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| Trouble for 1969's new James Bond (George Lazenby) and Countess Tracy (Diana Rigg) in the top-class JAMES BOND adventure On Her Majesty's Secret Service, now showing exclusively on the UK's SKY MOVIES 007 CHANNEL. Images: MGM/UNITED ARTISTS. |
Recently voted best movie- and rightly so in my book - of legendary super-spy JAMES BOND's 22 film series (not including 2012's SKYFALL), On Her Majesty's Secret Service is that rare commodity in British and Hollywood blockbuster movie-making: a skillfully crafted adventure that seemingly gets better with age and repeated viewings. For years unfairly languishing in the realms of unappreciated actors to have played the shaken not stirred role, prior to the films critical re-evaluation by fans and audiences in the late eighties, Aussie model George Lazenby does a remarkable job in his sadly one and only outing: good-looking, confident, playful and absolutely bloody terrific in the action/fight scenes. Had Lazenby signed that original seven-picture continuing deal as producer Cubby Broccoli wanted him to (the film-maker, seeing promise in his raw star, prepared to help the actor tone down and discipline his off-set Aussie predilection for hell-raising, off-set womanising, boozing and overall laddish qualities), and not listened to his then Svengali-like hippy agent (who thought the BOND series was coming to an end), he would likely have gotten even better and more accomplished in the role, and won the audiences respect a lot quicker.
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| Licensed to kill. George Lazenby hits the spot as James Bond. |
On Her Majesty's Secret Service Opening Title Sequence HD - YouTube
On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Beach fight - YouTube
On Her Majesty`s Secret Service (1969) - Ski chase - YouTube
Also regarded as creator Ian Fleming's finest novel, OHMSS is the one where Bond falls in love with a troubled woman who, getting his help and support (though he at first has an ulterior motive for seeing her), goes on to become his equal, and perfect partner: Countess Tracy di Vicenzo, daughter of a millionaire shipping/industry magnate with heavy criminal underworld connections, as played by the gorgeous and vibrant Diana Rigg, fresh out of her starring role as Emma Peel in THE AVENGERS TV series, wooing viewers all over again with her considerable style, intelligence and beauty. She's obviously capable of out acting Lazenby for the majority of the film's screen time, but he holds his own considerably, being the one that ultimately makes us all cry at the end after his beloved new wife is brutally slain by escaping, revenge fuelled arch villain Blofeld (KOJAK's Telly Savalas, playing the series best incarnation (so far!) of the bald villain).
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| Just married! Mr and Mrs Bond. |
The tragic finale: On Her Majesty's Secret Service Ending - YouTube
With incredible stunt work galore, alongside beautiful alpine photography, its all handled with style and confident aplomb by BOND series film editor, the late, great Peter Hunt (sadly his one and only time in the chair after the film incredulously failed to make as much money as previous films at the box office (mostly because the audience missed Sean Connery)). Working with adaptor Richard Maibaum (though the book was pretty much tailor made for conversion to celluloid), its the clever foundation building of OHMSS's character and drama that shine the brightest here, and should have led the series into bigger and braver avenues of future storytelling. Instead a different kind of "Bond Cocktail" formula set-in with the next film: Sean Connery's one-off comeback, Diamonds are Forever, which, though successful, needed boosts of adrenaline and direction-changing from time to time to keep it honest and relevant to audiences. It wouldn't be until 2005, and the emergence of Daniel Craig as Bond, bringing with him the kind of depth to the part had been lacking for years, that 007 and the overall series finally had a worthy successor to the sterling path and efforts set down in 1969 by Lazenby, Hunt and co. Now into his 51st year, the future of 007, thanks to them, thanks to OHMSS, looks brighter than ever...
JAMES BOND 007 MAGAZINE | The Ultimate James Bond Poll Results
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| All the Bonds, now on SKY MOVIES this July 2013. |
For July 2013, the SKY MOVIES 007 CHANNEL, showing all the BOND films from 1962's DR. NO to the digital satellite TV premiere of 2012's SKYFALL, has returned to the UK. Trailer: Sky Movies 007 Presents Skyfall - YouTube
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