'THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK' by Walter Veith. It is a non-fiction video documentary identification of the 666 son of perdition that has lived for many hundreds of years and is alive today.
Great to see George Lazenby and OHMSS getting the long overdue credit it deserves. Excellent observation of a movie that is vastly superior to many of the others in the series. Thank you
I think my absolute favorite callback to this film in terms of dialogue is in Goldeneye, with Trevelyan's deliberate mockery: "I might as well ask you if all the vodka martinis ever silence the screams of all the men you've killed. Or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women, for all the dead ones you failed to protect." Absolutely ice cold.
,The world in general did not give Lazenby a fair chance. ANY Connery replacement would have had to face a negative response. The public should have relaxed and let Lazenby enjoy the accolade of being brave enough to try and fill Connery's shoes. I regret it did not work out for Lazenby . I consider him the best follow-up to Connery . He did not emulate Connery"s mannerisms. He held his own . The one problem I had/ have with OHMSS is that it suffers from too much . It needed tighter editing . But,in concluding, Lazenby was/ is the best replacement to Connery and his opening line while standing in the surf won me over. Lazenby's line broke the ice and told us that " hey! I acknowledge the guy . I dare not try to better him". Respect
Diana Rigg was immortalized in this film and I am so grateful we will always have this snapshot of her frozen in time. Her beauty is indescribable. Her aura radiates warmth. It evokes a feeling. Like coming home. And it makes it all the more devastating when the light of Tracy is extinguished. There was no going back after her, and no going on without the nostalgic pang of loss underlying every subsequent film. Those that didn't lean into it feel hollow to me. And those that did reference her were far richer for it.
Lo que has dicho de la excepcional actriz Diana Rigg es el mejor homenaje que he escuchado...Sera Siempre, además la invalorable Emma Peel o la Sra. Peel simplemente, de la mejor serie que por su ironía y humor retrata a la perfeccíon a ciertos sectores sociales y extravagancias del pueblo inglés.
Well said! I 'met' Diana first on TV's The Avengers series sold to 🇨🇦Canada from UK. She & Mission Impossible's Barbara Bain were my boyhood dream women.
Lazenby could pull of the vulnerable, empathetic Bond quite well. I couldn't imagine Connery's Bond genuinely falling in love and then having his heart broken.
I'd have loved to see Connery earnestly try that type of character (he brought a lot of emotional vulnerability in later roles) but it's hard to imagine the filmmakers (and possibly even the public in the 1960s) letting him go there.
@@EyebrowCinema The public back then knew Connery as only Bond, and you're right....they wouldn't have accepted him as the Bond that Fleming wrote in the novel.
His "violent world" indeed. The Bond theme shattered it's way into the end credits with as much ferocity as that bullet shattering the Aston's windshield and killing Tracy. Hunt woke up the audience from an MI 6 agent"s wedded bliss "dream" to the harsh reality of Bond's profession. Craig has been criticized for being a snarling , miserable Bond. When one analyzes the character as well as this video does, (and does so extremely well)....it shouldn't be of no surprise I guess as how Craig's story arc has progressed considering who and what Bond lost in the tragic OHMSS. Of course Craig's Bond lost Vesper in Casino Royale, but Diana's performance as Tracy was splendid, and the audience by the end of the film is rooting for her to be happy beyond her wildest dreams after marring Bond. Hence, her murder is even more shocking. If you look at the entire 60 years of the franchise as this brilliant video does, one can almost understand why Craig's Bond is a miserable sod....the character had a shot at wedded bliss in OHMSS but that was shattered with one bullet. Hunt stayed loyal to the Fleming novel, and OHMSS has grown in stature for good reason. It's a one of a kind masterpiece at every level....and it could be said that the film captured a storyline and tone that EON has been trying to recapture ever since. My gut tells me that NTTD is going to be a serious effort in replicating OHMSS"s tone. We shall see in a few weeks, finally.
@@ysthafellgynghori8423 You could be right, but as long as evil exists in the world Bond is relevant IMO. The thing is in Craig's films there's been an ongoing effort at the highest levels in British government to eliminate the double "0" section....which could mean that Barbara has had a plan to close down shop permanently.
@@gregmize01 I never ranked it high. I thought it should have been scrubbed. Too meta. Such self-consciousness didn't play to type. A few honorable mentions: "Sergeant, make sure he doesn’t get away." "Well, who won?" "SMERSH?" "You may know the right wines, but you're the one on your knees." "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to _die."_ "Black attaché case damaged when examined. So sorry." (Callback to Red Grant's being gassed.) "Nothing. I own the club." "Little boys, too." "What kept you?" "My silence... _could_ have a price." "Another time, another place." (callback to a prior non-Bond movie) "How far do _you_ go?" "No, some men just don't like being taken for a ride." "The way you... hold me." "No. I know a little about women." "It looks terribly difficult. No, it isn't, is it?" "Okay." Pinder, upon being instructed by Bond to give word to Leiter that Paula was killed. In one word he conveys that they have no expectations of who will come out the other side of the mission. "If you're Tanaka, how do you feel about _me?"_ "You forgive me for saying so, but I think you are taking one now." "You must give me the name of your oculist." "Just once." "Is he married?" "Relax, you've got a friend named Felix who can fix anything." "I didn't know there was a pool down there." "Meet the man I share my hairbrush with." (explains who received the code he tapped out with his hairbrush) "You knew the answer before it was given. Somehow, strangely enough, so did I." "I certainly wouldn't have killed you _before."_ "Boy, where you been all your life? That there's one of them new car-boats." (The boat landing on a police car was accidental. They reworked the script to fit it in, thus making Pepper's inability to give chase more plausible.) "Secret agent?! On who's side??" "I don't know. But it sure beats the hell out of Harlem. Don't it?" "Same time tomorrow, Mrs. Bell?" "How about an earthquake?" upon being asked what to drink to. "Don't tell me you're not insured." "What's the matter, sailor? You never seen a major taking a shower before?" "Very novel, Q. We must get them in the stores for Christmas." "You must excuse me, gentlemen, but, not being English, I sometimes find your sense of humour difficult to follow." "I never learned to read."
George Lazenby is criminally underrated as Bond. For a non actor before this film he did an outstanding job. I'm so glad this great film and actor has become a lot more fondly looked upon as time goes by. I'll have this film over all of the Brosnan ones any day.
I'm glad that Rigg and Lazenby are getting more appreciation for their roles with these video essays. It feels like the movie was ahead of its time. Great video!
It's because of Daniel Craig's Bond that there's more appreciation of Lazenby's Bond. But at the time, Connery had pretty much established what Bond would be like and it would be hard for anyone else to fit that role.
I agree; what a well thought-out and articulately expressed essay! Admirable! ===========================================================================================
What I dont understand they say OHMSS didnt make much money it did but not as much as they wsnted. This was the first time other actor played Bond and one without gadgets.
I’m so glad you made a point of mentioning Tracy’s return after Bond’s escape. Having seen this movie so many times over the years, it’s amazing how much power the image of her arrival has on the audience. After such a long escape sequence and the grim reality that he’s about to be caught, there she is to save him and us. Towering over us and giving instant warmth. I love it
I saw this film when it came out; I was only 8. And, you’re right, I still remember that warm, relieved, feeling, when she skated up to him. When I think of 007, this is the 1st movie I think of. Best action, best location, best music, best girl. And, for This particular story-the best Bond.
What an essay, mate! You really nailed it. OHMSS is a cornerstone in Bond movies, but often seen as a "side history" or a "spin-off", as Bond met a girl, get married and then she dies. I got to say that when I see someone that also loves OHMSS, it really loves undoubtedly. It has been 24 years since the first time that I've saw, and is still top on the list. I've always had a belief that Casino Royale's success is credited by OHMSS, with a spy more humanized, great action scenes and a villain that is not dead. And now, NTTD finishes Craig's era with a clear homage to OHMSS in many aspects. As they say, every great art only gets recognition years after. Gladly, I see a legion of people that agrees with me.
2 года назад+141
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is in the top five James Bond films of all time. It's one of the very, very best. No question.
I loved this movie since I was a kid and never knew it had a shitty rep for so long until the internet told me so. My dad loved Bond and we would watch them together on TV. One day OHMSS was on and my dad said "Hey, did you know there was a guy who only did one James Bond movie? Wanna watch it?" I was intrigued and watched the film with rapt attention, utterly enthralled. I never saw it as "the weird one-off movie with that different guy." It was always just another Bond film to me.
See when I was a kid I found OHMSS one of the more dull films that I would skip, yet all I ever heard was rave reviews on how it was one of the best. I repurchased the collection on dvd as my old vhs tapes are very outdated and upon watching it as an adult I can really appreciate how good a Bond movie this is. A total gem and the ending always breaks me.
In some ways (spoiler alert) No Time to Die went full circle, particularly as there were several references throughout to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
My favourite Bond film. A gripping, thrilling rollercoaster of a film with an excellent performance by Lazenby that is as underrated as the film itself.
Love On Her Majesty Secret Service stuck close to Flemings novel! George did a great job! Diana Rigg perfect as Tracy! Its my favorite and every time I watch it, I still cry at the end!❤
I'm 60 this year and I can remember my mum taking me to the cinema to see this film. I always liked it as it was more human than the others. Thanks a great vid. Diana Rigg was a favourite of mine as a boy and man. I think most guys had a crush on her.
Always thought Lazenby was treated unfairly. The script was jokey and brave and he delivered a great performance. The franchise had other problems.....mostly economic and structural.
He was always going to have it rough no matter what because he had never acted before and was replacing Connery. Even if he did it perfectly, audiences didn't want to see anyone but Connery in the role at the time. Timothy Dalton knew this when he turned down the offer.
Lazenby killed off the dream job himself when repeatedly ignoring the producers about his behaviour. He cooked his own goose when he appeared at the Premiere sporting a beard George Best would have been proud of. When he turned up in 1070s porn stars mode, that was it. He wouldn't be asked back. Remember, in pre-launch promotion, they want their new star to look like the bloke they see in the trailers.
@@Cdr_Mansfield_Cumming . George Lazenby was asked back by Saltzman and Broccoli to play James Bond again after Lazenby played Bond in "OHMSS"(1969) because when Connery initially refused to return as Bond in "DAF"(1971), Saltzman and Broccoli sent the screenplay for "DAF" to Lazenby in Australia, but he foolishly turned it down!
The one thing I still wish they'd change on OHMSS is that ending - not what happens but the jarring use of the Bond theme at the end. It really ruins a truly solemn moment. They should either have run the credits silently or else reprised the use of Louis Armstrong's "We have all the time in the world." There wouldn't have been a dry eye in the house. I'm so glad that Armstrong's song (and its orchestral echoes of the movie soundtrack) got an (arguably more) effective second outing in No Time To Die.
Managed to break the series' rules and be a culmination of the series at the same time, often in the same scene. I remember one critic who called it "great 1960s British cinema first, a Bond movie second" and that seems to sum it up. The VHS era helped this movie tremendously, and was the main reason for its critical evaluation. A lot more people saw OHMSS, and enjoyed its different-ness.
@randomguy8196 It's hard to imagine Bond without camp, but the series didn't really get campy until "Goldfinger". Should that have not been a Bond film also? I don't necessarily like the series in toto, preferring mostly the 60s iteration, but it's also true that the series has always made a point of changing with the times.
It really wasn't that " different" from the previous films. Look at FRWL , for instance, or even THUNDERBALL. It is fairly faithful to the novel by Fleming. Remember, the book was number one on the best seller lists. Every one knew Tracy dies at the end . Believe me, It would have been a smash hit if Connery was in it; even with the downbeat ending.
Fascinating analysis, you made some great points. OHMSS is one of my all-time favourite Bond films and films in general, it has a cosy winter vibe that’s just indescribable. The score is one the greatest ever too. I agree that the series has rarely matched its flawless combination of storytelling and action. I think the Dalton films helped continue what it started.
Given that (a) the film is centred around the theme of revenge, (b) the plot is started by a wedding meeting a tragic fate, and (c) Tracy's fate is actually referred to in dialogue, you can make the argument that Licence to Kill is the follow-up to OHMSS that Diamonds Are Forever should've been
@@christianwise637 And if Lazenby continued on with the role, take a moment to imagine HIM as Bond visiting Tracy"s grave in the opening of For Your Eyes Only. That would have been an epic moment, and he only would have been in his early 40's.
@@christianwise637 Diamonds Are Forever was just an awful movie. Easily the worst Bond ever. The plot was a mess, Connery was sleepwalking, the villains were forgettable, uuggghhh. Absolutely nothing worked in that film from beginning to end.
OHMSS was always a personal high favourite for me ... Lazenby was laid back and really cool, it was always going to be difficult to replace Connery, but Lazenby deserved a few more films to iron out his character...
He and his agent blew it. Lazenby thought he was a movie star and could go on to other roles. His agent fed him this and advised him to not do any more Bond films. The producers were going to let him do at least 1 or 2 more. Then he burned his bridges. The producers panicked and brought back Connery. If you have not seen it, there's a documentary called "On Becoming Bond". It discusses Lazenby' story and how he got the role and what happened after.
@@ScienceTalkwithJimMassa Yeah it was good doco on a messed up story... Lazenby was great as 007 - if only he hadn't been so arrogant and followed bad advice he may have had a bigger career ...
Yeah well you should research that. Lazenby would have been the death of Bond if he had stayed. His off camera attitude and behavior made him a no go in the worst way.
If he stayed on I think the screenplay would had been different and better since when they got Connery back he asked alot of money which reduced the budget and it shows in DRF its a dull film. Lazenby may had grown in the role if he had stayed but at least he made one of the best Bond film in the series that ended the Classic Bond films of the 60s .
23:30 - the more I watch this, the more I realize that, if there was continuity, Blofeld should have been hunted not only by MI6 but also the Mafia. After all from The Godfather to the Sopranos, any murder of a family member is met with the grisliest of revenge. Yes, Diamonds are Forever feels like a bizarre reset.
Donald Pleasances's Blofeld in YOLT was "creepy". Telly Savalas's interpretation was far more in 007's face! Charles Gray as Blofeld in "Diamonds Are Forever" was campy... ...Sean just looked bored in that film; George should have done it!
@@user-xp2gm8im2cthe Unione Corse while not Italian is definitely a European mafia. There’s no way Draco wouldn’t have let her death go unavenged, tbh it’s a shame he didn’t make another appearance or two in any of the early 70s Bond films
As a former film student myself, I appreciate both your passion and your scholarship. Also, OHMSS is my fave Bond, breaks my heart every time I re-watch it. And the older you get, the more the Armstrong song guts you. I only found your channel today, gonna go and see if you've done any Brakhage now. 🤓
I am glad I didn't know anything about the feedback to this movie when I first saw it on VHS, it became my favorite Bond film. While it is true Lazenby couldn't do what Connery did with the role, I think that is equally true that Connery couldn't replace Lezenby in this movie. After the past five movies I just can't see him pulling off being really scared or depressed like Bond is in parts of this film, he has been in much worse places without showing fear, I also couldn't see him falling for Tracy the way Bond did in this film and Lezenby nails that final shot in a way no other Bond could. I am glad this movie took the chances it did and I think it was massively underrated at the time.
Yeah, the notion that if Connery was in OHMSS it be the perfect Bond movie misses how crucial Lazenby's take is to the movie. I don't know if Connery couldn't do something similar, but would he? I'm not sure.
@@EyebrowCinema Connery at the time would have brought enormous baggage to the film. Not "negative" baggage necessarily, but baggage. That unique onscreen chemistry between George and Diana was perfect. Connery's Bond was cemented in stone with audiences as a womanizer. I have certain doubt's that the fans back then would have had a real problem with Connery's Bond getting married, no matter who the actress was who played Tracy. Lazenby was the perfect choice in many ways. Having little film experience was actually an asset for George. As an unknown, he had absolutely NO baggage to bring to the role, and did an excellent job considering the awesome challenge that he faced being the very first actor to take over the job after Connery quit. Keep in mind that Cubby and Harry offered Lazenby a six picture deal. They knew that they had the right guy. But George took some really idiotic advice from an agent friend and walked....believing that Bond had no future based on the agent's opinion.
Bond here is not relatively young, vulnerable and infinite, but a mature man with experience, like the actors in the other roles. Connery in ''You Only Live Twice'' is the character of Bond here. An agent tired from his job, finds happiness in love and marriage. With Connery would have other romance, Bond and Tracy would be like him and Bardot in ''Shalako''. We would understand that is in love, without says ''I love you". The ending scene, I think it would be much closer to the book. Ιn book the car doesn't stop, and after the gun shot comes out of the road, and Bond lost his senses for a while and is slightly injured, when he talks to the policeman on the motorcycle.
A really good argument for it. I always thought OHMSS reflected the end of the 60’s and the Bond series. From then on it would have to be something different and it was never as good again because it parried itself. In many ways, because of that, it was good that George only did the one.
I feel similarly about Peter Hunt. Much as I would have loved to see him direct more Bond it's hard to imagine him really topping his work here. In most ways I think he said what he needed to say.
I agree , I call the 60s films the Classic Bond. After the 60s they changed the formula to a spoofy edition of Bond . It became a family film with sex and women as Moore winked at the camera. I didnt like Diamonds are forever , no exotic locations it was Las Vegas . Cheaply done.
@@EyebrowCinema Yes, true. But it would have been pretty incredible for Hunt, Lazenby, John Barry, and Savalas to return for a direct revenge sequel after OHMSS. It could be said it was a lost opportunity.
@@speedracer1945 ''Diamonds Are Forever'' is a sequel of ''You Only Live Twice'' and has similar style and low budget with ''Live and Let Die'' and ''The Man with the Golden Gun''.
OHMSS stands up as one of the strongest movies in the JB canon. It’s one of the few movies that faithfully followed book…and I think that helped. But Rigg, the direction, cinematography, and John Barry’s best Bond score, certainly didn’t hurt.
When he says “she’s just resting” while curled up into a ball holding her scarf, I cried I NEVER expected to get emotionally hurt by a bond film, but there I was, head in my hands
I've loved OHMSS ever since I first saw it as a child, and I've never understood why it had such a lukewarm reputation. Likewise George Lazenby as Bond; I thought he was fine, and still do.
It's not about Connery owning the role, it's about Lazenby being a lousy actor. He doesn't project a character, he just reads lines, and often rather haphazardly. It's quite the irony that Daniel Craig's era is credited with rehabilitating Lazenby, as they are poles apart as far as acting ability. I think the interesting test for Lazenby-lovers would be whether they've ever noticed bad acting anywhere at all. They probably think it doesn't exist.
Great video. OHMSS is, indeed, a re-discovered treasure. I saw it in the theater when it first came out and the ending totally ripped my heart out. To this day, whenever I watch it, I'm more likely to stop the film at the wedding sequence. It's still too hard to take. Even seeing it here brought tears to my eyes. But, on the other hand, there is the story of Tracy who is positively luminous as played by Diana Rigg. Her appearance at the skate rink to save James is still one of the most breathtaking appearances by an actress on screen. While I regularly go back to enjoy all of the other Bond films, OHMSS is always something of a special occasion, to be savored only once in awhile. Like a bottle of your finest wine in the cellar.
OHMSS is actually my favorite of all the Bond movies and George Lazenby one of my favorite Bonds if not the favorite. I always thought he did a great job with the character without trying to be Sean Connery, and I cherish his contribution to the Jambes Bond legacy.
I watched this yesterday on your recommendation, and though I have deeply disagreed with you on things before, you're spot on here. Not just a film filled with iconic Bond moments and scenes, but a great movie in its own right, and its relieving to see people starting to agree.
its still a shame 50 years later that we never had the following film as a revenge story and instead got diamonds are forever. which is one of my least favorites
@Trey Stephens its a shame that Irma Bunt was never heard again or replace her after OHMSS, if they can replace Blofeld 3 Bond films in a row, why not Irma?
Nowadays, OHMSS is seen by many as one of the best Bonds. It's been re-appreciated and rightfully so. Imagine if it had been Connery's last movie as 007 and the series would have ended there - it would have stunned audiences at the time.
Emo millenials praise the movie. Back then when the world was still bit normal place this movie was considered to be the worst Bond movie. It is not hard to guess why. It is just boring stuff with lame screenplay. Lazenby was not as bad but he was not too good either.
A thought even more worthy of savoring- it is said that, if Lazenby was to return for a second Bond film, then they would have started with Tracy's death and presumably done Bond hunting Blofeld in revenge as a true sequel. I'd want to see that movie.
Best I've seen in years. Not only terrific insight into OHMSS, but also excellent observations about the entire franchise. Every fan should see this before the release of NTTD.
O.H.M.S.S. comes at the right time, after 5 films, the very innovative effects in ''You Only Live Twice'' (like ''For Your Eyes Only'' after ''Moonraker'') and especially when the messages of the time are ''make love, not war'' and ''all you need is love''. Has the right actors to the other roles (better for Blofeld is Yul Brynner), but not in Bond.
It's bizarre that he was completely dropped from the series given how essential he was to the movies as a director and editor. I do wonder if there's some story there that hasn't been made public.
if i had to guess based on the producers' reputations, he probably stuck up for Lazenby. Or said firing him was a mistake. Maybe he criticised Diamonds are Forever. Who knows, but i bet it's something simple and petty on the part of the producers.
For me the last real James Bond was Pierce Brosnan. True, it was a more action oriented compared to the traditional James Bond, but it still had a Bond(ish) feel. For me everything collapsed with the pandering to China and making Daniel Craig James Bond. Does he have it to be James Bond? Sure, I think he could play a good James Bond, as he showed starring next to Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider. However his emotionless plank of wood, always stiff and expression as if he hates it to play James Bond really fucked up the franchise for my taste.
@@stijnvdv2 Craig's style is more Jason Bourne, he's more of a hitman than a spy, only Casino Royale was his best ever, Skyfall was great but didn't age well, its like Im watching a ripoff of Dark Knight and im pretty sure Silva is a ripoff of Joker
Had a conversation with a fellow Bond freak over a pint a few days ago. He said that OHMSS was 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 the best Bond film. First time that particular film had been mentioned in many years. Breaking out the complete boxed-set tonight to draw my own conclusions.
Let's also not forget the incredible sound track of OHMSS with Louis Armstrong unforgettable "we have all the time in the world" and maybe the best 007 sound track by John Barry...
Remember how the teaser trailer for the Incredibles stole the chase music from Bond's escape? Magnificent music. ruclips.net/video/OTQWaFXWiVw/видео.html
The Lazenby section of the Bond doc "Everything or Nothing" is brutal. He understands perfectly that he had the entire world in the palm of his hands, and gleefully burned it all down for absurd reasons. His eyes show it all. It's so sad.
I never believed that story since he wanted that role so bad . I think the producers saw that Connery had one last film in his contract and paid off Lazenby and to save face gave that story.
According to legend he only seriously turned down doing Diamonds cos his agent said spy films were going to be passe in the 70s and advised against it.
@@speedracer1945 Wrong. Watch the doc. Lazenby lays it all out, every aspect, in his own words. He is devastated to this very day by his own foolishness.
@@stanley-fghijk441 Well yeh obviously the decision was ultimately down to him but he was an inexperienced model and obvioulsy he was going to listen to his agent who was a complete moron to say Bond films would be done by the 70s.
I've been a fan for over 40 years now and I can only recommend everyone to watch OHMSS first and then DAF with Connery. You will notice how special OHMSS was. An agent thriller par excellence. It's not just the main character who sets the scene! It's the whole story that counts. For me, OHMSS is one of the strongest Bond movies of all time.
27.59 minutes into narration Roger Moore had a S & W Model 29 .44 Magnum in Live and Let Die not a .357 Magnum as Mentioned , Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry had S &W Model 29 .44 Magnum as well
We should be thankful that for once the producers allowed Ian Fleming's novel to be filmed with only minor alterations. They could have easily heavily modified the story as done with YOLT.
Great analisys! Personally, I've always reputed OHMSS one of the best of the series. Lazenby have been less charismatyc than Connery, but I found it more human, and the Tracy figure was a gem in the plot. I've really appreciated this video!
This video was obviously made before No Time to Die came out but its clear that the influence of OHMSS is felt right up until the present. The use of much of the same theme music, Louis Armstrong's We Have All The Time in The World as well as Bond's death at the end similar to that of Tracy in OHMSS is a testament to the endurance of that film that sadly fell between the cracks of You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever. Anyone who has seen No Time should definitely see OHMSS to appreciate just how well the latter has held up over the years and how much better it is compared to many of the films made after 1969. Excellent video essay.
Definitely one of my favorite Bond films. George Lazenby wasn't bad. Not the greatest but he did a solid job. The guy is entertaining in the Man from Hong Kong which I highly recommend.
I agree regarding Lazenby. My hottest Bond take is every actor to play 007 is good and all brought something unique to the part. I'm not familiar with The Man from Hong Kong but apparently Hugh Keays-Byrne is in it? That rules.
@@EyebrowCinema Hughes Keays-Byrne demonstrated his versatility by playing the comic relief to the serious detective from Hong Kong. George Lazenby was the villain.
@@speedracer1945 Yes, George has said during interviews in recent years that Hunt would direct him by occasionally saying "just act like Sean Connery would."
Love that song while he broke into the safe . Hunt did a great job directing it was just like the novel Bond with no weapons or gadgets on that mountain. Lazenby played him well and could fight better than Connery and Moore .
I remember re watching all the bonds, and when we go to this one, I loved every second of it, and the ending left me with wanting more, to see what would bond do, only to get confused by Diamonds are Forever. It's true I just kept looking for closure and those two scenes from Dalton's and Moore's bond were my favorites cause I just wanted to know, if that movie was even canon to them. Great essay well done
When I first saw OHMSS in the theater, I came to realize I was really more of a Sean Connery IS James Bond fan than a 007 fan. I recently watched OHMSS in HD and now consider it equal to my favorite… Goldfinger. Great review of the film and the series evolution.
Been arguing this for decades with Bond lovers, and have been laughed out of the room. Up until Daniel Craig, I couldn't take Bond seriously. OHMSS reached me, and that ending was totally devastating. 💗
I’ve always thought OHMSS is bar far the best Bond movie in every aspect. Lazenby was terrific, his physicality unmatched until Daniel Craig became Bond. Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas were equally excellent. All without CGI and gadgets.
I wasn't totally sold on No Time To Die, but having watched this I can totally see how you might watch it as an homage to what makes OHMSS the film that it is. The cinematography, epic scale and maximalism, exceptional stunts and stakes that undermine the logic of what we have come to expect in these films. Might give it a re-watch due to this, great video essay!
It’s always been my favourite Bond film, as well as my favourite of the books. Bond in the books, has a vulnerability around women. He is awed by them, falls in love with them and is always hurt by them. Connery never got this. Lazenby did.
I only now watched The World Is Not Enough. It has some atrocious bits, but most Bond movies do; overlooking them, the whole thing with Sophie Marceau's character is great imo. I believe it's the first time since OHMSS that a movie Bond is deeply hurt by a woman. The movie does have its significant flaws, but it also continues the story of Brosnan's cold-blooded Bond (begun in Goldeneye) in a pretty tragic manner.
Connery's Bond was never supposed to get "this" from women. The early films followed the novels - he wasn't putting his career in the drawer for a woman and retiring, that's why OHMSS came next to display that, and Connery would've showed that had he continued.
I agree that this is a truly special and important Bond movie. The film style, brutal action scenes and the soundtrack make this one of the more unforgettable Bond movies.
Excellent essay. Thank you for your analysis, I especially subscribe your conclusion at 28:15. The Bond movies went from vanguard to emulation, and the turning point was indeed OHMSS.
I think that something else that's adding to this film's myth is that this is the single Lazenby outing, giving the film this self-contained feel that doesn't blend in with other film's, like can be argued happens in Moore or even Craig. It almost feels like a riff on Bond made from a studio with greater liberty to explore the character and not a mainline series entry
@@EyebrowCinema Yes, a true "one-off", which deserved however a direct revenge sequel. Back then however, Cubby and Harry did not do sequels, Each film was self contained and it was only until the Craig films that Barbara and Michael had decided to film an advancing storyline which has tied all of his five films together, for better or for worse.
It certainly doesn't fit with the movies it was sandwiched in between. The character of this Bond is lightyears away from Connery's aloof portrayal. It almost feels like a prequel or, yes even it's own thing. Differences like this really make the 'James Bond is just a code name carried by different agents' theory very appealing.
Part of Connery interview in Playboy November 1965 PLAYBOY: In any case, ''Dr. No'' turned out to be a hit, and you found yourself under contract for a series ... exactly what you said you wanted to avoid. CONNERY: Yes ... but it allows me to make other films, and I have only two more Bonds to do. PLAYBOY: Which ones? CONNERY: ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' and possibly ''You Only Live Twice''. They would like to start ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' in Switzerland in January (1966), but I'm not sure I'll be free in time and I don't want to rush it, although they say the snow will be at its best then. I'm not going to rush anything anymore. PLAYBOY: We'll be looking forward to both films ... especially since we were fortunate enough to serialize both books exclusively prior to their hardcover publication. Do you think the success of the series will continue to snowball? CONNERY: Well, it's a healthy market and it has been maintained because each succeeding film has got bigger and the gimmicks trickier. But we have to be careful where we go next, because I think with ''Thunderball'' we've reached the limit as far as size and gimmicks are concerned. In ''Thunderball'' we have Bond underwater for about 40 percent of the time, and there is a love scene underwater, and attacks by aquaparas from the sky, and two-man submarines under the sea, and Bond is menaced by sharks. Instead of the Aston Martin we have a hydrofoil disguised as a cabin cruiser, and Bond escapes with a self-propelling jet set attached to his back. So all the gimmicks now have been done. And they are expected. What is needed now is a change of course ... more attention to character and better dialogue.
People always look at me funny when I say Majesty is one of my favorites. The story is great, Rigg was amazing, and the source of the brash and callous bitterness was given a poignant human face of loss. Every other Bond has shown a different facet, like the shards of the mirror that was broken at the end of Majesty. Currently, Craig is showing that earnest pain the best, even though Brosnan may have been the most gadgety fun. Now I have to rewatch Mr Lazenby. Cheers and thanks for the great video discourse!
Fun fact: in czech dubbing the famous line: "This never happened to the other fella." is actually translated as: "This would have never happened to Connery."
Awesome review! A long time ago I gave this move a re-watch as a joke, only to realize how good it really was. I grew up on the Roger Moore Bond and only after reading the books did I really get into Sean Connery's Bond. And then Brosnan. Still did not get into Dalton. Actually I think Craig is closer to Lazenby than any of the other Bonds. But Majesty's really is top notch, and no doubt one of the very best.
Well, Ian Fleming himself said that he imagined Bond looking like the pianist in the movie 'To have and Have Not'(1944) that is Hoagy Carmichael. So that would make Daniel Craig the best contender...But as for acting I thought Lazenby was no actor..Like overdubbing his voice won't cut it.. He IS no actor.. The music score was good, though... Skiing down a slope reminds me of another Bond classic: Die Another Day.. (please die NOW, Bond franchise, Before it's 'Time to Die').
Goldfinger isn't exactly something to live up to. It's a mediocre movie and was the beginning of a downturn in tone for the movies. OHMSS was a valiant effort to turn the ship (though it still retained too much camp), but Lazenby's mediocre acting undercut the effort.
After seeing my first Bond film “Goldeneye” and loving it; then not being nearly as impressed with the follow ups I checked out the older ones and found they were WAY better. OHMSS was the first Bond movie I owned - mum bought it from Costco on VHS.
When I finally watched all the Bonds start to finish a few years ago I was taken aback by OHMSS, instantly became a favorite. I was shocked when I discovered it was so negatively looked on, honestly had zero context for anything about this movie besides "Oh ya this is the one movie with the guy who played Bond once"
Fantastic video essay! As a former filmmaker I really appreciate intelligent thoughtful film criticism such as this. You've invested a deep and poignant look into to OHMSS and present a well thought out and original thesis. Thank you for this.
OHMSS with Lazenby is, as a 53 year old life long Bond fan, my favourite Bond movie. IF Connery was looked after and appreciated half as much as Craig was and still is, things definitely would have been different. He, as a relatively unknown actor catapulted James Bond and himself into the stratosphere. Unfortunately the producers just thought of him as a paid employee and famously stated "that Bond is bigger than any actor". Unlike daughter Barbara who gave us out of left field Daniel Craig, who from day one thinks the sun shines out of his ass. That's the difference between then and now.
I was with you until the Craig slander. He was fantastic in the role, even with subpar dialogue and stories. There were some misses, but he arguably helmed 2 of the 5 best in the entire series.
@@nairbsggirb1718 Sorry to disagree with you, His arrogance is off the charts. He should have walked away after Spectre, literally drive away into the sunset BUT several tens of millions persuaded him to come back.... And kill off Bond. Remember he was also an executive producer and had scriptwriter inputs... Could you possibly imagine that with Cubby Broccoli and Connery/ Moore ?
Personally it's my favourite for many reasons; The intense fight scenes, the ski chases, the bobsleigh fight near the end, the brilliant theme... and the ending which no other Bond movie had - up until now. The irony is that the phrase used in this movie "We have all the time in the world" and the theme for OHMSS was also played in the most recent Bond film No Time to Die.
Man you nailed it! This was a very underappreciated Bond film. I'm so glad it's grown in stature over the years. In some ways, I wished the series would retire because they've run out of ideas a long time ago. Then again...I'm always there to see the new one on opening day.
I've recently begun watching all the 007 movies from start to finish, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service struck me. Before that my favourite Bond movie was Thunderball, but it's clear that OHMSS takes the cake. I loved how different it was from the others, while still being the same. I love Lazenby, who for me is the best Bond, and I loved his story. I think it's a good conclusion to the series, no offense to the other actors who also made Bond great
It's my favorite one too and when I watch the series I always watch OHMSS before you only live twice. I enjoy the first couple of the movies each new Bond does as they seem to the best ones. You can see the performance from Connery and Moore where they were just their to get paid. I liked George's performance it wasn't bad for a man that never really acted before being cast as Bond and the supporting cast was great. My favorite Bond actors were Connery, Dalton, and Brosnan. Would have been interesting to see how good George could have been if he didn't take the bad advice to not return to the role.
I tell you what, OHMSS has always been my fave Bond. But, after watching No Time To Die yesterday, which was stupendous, OHMSS really has attained a whole new level of relevance and magnificence now.
26:21 Actually the car being on the wrong set of wheels was a production mistake. They shot a correct ending to that scene but there were too many by-standers making the shot unusable. So they reshot it. But when the editor got the footage, she was shocked to see that the stunt team had botched the shot and she desperately tried to patch it up as best as she could.
This was Fantastic! On her Majesty's was the first Bond movie I seen in a movie theater as a kid. So I knew about the recasting. I was already a fan of Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel so this film is special to me.
I saw OHMSS when it was first shown in cinemas in 69. Yes Diana Rigg was already popular in The Avengers. Throwing men about in catsuit. V versatile actor.
2 weeks ago I was in the Palacio Hotel in Estoril. Great place to feel the entourage of bond yourself… Don’t forget to ask the concierge about his role in this movie, take your time because he has a lot to tell!
So special film in the series that they never tried again to make a deeper character of Bond until Craig’s era. Even Craig’ s films matched the timeline until Spectre and the introduction of Lea Seydoux character. The influence of OHMSS is visible in No Time To Die…and for good reason
A very good appraisal, as a James Bond film fan from an early age, I never saw the problem with on her Majesty secret service, in fact it has always been one of my favourite movies
For those of us who are old enough to have watched the original Bond movies in the movie theater back in the 1960s the answer is a bit more obvious...... It was the 1960s, we only had 3 TV channels and most of us were still watching black&white TV; going to the movie theater and watching that giant full color screen was an amazing experience. The spy series itself was exactly right for the sixties, new and exciting for the decade of social change. Sean Connery himself was the prefect James Bond and he was everything adolescent boys from the sixties aspired to be, I remember idolizing him. As the seventies came we all suddenly got color TV at home and cable channels, home entertainment became a lot better. And yeah, Lazenby just wasn't Sean Connery and I found the film boring as a result. I could go on but I can summarize by simply saying that Sean Connery and the James Bond series was exactly right for its time, as times changed the series became dated, as everything always does. People watching the series for the first time now will be streaming all the movies at home on their HDTV and will have a totally different experience than what us old-timers had as kids back in the movie theaters with the first run showings in those times.
I have seen every Bond film in the theaters from the get go. I was a kid back then. My dad took me to see them all. He was a big Bond fan and he took me because he's spending time with his kid)) Nothing like seeing that Aston Martin on the big screen. Holy s#!t! When Tracy was killed, my dad actually let out a "no, they killed her". He was upset. I was stunned. OHMSS is one of my all time favorite Bond films. I tend to dismiss the Moore films. Too silly. He was really playing Simon Templar.
This video comes at a perfect moment, considering how HEAVILY No Time to Die references this film, from the soundtrack to the themes of finality (I don't want to spoil the ending). Also I just realized just how much Lea Seydoux looks like Diana Rigg.
This was always my favourite Bond film for a lot of the aforementioned reasons. It has everything that Bond needs- Camp, Romance, Drama, Action, Chases, Villians, etc. And it’s also self aware in a balanced way, I feel like Lazenby lent himself to that. He was able to be an understated version of a very bold character that seems easier to carry than he is. Also Diana Rigg is best Bond girl
I loved that that they have acknowledged Tracy in several movies: 1) In The Spy Who Loved Me, when Bond meets Anya Amasova in the Mujaba Club bar, in Cairo, she summarises his career and personal life to him. When she notes, "... many lady friends, but married only once. Wife killed -", Bond cuts her short by saying, "Alright, you've made your point". Anya comments that he's sensitive. Bond replies, "About certain things, yes". 2) In For Your Eyes Only, in the pre-title sequence, Bond lays flowers at Tracy's grave in the churchyard of Church of St Giles, Stoke Poges before boarding a helicopter. The headstone reads: "TERESA BOND, 1943-1969, Beloved Wife of JAMES BOND / We have all the time in the World" - referring to the final words in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. 3) In Licence to Kill, after Felix Leiter's wedding, Felix's new wife Della throws her garter at Bond, teasing him, "the next one who catches this is the next one who ..." Bond looks visibly pained; when Della asks Felix about it, Felix makes a short, sad reference to Bond once having been married, "but that was a long time ago." I left out two other scenes, because they are to vague.
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thanks for the shameless shilling, don't have to watch the video now
The Pierce Brosnan films were the end of James Bond!
i used to say i liked this movie but then i fell asleep while watching it in 2003 and after that its like nah okey, its not good
Are you also Forgotten Places channel ?
'THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK' by Walter Veith. It is a non-fiction video documentary identification of the 666 son of perdition that has lived for many hundreds of years and is alive today.
Great to see George Lazenby and OHMSS getting the long overdue credit it deserves. Excellent observation of a movie that is vastly superior to many of the others in the series. Thank you
I think my absolute favorite callback to this film in terms of dialogue is in Goldeneye, with Trevelyan's deliberate mockery: "I might as well ask you if all the vodka martinis ever silence the screams of all the men you've killed. Or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women, for all the dead ones you failed to protect." Absolutely ice cold.
,The world in general did not give Lazenby a fair chance. ANY Connery replacement would have had to face a negative response. The public should have relaxed and let Lazenby enjoy the accolade of being brave enough to try and fill Connery's shoes. I regret it did not work out for Lazenby . I consider him the best follow-up to Connery . He did not emulate Connery"s mannerisms. He held his own . The one problem I had/ have with OHMSS is that it suffers from too much . It needed tighter editing . But,in concluding, Lazenby was/ is the best replacement to Connery and his opening line while standing in the surf won me over. Lazenby's line broke the ice and told us that " hey! I acknowledge the guy . I dare not try to better him". Respect
For England, James?
No... For her
@@justanantico6327 For me*
Lazenby was the worst actor to play Bond, and it sadly shows.
Still a nice movie though@@ainsleylucky3511
Diana Rigg was immortalized in this film and I am so grateful we will always have this snapshot of her frozen in time. Her beauty is indescribable. Her aura radiates warmth. It evokes a feeling. Like coming home. And it makes it all the more devastating when the light of Tracy is extinguished. There was no going back after her, and no going on without the nostalgic pang of loss underlying every subsequent film. Those that didn't lean into it feel hollow to me. And those that did reference her were far richer for it.
Lo que has dicho de la excepcional actriz Diana Rigg es el mejor homenaje que he escuchado...Sera Siempre, además la invalorable Emma Peel o la Sra. Peel simplemente, de la mejor serie que por su ironía y humor retrata a la perfeccíon a ciertos sectores sociales y extravagancias del pueblo inglés.
i couldn't agree more
She was asked how OHMSS had changed her life. She said it hadn't, not one bit.
Well said! I 'met' Diana first on TV's The Avengers series sold to 🇨🇦Canada from UK. She & Mission Impossible's Barbara Bain were my boyhood dream women.
She was even better as Emma Peal in the Avengers on British television.
OHMSS is a wonderful film and that ice rink scene where a self assured Tracy skates up to a scared and stressed Bond and saves him is perfection.
I just done a reaction. It’s out next Thursday and that’s what I said. Watch it please and you will see me sob like a baby
Straight from the book. Tracy and Bond are so adorable together
Yes, that scene and really the whole book was quite close to the movie.
Tracy was bad ass. A great partner for Bond.
Gotta say i love that scene. He's desperate, exhausted, and then she comes back to solidify her place at the top of bond girls
Lazenby could pull of the vulnerable, empathetic Bond quite well. I couldn't imagine Connery's Bond genuinely falling in love and then having his heart broken.
I'd have loved to see Connery earnestly try that type of character (he brought a lot of emotional vulnerability in later roles) but it's hard to imagine the filmmakers (and possibly even the public in the 1960s) letting him go there.
@@EyebrowCinema The public back then knew Connery as only Bond, and you're right....they wouldn't have accepted him as the Bond that Fleming wrote in the novel.
ruclips.net/video/wivsl8JqLKc/видео.html
He made Bond more human!
Connery could do just about anything. But offcourse as Bond he was the king of cool, it just wouldn't fit in the Connery's take on Bond.
I always felt the crashing in of the Bond theme at the end of Majesty's was a brutal reminder that 007 will never be free of his violent world.
I love that interpretation.
His "violent world" indeed. The Bond theme shattered it's way into the end credits with as much ferocity as that bullet shattering the Aston's windshield and killing Tracy. Hunt woke up the audience from an MI 6 agent"s wedded bliss "dream" to the harsh reality of Bond's profession.
Craig has been criticized for being a snarling , miserable Bond. When one analyzes the character as well as this video does, (and does so extremely well)....it shouldn't be of no surprise I guess as how Craig's story arc has progressed considering who and what Bond lost in the tragic OHMSS. Of course Craig's Bond lost Vesper in Casino Royale, but Diana's performance as Tracy was splendid, and the audience by the end of the film is rooting for her to be happy beyond her wildest dreams after marring Bond. Hence, her murder is even more shocking. If you look at the entire 60 years of the franchise as this brilliant video does, one can almost understand why Craig's Bond is a miserable sod....the character had a shot at wedded bliss in OHMSS but that was shattered with one bullet. Hunt stayed loyal to the Fleming novel, and OHMSS has grown in stature for good reason. It's a one of a kind masterpiece at every level....and it could be said that the film captured a storyline and tone that EON has been trying to recapture ever since. My gut tells me that NTTD is going to be a serious effort in replicating OHMSS"s tone.
We shall see in a few weeks, finally.
@Trey Stephens I think Bond's time is over. Public tastes have changed. 'No Time To Die' will be Bond's epitaph.
Also and the title of the film. Means that Bond's destiny is On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
@@ysthafellgynghori8423 You could be right, but as long as evil exists in the world Bond is relevant IMO. The thing is in Craig's films there's been an ongoing effort at the highest levels in British government to eliminate the double "0" section....which could mean that Barbara has had a plan to close down shop permanently.
Still my favorite Bond movie. John Barry's masterpiece. Faithful to the book. Diana Rigg was gorgeous.
I agree😎
It is sooooo good
The most underrated of all the Bond movies.
I have said this more times than I can count. The best no question no argument. George only did one but what a one!
100%
"This never happened to the other fella."
Arguably the greatest line in the history of the series.
My favorite is “No, Mr. Bond! I expect you to die!”
Are you joking?😂😂😂😂
It was definitely one of the great lines.
@@gregmize01
I never ranked it high. I thought it should have been scrubbed. Too meta. Such self-consciousness didn't play to type.
A few honorable mentions:
"Sergeant, make sure he doesn’t get away."
"Well, who won?"
"SMERSH?"
"You may know the right wines, but you're the one on your knees."
"No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to _die."_
"Black attaché case damaged when examined. So sorry." (Callback to Red Grant's being gassed.)
"Nothing. I own the club."
"Little boys, too."
"What kept you?"
"My silence... _could_ have a price."
"Another time, another place." (callback to a prior non-Bond movie)
"How far do _you_ go?"
"No, some men just don't like being taken for a ride."
"The way you... hold me."
"No. I know a little about women."
"It looks terribly difficult. No, it isn't, is it?"
"Okay." Pinder, upon being instructed by Bond to give word to Leiter that Paula was killed. In one word he conveys that they have no expectations of who will come out the other side of the mission.
"If you're Tanaka, how do you feel about _me?"_
"You forgive me for saying so, but I think you are taking one now."
"You must give me the name of your oculist."
"Just once."
"Is he married?"
"Relax, you've got a friend named Felix who can fix anything."
"I didn't know there was a pool down there."
"Meet the man I share my hairbrush with." (explains who received the code he tapped out with his hairbrush)
"You knew the answer before it was given. Somehow, strangely enough, so did I."
"I certainly wouldn't have killed you _before."_
"Boy, where you been all your life? That there's one of them new car-boats." (The boat landing on a police car was accidental. They reworked the script to fit it in, thus making Pepper's inability to give chase more plausible.)
"Secret agent?! On who's side??"
"I don't know. But it sure beats the hell out of Harlem. Don't it?"
"Same time tomorrow, Mrs. Bell?"
"How about an earthquake?" upon being asked what to drink to.
"Don't tell me you're not insured."
"What's the matter, sailor? You never seen a major taking a shower before?"
"Very novel, Q. We must get them in the stores for Christmas."
"You must excuse me, gentlemen, but, not being English, I sometimes find your sense of humour difficult to follow."
"I never learned to read."
George Lazenby is criminally underrated as Bond. For a non actor before this film he did an outstanding job. I'm so glad this great film and actor has become a lot more fondly looked upon as time goes by. I'll have this film over all of the Brosnan ones any day.
I'm glad that Rigg and Lazenby are getting more appreciation for their roles with these video essays. It feels like the movie was ahead of its time. Great video!
Indeed
Is that fascinating documentary, ‘Becoming Bond’?....Recommended...on DVD
It was WAY ahead of its time. Rigg and Lazenby, for all their off-screen conflict, we’re each great in their own ways.
It's because of Daniel Craig's Bond that there's more appreciation of Lazenby's Bond. But at the time, Connery had pretty much established what Bond would be like and it would be hard for anyone else to fit that role.
@@writerpatrick Connery until the early 70s is Bond for everyone. After him here I believe to Stanley Baker.
I’ve always seen Lazenby as an early, navie bond. He’s easily the most well adjusted and least jaded Bond
My favorite Bond movie. The action is so raw. Lazenby also feels the most like the Bond from the books to me.
him and serge rotelli
This is probably the most intelligent analysis of the Bond series I've ever seen. Well done.
Agreed, one of them.
He is perfectly right indeed, and proofed right by the new film.
I agree; what a well thought-out and articulately expressed essay! Admirable!
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I couldn't agree more!
What I dont understand they say OHMSS didnt make much money it did but not as much as they wsnted. This was the first time other actor played Bond and one without gadgets.
I’m so glad you made a point of mentioning Tracy’s return after Bond’s escape. Having seen this movie so many times over the years, it’s amazing how much power the image of her arrival has on the audience. After such a long escape sequence and the grim reality that he’s about to be caught, there she is to save him and us. Towering over us and giving instant warmth. I love it
I saw this film when it came out; I was only 8. And, you’re right, I still remember that warm, relieved, feeling, when she skated up to him.
When I think of 007, this is the 1st movie I think of.
Best action, best location, best music, best girl.
And, for This particular story-the best Bond.
@@stevehackett2678 it was the best book too, by far.....i love the line' it was one of those September's when it seemed summer would never end'
What an essay, mate! You really nailed it.
OHMSS is a cornerstone in Bond movies, but often seen as a "side history" or a "spin-off", as Bond met a girl, get married and then she dies. I got to say that when I see someone that also loves OHMSS, it really loves undoubtedly. It has been 24 years since the first time that I've saw, and is still top on the list.
I've always had a belief that Casino Royale's success is credited by OHMSS, with a spy more humanized, great action scenes and a villain that is not dead. And now, NTTD finishes Craig's era with a clear homage to OHMSS in many aspects. As they say, every great art only gets recognition years after. Gladly, I see a legion of people that agrees with me.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is in the top five James Bond films of all time. It's one of the very, very best. No question.
Certainly better than You Only Live Twice
Agreed... Unfortunately, the popular view puts this movie in the bottom five.
I loved this movie since I was a kid and never knew it had a shitty rep for so long until the internet told me so.
My dad loved Bond and we would watch them together on TV. One day OHMSS was on and my dad said "Hey, did you know there was a guy who only did one James Bond movie? Wanna watch it?"
I was intrigued and watched the film with rapt attention, utterly enthralled. I never saw it as "the weird one-off movie with that different guy." It was always just another Bond film to me.
See when I was a kid I found OHMSS one of the more dull films that I would skip, yet all I ever heard was rave reviews on how it was one of the best. I repurchased the collection on dvd as my old vhs tapes are very outdated and upon watching it as an adult I can really appreciate how good a Bond movie this is. A total gem and the ending always breaks me.
@Trey Stephens I’m not getting rid of them but I won’t view them any more.
Exactly. It was a another Bond movie to me.
@Trey Stephens As long as the tape is still in good condition. So forever really.
In some ways (spoiler alert) No Time to Die went full circle, particularly as there were several references throughout to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
My favourite Bond film. A gripping, thrilling rollercoaster of a film with an excellent performance by Lazenby that is as underrated as the film itself.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was actually not that bad, and honestly it also had the saddest bond movie ending in my opinion.
Love On Her Majesty Secret Service stuck close to Flemings novel! George did a great job! Diana Rigg perfect as Tracy! Its my favorite and every time I watch it, I still cry at the end!❤
I'm 60 this year and I can remember my mum taking me to the cinema to see this film. I always liked it as it was more human than the others. Thanks a great vid. Diana Rigg was a favourite of mine as a boy and man. I think most guys had a crush on her.
Already a popular action star on The Avengers, her trouncing of diabolical men in leather or catsuit was ground breaking in 60s. RIP Dame Diana Rigg.
@@rjleslee I wish tv critics would do justice to Emma Peel as the apex of Steed's partners. Maybe somewhere, someday, someone will ...
Always thought Lazenby was treated unfairly. The script was jokey and brave and he delivered a great performance. The franchise had other problems.....mostly economic and structural.
He was always going to have it rough no matter what because he had never acted before and was replacing Connery. Even if he did it perfectly, audiences didn't want to see anyone but Connery in the role at the time. Timothy Dalton knew this when he turned down the offer.
Lazenby killed off the dream job himself when repeatedly ignoring the producers about his behaviour. He cooked his own goose when he appeared at the Premiere sporting a beard George Best would have been proud of. When he turned up in 1070s porn stars mode, that was it. He wouldn't be asked back. Remember, in pre-launch promotion, they want their new star to look like the bloke they see in the trailers.
Reportedly, he had a difficult personality. So most likely it was him to be he architect of his results.
@@Cdr_Mansfield_Cumming . George Lazenby was asked back by Saltzman and Broccoli to play James Bond again after Lazenby played Bond in "OHMSS"(1969) because when Connery initially refused to return as Bond in "DAF"(1971), Saltzman and Broccoli sent the screenplay for "DAF" to Lazenby in Australia, but he foolishly turned it down!
@@michaelbarlow6610 His agent told him that the Bond films will be dead soon due to the changing times.
The one thing I still wish they'd change on OHMSS is that ending - not what happens but the jarring use of the Bond theme at the end. It really ruins a truly solemn moment. They should either have run the credits silently or else reprised the use of Louis Armstrong's "We have all the time in the world." There wouldn't have been a dry eye in the house. I'm so glad that Armstrong's song (and its orchestral echoes of the movie soundtrack) got an (arguably more) effective second outing in No Time To Die.
We came full circle from OHMSS' slow re-injection to the series, and the culmination managed to come from a *reboot.* It's incredible.
How is a pathetic cheap nostalgia bait a "more effective" use for a cheap death ?
Managed to break the series' rules and be a culmination of the series at the same time, often in the same scene. I remember one critic who called it "great 1960s British cinema first, a Bond movie second" and that seems to sum it up. The VHS era helped this movie tremendously, and was the main reason for its critical evaluation. A lot more people saw OHMSS, and enjoyed its different-ness.
I like that critic quote a lot.
@randomguy8196 It's hard to imagine Bond without camp, but the series didn't really get campy until "Goldfinger". Should that have not been a Bond film also? I don't necessarily like the series in toto, preferring mostly the 60s iteration, but it's also true that the series has always made a point of changing with the times.
It really wasn't that " different" from the previous films.
Look at FRWL , for instance, or even THUNDERBALL.
It is fairly faithful to the novel by Fleming.
Remember, the book was number one on the best seller lists. Every one knew Tracy dies at the end .
Believe me, It would have been a smash hit if Connery was in it; even with the downbeat ending.
@@classiclife7204 Right.
Only one pre- Craig film was " not a Bond film"- the awful LICENCE TO KILL.
A glorified episode of MIAMI VICE . UHHGH
@randomguy8196 Disagree about ending the franchise after Brosnan. Craig has given Bond a new lease of life IMHO. Couldn't stand Brosnan.
Fascinating analysis, you made some great points. OHMSS is one of my all-time favourite Bond films and films in general, it has a cosy winter vibe that’s just indescribable. The score is one the greatest ever too. I agree that the series has rarely matched its flawless combination of storytelling and action. I think the Dalton films helped continue what it started.
Building on your cosy winter vibes, OHMSS is sneakily a wonderful Christmas movie.
Given that (a) the film is centred around the theme of revenge, (b) the plot is started by a wedding meeting a tragic fate, and (c) Tracy's fate is actually referred to in dialogue, you can make the argument that Licence to Kill is the follow-up to OHMSS that Diamonds Are Forever should've been
@@christianwise637 And if Lazenby continued on with the role, take a moment to imagine HIM as Bond visiting Tracy"s grave in the opening of For Your Eyes Only. That would have been an epic moment, and he only would have been in his early 40's.
@@christianwise637 Diamonds Are Forever was just an awful movie. Easily the worst Bond ever. The plot was a mess, Connery was sleepwalking, the villains were forgettable, uuggghhh. Absolutely nothing worked in that film from beginning to end.
Dalton could actually act
I've always thought the OHMSS is the most underrated Bond movie. It's in my Top 5. Diana Rigg is the best Bond Girl and Telly is the best Blofeld.
Not underrated at all many people consider it to be the best
OHMSS was always a personal high favourite for me ... Lazenby was laid back and really cool, it was always going to be difficult to replace Connery, but Lazenby deserved a few more films to iron out his character...
He and his agent blew it. Lazenby thought he was a movie star and could go on to other roles. His agent fed him this and advised him to not do any more Bond films. The producers were going to let him do at least 1 or 2 more. Then he burned his bridges. The producers panicked and brought back Connery. If you have not seen it, there's a documentary called "On Becoming Bond". It discusses Lazenby' story and how he got the role and what happened after.
@@ScienceTalkwithJimMassa Yeah it was good doco on a messed up story... Lazenby was great as 007 - if only he hadn't been so arrogant and followed bad advice he may have had a bigger career ...
You nailed it. Best love letter to the Bond franchise. And yes, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the pinnacle of the series. Always was. Thanks
AMEN!!!
I do kinda wish Mr. Lazenby had continued in the role. I think he could've grown into the role nicely. This is my #2 Bond behind From Russia.
Yeah well you should research that. Lazenby would have been the death of Bond if he had stayed. His off camera attitude and behavior made him a no go in the worst way.
If he stayed on I think the screenplay would had been different and better since when they got Connery back he asked alot of money which reduced the budget and it shows in DRF its a dull film. Lazenby may had grown in the role if he had stayed but at least he made one of the best Bond film in the series that ended the Classic Bond films of the 60s .
Mine too that’s crazy OHMSS & FRWL are my favorites
My third favorite Bond film in my ranking, right behind Goldfinger. I also wish George continued and ended his tenure as Bond in For Your Eyes Only !
23:30 - the more I watch this, the more I realize that, if there was continuity, Blofeld should have been hunted not only by MI6 but also the Mafia. After all from The Godfather to the Sopranos, any murder of a family member is met with the grisliest of revenge. Yes, Diamonds are Forever feels like a bizarre reset.
Tracy is not MI6 agent or member of Mafia.
@@user-xp2gm8im2c she’s a mob boss’s daughter, so yes her death will get the mob involved
Donald Pleasances's Blofeld in YOLT was "creepy". Telly Savalas's interpretation was far more in 007's face! Charles Gray as Blofeld in "Diamonds Are Forever" was campy... ...Sean just looked bored in that film; George should have done it!
Very good points
@@user-xp2gm8im2cthe Unione Corse while not Italian is definitely a European mafia. There’s no way Draco wouldn’t have let her death go unavenged, tbh it’s a shame he didn’t make another appearance or two in any of the early 70s Bond films
As a former film student myself, I appreciate both your passion and your scholarship. Also, OHMSS is my fave Bond, breaks my heart every time I re-watch it. And the older you get, the more the Armstrong song guts you. I only found your channel today, gonna go and see if you've done any Brakhage now. 🤓
I am glad I didn't know anything about the feedback to this movie when I first saw it on VHS, it became my favorite Bond film.
While it is true Lazenby couldn't do what Connery did with the role, I think that is equally true that Connery couldn't replace Lezenby in this movie. After the past five movies I just can't see him pulling off being really scared or depressed like Bond is in parts of this film, he has been in much worse places without showing fear, I also couldn't see him falling for Tracy the way Bond did in this film and Lezenby nails that final shot in a way no other Bond could.
I am glad this movie took the chances it did and I think it was massively underrated at the time.
Yeah, the notion that if Connery was in OHMSS it be the perfect Bond movie misses how crucial Lazenby's take is to the movie. I don't know if Connery couldn't do something similar, but would he? I'm not sure.
@@EyebrowCinema Connery at the time would have brought enormous baggage to the film. Not "negative" baggage necessarily, but baggage. That unique onscreen chemistry between George and Diana was perfect. Connery's Bond was cemented in stone with audiences as a womanizer. I have certain doubt's that the fans back then would have had a real problem with Connery's Bond getting married, no matter who the actress was who played Tracy. Lazenby was the perfect choice in many ways. Having little film experience was actually an asset for George. As an unknown, he had absolutely NO baggage to bring to the role, and did an excellent job considering the awesome challenge that he faced being the very first actor to take over the job after Connery quit. Keep in mind that Cubby and Harry offered Lazenby a six picture deal. They knew that they had the right guy. But George took some really idiotic advice from an agent friend and walked....believing that Bond had no future based on the agent's opinion.
Bond here is not relatively young, vulnerable and infinite, but a mature man with experience, like the actors in the other roles. Connery in ''You Only Live Twice'' is the character of Bond here. An agent tired from his job, finds happiness in love and marriage. With Connery would have other romance, Bond and Tracy would be like him and Bardot in ''Shalako''. We would understand that is in love, without says ''I love you". The ending scene, I think it would be much closer to the book. Ιn book the car doesn't stop, and after the gun shot comes out of the road, and Bond lost his senses for a while and is slightly injured, when he talks to the policeman on the motorcycle.
@@EyebrowCinema
I doubt it - his character was never into any deeper emotion the boyish type he acted.
I love it - just as it was with George Lazenby.
I always thought this one was one of the best of the series. It’s certainly way above roger moore, Timothy Dalton era.
A really good argument for it. I always thought OHMSS reflected the end of the 60’s and the Bond series. From then on it would have to be something different and it was never as good again because it parried itself. In many ways, because of that, it was good that George only did the one.
I feel similarly about Peter Hunt. Much as I would have loved to see him direct more Bond it's hard to imagine him really topping his work here. In most ways I think he said what he needed to say.
I agree , I call the 60s films the Classic Bond. After the 60s they changed the formula to a spoofy edition of Bond . It became a family film with sex and women as Moore winked at the camera. I didnt like Diamonds are forever , no exotic locations it was Las Vegas . Cheaply done.
@@EyebrowCinema Yes, true. But it would have been pretty incredible for Hunt, Lazenby, John Barry, and Savalas to return for a direct revenge sequel after OHMSS. It could be said it was a lost opportunity.
@@speedracer1945 And a climax filmed on an oil rig. An oil rig?
@@speedracer1945 ''Diamonds Are Forever'' is a sequel of ''You Only Live Twice'' and has similar style and low budget with ''Live and Let Die'' and ''The Man with the Golden Gun''.
OHMSS stands up as one of the strongest movies in the JB canon. It’s one of the few movies that faithfully followed book…and I think that helped. But Rigg, the direction, cinematography, and John Barry’s best Bond score, certainly didn’t hurt.
When he says “she’s just resting” while curled up into a ball holding her scarf, I cried
I NEVER expected to get emotionally hurt by a bond film, but there I was, head in my hands
I've loved OHMSS ever since I first saw it as a child, and I've never understood why it had such a lukewarm reputation. Likewise George Lazenby as Bond; I thought he was fine, and still do.
I think it's because people still wanted to see Connery in the role.
@@theexmann Agreed. It is one of my favorite Bond movies. Although, my favorite part is the poem by Diana Rigg. Classic spy-fi stuff.
It's not about Connery owning the role, it's about Lazenby being a lousy actor. He doesn't project a character, he just reads lines, and often rather haphazardly. It's quite the irony that Daniel Craig's era is credited with rehabilitating Lazenby, as they are poles apart as far as acting ability. I think the interesting test for Lazenby-lovers would be whether they've ever noticed bad acting anywhere at all. They probably think it doesn't exist.
@@AndSendMe I'm not a "Lazenby-lover", but I'll take him over Roger Moore any day.
@@ftumschk I can understand that. At least he was pointed in the direction of playing the character. Moore wasn't at all.
Great video.
OHMSS is, indeed, a re-discovered treasure. I saw it in the theater when it first came out and the ending totally ripped my heart out. To this day, whenever I watch it, I'm more likely to stop the film at the wedding sequence. It's still too hard to take. Even seeing it here brought tears to my eyes.
But, on the other hand, there is the story of Tracy who is positively luminous as played by Diana Rigg. Her appearance at the skate rink to save James is still one of the most breathtaking appearances by an actress on screen. While I regularly go back to enjoy all of the other Bond films, OHMSS is always something of a special occasion, to be savored only once in awhile.
Like a bottle of your finest wine in the cellar.
ohmss is the landmark bond film
OHMSS is actually my favorite of all the Bond movies and George Lazenby one of my favorite Bonds if not the favorite. I always thought he did a great job with the character without trying to be Sean Connery, and I cherish his contribution to the Jambes Bond legacy.
I watched this yesterday on your recommendation, and though I have deeply disagreed with you on things before, you're spot on here. Not just a film filled with iconic Bond moments and scenes, but a great movie in its own right, and its relieving to see people starting to agree.
its still a shame 50 years later that we never had the following film as a revenge story and instead got diamonds are forever. which is one of my least favorites
In the books you only live twice was the revenge story. The movies sometimes strayed from the timeline, a lot.
Blofeld was killed in FYEO as revenge, and OHMSS is suppose to be release first than YOLT
@Trey Stephens Blofeld wants world Domination actually he only hates him when his wife Irma Bunt killed Tracy
@Trey Stephens yep, it was Bond they were aiming at but tracy is also there target since she was helping Bond
@Trey Stephens its a shame that Irma Bunt was never heard again or replace her after OHMSS, if they can replace Blofeld 3 Bond films in a row, why not Irma?
Great essay! I personally love Dalton's two outings, but have come to appreciate that OHMSS is the pinnacle of the series.
Nowadays, OHMSS is seen by many as one of the best Bonds. It's been re-appreciated and rightfully so. Imagine if it had been Connery's last movie as 007 and the series would have ended there - it would have stunned audiences at the time.
Emo millenials praise the movie. Back then when the world was still bit normal place this movie was considered to be the worst Bond movie. It is not hard to guess why. It is just boring stuff with lame screenplay. Lazenby was not as bad but he was not too good either.
A thought even more worthy of savoring- it is said that, if Lazenby was to return for a second Bond film, then they would have started with Tracy's death and presumably done Bond hunting Blofeld in revenge as a true sequel. I'd want to see that movie.
@@kkarx all I can read from you is shit taste 🇷🇸
Connery would have made changes.
@@-PV- facts
Your research 🔥🔥🔥 Well done fam. I’m a big fan of James Bond.
Best I've seen in years. Not only terrific insight into OHMSS, but also excellent observations about the entire franchise. Every fan should see this before the release of NTTD.
OHMSS "flopped" because it was ahead of its time. Audiences didn't get what they thought they wanted.
O.H.M.S.S. comes at the right time, after 5 films, the very innovative effects in ''You Only Live Twice'' (like ''For Your Eyes Only'' after ''Moonraker'') and especially when the messages of the time are ''make love, not war'' and ''all you need is love''. Has the right actors to the other roles (better for Blofeld is Yul Brynner), but not in Bond.
TMWTGG was the real flop. OHMSS did well internationally, but less well is the US. But I agree, this movie was way ahead of its time.
OHMSS flopped because it was awful then and it's awful now.
Word got around that it was crap, and no one wanted to watch it.
Also because it did not star Sean Connery!. Personally, it's my favourite, I was only 10 when I saw it first.
@@2112jonr very considered and thought-out opinion there.....not!
Yeah, that moment in Majesty's is probably one of the best in the entire series. Bond is out of options, and he's saved by Tracy.
Exactly. Bond at his most vulnerable where he knows he’s screwed.
And in the previous films girls saved Bond.
My Grandad played Grunter. His story is one in it's self. Love this film. Beutiful cinematography. Miss him a lot. Thanks for this
I'd say one of the biggest missed opportunities for the Bond series was having Peter Hunt only direct one film.
It's bizarre that he was completely dropped from the series given how essential he was to the movies as a director and editor. I do wonder if there's some story there that hasn't been made public.
if i had to guess based on the producers' reputations, he probably stuck up for Lazenby. Or said firing him was a mistake. Maybe he criticised Diamonds are Forever. Who knows, but i bet it's something simple and petty on the part of the producers.
@@TomGallagherSuperboyBeyond Lazenby wasn't fired , he quit the role on bad advice.
For me the last real James Bond was Pierce Brosnan. True, it was a more action oriented compared to the traditional James Bond, but it still had a Bond(ish) feel. For me everything collapsed with the pandering to China and making Daniel Craig James Bond. Does he have it to be James Bond? Sure, I think he could play a good James Bond, as he showed starring next to Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider. However his emotionless plank of wood, always stiff and expression as if he hates it to play James Bond really fucked up the franchise for my taste.
@@stijnvdv2 Craig's style is more Jason Bourne, he's more of a hitman than a spy, only Casino Royale was his best ever, Skyfall was great but didn't age well, its like Im watching a ripoff of Dark Knight and im pretty sure Silva is a ripoff of Joker
I think this was one of the best bond films. Great action. Lazenby, was a great Bond. Girls were beautiful and fantastic. My favorite JB film
Had a conversation with a fellow Bond freak over a pint a few days ago. He said that OHMSS was 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 the best Bond film. First time that particular film had been mentioned in many years. Breaking out the complete boxed-set tonight to draw my own conclusions.
Hope you enjoy yourself! Whatever the case, if you wanna circle back and give an update I'd love to hear your thoughts.
@@EyebrowCinema Hope he lifts a pint to Emma Peel, too.
Let's also not forget the incredible sound track of OHMSS with Louis Armstrong unforgettable "we have all the time in the world" and maybe the best 007 sound track by John Barry...
Remember how the teaser trailer for the Incredibles stole the chase music from Bond's escape? Magnificent music. ruclips.net/video/OTQWaFXWiVw/видео.html
(MINOR SPOILERS FOR NO TIME TO DIE)
If you like those tracks, you’re gonna love “Matera” and “Good To Have You Back” from the NTTD score
If you don’t already have it , the deluxe version is well worth it.
You should be pleasantly surprised by "No time to die".
@@StephenKershaw1 Barry updated the theme to OHMSS with drums back in the nineties and it rocks out big time!
The Lazenby section of the Bond doc "Everything or Nothing" is brutal. He understands perfectly that he had the entire world in the palm of his hands, and gleefully burned it all down for absurd reasons. His eyes show it all. It's so sad.
I never believed that story since he wanted that role so bad . I think the producers saw that Connery had one last film in his contract and paid off Lazenby and to save face gave that story.
According to legend he only seriously turned down doing Diamonds cos his agent said spy films were going to be passe in the 70s and advised against it.
@@speedracer1945 Wrong. Watch the doc. Lazenby lays it all out, every aspect, in his own words. He is devastated to this very day by his own foolishness.
@@theyellowlightsaber3193 You've gotta watch the doc. That's part of it, but Lazenby tells the whole story and owns the blame himself. It is tragic.
@@stanley-fghijk441 Well yeh obviously the decision was ultimately down to him but he was an inexperienced model and obvioulsy he was going to listen to his agent who was a complete moron to say Bond films would be done by the 70s.
It has great music, Savales as the villain, an awesome chase scene, and my favorite villain’s lair in the series. I absolutely love OHMSS.
I've been a fan for over 40 years now and I can only recommend everyone to watch OHMSS first and then DAF with Connery.
You will notice how special OHMSS was. An agent thriller par excellence. It's not just the main character who sets the scene!
It's the whole story that counts. For me, OHMSS is one of the strongest Bond movies of all time.
A truly excellent analysis. This is really, really well written and produced.
Thank you very much.
27.59 minutes into narration Roger Moore had a S & W Model 29 .44 Magnum in Live and Let Die not a .357 Magnum as Mentioned , Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry had S &W Model 29 .44 Magnum as well
We should be thankful that for once the producers allowed Ian Fleming's novel to be filmed with only minor alterations. They could have easily heavily modified the story as done with YOLT.
It is not a coincidence a lot of the best Bonds are the ones that skew closer to Fleming's novel.
Had this featured Connery, it would have been a looser adaptation. And not as good.
FYEO is sort of soft sequel to this.
@@jjrbarnett They had decided to film it like the novel, also with Connery.
@@EyebrowCinema Terrific source material. A pity that Fleming passed away so young in 1964.
@@jjrbarnett Correct.
Great analisys! Personally, I've always reputed OHMSS one of the best of the series. Lazenby have been less charismatyc than Connery, but I found it more human, and the Tracy figure was a gem in the plot. I've really appreciated this video!
This video was obviously made before No Time to Die came out but its clear that the influence of OHMSS is felt right up until the present. The use of much of the same theme music, Louis Armstrong's We Have All The Time in The World as well as Bond's death at the end similar to that of Tracy in OHMSS is a testament to the endurance of that film that sadly fell between the cracks of You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever. Anyone who has seen No Time should definitely see OHMSS to appreciate just how well the latter has held up over the years and how much better it is compared to many of the films made after 1969.
Excellent video essay.
Definitely one of my favorite Bond films. George Lazenby wasn't bad. Not the greatest but he did a solid job. The guy is entertaining in the Man from Hong Kong which I highly recommend.
I agree regarding Lazenby. My hottest Bond take is every actor to play 007 is good and all brought something unique to the part. I'm not familiar with The Man from Hong Kong but apparently Hugh Keays-Byrne is in it? That rules.
@@EyebrowCinema Check it out, it's not bad. Even Tarantino is a fan.
@@EyebrowCinema Hughes Keays-Byrne demonstrated his versatility by playing the comic relief to the serious detective from Hong Kong. George Lazenby was the villain.
If they allowed him to act like himself rather than Connery and his own haircut he would had been better
@@speedracer1945 Yes, George has said during interviews in recent years that Hunt would direct him by occasionally saying "just act like Sean Connery would."
Gumbold's safe is one of my favorite scenes. The director slowly raises the suspense and the background music is the frosting on the cake!!👤
It's a great scene. Technically the only gadget Bond uses in the movie too.
Love that song while he broke into the safe . Hunt did a great job directing it was just like the novel Bond with no weapons or gadgets on that mountain. Lazenby played him well and could fight better than Connery and Moore .
I love the Hitchcockian threat: "What if he comes back from lunch?"
We're more scared of the clock than any goon or gun.
@@speedracer1945 Lazenby also was in the military.
@@marksieve7734 That's why he was so good at fighting,
I remember re watching all the bonds, and when we go to this one, I loved every second of it, and the ending left me with wanting more, to see what would bond do, only to get confused by Diamonds are Forever. It's true I just kept looking for closure and those two scenes from Dalton's and Moore's bond were my favorites cause I just wanted to know, if that movie was even canon to them.
Great essay well done
When I first saw OHMSS in the theater, I came to realize I was really more of a Sean Connery IS James Bond fan than a 007 fan. I recently watched OHMSS in HD and now consider it equal to my favorite… Goldfinger. Great review of the film and the series evolution.
Been arguing this for decades with Bond lovers, and have been laughed out of the room. Up until Daniel Craig, I couldn't take Bond seriously. OHMSS reached me, and that ending was totally devastating. 💗
I’ve always thought OHMSS is bar far the best Bond movie in every aspect. Lazenby was terrific, his physicality unmatched until Daniel Craig became Bond. Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas were equally excellent. All without CGI and gadgets.
"These movies mean a lot to me; I wouldn't trade them for the world!"
So... what you're saying is... The World is Not Enough?
Sorry, I'll leave.
I would pin this comment if I didn't have an obligation to the sponsor.
Great answer, "The world is not enough"
I wasn't totally sold on No Time To Die, but having watched this I can totally see how you might watch it as an homage to what makes OHMSS the film that it is. The cinematography, epic scale and maximalism, exceptional stunts and stakes that undermine the logic of what we have come to expect in these films. Might give it a re-watch due to this, great video essay!
It’s always been my favourite Bond film, as well as my favourite of the books. Bond in the books, has a vulnerability around women. He is awed by them, falls in love with them and is always hurt by them. Connery never got this. Lazenby did.
I only now watched The World Is Not Enough. It has some atrocious bits, but most Bond movies do; overlooking them, the whole thing with Sophie Marceau's character is great imo. I believe it's the first time since OHMSS that a movie Bond is deeply hurt by a woman. The movie does have its significant flaws, but it also continues the story of Brosnan's cold-blooded Bond (begun in Goldeneye) in a pretty tragic manner.
Read them books
Double oh fun !!!!!!
Connery's Bond was never supposed to get "this" from women. The early films followed the novels - he wasn't putting his career in the drawer for a woman and retiring, that's why OHMSS came next to display that, and Connery would've showed that had he continued.
I agree that this is a truly special and important Bond movie. The film style, brutal action scenes and the soundtrack make this one of the more unforgettable Bond movies.
Excellent essay. Thank you for your analysis, I especially subscribe your conclusion at 28:15. The Bond movies went from vanguard to emulation, and the turning point was indeed OHMSS.
3:30 "And yet, a sense of finality still pervades 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'."
*NO TIME TO DIE HAS ENTERED THE CHAT*
I think that something else that's adding to this film's myth is that this is the single Lazenby outing, giving the film this self-contained feel that doesn't blend in with other film's, like can be argued happens in Moore or even Craig. It almost feels like a riff on Bond made from a studio with greater liberty to explore the character and not a mainline series entry
Great point. It's inevitably an outsider and an oddball. Lazenby is even smooshed between Connery movies, which no other Bond is.
@@EyebrowCinema Yes, a true "one-off", which deserved however a direct revenge sequel. Back then however, Cubby and Harry did not do sequels, Each film was self contained and it was only until the Craig films that Barbara and Michael had decided to film an advancing storyline which has tied all of his five films together, for better or for worse.
V. astute comment.
It certainly doesn't fit with the movies it was sandwiched in between. The character of this Bond is lightyears away from Connery's aloof portrayal. It almost feels like a prequel or, yes even it's own thing. Differences like this really make the 'James Bond is just a code name carried by different agents' theory very appealing.
Part of Connery interview in Playboy November 1965
PLAYBOY: In any case, ''Dr. No'' turned out to be a hit, and you found yourself under contract for a series ... exactly what you said you wanted to avoid.
CONNERY: Yes ... but it allows me to make other films, and I have only two more Bonds to do.
PLAYBOY: Which ones?
CONNERY: ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' and possibly ''You Only Live Twice''. They would like to start ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' in Switzerland in January (1966), but I'm not sure I'll be free in time and I don't want to rush it, although they say the snow will be at its best then. I'm not going to rush anything anymore.
PLAYBOY: We'll be looking forward to both films ... especially since we were fortunate enough to serialize both books exclusively prior to their hardcover publication. Do you think the success of the series will continue to snowball?
CONNERY: Well, it's a healthy market and it has been maintained because each succeeding film has got bigger and the gimmicks trickier. But we have to be careful where we go next, because I think with ''Thunderball'' we've reached the limit as far as size and gimmicks are concerned. In ''Thunderball'' we have Bond underwater for about 40 percent of the time, and there is a love scene underwater, and attacks by aquaparas from the sky, and two-man submarines under the sea, and Bond is menaced by sharks. Instead of the Aston Martin we have a hydrofoil disguised as a cabin cruiser, and Bond escapes with a self-propelling jet set attached to his back. So all the gimmicks now have been done. And they are expected. What is needed now is a change of course ... more attention to character and better dialogue.
Excellent pull.
yes, OHMSS is first film before YOLT but I think it was the weather conditions on why YOTL is released first than OHMSS
People always look at me funny when I say Majesty is one of my favorites. The story is great, Rigg was amazing, and the source of the brash and callous bitterness was given a poignant human face of loss. Every other Bond has shown a different facet, like the shards of the mirror that was broken at the end of Majesty. Currently, Craig is showing that earnest pain the best, even though Brosnan may have been the most gadgety fun. Now I have to rewatch Mr Lazenby. Cheers and thanks for the great video discourse!
Fun fact: in czech dubbing the famous line: "This never happened to the other fella."
is actually translated as:
"This would have never happened to Connery."
Awesome review! A long time ago I gave this move a re-watch as a joke, only to realize how good it really was. I grew up on the Roger Moore Bond and only after reading the books did I really get into Sean Connery's Bond. And then Brosnan. Still did not get into Dalton. Actually I think Craig is closer to Lazenby than any of the other Bonds. But Majesty's really is top notch, and no doubt one of the very best.
Craig is closer to Dalton.
Absolutely and yes, one of the best.
Well, Ian Fleming himself said that he imagined Bond looking like the pianist in the movie 'To have and Have Not'(1944) that is Hoagy Carmichael. So that would make Daniel Craig the best contender...But as for acting I thought Lazenby was no actor..Like overdubbing his voice won't cut it.. He IS no actor.. The music score was good, though... Skiing down a slope reminds me of another Bond classic: Die Another Day.. (please die NOW, Bond franchise, Before it's 'Time to Die').
Still one of my favorite Bond films, don't care what anyone says. Right up there with Goldfinger.
Agreed 100%
Personally, I prefer From Russia With Love over Goldfinger, but OHMSS is definetely up in its own league.
goldfinger sucks
Goldfinger isn't exactly something to live up to. It's a mediocre movie and was the beginning of a downturn in tone for the movies. OHMSS was a valiant effort to turn the ship (though it still retained too much camp), but Lazenby's mediocre acting undercut the effort.
@@AndSendMe It was pretty good for 1964. I love it, you don't have to. Cheers, Enjoy NTTD. I have tickets for Friday evening.
After seeing my first Bond film “Goldeneye” and loving it; then not being nearly as impressed with the follow ups I checked out the older ones and found they were WAY better. OHMSS was the first Bond movie I owned - mum bought it from Costco on VHS.
Ilse Steppat was perfectly cast for this movie. A real shame she wasn't picked or known of to do earlier Bond films, or lived longer to do later ones.
When I finally watched all the Bonds start to finish a few years ago I was taken aback by OHMSS, instantly became a favorite. I was shocked when I discovered it was so negatively looked on, honestly had zero context for anything about this movie besides "Oh ya this is the one movie with the guy who played Bond once"
Fantastic video essay! As a former filmmaker I really appreciate intelligent thoughtful film criticism such as this. You've invested a deep and poignant look into to OHMSS and present a well thought out and original thesis. Thank you for this.
OHMSS with Lazenby is, as a 53 year old life long Bond fan, my favourite Bond movie. IF Connery was looked after and appreciated half as much as Craig was and still is, things definitely would have been different. He, as a relatively unknown actor catapulted James Bond and himself into the stratosphere. Unfortunately the producers just thought of him as a paid employee and famously stated "that Bond is bigger than any actor".
Unlike daughter Barbara who gave us out of left field Daniel Craig, who from day one thinks the sun shines out of his ass. That's the difference between then and now.
I was with you until the Craig slander. He was fantastic in the role, even with subpar dialogue and stories. There were some misses, but he arguably helmed 2 of the 5 best in the entire series.
@@nairbsggirb1718 Sorry to disagree with you, His arrogance is off the charts. He should have walked away after Spectre, literally drive away into the sunset BUT several tens of millions persuaded him to come back.... And kill off Bond. Remember he was also an executive producer and had scriptwriter inputs... Could you possibly imagine that with Cubby Broccoli and Connery/ Moore ?
Personally it's my favourite for many reasons;
The intense fight scenes, the ski chases, the bobsleigh fight near the end, the brilliant theme... and the ending which no other Bond movie had - up until now.
The irony is that the phrase used in this movie "We have all the time in the world" and the theme for OHMSS was also played in the most recent Bond film No Time to Die.
Man you nailed it! This was a very underappreciated Bond film. I'm so glad it's grown in stature over the years. In some ways, I wished the series would retire because they've run out of ideas a long time ago. Then again...I'm always there to see the new one on opening day.
I've recently begun watching all the 007 movies from start to finish, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service struck me. Before that my favourite Bond movie was Thunderball, but it's clear that OHMSS takes the cake. I loved how different it was from the others, while still being the same. I love Lazenby, who for me is the best Bond, and I loved his story.
I think it's a good conclusion to the series, no offense to the other actors who also made Bond great
It's my favorite one too and when I watch the series I always watch OHMSS before you only live twice. I enjoy the first couple of the movies each new Bond does as they seem to the best ones. You can see the performance from Connery and Moore where they were just their to get paid. I liked George's performance it wasn't bad for a man that never really acted before being cast as Bond and the supporting cast was great. My favorite Bond actors were Connery, Dalton, and Brosnan. Would have been interesting to see how good George could have been if he didn't take the bad advice to not return to the role.
The wordless exchange between Bond & Moneypenny at the end of OHMSS always has me tearing up.
I tell you what, OHMSS has always been my fave Bond. But, after watching No Time To Die yesterday, which was stupendous, OHMSS really has attained a whole new level of relevance and magnificence now.
No time to die is almost a reinterpretation of OHMSS. I'm in awe of both films.
26:21 Actually the car being on the wrong set of wheels was a production mistake. They shot a correct ending to that scene but there were too many by-standers making the shot unusable. So they reshot it. But when the editor got the footage, she was shocked to see that the stunt team had botched the shot and she desperately tried to patch it up as best as she could.
My heart goes out to the editor trying to troubleshoot that problem.
@@EyebrowCinema 14.50 -16.35 ruclips.net/video/EHCYhxKgVBk/видео.html
@@user-xp2gm8im2c Thanks for posting this. I did not know that the making of was on RUclips.
This was Fantastic! On her Majesty's was the first Bond movie I seen in a movie theater as a kid. So I knew about the recasting. I was already a fan of Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel so this film is special to me.
I saw OHMSS when it was first shown in cinemas in 69. Yes Diana Rigg was already popular in The Avengers. Throwing men about in catsuit. V versatile actor.
2 weeks ago I was in the Palacio Hotel in Estoril. Great place to feel the entourage of bond yourself…
Don’t forget to ask the concierge about his role in this movie, take your time because he has a lot to tell!
So special film in the series that they never tried again to make a deeper character of Bond until Craig’s era. Even Craig’ s films matched the timeline until Spectre and the introduction of Lea Seydoux character. The influence of OHMSS is visible in No Time To Die…and for good reason
A very good appraisal, as a James Bond film fan from an early age, I never saw the problem with on her Majesty secret service, in fact it has always been one of my favourite movies
I havent watched OHMSS for years because I always just thought it was the weak link. This video really made me look at it in a different light
For those of us who are old enough to have watched the original Bond movies in the movie theater back in the 1960s the answer is a bit more obvious......
It was the 1960s, we only had 3 TV channels and most of us were still watching black&white TV; going to the movie theater and watching that giant full color screen was an amazing experience. The spy series itself was exactly right for the sixties, new and exciting for the decade of social change. Sean Connery himself was the prefect James Bond and he was everything adolescent boys from the sixties aspired to be, I remember idolizing him. As the seventies came we all suddenly got color TV at home and cable channels, home entertainment became a lot better. And yeah, Lazenby just wasn't Sean Connery and I found the film boring as a result. I could go on but I can summarize by simply saying that Sean Connery and the James Bond series was exactly right for its time, as times changed the series became dated, as everything always does. People watching the series for the first time now will be streaming all the movies at home on their HDTV and will have a totally different experience than what us old-timers had as kids back in the movie theaters with the first run showings in those times.
I have seen every Bond film in the theaters from the get go. I was a kid back then. My dad took me to see them all. He was a big Bond fan and he took me because he's spending time with his kid)) Nothing like seeing that Aston Martin on the big screen. Holy s#!t! When Tracy was killed, my dad actually let out a "no, they killed her". He was upset. I was stunned. OHMSS is one of my all time favorite Bond films. I tend to dismiss the Moore films. Too silly. He was really playing Simon Templar.
This video comes at a perfect moment, considering how HEAVILY No Time to Die references this film, from the soundtrack to the themes of finality (I don't want to spoil the ending).
Also I just realized just how much Lea Seydoux looks like Diana Rigg.
I do consider On Her Majesty Secret Service one of the best in the series. Thanks for the content of this video, very insightful.
4:25 is one of the saddest scenes in the Bond franchise's history.
The saddest, without equal
This was always my favourite Bond film for a lot of the aforementioned reasons. It has everything that Bond needs- Camp, Romance, Drama, Action, Chases, Villians, etc. And it’s also self aware in a balanced way, I feel like Lazenby lent himself to that. He was able to be an understated version of a very bold character that seems easier to carry than he is. Also Diana Rigg is best Bond girl
I loved that that they have acknowledged Tracy in several movies:
1) In The Spy Who Loved Me, when Bond meets Anya Amasova in the Mujaba Club bar, in Cairo, she summarises his career and personal life to him. When she notes, "... many lady friends, but married only once. Wife killed -", Bond cuts her short by saying, "Alright, you've made your point". Anya comments that he's sensitive. Bond replies, "About certain things, yes".
2) In For Your Eyes Only, in the pre-title sequence, Bond lays flowers at Tracy's grave in the churchyard of Church of St Giles, Stoke Poges before boarding a helicopter. The headstone reads: "TERESA BOND, 1943-1969, Beloved Wife of JAMES BOND / We have all the time in the World" - referring to the final words in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
3) In Licence to Kill, after Felix Leiter's wedding, Felix's new wife Della throws her garter at Bond, teasing him, "the next one who catches this is the next one who ..." Bond looks visibly pained; when Della asks Felix about it, Felix makes a short, sad reference to Bond once having been married, "but that was a long time ago."
I left out two other scenes, because they are to vague.