Pros: Best Bond girl ever; personal side of Bond; Ferzetti as Draco
Cons: Easily the worst Bond actor ever; easily the worst villain ever; stupid mind control plot
The Bottom Line: Due to the presence of Lazenby and Savalas, this is the worst film in the series despite having the best Bond girl ever and the most emotional and character-driven plot.
metalluk's Full Review: On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
The sixth Bond film was the first to feature an actor other than Sean Connery in the role of James Bond. It is a film of extremes, featuring a couple of "bests" for the series and two or three "worsts" as well. Unfortunately, the negatives overwhelm the positives, making this, all things considered, the worst film in the series. Peter Hunt directed the film and was not asked back.
Historical Background: English director Peter Hunt was born March 11th, 1928 in London. He entered the British film industry in 1947 as a clapper boy. He became a film editor in the mid-fifties and in that capacity worked on all of the first five Bond films. He was given his first shot at directing with the present film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). It was his only Bond film as director, but he went on to make another seven films outside the Bond series.
The Story: The pre-credit sequence is quite remarkable for a Bond film. At MI6 headquarters, Q (Desmond Llewelyn) is rambling on about radioactive lint and miniaturization, but M (Bernard Lee) is more concerned about the whereabouts of 007. The camera now shifts abruptly to 007 (George Lazenby), as though in answer to M's query, speeding along a seaside highway in Portugal. A woman, who, we later learn, is Contessa Teresa "Tracy" Di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), speeds past Bond in a red Cougar. Bond likes fast women, so being passed by one never fails to pique his curiosity. He watches as she parks beside a remote beach and saunters down to the shoreline. He parks his car nearby to watch. Suddenly, he observes what looks like a suicide attempt. Tracy is wandering disconsolately into the beckoning waves. Bond races his car down the beach, jumps out and runs into the water, where he scoops up the Contessa in his arms. No sooner has he carried her from the water than he is attacked by a couple of thugs. One, holding a gun, makes Bond lie down in a boat and is about to shoot him, but Bond kicks the gun from his hand. After a struggle Bond subdues the two heavies while Tracy escapes, driving Bond's car up to where her own is parked and then speeding away. All Bond is left with is Cinderella's slippers. Lazenby turns to the camera and says, self-consciously, "This never happened to the other fellow."
The credits now run against an instrumental rendition of the Louis Armstrong classic "We Have All the Time in the World." As the main portion of the film begins, we see Bond checking into a plush hotel. Bond inquires about the owner of the red Cougar, parked outside. In the evening, Bond is in the casino playing Chemin de Fer (French Baccarat), winning as always. Tracy comes by the table, places a large bet (goes Banco), and loses. She then tells the casino security man that she has no money. Apparently, she enjoys living dangerously. Bond bails her out with a white lie, saying graciously, as he pays off her debt, "Madame has forgotten that we agreed to be partners this evening." Bond then leaves the table and joins Tracy for a drink. "Why do you persist in rescuing me Mr. Bond?" she inquires. He suggests they spend the evening together. She pretends to believe herself bought and paid for and invites Bond to her room later. "Come later," she says, "I hope it will be worth it." Bond orders wine and caviar sent to Tracy's room, but when he arrives, there is another thug waiting for him. After protracted fisticuffs, Bond knocks the man out cold. Then, he samples the caviar while leaving. "Royal Beluga," he says to himself, "North of the Caspian." Back in his own room, Bond finds Tracy waiting for him in his bed. She fondles his gun and points it at him. "Suppose I were to kill you for a thrill," she muses. He easily disarms her and slaps her, demanding to know what her game is. "Whatever else I may be," she says, "I'm not a liar." She reminds him that she's bought and paid for and that she always pays her debts in full. "I'm not interested in your opinion of me, Mr. Bond, I'm here for a business transaction." Bond, somewhat out of character, says, "You don't owe me a thing. I think you're in some sort of trouble." He suggests they just talk but, of course, they end up making love. It's a remarkable opening segment for a Bond film.
The next morning, Bond discovers that Tracy has left him 40,000 francs in his bed table – the same amount he had shelled out on her behalf in the casino. In the hotel lobby, several thugs corner Bond, forcing him outside at gunpoint and into a waiting car. He is delivered to the headquarters of Marc Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), the head of Draco construction, as well as the largest criminal syndicate in Europe (SPECTRE excepted). Bond is surprised to learn that Tracy is Draco's errant daughter. She "joined a fast international set," says Draco. He's heard about what Bond has done for his daughter and thinks that Bond might be the man who could straighten Tracy out. He offers Bond a dowry of a million pounds should be choose to become his son-in-law. Bond refuses but is further tempted when Draco indicates he might provide information about the whereabouts of Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas). Bond says he'll sleep on the idea.
Bond reports into MI6 where he is informed that he's been removed from "Operation Bedlam," which is the pursuit of Blofeld. Bond is irate and has Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) type up his letter of resignation. As he empties out his desk, he briefly recalls some of his earlier assignments, as we listen to a little medley of theme songs from past Bond films. M calls Bond in, saying harshly, "Request granted." Miss Moneypenny has comes to the rescue, however, altering Bond's memo into a request for two weeks leave. Both Bond and M are relieved.
Back on the mainland, it's Draco's birthday. Tracy shows up and James is there as well. Tracy is understandably upset when she discovers that she's part of a bartering arrangement between Bond and her father. She demands that her father furnish Bond with the information that he wants – without obligation. Draco tells Bond about a connection between Blofeld and a lawyer in Switzerland, Gebruder Gumbold (James Bree). Bond chases after Tracy, catches up with her, and wipes the tears from her cheeks. "I've always been taught that mistakes should be remedied, especially between friends," says Bond, "or lovers." Thus begins the romance between Bond and the one woman who ever fully engaged his feelings.
In Switzerland, Bond breaks into the office of the attorney, Gumbold. With the help of Campbell (Bernard Horsfall), a blond-haired British Secret Service agent, Bond is able to crack Gumbold's safe and copy papers pertaining to Blofeld. The papers have to do with Blofeld's attempt to establish his right to the title of Count de Blochamp, through genealogical research. The research involves the College of Arms in London, of which Sir Hilary Bray (George Baker) is the head. Bond gets permission from M to work with the College of Arms to arrange for himself to impersonate Sir Hilary in a face-to-face meeting with Blofeld.
When the arrangements have been completed, Bond, disguised as the rather prissy and effete Sir Hilary, arrives in Switzerland. Blofeld's chief henchwoman, Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat), and head security man, Grunther (Yuri Borionko), are there to meet him. The group proceeds via cable car to Blofeld's mountaintop redoubt, where Blofeld is hatching his latest sinister plot. Under the guise of operating an allergy clinic, Blofeld is developing agents for bacterial warfare and the means to deliver them throughout the world via a team of beautiful young women who have been prepared for their task by a systematic program of hypnotism and mind-control. Bond can't resist the gorgeous young women, lining them up at a pace of two or three per night, but his indiscretion ultimately blows his cover. Blofeld murders Campbell when the poor fellow comes snooping about and tosses Bond in a makeshift cell.
From this point to the end of the story, the film is composed of nearly continuous action scenes, except for a brief interlude between James and Tracy in a barn and their wedding near the film's conclusion. The action segments include a pursuit on skis, a car chase that gets linked to a stockcar race, an avalanche, various fights involving fisticuffs and wrestling, a helicopter raid on Blofeld's clinic, a climactic fight between Bond and Blofeld on a bobsled, as it careens down a bobsled tunnel, and a final tragic conclusion.
Production Values: The script for this film was written by Richard Maibaum, with some additional dialog added by Simon Raven. Of all the Bond films, this one most closely follows the Fleming novel on which it was based. The script is a mixed bag, combining some of the most powerful scenes ever to appear in a Bond film with some glaring weaknesses. To take the positive aspects first, this is the most character driven of all the Bond films, the most romantic, and the one that most reveals a human dimension in 007. Every person who enjoys Bond films should see this one at least once because it is the one with the most carryover importance in relation to understanding certain matters that arise in other films. For example, there are times, in later films, where we observe Bond's emotional sensitivity in relation to his murdered wife. The basis for that sensitivity can only be fully appreciated after seeing the present film. Fans who mainly value the action segments in Bond films may find the romance between James and Tracy a bit tedious (it occupies most of the film's first 45 minutes and shorter segments thereafter), but, for me, it is the most touching and meaningful story segment in any of the films. Diana Rigg, as Tracy, is such an appealing character that one has no difficulty believing that she could be the one true love of Bond's life. Tracy is smart and independent and probably the only kind of woman who could win the heart of 007. It's a segment that gives Bond more of a human quality than any other portion of any other film.
The deficits in the screenplay are, however, even greater than the merits just elucidated. One problem is that the script for this film requires an actor in the role of Bond who can exhibit a greater emotional range and versatility than is required in any other Bond film, but the actor in this film, Lazenby, had no prior acting experience and is painfully wooden in his debut effort. Many lovers of Bond films wonder just how great this film could have been had Connery not retired after You Only Live Twice. Personally, I prefer to ask what this film could have been like with Timothy Dalton in the role. Dalton showed a flare for romantic scenes that I'm not convinced Sean Connery could have. In any case, it is quite evident that Lazenby was not up to the challenge that an ordinary go at the Bond character would have required, much less the elevated demands of the present script. You just can't have a beautiful love story when one of the two characters involved is unappealing to most members of the audience.
The part of the script relating to Blofeld's new scheme to extort money from major world powers is also exceptionally weak. As a psychologist of sorts, I find the entire hypnotism/mind-control business depicted in this film absurd. Moreover, Bond's womanizing at the allergy clinic is of an uglier variety that in any other Bond film. He lines up two or three women per night. That would be an unappealing script business under any circumstances, but it also calls into question his emotional investment in the romance with Tracy. Usually, when a guy falls head over heels in love with a woman, his interest in casual sex with other women abates, at least while the glow lasts. Furthermore, Bond actually jeopardizes his mission with his bed hopping, blowing his cover.
Another problem is the script's structure. There's a jolting inconsistency between the first hour and the second. It's almost like two different films. First, we get close to an hour of a character-driven love story, then a second hour of almost continuous action/adventure, with just two brief returns to the love story. Every other Bond film does a better job spreading the action sequences more evenly across the length of the movie.
The locales for this film provide great opportunities for some scenic shots, including both Mediterranean seashore and Alpine vistas. There are other nice sequences as well, such as an ice rink, the casino, and a stockcar raceway. The one glaring weakness in the photography is some truly awful rear-screen projections, scattered throughout the film. The musical score suffers from the absence of a vocal part in the title song, but is otherwise one of John Barry's best.
Most Bond fans view Lazenby as the worst of the actors to play Bond. You can find a few reviewers who try valiantly to defend Lazenby's work, but they're not really convincing very many people who have seen it. I make allowances for Lazenby in three respects. First, he's not bad in the fight scenes. Second, he's not too bad when he's impersonating Sir Hilary, for two reasons. Lazenby's natural demeanor is pretty much like what one might expect from Bond imitating a prissy aristocrat and George Baker, who played Sir Hilary in the film, provided the voice, through post-dubbing, for the segments in which Bond impersonates the genealogist. I also won't complain about Lazenby's Australian accent. Even after making those allowances, however, Lazenby strikes me as woeful in the role. A major part of the appeal of Bond films, for guys at least, is that Bond is what many men would like to be: cool, tough, resourceful, handsome, and suave. When the actor playing Bond lacks most of those characteristics, Bond films lose most of their reason for being. Lazenby's incompetence is evidenced by the fact that he never had another major film role, appearing hereafter only in a few B-grade movies, such as Shout at the Dead (1976), Gulliver's Travels (1977), and The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977). Reportedly, Lazenby was a prick to work with, feuding with both the director Peter Hunt and co-star Diana Rigg.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service suffers from other grievous casting weaknesses as well. I've always had a strong dislike for the acting of the bald-headed Telly Savalas. Here, he sounds and acts like a hoodlum from Chicago rather than a Bond villain. He delivers his lines in a flat monotone that is annoying and unconvincing. There's no gusto in his performance. In my opinion, Savalas is easily the worst actor ever cast as the villain in the Bond series. Savalas appeared elsewhere in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Cape Fear (1962). Likewise, Ilse Steppat is very weak as the henchwoman, Irma Bunt. Yuri Borionko, as Gruther, may be the least interesting henchman in any Bond film.
On the other hand, like many Bond fans, I consider Diana Rigg the best Bond girl ever. Her only real competition for that distinction, in my eyes, is Carole Bouquet (see For Your Eyes Only). No Bond girl ever had a more three-dimensional character to play than Rigg is given here. Rigg was already a star when she took the part, rightfully famous for her work as Emma Peel in the popular television series The Avengers. Rigg was a beautiful woman but also had that rare and special capacity to reveal her inner emotions on her expressive face and in her soulful eyes. Her other film appearances include The Hospital (1971), Theatre of Blood (1973), and The Great Muppet Caper (1981). It's downright painful that Rigg's magnificent performance got wasted on a film with so many flaws.
In lesser roles, Bernard Horsfall was excellent as Campbell and Gabriele Ferzetti as Draco. Horsfall's other appearances included roles in Mr. Horatio Knibbles (1971) and Gandhi (1982). Ferzetti worked elsewhere in L’Avventura (1960) and Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)
Bottom-Line: Every Bond fan should see this film at least once because of its central importance to the series as a whole. Other film lovers shouldn't bother with it at all, despite the fact that it’s the most distinctive Bond film ever made. Too few of the distinctive features are positives while too many are negatives. The positives include the best Bond girl ever, the most character-driven and romantic script of the series, beautiful vistas, an excellent soundtrack, and plenty of action. The negatives include a pathetic performance by Lazenby as Bond, an equally inept one by Telly Savalas as Blofeld, a weak henchwoman and an uninteresting henchman, no title song, ugly back projections, and an exceedingly weak script for the world domination segment. As you can see, this is a film of extremes. Here then, is my Overall Certified Gold Bond Rating for this film, using my system that facilitates comparisons across the series:
Bond: George Lazenby Rating: 1/5
Villain: Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) Rating: 1/5
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