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On Her Majesty's Secret Service

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: my favorite bond movie
Review: this is my favorite bond movie which is really surprising considering the fact that george lazenby was not at all my idea of james bond--i am a sean connery diehard---but diana rigg as the one and only mrs james bond to be is by far the best bond girl and a very talented actress--also telly savalas another very talented actor takes and gives a great performance as ernst stavro blofeld ---while george lazenby isn/t sean connery he doesn/t do a bad job either--just different--some of the best action scenes of the bond series are in this movie the storyline is also one of the best of the entire bond series

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: GOD THIS STUNK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This video had almost NO PLOTand George Lazenby wasen't really Bond the way he's supossed be viewed as. I didn't think Lazenby was suave, or cool. There wasn't much action so all it really was was Bond walking around talking to people. I suggest renting this movie BEFORE you buy it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lazenby holds his own in the outstanding "OHMSS."
Review: After the rather disappointing "You Only Live Twice," this film is a pleasure, even with the absence of Connery. George Lazenby, while certainly not Connery's equal, does quite a good job in his first acting role, and among distinguished company. "OHMSS" is bulging at the sides with thrills, suspense, and some of the finest action sequences ever put on film. Telly Savalas stars as Blofeld, headquartered in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. Savalas, while an American, is the best Blofeld of the series. Of the three actors to portray the character on-screen, Savalas is the closest to the true nature of the character, and he poses a real physical challenge to Bond. Diana Rigg, one the very best Bond Girls, portrays the ill-fated Contessa de Vincenzo, daughter of Marc-Ange Draco, head of the Union Corse. Draco, a delightful character, becomes a very capable ally of Bond's. Possibly because of Connery's absence, this is the most underrated film in the entire series. Regardless of that, it is a masterpiece.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Realistic Bond Movie
Review: First off let it be known that I am among the Bond fans who in their hearts hope that there are real "James Bond's" in the world. Lets face it every Bond fan wishes they could step into his shoes for a day and kick some serious butt. Drop dead gorgeous women, great looking clothes, fast cars how could this be beat. In this movie George Lazenby gives a great performance for someone who never acted before. He looked cool and chicks dug him. His fight scenes were realistic, and he moved like a cat, as Connery did. Dianna Rigg was simply gorgeous. She is a great actress that brought credibility to the role of a Bond girl, but she really was much more then that as she managed to get the great 007 to give up his bachelor ways, and actually fall in love. I challenge every man out there not to feel the same when "Tracy" makes her appearance at the ice skating ring, she looks simply ravashing. The rest of the cast including Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Ilse Steppat all give great performances unrivaled in many other Bond films. The film score is without a doubt the best in the entire series. The instrumental title song drives the score on with coordinated drive and passion from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Swiss Alps with unmatched conviction. The plot is easy to follow as we are witness to the great James Bond managing to save the world, and falling in love with the love of his life. All in all a nice tight package directed expertly by Peter Hunt in his directoral debut. The action scenes, and camera work capturing them, especially the skiing are vividly breathtaking. This fact bolsters forth after viewing the movie on DVD, this formatt really brings the screen alive. For true Bond fans this movie is certainly among the top five of all time. Many believe, as I do that Connery was the best Bond, if he would have done this movie, with the emotional ending his legend in the role would have grown ten fold. Buy this movie, with the special features added on DVD only makes a great film even better. Real Bond fans know this film is a winner, anybody who suggests otherwise really misses the point. Gadgets, excessive shooting, and explosions are not needed to bring the greatest cinematic spy in history to life. This movie is the essence why many of us hold the Bond legend dear and close to our hearts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best Bond movie -- by a Mile
Review: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" has just about everything I want from a James Bond movie -- beautiful and exotic locations, romance, great Bond girls, amazing action sequences and a powerful plot. It is also the most serious and personal of the series. The escape/action sequences in this movie are easily the best I've ever seen in a Bond: they're stunningly directed, far more realistic than usual, and actually fit logically into the greater story of the film. The screenplay gives us a deeper, more serious Bond than we've seen before (or since): we see a struggle between the traditional womanizer and the man who has tasted true love for the first time. I also like the fact that there are fewer goofy one-liners than usual.

One element is missing: a great actor playing James Bond. George Lazenby is good in fight scenes and action sequences, but his lack of previous acting experience shows up elsewhere. We can only wish that Connery had stayed on for this movie; then it would have been perfect. Nevertheless, this is the one movie that transcends the Bond genre to become a great film in its own right.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ian Fleming shaken, not stirred
Review: This was the first Bond movie I ever saw in the theater, Dec.31, 1969. For a young kid like me, it was the greatest way on earth to usher out the Sixties. Years of Bond hype, Bond toys, and Sean Connery worship finally came to a head. Yet this was the new guy, a somewhat blasphemous situation to be in. Still, no one ever entered a movie theater with higher expectations.

Let me just say this: from the opening credits I was transported to a wonderland of excitement and delight. The music, the villain, the fights, the women, and especially George Lazenby made it a great, great, great Bond movie. To this day, I regard it as possibly the film I have enjoyed more than any other I have seen. Briefly, let me dissect what made it such a great 007 film:

1.The Villain-Telly Savalas should have been Blofeld many more times. He is menacing and a good physical opponent for Bond. Savalas was doing many villains at this time in his career (Dirty Dozen, etc.) mainly because he was so good at it. Telly's Blofeld is very true to Ian Fleming. Along with Robert Shaw and Gert Frobe, I rate him among the best of the Bond villains.

2. The fights-the editing is outstanding, creating fast, violent brawls. Lazenby is quite formidable and believably dangerous-the way Bond should be and hasn't been since. The best Bond fight scene that stands alone is certainly with Oddjob, but the numerous fights in OHMSS are the most realistic and violent.

3.The Women-Diana Rigg (need we say more)-a real actress and the fantasy of every pubescent boy watching The Avengers. Also plenty of eye-candy in the chalet of Blofeld. And throw in Frau Bunt who seems resurrected in the Austin Power movies-she's a pure Fleming character: an evil sexless matron.

4.The music-definitely high-style John Barry. It is a departure from his earlier Connery films and very original. It's just great adventure music and the main title is damn dangerous to be listening to when driving your car. For fun, my kids and I have synchronized it to driving the mountain route in Sega Gt 2002-it's the perfect soundtrack. As an Album alone OHMSS is a proud possesion in my record collection.

5.Finally, (and ladies and gentlemen, I could go on and on about this) dear Mr. Lazenby. How anyone could be at the top, with the highest profile movie persona in the world, and then drop to almost total obscurity is lamentable to the most Shakespearean proportions. George was so young (stil in his twenties!) during OHMSS, he could have been Bond into the mid-nineties. I saw him playing a Bond-like character in some cheap John Stamos movie and he was still exciting to watch-too bad Stamos was the star. Bond must provoke intrigue, sophistication, sex, and violence. George Lazenby had it all. To you, Mr. Lazenby, wherever you are, I lift my glass in a toast to your James Bond of OHMSS.

I promised to be brief and so I end with so much unsaid about this terrific movie. New Year's Eve 1969 was an unforgettable movie experience. How many films can you remember the exact date you first saw them?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Forgotten Bond Is A Real Gem!
Review: Over the years, few people seem to remember "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." One reason for that is that it didn't have a star actor playing Bond, and instead featured Australian model George Lazenby in the role, a fellow with little previous acting experience. The other is that the film didn't perform as well at the box office as the others, primarily due to Lazenby's casting. However, after thirty years it's only fair that I acknowledge something that should've been blatantly obvious back in 1969: "OHMSS" is a treasure! Not only is this among the best Bond films ever, it is the most loyal adaptation of an Ian Fleming novel, which also happens to be his best one! Granted, Lazenby had the inenviable job of being the first actor to take over Sean Connery. But the truth is, he is not bad, particularly in the action sequences, and by the time we're in the second hour, we almost forget he's even in it, which is a tribute to the film itself. It is expertly directed by Peter Hunt, and features a brilliant supporting cast who tell the story of a James Bond in love. The film also has amazing cinematography, enhancing its already beautiful locations, and features what are still the best ski sequences ever filmmed. John's Barry's score is posititvely his best in the series, and his memorable song, "We Have All The Time In The World" is the last thing that Louis Armstrong ever recorded. C'mon folks, what more could you ask for?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: On His Lazenby's Secret Service
Review: The most underrated movie in the biggest film franchise of all time,OHMSS is highly regarded by 007 movie fans as the best movie.One of the reasons it hasn't topped Goldfinger ,due to the fact James Bond was not portrayed by Sean Connery, but an Australian model in his first acting job.
George Lazenby took on the role of 007 when Connery exited after You Only Live Twice (1967).Although lacking Connery's charisma (like the later Bond actors), Lazenby was a superb choice and did a wonderful job despite filling some big shoes.
But what really makes this movie so great is the story itself.Based from one of Ian Fleming's last Bond novels,It deals with Bond taking a leave from MI6 to track down Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savales).He teams up with Italian crime boss Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti) who offers to help Bond in exchange for him to marry his daughter Tracy (Diana Rigg).Bond goes undercover to Blofeld's mountaintop lair in Switzerland to uncover Blofeld's new plot of world domination,all the while in an uncharacteristic move, he falls in love with Tracy and marries her.
OHMSS spectacular scenes includes chases on skis, cars and bobsleds,as well as the destruction of the villian's lair.The most disturbing image of all Bond movies is the end scene after Bond and Tracy's wedding.
Although a hit at the box office in late 1969, it didn't perform as well as previous Bond films.Lazenby also departed the role, fearing that Bond pics would disappear after a while (!!!).Connery would return for one last time in Diamonds are Forever(1971), while Lazenby became a footnote in the Bond legacy.Many have wondered if Connery would've stuck it out to play in OHMSS (or Lazenby doing DAF).Either way,OHMSS will always be the most debated if not the most spectacular Bond film of all time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A 007 Classic
Review: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" remains the best James Bond film to date. In retrospect, it's fitting that Sean Connery chose to sit this one out, since the Bond depicted in this film is more romantic and vulnerable. With George Lazenby as 007, you actually believe Bond would give up everything to marry Tracy. It's a pity that Lazenby didn't continue -- he was superior to Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton, though less polished than Connery and Pierce Brosnan. On the other hand, Lazenby's one-time performance adds to the film's uniqueness. Director Peter Hunt gives "OHMSS" a cinematic flair sorely lacking in most Bond films. It also has some of the finest action sequences in movie history. John Barry's excellent score is the best of the series (the soundtrack should be reissued on CD with additional material). In terms of direction, scripting, casting and cinematography, "OHMSS" remains in a class by itself.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Faithful, Flawed, But Enjoyable Adaptation
Review: For the 6th James Bond movie, it was decided to adapt Ian Fleming's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (OHMSS). Unfortunately, leading man Sean Connery, had fled the coop.

To fill Connery's enormous shoes, the producers picked unknown male model and commercial actor, George Lazenby. Sadly, for both Lazenby and the viewer, Lazenby was tossed into the most introspective and acting intensive Bond film to date.

Consider: Bond gets burned out, and we have to believe he's serious about leaving his job; plus we have to believe that the world's most notorious womanizer has fallen in love and is ready to settle down as a married man. Add to the mix that this is the only tragic Bond film, and you have an acting role that places more demands on the actor playing Bond than ever would be placed on Connery, Moore, Dalton, or Brosnan.

Lazenby is just not up to the task. His acting limitations would not have been as noticeable in a less demanding role, such as some of Roger Moore's lighter efforts, but they are all too evident in OHMSS.

Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of an Ian Fleming novel, OHMSS tells the story of a burnt out Bond whose assignment of locating Blofeld (Telly Savalas), the head of SPECTRE, has turned up nothing. Bond is on the verge of being reassigned, much to his displeasure. In the midst of this, he meets Tracy (Diana Rigg), a woman who is herself burnt out and in trouble. Tracy is the daughter of an Englishwoman and a powerful Corsican mobster, Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti).

Draco believes that the cure to his daughter's problems is a real man, like James Bond. He offers Bond 1 million pounds if Bond will marry Tracy. Bond is more interested in information on Blofeld's whereabouts, and the hunt for Blofeld is on again.

Bond infiltrates Blofeld's alpine hideaway disguised as Sir Hilary Bray, a member of the Royal College of Arms and Heraldry, pretending to investigate Blofeld's claim to a title of nobility. During this sequence, Lazenby is dubbed by actor George Baker, who plays the role of Sir Hilary.

After encounters with the usual bevy of Bond beauties, Bond discovers that Blofeld plans to blackmail the world with the threat of bacteriological warfare. It's up to 007 to save the day.

I'm perhaps a tad generous by giving this movie 4 stars, but the action sequences are well done. Diana Rigg is one of the best of all the Bond girls, and is quite well cast. Telly Savalas is not as successful as Blofeld, coming across as a street thug instead of a refined and calculating mastermind. It's too bad they didn't get Donald Pleasance to reprise his excellent performance from "You Only Live Twice."

Fans get to see Bond's office, M's home, the music is great, the cinematography is well done, and the action scenes are exciting. Still, this is the first step back that the Bond films had made to this point. Connery's shoes were too big for Lazenby to fill, and Lazenby's shortcomings were magnified by the most demanding of all the Bond performances.


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