I've always liked the James Bond films. The formula, which is loosely modeled after Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest seems to never wear its welcome. Even today with the latest installment of one of cinema's longest running franchises, there's still fun to be had in watching the British Secret Agent with his license to kill foil the plans of a black hat menace with eyes set upon world domination, while still finding time to bed down the most beautiful creatures under the stars, drive the best cars, and toy with the coolest gadgets. Yeah what's not to like about the Bond films? That said however many of the Bond films don't really work outside the franchise as stand alone movies. Entertaining sure, but not really a quality product on their own. Goldfinger and From Russia With Love are generally considered the two best movies of the series. Sean Connery in the staring role is to many the only true Bond. However there are a few Bond cultists out there, who'll make the argument for On Her Majesty's Secret Service as being the best 007 film. I'll join that small group. For the sixth Bond film unknown actor and Australian model George Lazenby stepped into Connery's shoes. It's the only Bond film he would be in and as an actor he might be the least talented of all the Bonds, but in regards to the film itself, Lazenby plays Bond very well. Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas play the supporting roles. Rigg as the love interest and Savalas as Bond's arch nemesis Blofeld. The story of this Bond film is relatively simple when contrasted to the others. Bond has been hot on the trail of Blofeld for several years and to no success and he's thinking about retiring. However he meets Rigg and must abandon the British Secret Service and work for a rival crime syndicate in order to penetrate his way into the secret fortress of Blofeld and SPECTRE nestled away atop the Swiss alps near a skiing resort town. What sets this film apart from every other Bond film, besides Lazenby, is the maturity of it. We still get the suave, womanizing, gambling, and charming Bond, but with a hint of vulnerability and seriousness lacking in the other films. It's a very well paced and consistent film. We get the sense that none of it is filler. Every moment either serves to push the film along story wise, provide great action, or to supplement the realistic romance between Lazenby and Rigg. As a stand alone film it would work extremely well, but within the context of being a Bond film, I'd stake the claim in describing it as great. It's the one time we can actually view Bond as a human being, who is really capable of falling in love or losing a battle. There is little double-cross and few gadgets that trademark the series but it contains just enough of the quintessential Bond flick to please both Bond enthusiasts and those just wanting a darn good action film. The romance is believable and tender. Much could be said of the chemistry between the two leads. This is not a whirlwind fling, as is in most other Bond flicks with the mandatory female. In the other movies the girl is simply part of the formula. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service the girl is an essential part of developing Lazenby's version of the Bond character. By having Lazenby meet up with Rigg even before the title sequence and staying with her through the picture until the final tragic and mature ending, the writers have done a great thing. On Her Majesty's Secret Service also has some of the best action sequences of the Bond films, and like everything else in the movie it's semi-grounded in reality. The escape from Blofeld's trap on the skiing cables is brilliantly staged and followed by a remarkably well edited and choreographed chase down the mountain ski slopes. The speeding bobsleds, the two-fisted hand to hand battles, the bell shed and the helicopter attack, are handled with great care and believability. Telly Savalas is the least cartoonish of all the Bond villain portrayals. The most human. All in all On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one helluva of a ride and a solid film. Goldfinger is the most celebrated of the Bond movies, but the one and only time Lazenby stepped into the character's shoes shows the most mature Bond film.
Review of On Her Majesty's Secret Service
