On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Rating:
Summary: AMONG THE TOP!
Review: Some viewers look at this film as a downer. To others, downer would be a compliment. But there are still some who see the film as one of the finest of the 007's, capturing the spirit and style of Ian Fleming like no other. One time Bond George Lazenby assumes the role and does surprisingly well for a non-actor. The story is more loyal to the novel that any other Bond film, from the thriller start to the tragic conclusion. While it isn't perfect, what novel adapted movie is?

Unfortunately the film was a failure in the eyes of United Artists and the much of the public. Many, or perhaps most fans wouldn't accept Lazenby as Bond because, well...he wasn't Connery. (If Connery had accepted the role 'On Her Majesty's' might be unanimously hailed as the greatest achievement of the series.) Also, many weren't ready for the abrubt transition of the story structure. They were unprepaired to for this films display of realism, humanities, and drama compared to the fantastic plots and relentless action of the previous entries, which would become increasingly prominent as the series progressed. If the film had been a success perhaps the following entries wouldn't have dwindled into such disarray.

One may not be able to truly appreciate this film if not familiar with the integrities of the literary Bond, but if you're an advocate of the novels, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' is definitely worth seeing.



Rating:
Summary: ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
Review: Ernst Stravo Blofeld, godfather of SPECTRE and James Bond's arch-nemesis, hatches yet another diabolical plot in his seemingly impenetrable mountain fortress. Disguised as a Scottish geneologist dispatched to verify Blofeld's claim to nobility, Bond infiltrates the madman's stronghold and a deadly game of wits ensues with the fate of the Western world in the balance. But the real story is Bond's discovery of true love in the form of a troubled girl named Tracy. Can the two outwit Blofeld and survive to love another day?

Despite its numerous strengths--or perhaps because of them--ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is not one of the Bond films I often find mentioned among the series' best. It is almost certainly the most realistic (with the possible exception of DR. NO) as well as the one which most fully captures the essence of Ian Fleming's source novels. It is more serious than the other Bond movies, but the excellent script is still rife with sharp wit and keen satire. But there's also George Lazenby stepping into what had heretofore been Sean Connery's role, and that, combined with the relatively sober plot, has traditionally been hard for many fans of the series to look past. Connery's portrayals of Bond are deservedly immortal, but if the series was to continue someone else was going to have to step up to the plate, and Lazenby was the guy (at least until Connery's brief comeback in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, that is, after which Roger Moore took over the series). There's nothing inherently wrong with Lazenby's performance, though, it's simply different from Connery's. Lazenby plays the character with a refreshing romanticism and vulnerability which, while a marked departure from Connery's interpretation, fits this particular story to a T. Alternately deadly, sensitive, and funny, Lazenby carries off the role with admirable aplomb, and it wouldn't have hurt the franchise any in the long run if he'd been able to play it another time or two.

Lazenby's co-stars are brilliant in their own roles. Telly Savales is an insidious yet charming Blofeld, and when he goes head-to-head with Bond you really want him to get what's coming to him. But the beautiful Diana Rigg is the stand-out as Bond's beloved Tracy. She's not just another Bond girl, and the romance in OHMSS is a far cry from the throwaway relationships that are this series' norm. Tracy is clearly Bond's Mrs. Right, and Rigg brings her to brilliant life with wit, elegance, and vivacity tinged with an irresistible streak of darkness.

Peter Hunt's direction is exciting and the screenplay wisely eschews many of the sillier ingredients of the Bond films. The action is exceptionally well-choreographed and hard-hitting and even though there aren't any nifty gadgets from Q-branch nobody should miss them with all the story's natural pyrotechnics.

If there is a weakness in this film it is a relatively slow second act. Many of the most thrilling moments are packed into the outstanding introductory and climactic scenes, and the middle suffers by comparison. The screenwriters try to liven things up with some interesting parodies of Bond's womanizing nature, but perhaps more drama would have been wiser.

But if there are some slow spots there aren't enough to ruin the overall design, which adds up to one of the finest of all Bond films. Perhaps lacking a few of the familiar 007 staples, but the Bond essentials are all here and anyway the things that make this movie different are a big part of what make it so great. From the romantic and spellbinding opening to the moving last reel, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is cinematic Bond magic.

Rating:
Summary: TELLY BABY!!!!
Review: Hey folks hold onto your seats because this one is the "filet mignon" of all the Bond flicks! ( Yes even better than " Goldfinger"!)I know Sean Connery is not in this one ( who is still is the REAL Bond) but it doesn't matter,George Lazenby does a credible job of filling some mighty big shoes. Telly Savalas plays Blofeld , and is truly the best out of all of Bonds arch enemies.His presence & performance alone make this a real "barn burner"!
Diana Rigg , of "Avengers" fame (at the time)is lovely, charming, and one of the great "Bond" girls of all time.Playing the spoiled daughter of a wealthly industrialist she captures the unapproachable Bond's heart which leads to a totally unexpected occurance in which James falls finally ,deeply in love.
The action is crisp, at some points nonstop,from a car chase on an ice rink, to wild ski antics on the slopes of Switzerland, the climactic battle with Blofeld on bobleds going at 70mph, its really a pulse pounder! And don't forget the Bond women which are plentiful.
Telly plans to use these bevy of beauties to carry out his master plan of (YOU GUESSED IT) taking over the world, and Bond is the only dude that can stop him.
The cinematography is breath taking,the score by the incomparable John Barry is at its finest, make this a winner!So buckle up , get a tub of popcorn, and hang on!

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, George
Review:
I was a senior in high school and saw OHMSS in its first run in late December, 1969. I was also a fan of the "Avengers" TV series, so I was actually quite excited about Diana Rigg being in this film and how she'd play. Diana did not disappoint.
George Lazenby's selection to replace Sean Connery obviously caught most card-carrying Bond fans off guard. But considering the story line of this film and the tragic romance we see, Lazenby's acting shouldn't be totally written off. To his credit, he stuck to the basics, and let director Peter Hunt, Rigg, Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Bond regulars Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell and Desmond Llewellyn carry the performance burden.
There may be some who feel robbed Connery wasn't in this one; and those who might speculate how he'd perform the final scene and how much additional feeling HIS presence would create in that important moment. But given his inexperience, Lazenby still did the best he could have done in what had to be one of the most difficult scenes for anyone to do in this or any romantic film.
Hunt took great editing and second-unit experience with him into the chair for this one, and it shows. Fight scenes--particularly the one outside Draco's office--are superbly and tightly edited--with Hitchcock-like quick cutting. That editing prowess also covers the one minor mistake in one of the action sequences involving Rigg. During the stock car race portion of the car chase, there's a quick cut to a close-up of Tracy behind the wheel where she asks "James, how to we get out?" Rigg voiced-over this line in post-production. In the shot, she doesn't appear to be actually mouthing the line; instead she seems to be turning her head quickly with her mouth open. But again, tight editing makes this go by so quickly only a trained eye can really catch it.
I also agree on the soundtrack. John Barry's work on the Bond films had been getting better and better with each movie. His work on OHMSS is Barry at his peak. The main title--the first instrumental since "Dr. No" introduced the "James Bond Theme," is possibly one of the best ever written for any action film--spy or otherwise. Barry's string arrangements throughout the body of the film, meanwhile, are absolutely stunning--especially during the helicopter flight to Piz Gloria.
I have always regarded OHMSS one of my personal favorites in the Bond Series. From an impartial viewpoint, it still ranks as one of the best of the Bonds.
And to the reviewer who wondered if Lazenby ever acted again, he did, indeed--as recently as 1993 when he appeared in "Gettysburg" as Gen. Pettigrout ("PET'-ih-groo"), one of the division commanders who led Pickett's Charge.

Rating:
Summary: This Never Happened After The Second Fellow
Review:
I'll preface this review by saying this was the first Bond film I ever saw (so I didn't have the Connery reference point, yet). I will also say- as history has played out and the series has spanned 4 decades (plus), and has had 5 actors play the part, Lazenby is the only one besides Connery who played this part well. OHMSS is also my favorite of the series.

It's well documented, the differences between Lazenby, Peter Hunt (the director) and Broccoli and Saltzman (the producers), and it's sad because he would have made a good Bond. Still, if you have only one to leave as your calling card- OHMSS is it.

Lazenby managed to do what none of the other following actors could in the part- he handled the brutal as well as the suave sides of Bond effectively. Considering that this was his first feature-that he had never acted, there is a calm and a self assuredness in his presentation that's damned amazing, and considering whose shoes he was filling.

Also- Peter Hunt chose to do something they never really seemed to have been able to do with Bond again- they put some reality back into the story. Even with Savalas (in a terrific and fully fleshed out interpretation of Blofeld)- and the global biological germ threat posed, Bond is looking for more than just his old enemy in this one. He's lost and unsure and Lazenby delivered something rather human in that.

This is also the romantic Bond film. The one where he meets his match. I can think of no one more suited for that part than Diana Rigg. And she delivers the class and the cool that lets Bond and the audience know why.

It also contains John Barry's best Bond score (and that's saying alot because they were always magnificent, and lent much to the flavor and mood of the Bond pictures).

As the Bonds carried on, they became formula driven. Each actor following in the role (Moore, Dalton and Brosnan) have tried to bring something to it but Connery defined it. Having said that... I think Lazenby had the balls and the courage to follow closely but to also find his own path.

The performances are all good. M/Q & Moneypenny, all in tow. The ski sequences are incredible- as well as the bobsled and fight sequences. And the opening was a terrific way to introduce us to 'the new fella'.

If you're looking for a Bond that went the reality route, try this one on. You won't be disappointed. This one (because of the love story) actually does leave you shaken and stirred.

This was the Christmas Bond so... reviewed and released in timely fashion!

Enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good story but RIUNED by Lazenby
Review: All in all it was an alright story line. It might have been in my top 10 if it was connery, moore,brosnan or mabe even dalton. I am sorry but lazenby should stick to modeling. He riuned this film for me. He couln't pull off the role. Models just cant act smart or cunning i guess. It not a good movie probably worst one in whole colection. THeir are facts to prove this too such as the fact that OHMSS barely made a profit and by far grossed the least amount of money.
Over all not a good movie my ranking of bonds hast to go.
1. Connery (Great bond absolutly fantastic,great in every movie)
2. brosnan (Very good bond, although it was obvious that he was not used to and very nervous about the role in Goldeneye)
3. Moore (Hard to believe sometimes but he did make the best bond film ever- the spy who loved me)
4. Dalton (he was alright in the living daylights)
5. Lazneby (horrible not a wonder why he only did one film)

Rating:
Summary: A cult movie among the Bond series !
Review: It easy to guess the multiple reasons which many people has this work among the Bond favorites .
George Lazenby is an Australian actor which worked worhtly ; and perhaps he never had the charisma of Connery , the male presence of Dianna Rigg one of the icons of the sixties and the prence of Telly Savals as the main villane saved the film from drowning .
The locations in Switerzland are amazing and despite this is the longest film of the Series you never realize this detail .
To be honest the plot is not totally polished and in the other hand you are before the most human and painful picture made for James Bond .
Since the facts you know the work has a noir taste and in this sense it was an original event . That reason may be well the hidden cause which makes many Bond fans do not feel comfortable with it due the sad ending .
Another special credit : the soundtrack ; We have all the time of the world sung by Satchmo who died a few months later is another sad motive for watch it ; the rest of CD is specially listenable .

Rating:
Summary: One Of The BEST Bond Films!! George Lazenby IS James Bond!!
Review: Austrailian model George Lazenby steps in for Sean Connery-the original and arguably the BEST James Bond-after a long search for by the producers for someone to replace him when he departed the series after "You Only Live Twice", in the only true romance in the Bond series and acquits himself very well. The intensity of Sean Connery wasn't neccessary for this movie, as it's a love story. He also had to use an accent in the film to impersonate someone to go undercover in the villain's high-tech headquarters, so that alone is evidence of a good actor. This is probably the only movie he ever did, but he provided a never before seen side of the world's greatest superspy. Diana Rigg, a theater actress who was also known as sleuth Emma Peel in TV's "The Avengers" does a great job playing Bond's only true love interest, Teresa (Tracy) DiViccenzo, in the movie. Telly Savalas ("Kelly's Heroes", TV's "Kojak," etc.) takes over for Donald Plesance as the mysterious Ernst Stavro Blofeld, head of the evil SPECTRE organization. The movie's instrumental title theme (aside from "Dr. No" and "From Russia With Love") was very good and provides plenty of excitement during one of the best action scenes ever filmed, also well used in the excellent main title sequence while the tender love ballad "We Have All The Time In The World," (which I'm developing into a novel) performed by none other than Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong himself, gives the romance between Bond and Tracy its truly heartfelt poignancy while building up to the sad finale, which left a lot to be desired; but it served well for the opening sequence of the next one. Sean Connery would return in "Diamonds Are Forever," going on to bigger things afterwards before AND AFTER returning to the role which had skyrocketed him to fame in 1962 in an unofficial (WHY didn't MGM do this one as well and why was Blofeld, who died at the end of "Diamonds Are Forever", brought back for that one and for the opening sequence in "For Your Eyes Only"?) Bond film, "Never Say Never Again", (a cameo in "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves", "The Untouchacbles" (Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), "The Great Train Robbery", "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade", etc.) but it's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" that remains, in my view, one of the BEST Bond films (after "Licence To Kill," starring Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Talisa Soto and Robert Davi). My favorite James Bond actors are as follows:

I. Timothy Dalton

II. George Lazenby

III. Sean Connery

IV. Roger Moore

V. Pierce Brosnan.

We'll have to wait and see who'll replace him as James Bond in the 22nd installment. Director Hunt is the first to bend the rule on nudity and it works very well. Rated PG for action violence, some sensuality/brief partial nudity.

Rating:
Summary: OHMSS -- A Secret Treasure
Review: This may be the most underrated of all of the Bond films. George Lazenby does not get the credit he deserves for his (one) outing as James Bond. As the first fill-in for Seann Connery (who returned for the next film), there was no way he could have lived up to expectations. Lazenby certainly does a better than adequate job of playing the role (which is more than I can say for Timothy Dalton). Diana Rigg may be the shining star of the film, adding an interesting cross-over feel (after all, she was Ms. Peel on the Avengers series). Here she retains much of her toughness, and makes for one of the more memorable - and beautiful - Bond girls. Telly Savalas makes the archetypal Blofeld (better than Donald Pleasance), perfect in his role as the ultimate of Bond's arch-villains. Some may criticize this film's story, particularly its ending, as being very un-Bond-like. This, however, is what I believe makes the film interesting, it does not abandon the Bond-style for cheap, over-the-top effects, but rather creates a quite interesting and more personal sort of story around its characters (and it is rather true to the Ian Fleming novel around which it is based). It is unfortunate that the following film, Diamonds are Forever (again with Connery), which is a sort of follow-up to this film, does such a poor job of following up.

Rating:
Summary: No Connery, But It Works
Review: This has to be one of the best Bond films ever made, which in a way is very surprising due to a few details in the movie. One, and this is very important, this is the first movie in the series without the great Sean Connery as the star! Sean Connery is by far the best man to take on the role of Bond, so most would kind of judge a little hard on the man who took his place. But somhow Lasenby pulled it off.

This movie has somthing for fans of later movies such as For Your Eyes Only, and Licence to Kill, because this is the movie where Bond found the woman that he marries, and also where Blofeld hits Bond with an enourmous blow.

So if you want the best story, some of the best pick up scenes with Bond and the ladies, and if you were a fan of the Avengers TV show, (Bonds wife was a cast member) then this is the movie for you. NUFF SAID.