see Bond in a different light- as a tragic, lonely figure.
Bond marries a Countess in order to gain her family's help in finally bringing down SPECTRE and Blofeld. Blofeld is planning to unleash a germ which will completely destroy life, and he is using Women from each country to complete his plan. He keeps them at his mountain lodge, and gives them subliminal messages in their sleep. Bond infiltrates as a Scottish historian, but soon finds himself genuinely falling for his wife. Bond ends Blofeld's plans, but he escapes, and in a shock ending, gets his revenge on Bond.
The film gets marks for its dark finish, and for having some of the best action sequences in the series, and we get to know Blofeld better here than in any other film Savalas gives him an almost jolly edge, while previously he was pure evil. However, his smile is clearly a mask making his deeds all the more frightening. Unfortunately, Loius Armstrong's song is overused, but the theme tune is good. The audience now wanted an end to Blofeld, and began to see Bond in a different light- as a tragic, lonely figure.
The most awkward Bond film
gridoon23 July 1999
I find it puzzling that Lazenby has so many defenders.I think he is by far the worst Bond ever, walking around like a soulless zombie, fighting like a robot, lacking charm and humor.The structure is uneven: the first part of the film is extremely flabby, followed by a frenetic series of wild chases.Aside from the really gripping bobsled chase at the end,most of the (widely praised) action scenes and ALL the fight scenes are too-frantic and heavy-handed; were they edited by a neurotic? Two redeeming features: the unusually bitter ending and the equally unusual references to previous Bonds.Apparently,they tried to convince us that the Bond myth lives on,even if the actors change.But the casting of Lazenby,and the awkward editing, make this one a failure
One of the Best
grendelkhan30 November 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of my favorite Bond's. It has the best story and most closely resemble the original novel. It has become notorious for featuring a one-time Bond, George Lazenby, but it surpasses most of the later films.
Lazenby gets far too much criticism. As a first time actor, he is quite good. Yes, his performance is mixed, but so are several other actors, many with far more experience. More time should have been put into acting classes and rehearsal for Lazenby, to prepare him for the role. Instead, they concentrated on his look and mannerisms. This has been one of the failing aspects to the films; the emphasis on sight rather than substance.
Diana Rigg is fantastic as Tracy, which is to be expected. Who else but Emma Peel could marry James Bond? (wonder what Mr. Peel thought, or Steed, for that matter.) Rigg is the first, and arguably the last real actress to play the female lead in a Bond film. Most are chosen for their looks and their performance rarely rises above looking sexy. Rigg has the looks and sex appeal, but she also has the acting chops and tends to dominate any scene she is in.
Telly Savalas was an interesting, yet mixed choice for Blofeld. He is quite charming, but not very menacing. He was far deadlier in the Dirty Dozen. Blofeld was far more effective before he was seen in the series. Imagination was always far better than reality. Savalas seems more like a gangster than a megalomaniac. Since I saw this after Kojak, I kept waiting for him to say, "who loves ya baby?"
The stunts are fantastic and act in service to the plot. The ski chase is gripping and the tension builds throughout. Although it becomes obvious in several scenes that Diana Rigg is doubled by a man, it is not too distracting.
Ultimately, the story raises this above the level of most Bond films. The plot moves along at a quick pace and there are few sidelines. The jokes are kept to a minimum and character is stressed. The actions scenes are eye catching, but never out of place. The threat is believable and the final resolution to Blofeld's plans works.
Spoiler: The director has said he would have preferred to open Diamonds Are Forever with Tracy's death, and then lead to the search for Blofeld. I disagree. I think the death scene is one of Lazenby's best and it carries quite an impact. It let's you know that Bond must return to his work to gain vengeance. I think DAF should have opened with a flashback to the scene and then the hunt for Blofeld. If the death had not occurred at the end of OHMSS, then the opening of DAF would feel like a cheat, much like the opening of the second Austin Powers film. It would just seem like an excuse to get rid of the wife and return to business as usual.
Lazenby gets far too much criticism. As a first time actor, he is quite good. Yes, his performance is mixed, but so are several other actors, many with far more experience. More time should have been put into acting classes and rehearsal for Lazenby, to prepare him for the role. Instead, they concentrated on his look and mannerisms. This has been one of the failing aspects to the films; the emphasis on sight rather than substance.
Diana Rigg is fantastic as Tracy, which is to be expected. Who else but Emma Peel could marry James Bond? (wonder what Mr. Peel thought, or Steed, for that matter.) Rigg is the first, and arguably the last real actress to play the female lead in a Bond film. Most are chosen for their looks and their performance rarely rises above looking sexy. Rigg has the looks and sex appeal, but she also has the acting chops and tends to dominate any scene she is in.
Telly Savalas was an interesting, yet mixed choice for Blofeld. He is quite charming, but not very menacing. He was far deadlier in the Dirty Dozen. Blofeld was far more effective before he was seen in the series. Imagination was always far better than reality. Savalas seems more like a gangster than a megalomaniac. Since I saw this after Kojak, I kept waiting for him to say, "who loves ya baby?"
The stunts are fantastic and act in service to the plot. The ski chase is gripping and the tension builds throughout. Although it becomes obvious in several scenes that Diana Rigg is doubled by a man, it is not too distracting.
Ultimately, the story raises this above the level of most Bond films. The plot moves along at a quick pace and there are few sidelines. The jokes are kept to a minimum and character is stressed. The actions scenes are eye catching, but never out of place. The threat is believable and the final resolution to Blofeld's plans works.
Spoiler: The director has said he would have preferred to open Diamonds Are Forever with Tracy's death, and then lead to the search for Blofeld. I disagree. I think the death scene is one of Lazenby's best and it carries quite an impact. It let's you know that Bond must return to his work to gain vengeance. I think DAF should have opened with a flashback to the scene and then the hunt for Blofeld. If the death had not occurred at the end of OHMSS, then the opening of DAF would feel like a cheat, much like the opening of the second Austin Powers film. It would just seem like an excuse to get rid of the wife and return to business as usual.
One of the Best Bond Films
gavin69425 June 2017
James Bond woos a mob boss's daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world.
Although George Lazenby sort of shot himself in the foot by walking away from the Bond franchise, he is arguably the best James Bond ever on screen and this is one of the better films. Even telly Savalas plays a great Blofeld, though Donald Pleasance is clearly the best. And Diana Rigg? This may be her best role outside of "The Avengers".
I feel like there is more development of plot and characterization, rather than non-stop action or strange gadgets. This was a fully-baked Bond, something you just never see.
Although George Lazenby sort of shot himself in the foot by walking away from the Bond franchise, he is arguably the best James Bond ever on screen and this is one of the better films. Even telly Savalas plays a great Blofeld, though Donald Pleasance is clearly the best. And Diana Rigg? This may be her best role outside of "The Avengers".
I feel like there is more development of plot and characterization, rather than non-stop action or strange gadgets. This was a fully-baked Bond, something you just never see.
It's Not as Bad as Some Would Have You Believe
brando6472 November 2013
The sixth 007 adventure, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, has a reputation as the worst Bond film in the series. Anyone who believes this either: a) has never seen the movie and is judging it solely on the fact that star George Lazenby only lasted one film or b) has never seen DIAMONDS ON FOREVER, which is a hundred times more painful to sit through. This movie has its flaws, no doubt, but it's still a strong movie with a good plot. It's forgettable, but that's more a problem stemming from mediocre casting and weak performances from the principles. The film is plenty engaging while you're watching it, and the story is actually pretty good. Despite swapping out our lead actor, the movie continues (sort of) in the same canon of the previous films. Following the events that occurred in Japan in the previous film, Ernst Stavro Blofeld is James Bond's primary target but MI6 believes the chase is done. M pressures Bond to give up his pursuit of the madman, but Bond believes he might have discovered a lead in a chance meeting with a beautiful woman named Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo. Her father is head of a criminal syndicate and has information on where Bond might find Blofeld and offers to trade the information if Bond were to consider marrying his daughter. Initially reluctant, Bond's relationship with Tracy blossoms while he begins an investigation into a medical research lab in the Swiss Alps where Blofeld has gathered a harem of beautiful women to bring his latest plan to fruition.
George Lazenby was not an actor when he was given the role of Connery's successor in the iconic role of James Bond. The closest he'd done was some commercials for chocolate (or something) but he was primarily a model. I'll admit, this is an instant strike against the man. I'm a major fan of this series and it's an insult that someone might've hired this man on the basis that he's good at mugging for the camera and not you know acting. It wasn't until about a half hour or so into the movie that I finally became comfortable with Lazenby in the role. He takes some warming up but he did a well enough job filling the shoes of Connery. I won't go so far as to say he's on Connery's level, but he's not as bad as so many detractors would have you believe. He's certainly got the smug confidence of 007. Diana Rigg (of the television series "The Avengers") is Tracy di Vicenzo, the first women to be more than a casual fling for Bond. She and Lazenby have a good chemistry together but I couldn't help but find it to be more than a little shoddy that their relationship is crammed down our throats over the course of a montage. We're expected to believe that James Bond, who has never seen his women as more than playthings, suddenly develops tender emotions over the course of a Louis Armstrong song. Montage gripes aside, Riggs and Lazenby are a strong pair with a believable spark between them but Riggs didn't pop off the screen like previous Bond women like Ursula Andress or Honor Blackman. If Tracy hadn't been the first (and one of the only) to win Bond's heart, there would be nothing about her performance that would stick with you after the credits rolled. Telly Savalas fills the role of Blofeld for the film, and this is where my interest wanes. Donald Pleasance was a perfect Blofeld in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. He is the man I imagine when I picture Bond's ultimate arch-nemesis, and Savalas doesn't even come close to matching him. Pleasance was sinister and his performance brought a perfect evil to the character. Savalas makes Blofeld charming, with a warm demeanor that contradicts everything Pleasance instilled in the character in the previous movie. It just feels so wrong. Sorry, Telly. You're no Blofeld.
If Connery had stuck around and brought his usual awesomeness back to the role, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE would've probably be remembered as the best of the early films. In my opinion, some more thoughtful casting is all that stood between this movie and the respect it deserved. It does have a few other issues, namely the over-long run-time and a couple technical problems. The movie is one of the longest 007 movies in the series at nearly two and a half hours, and it feels like it. I blame it on the excessive ski sequences. Ski fights are boring and this movie goes a little overboard. I can only see so many henchmen go careening out of control before I get bored. It's made worse with the horrible rear-screen projection used for the principle actors. There is no way to make it look realistic and it looks horribly cheesy. And we get not one, but two extended ski chases. On a more positive note, I love the setting. Blofeld's research lab is perched on the peak of a mountain in the Swiss Alps and it makes for a wicked final battle when Bond and his compains helicopter in for a full assault. An assault that ends in wait for it a bobsled chase. With rear projection. I understand though; technology was limited at the time. It doesn't make it any less lame. I did enjoy Blofeld's scheme in the movie though. It's a little more complex than the average nuclear weapon theft and involves a dozen gorgeous women. The man knows how to plan.
The movie culminates in one of the most important sequences in all the 007 films, as it gives us the first real emotional insight into his character. He opens up and expresses an emotion other than "murder" (murder is an emotion, right?) and he is immediately punished for it. Watching ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE can be a bit of an endurance trial, but it's a well-worth it. It's a must-see for fans of the series.
George Lazenby was not an actor when he was given the role of Connery's successor in the iconic role of James Bond. The closest he'd done was some commercials for chocolate (or something) but he was primarily a model. I'll admit, this is an instant strike against the man. I'm a major fan of this series and it's an insult that someone might've hired this man on the basis that he's good at mugging for the camera and not you know acting. It wasn't until about a half hour or so into the movie that I finally became comfortable with Lazenby in the role. He takes some warming up but he did a well enough job filling the shoes of Connery. I won't go so far as to say he's on Connery's level, but he's not as bad as so many detractors would have you believe. He's certainly got the smug confidence of 007. Diana Rigg (of the television series "The Avengers") is Tracy di Vicenzo, the first women to be more than a casual fling for Bond. She and Lazenby have a good chemistry together but I couldn't help but find it to be more than a little shoddy that their relationship is crammed down our throats over the course of a montage. We're expected to believe that James Bond, who has never seen his women as more than playthings, suddenly develops tender emotions over the course of a Louis Armstrong song. Montage gripes aside, Riggs and Lazenby are a strong pair with a believable spark between them but Riggs didn't pop off the screen like previous Bond women like Ursula Andress or Honor Blackman. If Tracy hadn't been the first (and one of the only) to win Bond's heart, there would be nothing about her performance that would stick with you after the credits rolled. Telly Savalas fills the role of Blofeld for the film, and this is where my interest wanes. Donald Pleasance was a perfect Blofeld in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. He is the man I imagine when I picture Bond's ultimate arch-nemesis, and Savalas doesn't even come close to matching him. Pleasance was sinister and his performance brought a perfect evil to the character. Savalas makes Blofeld charming, with a warm demeanor that contradicts everything Pleasance instilled in the character in the previous movie. It just feels so wrong. Sorry, Telly. You're no Blofeld.
If Connery had stuck around and brought his usual awesomeness back to the role, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE would've probably be remembered as the best of the early films. In my opinion, some more thoughtful casting is all that stood between this movie and the respect it deserved. It does have a few other issues, namely the over-long run-time and a couple technical problems. The movie is one of the longest 007 movies in the series at nearly two and a half hours, and it feels like it. I blame it on the excessive ski sequences. Ski fights are boring and this movie goes a little overboard. I can only see so many henchmen go careening out of control before I get bored. It's made worse with the horrible rear-screen projection used for the principle actors. There is no way to make it look realistic and it looks horribly cheesy. And we get not one, but two extended ski chases. On a more positive note, I love the setting. Blofeld's research lab is perched on the peak of a mountain in the Swiss Alps and it makes for a wicked final battle when Bond and his compains helicopter in for a full assault. An assault that ends in wait for it a bobsled chase. With rear projection. I understand though; technology was limited at the time. It doesn't make it any less lame. I did enjoy Blofeld's scheme in the movie though. It's a little more complex than the average nuclear weapon theft and involves a dozen gorgeous women. The man knows how to plan.
The movie culminates in one of the most important sequences in all the 007 films, as it gives us the first real emotional insight into his character. He opens up and expresses an emotion other than "murder" (murder is an emotion, right?) and he is immediately punished for it. Watching ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE can be a bit of an endurance trial, but it's a well-worth it. It's a must-see for fans of the series.
Best (and the ONLY) James Bond film ever
wontgetfooled62229 November 2002
Once, at the library, I had a flashback of something my history teacher once told me. "Without Soviet Union, we wouldn't have had a lot of things." Then, someone mentioned, accurately, that Bond films owe their existence to the hammer and the sickle. Then he said, "Pooh, the Bond FILMS! Read the BOOKS. They're good stuff. The films are just bunch of women and gadgets." So I went to look for Ian Fleming, and the title that caught my eye was On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which is recognized as one of the best books in the series. I started reading the book. I was surprised at how slow pace and dark it was, and how Bond wasn't this confident, suave character who always knows what to do. Sean Connery is not, I repeat, not, Ian Fleming's James Bond. Of course, he is the best film version of James Bond, but he is too good a suave character to be Bond. I can't imagine a superspy who'd say "Yeesss" as Connery does.
I must say, more than anyone, George Lazenby is the James Bond of Ian Fleming's novels. He is like Bond in the books, trying to be smooth but always somewhat unsure. He has a command of the screen, that he isn't afraid to tell you he's there. The biggest gripe I have about Pierce Brosnan is how he sometimes doesn't get a grip of things on set and his somewhat higher, softer voice (and also how he pumps endless rounds of automatic fire upon enemies who have a propensity for getting hit while he himself has to be missed by endless rounds of enemy fire). Lazenby has a voice that I imagine Bond would certainly have. I certainly don't think he was a bad Bond. I think he WAS Bond. The other four actors have played their versions of Bond, but Lazenby is the only believable, human, imperfect James Bond. And his lines aren't that bad, come on. The only poorly delivered line was, "He had lots of guts." I think he should have delivered that with a bit more Connery, but that's a minor detail.
The stunts are great and so is the scenery, and the only bad cinematics are in the ski scenes when they show closeups from the front. They look very fake, but that must be forgiven for 1969 when it was made. They did not have Handicams and they certainly did not have Photoshop to blend projected images as well as we can nowadays. But they certainly do not distract the excitement from some of the best snow scenes in 007 films. The ski chases which became trademark of James Bond started here. It's funny how in the book, Bond is very worried about skiing, since he's rusty from not having skied for a long time. The sled chase is excellent also.
OHMSS is the only film where Bond drinks beer and gets married. Which brings me up to the next point, that Diana Riggs as Tracy Draco (later Bond) happens to be perhaps the best Bond girl ever. Without doubt, she is full of excitement and danger, not afraid to strap on a couple of skis amid gunfire and avalanche. Certainly not a certain Natalya Simonova. She is Bond's identical counterpart, experienced but having gotten nothing out of relationships, and quite a driver also. She's the only Bond girl to really connect with the audience, to make herself more important in comparison to Bond, but that's part of the excellent novel on which the movie is based. Whatever happens to her touches the audience more than whatever happens to Bond (who, as we all know, will always somehow make it). Her surprise appearance at the Christmas celebration brightens up everything in an instant, and the ending is probably the only genuinely sad scene in all 20 of the Bond films.
The opening scene is great in terms of action, but I found it rather disappointing that for no apparent reason, baddies want to kill Bond. The book does it a lot better, and it wouldn't have been much more difficult to do what the book did, although that would not have provided the proper material to introduce the new Bond with the immortal, "This never happened to the other fellow." See, how it is told in the novel is he spies on Tracy as she tries to drown herself, and by this time Bond knows her. He is spied on by Draco's men who take him in, and the rest of the story is told in flashback, with a car chase leading up to the casino scene and rendezvous, without all this fighting mysterious bad guys in between. But I thought the opening sequence was quite good, even with the change-up. It's just, with what proof does Bond try to rescue Tracy? She could have been just going out for a swim. It makes much more sense when he has already met Tracy. Yet some of the additions to the movie are good, such as having Tracy with Blofeld when SPECTRE headquarters is attacked. It makes it that much more personal.
This is my first review on IMDB, and OHMSS gets a well-deserved 10 out of 10. Bond in kilts, hypnosis, world domination, and Blofeld's cat combine to make it a worthy experience. Lazenby was not the best Bond, but perhaps the only real Bond. OHMSS is easily the best Bond film, and dare I say, the ONLY Bond film.
I must say, more than anyone, George Lazenby is the James Bond of Ian Fleming's novels. He is like Bond in the books, trying to be smooth but always somewhat unsure. He has a command of the screen, that he isn't afraid to tell you he's there. The biggest gripe I have about Pierce Brosnan is how he sometimes doesn't get a grip of things on set and his somewhat higher, softer voice (and also how he pumps endless rounds of automatic fire upon enemies who have a propensity for getting hit while he himself has to be missed by endless rounds of enemy fire). Lazenby has a voice that I imagine Bond would certainly have. I certainly don't think he was a bad Bond. I think he WAS Bond. The other four actors have played their versions of Bond, but Lazenby is the only believable, human, imperfect James Bond. And his lines aren't that bad, come on. The only poorly delivered line was, "He had lots of guts." I think he should have delivered that with a bit more Connery, but that's a minor detail.
The stunts are great and so is the scenery, and the only bad cinematics are in the ski scenes when they show closeups from the front. They look very fake, but that must be forgiven for 1969 when it was made. They did not have Handicams and they certainly did not have Photoshop to blend projected images as well as we can nowadays. But they certainly do not distract the excitement from some of the best snow scenes in 007 films. The ski chases which became trademark of James Bond started here. It's funny how in the book, Bond is very worried about skiing, since he's rusty from not having skied for a long time. The sled chase is excellent also.
OHMSS is the only film where Bond drinks beer and gets married. Which brings me up to the next point, that Diana Riggs as Tracy Draco (later Bond) happens to be perhaps the best Bond girl ever. Without doubt, she is full of excitement and danger, not afraid to strap on a couple of skis amid gunfire and avalanche. Certainly not a certain Natalya Simonova. She is Bond's identical counterpart, experienced but having gotten nothing out of relationships, and quite a driver also. She's the only Bond girl to really connect with the audience, to make herself more important in comparison to Bond, but that's part of the excellent novel on which the movie is based. Whatever happens to her touches the audience more than whatever happens to Bond (who, as we all know, will always somehow make it). Her surprise appearance at the Christmas celebration brightens up everything in an instant, and the ending is probably the only genuinely sad scene in all 20 of the Bond films.
The opening scene is great in terms of action, but I found it rather disappointing that for no apparent reason, baddies want to kill Bond. The book does it a lot better, and it wouldn't have been much more difficult to do what the book did, although that would not have provided the proper material to introduce the new Bond with the immortal, "This never happened to the other fellow." See, how it is told in the novel is he spies on Tracy as she tries to drown herself, and by this time Bond knows her. He is spied on by Draco's men who take him in, and the rest of the story is told in flashback, with a car chase leading up to the casino scene and rendezvous, without all this fighting mysterious bad guys in between. But I thought the opening sequence was quite good, even with the change-up. It's just, with what proof does Bond try to rescue Tracy? She could have been just going out for a swim. It makes much more sense when he has already met Tracy. Yet some of the additions to the movie are good, such as having Tracy with Blofeld when SPECTRE headquarters is attacked. It makes it that much more personal.
This is my first review on IMDB, and OHMSS gets a well-deserved 10 out of 10. Bond in kilts, hypnosis, world domination, and Blofeld's cat combine to make it a worthy experience. Lazenby was not the best Bond, but perhaps the only real Bond. OHMSS is easily the best Bond film, and dare I say, the ONLY Bond film.
Overlong and a bit flawed, but this Bond's a good 'un
Leofwine_draca6 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is a film I'd always missed watching as it stands separately from the rest of the crowd. I'd caught all of the Connery and Moore films but never had a chance to sit through this one before. I wasn't exactly thrilled to watch it – after all, it did get panned for a reason – but I found it a fairly amiable outing for the secret agent, and probably better than Connery's THUNDERBALL and DR. NO, at least.
There are quite a few things going for this film. The cast, for one, is good. Lazenby usually makes the list of everyone's worst Bonds and it's fair to say that he'd had no acting experience before this; despite this, the male model comes good. He's not my favourite Bond but I'd put him just behind Connery and I much prefer him to the slimy Pierce Brosnan. The regulars all make fun appearances but OHMSS also deserves kudos for the casting of the best Bond girl of all time in Diana Rigg, fresh from her stint on THE AVENGERS. Rigg is every spy's dream: a madly attractive woman with plenty of intelligence and also spirit, as she reveals in the climax when she tackles a thug. The fact that Bond actually marries her shows that she's a cut above the usual blonde bimbos and I loved every minute of her. Funnily enough, I'd never understood the fuss about Rigg until I saw this film but now I'm a big fan. The final casting coup is Telly Savalas as the villain, Blofeld. Savalas is one of those larger-than-life actors who seems to dominate every film he's in, and I've never disliked him in a role yet. Whether playing a pervert in THE DIRTY DOZEN, a Cossack in HORROR EXPRESS, or Blofeld in this, he's been fantastic and lights up the screen no end.
The movie also benefits from some decent, fast-paced action scenes and genuinely funny humour. This was the first time Bond went skiing and his antics on the slopes easily beat those of Moore. The snowbound locales make for plenty of inventively staged set pieces, like the car chase taking place in a stock car race or the high-rise antics around a cable car. Blofeld's plot to use biological warfare around the world is slightly cheesy, like something I'd expect from an Italian spy film rather than a big budget Bond flick. It's little more than an excuse to include loads of glamorous women including Joanna Lumley (!).
However, the main problem with this film is the poor pacing. It's one of the longest Bond films ever and it shows. While the action is decent, the scenes come few and far between and barely anything happens in the first hour and a half. This makes at least half of the film slightly boring which is why it was panned when it came out, although some fans do appreciate it these days. I didn't mind it, and for what it's worth I enjoyed everything up on screen, especially when it finally starts kicking off in the second half.
There are quite a few things going for this film. The cast, for one, is good. Lazenby usually makes the list of everyone's worst Bonds and it's fair to say that he'd had no acting experience before this; despite this, the male model comes good. He's not my favourite Bond but I'd put him just behind Connery and I much prefer him to the slimy Pierce Brosnan. The regulars all make fun appearances but OHMSS also deserves kudos for the casting of the best Bond girl of all time in Diana Rigg, fresh from her stint on THE AVENGERS. Rigg is every spy's dream: a madly attractive woman with plenty of intelligence and also spirit, as she reveals in the climax when she tackles a thug. The fact that Bond actually marries her shows that she's a cut above the usual blonde bimbos and I loved every minute of her. Funnily enough, I'd never understood the fuss about Rigg until I saw this film but now I'm a big fan. The final casting coup is Telly Savalas as the villain, Blofeld. Savalas is one of those larger-than-life actors who seems to dominate every film he's in, and I've never disliked him in a role yet. Whether playing a pervert in THE DIRTY DOZEN, a Cossack in HORROR EXPRESS, or Blofeld in this, he's been fantastic and lights up the screen no end.
The movie also benefits from some decent, fast-paced action scenes and genuinely funny humour. This was the first time Bond went skiing and his antics on the slopes easily beat those of Moore. The snowbound locales make for plenty of inventively staged set pieces, like the car chase taking place in a stock car race or the high-rise antics around a cable car. Blofeld's plot to use biological warfare around the world is slightly cheesy, like something I'd expect from an Italian spy film rather than a big budget Bond flick. It's little more than an excuse to include loads of glamorous women including Joanna Lumley (!).
However, the main problem with this film is the poor pacing. It's one of the longest Bond films ever and it shows. While the action is decent, the scenes come few and far between and barely anything happens in the first hour and a half. This makes at least half of the film slightly boring which is why it was panned when it came out, although some fans do appreciate it these days. I didn't mind it, and for what it's worth I enjoyed everything up on screen, especially when it finally starts kicking off in the second half.
a very unique addition to the Bond series
thomas-williamson-ga26 February 2011
I have read some of the negative reviews for this movie and I have to say that I agree with NONE of them except for the slightly unnecessary two and a half hour length. Regardless, this doesn't ruin On Her Majesty's Secret Service in any way to warrant a serious complaint as far as I'm concerned. As with the positive reviews this film received, I agree with most all of them. For one, George Lazenby replacing Sean Connery as Bond may have displeased some but I think he did just as good of a job and would not have minded a bit if he became the next Bond for a few more films. This movie also had some enjoyable action scenes; some of which would later get mimicked in future Bond installments. The bond girl is by far one of the best. To be a little more specific, this bond girl plays a significant part in the Bond series as a whole that no other bond girl shares. However, I won't reveal why that is because I don't usually give spoilers for the courtesy of those who haven't seen the films that I review. The ending alone for this movie got several mixed reviews but I can say with certainty that had it not ended the way it did, the Bond franchise might have come to an end.
A Worthy Entry into the James Bond Collection
Uriah4318 July 2013
While driving on a winding road in Western Europe, James Bond (George Lazenby) happens to see a beautiful woman trying to commit suicide by drowning herself in the ocean. He prevents the attempt only to have her drive off leaving him behind. Not long afterward he meets her in a casino and finds out that she is "Contessa Tracy Di Vincenzo" (Diana Rigg). He then meets up with her father, "Marc Ange Draco" (Gabriele Ferzetti) who happens to be a wealthy mobster attempting to become somewhat legitimate. Realizing that his daughter is out-of-control, he comes to the conclusion that she needs a man of James Bond's caliber to stabilize her. He therefore offers him a sizable dowry if he will marry his daughter. James Bond initially refuses but then agrees to consider it if Draco can give him a lead towards finding his old nemesis from SPECTRE, "Ernst Blofeld" (Telly Savalas). What follows is a perilous undercover assignment that takes him to a mountain fortress high up in the Swiss Alps where Blofeld is working on a fiendish secret project which he plans to unleash upon the world if his conditions aren't satisfied. Anyway, rather than revealing the entire plot, I will just say that this is a worthy entry into the James Bond collection. As mentioned earlier, the role of James Bond is performed by George Lazenby in what would become his first and only appearance as Agent 007. And while his performance is somewhat stiff he manages to deliver a reasonably good performance all the same. Likewise, Diana Rigg proves to be a beautiful addition as well. Definitely worth a look for all James Bond fans.
Worst ever
BWag20 May 2000
Good Lord, this flick is awful. Lazenby plays Bond like a side of beef. He's not even hammy enough to be memorable. It demands the worst sort of insult one can pay to a Bond movie -- boring! No action. No plot. Telly Savalas as Blofeld? He's awful too. No depth to the relationship between Rigg and Lazenby. This is the womn, the one woman, who gets Bond to the altar and you can't figure out why? They don't especially seem to care for each other.And it's too long. Almost 2 and a half hour! Even the sex isn't very interesting...
This never happened to the other Fella
Dock-Ock2 October 2001
Warning: Spoilers
Let me give it to you straight, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is an absolute, 100% triumph. All the elements work well, firstly there is Peter Hunt's direction. Hunt should have been handed the Directors reins on a Bond movie long before this. He adds action and excitement and blends this in the most stilted and calm manor. In truth On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a return to the less Gadget and Comic Book laden world of the likes of Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, and echoes the Flemmingesque thriller world of Dr No and From Russia With Love. Those who dont like the first two additions to the Bond series dont flinch, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has a strenghth and style beaming with enegy and excitement twinned with realism. never seen in a Bond Film before or since.
This will always be remembered as George Lazenby's go at Bond. It is also remenbered as the one Bond that flopped at the box office. Well, on a budget of $9million and with worldwide grosses of $80million, hopefully the notion of disapointment will disapeer. There is also the fact that the Video and DVD versions of the movie consistently outsell all other Bond Titles worldwide. George Lazenby is an absolute revelation as Bond. I had my doubts but was still interested to see how he did. Lazenby rivals Connery in the Romantic and Action scenes and does pretty well with the dramatic scenes. In truth he is the most under-rated Bond. He makes a very believable Flemmingesque Playboy. He looks good in a tuxedo, on ski's, with women, in punch ups. Lazenby is helped by a strong support cast. Diana Rigg is beautifull and very believable as the Contessa, Tracy, with whom our James falls in love with, and eventually marries. Rigg displays a full range of acting and beauty to make her the most memorable of Bond Girls, and for one, wich i dont mean to sopil, inparticular. Telly Savalas is a very creepy, chilling and enjoyable Blofeld. It could be said that he is the most memorable of Blofeld's. He is obviously having the time of his life with the part and it is a pitty he didn't play the character in future outings. There is also the return of M, Q in a rather quiet outing this time, and a Moneypenny, heart broken at the notion Bond could marry anybody other than herself.
Now, if you add to all the above some of the finest action set pieces in motion picture history you have an idea of the scale of this epic. The Alpine sets, and Skiing and Bobsled chases really bring out the purest sense of adventure. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the most memorable Bond Movie from my Childhood. I remember watching this one Christmas eve with my Grandparents, and their house looked very much like Blofelds Alpine Fortress [Without the Ladies, alas]. The movie has really thrilling ski chases, you really do believe a man can ski, and once more think you are skiing with him.This is very much THE Christmas Bond movie. It is also soaked with some delightful christmas themes by the master John Barry, composing perhaps his best Bond theme. We Have All the Time in the world, sung by Louis Armstrong is a beautifuly moving song, made all the more so by Tracy's fate at the end of the movie. There is also Barry's rousing On Her Majesty's Secret Service Theme, unlike anything ever heared in cinema's or movies before.
But it is the realism between the characters and the story that helps make On Her Majesty's Secret Service work. By far the most under-rated of the Bond movies, and a strong contender for the Best Bond Movie of all time. This is the greatest. Bond movies should try to be to be like this in future. Go and see it for yourself, dont listen to the the negative reviews. You have all the time in the world.
This will always be remembered as George Lazenby's go at Bond. It is also remenbered as the one Bond that flopped at the box office. Well, on a budget of $9million and with worldwide grosses of $80million, hopefully the notion of disapointment will disapeer. There is also the fact that the Video and DVD versions of the movie consistently outsell all other Bond Titles worldwide. George Lazenby is an absolute revelation as Bond. I had my doubts but was still interested to see how he did. Lazenby rivals Connery in the Romantic and Action scenes and does pretty well with the dramatic scenes. In truth he is the most under-rated Bond. He makes a very believable Flemmingesque Playboy. He looks good in a tuxedo, on ski's, with women, in punch ups. Lazenby is helped by a strong support cast. Diana Rigg is beautifull and very believable as the Contessa, Tracy, with whom our James falls in love with, and eventually marries. Rigg displays a full range of acting and beauty to make her the most memorable of Bond Girls, and for one, wich i dont mean to sopil, inparticular. Telly Savalas is a very creepy, chilling and enjoyable Blofeld. It could be said that he is the most memorable of Blofeld's. He is obviously having the time of his life with the part and it is a pitty he didn't play the character in future outings. There is also the return of M, Q in a rather quiet outing this time, and a Moneypenny, heart broken at the notion Bond could marry anybody other than herself.
Now, if you add to all the above some of the finest action set pieces in motion picture history you have an idea of the scale of this epic. The Alpine sets, and Skiing and Bobsled chases really bring out the purest sense of adventure. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the most memorable Bond Movie from my Childhood. I remember watching this one Christmas eve with my Grandparents, and their house looked very much like Blofelds Alpine Fortress [Without the Ladies, alas]. The movie has really thrilling ski chases, you really do believe a man can ski, and once more think you are skiing with him.This is very much THE Christmas Bond movie. It is also soaked with some delightful christmas themes by the master John Barry, composing perhaps his best Bond theme. We Have All the Time in the world, sung by Louis Armstrong is a beautifuly moving song, made all the more so by Tracy's fate at the end of the movie. There is also Barry's rousing On Her Majesty's Secret Service Theme, unlike anything ever heared in cinema's or movies before.
But it is the realism between the characters and the story that helps make On Her Majesty's Secret Service work. By far the most under-rated of the Bond movies, and a strong contender for the Best Bond Movie of all time. This is the greatest. Bond movies should try to be to be like this in future. Go and see it for yourself, dont listen to the the negative reviews. You have all the time in the world.
A very underrated film
willcundallreview7 May 2014
Rating-7/10
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the most furious Bond film's there are and George Lazenby's one and only outing as Bond in which he does a good job in the end. A pretty good film that is close to being a straight good movie but nevertheless does the job well with Bond facing some of his most difficult villains of all time and a Bond girl who could finally get to James Bond's heart and maybe make him Love.
The story is full of action, adventure and good old Bond fun with guns, cars and Bob-sleighs? Yes Bob-sleighs feature quite a bit here as the majority of the film is set in a Swiss ski resort. It goes at quite a slow pace at parts but then certain bits can be very fast paced action and well done as well because some Bond stunts can seem just plain fake, but there done quite well in the late 60's flick. Finally I especially enjoyed the more sophisticated Bond who didn't sleep with everyone he met, maybe toned down just the tiniest from Connery's portrayal.
Lazenby as Bond is well, well he looks the part and even his hair seems perfect but his acting skills are not as sharp as Connery and even his voice seems to subdued by his surroundings. Diana Rigg as the Bond girl is perfect and she is fine throughout the entire film, the rest of the supporting cast excluding the main villains and Bond are average but overshadowed by the main roles like they should do. Telly Savalas as Blofeld is perfectly quirky and although not seeming evil as previous, he seem's to serve up a rational Blofeld, who doesn't kill so many people as always.
Written OK directed like that too it is nothing special and there is not too much that is needed to be said about it all. The stunts do though because they are brilliant although obviously near impossible as we see with every Bond film to date but in any case it was fun to see. I loved the setting the Ski resort which doesn't make it any better or worse but serves to give you a beautiful background with all the things also going on, who knew so much snow could look so great.
It isn't without negativity at all and I already said what I thought about Lazenby, but also some people may find the story drags a little and that there are too many skiing sequences but then again they can be fun to see as well. Also the script is ridiculous like other Bond's and put's some crazy scenarios but also one part which is funny is Lazenby when he has his voice dubbed into a posh British accent by another actor(Lazenby could not do the voice) but any way's it doesn't affect loads.
I think any Bond fan will like this as it has many things which Bond is known for and makes for a fun watch for even those who have never seen Bond if there around. Also if adventure is your choice then well he does go on an adventure but he stays in one place for long time so maybe not for you people but people can like this game a lot.
I give it overall a 7/10 and this is deserved fully, people will find it Good but also poor as well, but I think many people don't like Bond generally or only the modern one's. Just watch it and enjoy it, savour Lazenby's solo role and witness what I believe to be the saddest Bond ever(you will get what I mean by the end).
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the most furious Bond film's there are and George Lazenby's one and only outing as Bond in which he does a good job in the end. A pretty good film that is close to being a straight good movie but nevertheless does the job well with Bond facing some of his most difficult villains of all time and a Bond girl who could finally get to James Bond's heart and maybe make him Love.
The story is full of action, adventure and good old Bond fun with guns, cars and Bob-sleighs? Yes Bob-sleighs feature quite a bit here as the majority of the film is set in a Swiss ski resort. It goes at quite a slow pace at parts but then certain bits can be very fast paced action and well done as well because some Bond stunts can seem just plain fake, but there done quite well in the late 60's flick. Finally I especially enjoyed the more sophisticated Bond who didn't sleep with everyone he met, maybe toned down just the tiniest from Connery's portrayal.
Lazenby as Bond is well, well he looks the part and even his hair seems perfect but his acting skills are not as sharp as Connery and even his voice seems to subdued by his surroundings. Diana Rigg as the Bond girl is perfect and she is fine throughout the entire film, the rest of the supporting cast excluding the main villains and Bond are average but overshadowed by the main roles like they should do. Telly Savalas as Blofeld is perfectly quirky and although not seeming evil as previous, he seem's to serve up a rational Blofeld, who doesn't kill so many people as always.
Written OK directed like that too it is nothing special and there is not too much that is needed to be said about it all. The stunts do though because they are brilliant although obviously near impossible as we see with every Bond film to date but in any case it was fun to see. I loved the setting the Ski resort which doesn't make it any better or worse but serves to give you a beautiful background with all the things also going on, who knew so much snow could look so great.
It isn't without negativity at all and I already said what I thought about Lazenby, but also some people may find the story drags a little and that there are too many skiing sequences but then again they can be fun to see as well. Also the script is ridiculous like other Bond's and put's some crazy scenarios but also one part which is funny is Lazenby when he has his voice dubbed into a posh British accent by another actor(Lazenby could not do the voice) but any way's it doesn't affect loads.
I think any Bond fan will like this as it has many things which Bond is known for and makes for a fun watch for even those who have never seen Bond if there around. Also if adventure is your choice then well he does go on an adventure but he stays in one place for long time so maybe not for you people but people can like this game a lot.
I give it overall a 7/10 and this is deserved fully, people will find it Good but also poor as well, but I think many people don't like Bond generally or only the modern one's. Just watch it and enjoy it, savour Lazenby's solo role and witness what I believe to be the saddest Bond ever(you will get what I mean by the end).
One of the worst
jamesbloke4 May 2003
This film is irritating in many ways:
George Lazenby, who just can't act;
Diana Rigg, who can most definitely act, but seems to choose not to in this film;
the love story between Bond and Tracy: irritating for a Bond film anyway (even though, according to the contributors who have read it, it follows the book quite closely - must have been a disappointing book?) but there is no chemistry between the two actors;
all of the women in this film, come to think of it: irritating, just irritating;
George Baker's voice (as Sir Hilary Bray) being dubbed over Lazenby: did the makers think we would forget that Bond is undercover as Bray?;
Tracy's father, a Mafia boss, seems to know that Bond is a secret agent: isn't he supposed to be a _secret_ agent?! That's a complaint I have with many of the Bond films, but then to add to it, his boss turns up to his wedding?!?!
Sorry, I just don't get when people say that this is the best Bond film.
George Lazenby, who just can't act;
Diana Rigg, who can most definitely act, but seems to choose not to in this film;
the love story between Bond and Tracy: irritating for a Bond film anyway (even though, according to the contributors who have read it, it follows the book quite closely - must have been a disappointing book?) but there is no chemistry between the two actors;
all of the women in this film, come to think of it: irritating, just irritating;
George Baker's voice (as Sir Hilary Bray) being dubbed over Lazenby: did the makers think we would forget that Bond is undercover as Bray?;
Tracy's father, a Mafia boss, seems to know that Bond is a secret agent: isn't he supposed to be a _secret_ agent?! That's a complaint I have with many of the Bond films, but then to add to it, his boss turns up to his wedding?!?!
Sorry, I just don't get when people say that this is the best Bond film.
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