Rating: 
Summary: Oh So Close (But No Cigar)
Review: I see that there is an almost fanatical Star Trek type following of this movie here, and I must admit I don't understand it (unless it's just a one or two nuts logging on under various names). These individuals label this movie the "Best James Bond by Far" and are unfair to any review here which dares to criticize this movie. Furthermore, they're doing a disservice to the novice James Bond viewer by calling this the best movie in the series. Intention doesn't determine the grade a movie gets, outcome does. Certainly this movie is admirable, but it's a weak James Bond film mainly because both the hero (Bond) and villain (Blofeld) were seriously miscast. Lazenby is too big and innocent looking to play Bond. He reminds me of the actor who played Sherrif Buford T. Justice's son Junior in the Smokey and the Bandit movies. The director and writer try to establish his credibility, but his saying of lines like "Royal Baluga, North of the ..." just aren't effective in establishing him as this worldly and suave rogue. Savalas doesn't do a bad job, but his characterization and behavior is more fitting of a mob gangster. In a movie that attempts to be close to the Fleming books, he oddly portrays a two fisted Blofeld that never existed there. The best portrayed characters of the movie are those of Tracy and her father. But the performances by those actors when sharing the screen with Lazenby only serve to emphasize his deficiencies as an actor. This movie is too long (140 mins.) for a Bond film and doesn't offer any excitement until Bond's mountain escape, where it begins to pick up. This film tries very hard, but falls short. Many Bondian elements are present and the climatic battle is top notch, but I always get a sense of something missing when watching this one. I'm sure I'll be trashed for this review because people who feel as strongly as some of the "reviewers" here let there emotions get in the way of reason, but I'm just trying to put this film in a realistic light. I'll leave the potential buyer of this film with one tip: don't go gung ho and buy this one without renting it first; you also may want to read some less biased reviews by real film critics who seem to have a more grounded opinion of this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A Superb Episode in the 'Bond Series', One of the Best!
Review: This is the first Bond film without Sean Connery, and it was surprisingly good. If Connery had been in it, it would have been the best in the series. But George Lazenby had just inherited the role, and in retrospect he was a great Bond, not as charismatic as Connery, but great, he even dives into self parody in the beggining sequence; 'This wouldn't of happened to the other guy'. A multi-layered plot that has Bond marry Diana Rigg, probably the best 'Bond Girl' ever, and the only one good enough for James to marry, unfortunately she was too good to be true and takes a tragic turn. This one features one incredible action sequence after another, including a hold-your-breath chase on board runaway bobsleds, and an exciting car chase sequence. More complicated than other bonds, as far as plot and character development, but it is also the one that sticks the most to Ian Fleming's original idea. One of the best in the series, this one delivers. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 7!
Rating: 
Summary: The Definitive Twentieth Century Bond Film
Review: When I was growing up during the seventies, it was a television rerun of "Goldfinger" (1964) that really hooked me on the James Bond 007 series. I was in awe of the gold painted lady and the Aston Martin DB5. I remember asking my mother how Sean Connery compared to others who have played the role of James Bond. She told me that Connery was better than Roger Moore. She also said that there was some other guy who had played the part, but she couldn't remember his name because he only did one film (this one); no matter, for he wasn't very good anyway. Was she ever wrong! I was dazzled the first time I saw this movie, and I thought that George Lazenby was nothing like his reputation. The promotional copy on the VCR dust jacket does a concise job of explaining the basic plot without revealing the outcome of the film: "Just as James Bond finally discovers true love, he is thrown into non-stop thrills and chills in this explosively entertaining action/adventure. George Lazenby leaps into the role of Agent 007 with supreme confidence and undeniable charisma. "When Bond's usual intelligence sources fail, he enlists the aid of crime boss Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti) to track down Ernst Blofeld (Telly Savales [sic]), head of the evil SPECTRE organization. The trail leads to the mountains of Switzerland, where Bond goes undercover in Blofeld's hi-tech headquarters. He encounters a bevy of seductive women, but none more beautiful than Draco's daughter, Tracy (Diana Rigg), who wins 007 over with her fervent independence, caustic wit and love of adventure. Bond pledges his eternal devotion to her, but there are more immediate concerns: Blofeld is poised to unleash horrific germ warfare weaponry, that will endanger every living thing on earth. "Artillery-laden ski pursuits, incredible stunts and even a spectacular avalanche drive this action-paced adventure to a sensational climax. And in developing the romance of Bond and Tracy, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' builds to the most emotionally charged finale of any film in this dynamic series." George Lazenby really does an excellent job of playing Bond. I feel sorry for him, because he has never really gotten his just due. Lazenby does some very good fight scenes in this movie. They don't look fake, like the one that Connery did with Adolfo Celi on the boat in "Thunderball" (1965). There are some really exciting chase scenes on bobsleds and skis. At one point Bond loses a ski, and he continues to flee down the mountain on one ski alone! Unless you have ever skied before, you cannot appreciate how difficult this is. Tracy is the best Bond woman of all time. Bond falls in love with her and says, "I know I'll never find another girl like you." Telly Savalas is a very formidable adversary. In the entire Bond series, nobody inflicts as much damage on the Bond family as do Savalas' character Blofeld and his associate Irma Bunt. In my opinion, the best three Bond soundtracks all happened consecutively in the series: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969), "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971), and "Live and Let Die" (1973). They really got it right during that era. This title track has a sense of purpose and intrigue to it, and it makes you want to join the British Secret Service and go on a secret mission yourself! Louis Armstrong sings "We Have All the Time in the World" during the scenes where Bond falls in love with Tracy. Armstrong's gravely voice is a refreshing change over typical Bond soundtracks, which usually feature slick pop artists like Tom Jones, Lulu and Nancy Sinatra. There is some beautiful mountain scenery in the Swiss alps. I've also come to appreciate the artful manner in which the sun was filmed in this movie. Watch it glisten off the water during the pre-credit fight scene, and see it set as Bond attacks Blofeld's headquarters. I have viewed all of the Bond films (both official and unofficial) several times, and this one is the best of the entire series. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is the definitive twentieth century Bond film!
Rating:
Summary: A MUST FOR ANY BOND COLLECTOR
Review: It seems we all want to champion to this Bond film, and rightfully so. It has a great story, and probably one of the most enigmatic and wonderful Bond girls in the entire series -- Dianna Rigg. She matches Bond blow for blow in his quest for Blofeld (played wonderfully by Telly Savalas!). It's a gem in the series that is often over-looked probably because of the casting of George Lazenby. Certainly he was not as charming as Sean Connery, but now that we are more used to rotating Bonds his performance seems in line with the spirit of the character. A wonderful film by all accounts, and an excellent addition to any collection. I am so glad it has gotten its re-release!
Rating:
Summary: Number One Out of 19 Bonds
Review: OHMSS is one of the top three "best" Bond films, and my favorite, for the following reasons: it has the best story (actually, two stories: the search for Blofeld and the romantic subplot), the best music (John Barry and Louis Armstrong - what more can we say?), the best Bond girl (Diana Rigg - plus extra bonus points for Blofeld's "angels of death"), by far the best ski chase scenes, the best villain's lair (Piz Gloria), the best killing-of-a-villain's-henchman (skier falling into the path of the snowplow and coming out as pink snow), best romantic moment (Bond looking up and seeing Tracy at the ice skating rink), and the best scenes with Miss Moneypenny. Okay, George is not the best Bond ever, but his performance as Bond is better than any by Roger or Timothy and is better than Sean's in YOLT and DAF. I first saw this movie as a kid at a double feature that came out as a re-run after DAF. I've never forgotten how compelling the story was and how shocking the ending was. I next saw it on ABC in 1976, around the time of the Winter Olympics. The scenery and context of the movie fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the Olympics, but I was confused by the movie because it seemed different than the one I saw in the theater. I didn't realize at the time that ABC had bastardized the movie, changed the chronology and added a narration. I am convinced that the reason a lot of people don't think highly of this film is based on their recollections of the ABC presentation. More recently, the film has been on TBS a number of times in its normal format, although it seems that some of the scenes are cut out. I just bought and viewed the DVD and am extremely pleased with it. It is wonderful seeing this film in the wide screen version, since it is an incredibly visual movie. One complaint I have regards the uneven quality of the sound, particularly the dialogue, although I have found that running the sound through my stereo system makes it pretty good. As much as I hated the ABC presentation, I would have liked to have had something added to the special features on the DVD that described exactly what it was that ABC did (and why). The "Making Of OHMSS" was fun to watch, as were the corny late-60's TV advertisements! I would definitely recommend buying this on DVD. It is one of those films you will want to watch over and over.
Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE IS SECOND BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: THIS MOVIE IS SECOND BEST NEXT TO THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.GEROGE LAZANBY WAS A GREAT BOND BUT IS SECOND BEST NEXT TO TIMOTHY DALTON AND DINA RIGG WAS A GREAT BOND GIRL BUT IS SECOND BEST NEXT TO BARBA BACH IN TSWLM. THESE ARE MY TOP TEN BOND MOVIES.1 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.2 OHMSS. 3 MOONRAKER(NOT JOKING).4 TSWLM.5 TMWTGG.6 FRWL.7 THUNDERBALL.8 GOLDFINGER.9 LALD.AND NUMBER 10 LICENCE TO KILL.THIS MOVIE ROCKS BUY IT TODAY.
Rating:
Summary: OHMSS is the Best OO7 Film Hands Down
Review: If you have a DVD player and you have the slightest admiration or interest for the James Bond series or this little forgotten 007 film, do yourself a favor and buy this film. Not only is it the best James Bond movie, but it is worth every penny you spend on it. OHMSS is the only James Bond movie I had never seen before I had bought it (I bought the 5-DVD set), and I must admit I was a little skeptical when it came to sitting down and watching it. Don't let the length of the movie divert you from buying this movie. At 142 minutes, it's the longest James Bond movie. But at 142 minutes, it's able to build all the action, all of the excitement, romance and proper character development that is present in the finest of Ian Fleming's books. Man alive is there some great things in this movie. First off all of the stunts and skiing scenes are absolutely superb. Even though now a cliche in Bond films, do yourself a favor and go back and watch these scenes. Everyone says one of the best 007 stunts ever was the pre-credit sequence in the Spy Who Loved Me (another great Bond flick), but the snowy locations of this film beats it senseless. Telly Savalas is by far the best Blofeld, not to mention the best Bond nemesis since Goldfinger. Now here's the best part in the movie: Diana Rigg, the absolute best Bond Girl ever. Much sexier than Honey Ryder, Pussy Galore or Barbara Bach's XXX, she certainly takes them all down and creates the only Mrs. Bond suitable. Two things are missing from this film: Sean Connery and lyrics to the film's opening sequence. Let me say that both of these factors are not necessarily missed, but are not necessary to make the best of the series. What would have been of this movie had Connery been in it? Surely it would have been remembered better, not to mention put over Goldfinger and Thunderball as the best of the series. Lazenby does a fine job I must admit though, it would have surely been a wiser choice had he continued to be Bond instead of Roger Moore. Long story longer, this is a great movie. It doesn't matter if you are a James Bond fan or not because this movie more than fulfills every aspect of a great spy/action/thriller that you could imagine. The music is great--John Barry's score is amazing, as is Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World." Special Features on this disc outweigh all of the previous Special Edition 007 discs, having three featurettes and Peter Hunt's audio commentary. The 2.35:1 transfer is gorgeous, and although the movie looks dated it looks fantastic on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Lazenby's 15 Minutes .... errrrr ...... Two Hours Of Fame.
Review: George Lazenby had the bad luck to come right after the best James Bond, Sean Connery. Inevitably, the public jumped on him, comparing him ad nauseum to Connery. However, on review thirty years later, Lazenby actually does a very good job. Although he is a little stiff in the beginning (in the shoulder, of course -- if you've seen the movie, you'll get the joke), overall he does a capable job of acting and is excellent in the fight sequences and other action scenes. Indeed, if you see the Bond films in order, Lazenby's performance in OHMSS is better than Connery's in You Only Live Twice, in which Connery is slow moving, overweight, bored and looks like an actor who is fulfilling the last film in a contract. It's too bad that Lazenby shot himself in the foot and declared that he would not play James Bond again, because he might have grown into the role very nicely. The film itself is one of the best in the series. In my view, the fourth best after Goldfinger, From Russia With Love and Dr. No. Peter Hunt, who had edited the first five Bonds, does a great job of directing. The action sequences are some of the best ever put on film, with the highlight being an avalanche specially staged for the film. Hunt makes great use of his locations, especially the Alpine scenery in Switzerland and knows how to film exciting and breathtaking action. The ski sequences are some of the best ever put on film and even outshine similar sequences in The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. It's a shame that Hunt never got another chance to direct a Bond film. The cast is first rate, headed by Diana Rigg as Contessa Teresa Di Vicenzo or Tracy to her friends(Emma Peel on the Avengers). Rigg is feminine, beautiful and vulnerable, yet she is also tough and can take care of herself, unlike so many of the "helpless female" Bond heroines. She makes it believable that Bond asks her to marry him. Telly Savalas doesn't exactly look or sound like a character with the name Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but he is very menacing and does a good job despite the odd casting. Ilse Steppat is a venemous Irma Bunt and matches the book's description of her to a tee. Gabrielle Ferzetti, as Tracy's father, Marc Ange Draco, is believable as both a caring father and as a ruthless syndicate head (In one scene, Tracy refuses to leave Bond behind during a helicopter raid on Blofeld's moutain hideout. Draco punches her and knocks her out, stating,"Spare the rod and spoil the child, eh?")And, of course, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewellyn and Lois Maxwell are back as M, Q and Miss Moneypenny, respectively. Maxwell, especially, is given much more to do than usual and is quite touching in her scenes with Lazenby. The DVD edition is spectacular. Like the previous James Bond Special Edition DVD's, this edition features loads of extras, including trailers, "making of" documentaries, cast and crew interviews and a featurette on Q and his gadjets. The film is presented letteboxed in clear, vibrant colors and greatly enhances the spectacular mountain scenery seen throughout the film. This is a great Bond film which is done great justice by this DVD edition. I've only seen George Lazenby in one other film (a cameo in, of all things, The Kentucky Fried Movie), but if you're going to have only one starring role to your credit, it might as well be in a film as good as OHMSS.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Bond films
Review: If there wasn't Sean Connery's Goldfinger, this would be the best Bond film. Almost everything is perfect. George Lazenby isn't a great James Bond, however. He has little intensity, is thoroughly wooden and does not have the commanding screen presence nor voice that Connery possessed. Diana Rigg, however, is my second favorite Bond girl, and Telly Savalas does an excellent job as Ernst Stavros Blofeld, and is my favorite villain in the entire series. The action is first-rate, which is the first and best ski chase in the series, a car chase through a race track and ice rink, a bobsled chase which pits Bond against Blofeld, and an attack on Blofeld's allergy clinic high in the Swiss Alps. I absolutely love John Barry's score, and it is one of the best ones in the series. The script needs a bit of work which is partly thanks to the non-personality Lazenby, which is maybe why the script in Diamonds are Forever was very witty and filled with many very funny one-liners. the settings and costumes are beautiful, and though the cinematography is good during the chases and other scenes, it needs a little work in the fight scenes. And even though OHMSS has been called a failure at the box office, it really was the most popular film in the country for several weeks, yet it didn't make as much money as its predecessors. Overall the second best Bond film, beaten only by Goldfinger.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Bond Movie
Review: There isn't much to add to the other 60 some odd reviews below, except to repeat as so many others have that this is the best Bond movie -- despite the fact that George Lazenby isn't quite up to Sean Connery. However, he's miles ahead of Moore and Brosnan, and perhaps his lack of experience makes one feel slightly protective of him and helps give the movie its special feeling. Diana Rigg is absolutely the best Bond woman (although any fan has to be glad Jill St. John came along next). She has great chemistry in a brief scene with Telly Savalas -- see "The Assassination Bureau" for more of it. Other virtues of this film: the scenery is magnificent and the music is perhaps the best in the series. But what really sets OHMSS apart is the story, adapted very faithfully from the very best Bond book. Here is Fleming's world and characters as he wrote them, and in this story only, he shows us the true, horrifying cost of being James Bond. The sixties ended with this film in more ways than one. It's a great, great movie.
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