The James Bond Franchise: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

The departure of Sean Connery made it clear to Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman that some decisions needed to be made for the series to be able to continue. Saltzman and Broccoli were in agreement they needed a new actor for their superspy but how would this be brought to an audience who was used to Connery? A suggestion was made in a tentative screenplay to have Bond undergo a plastic surgery operation to give him a new face, as his old face had already become too well known in the wrong circles. Well thought out, practical and usable, yet the producers decided ultimately to look for the best actor they could find and just have him take on the role as if nothing else had happened all the time. Considering the people that were tested, it is very surprising that the winner of this contest seemed to be an Australian model by the name of George Lazenby, who had no previous acting experience outside a television commercial!!!


In order to support the newcomer, it was also decided to get actors of real stature around him so they would help to allow him to rise to their level and make him look as Bondlike and as professional as could be hoped for. An incredibly strong screenplay seemed to be the best basis to build on.



Indeed, On Her Majesty's Secret Service was a fine Fleming novel that was eminently adaptable to film and would make for an excellent thriller. John Barry's excellent moodsetting score would also help, but in the end, it all comes down to one thing.
George Lazenby can not act his way out of a paper basket!

Had Sean Connery had the honor of getting married as Bond and see his wife shot dead mere minutes afterward, his performance would have made you want to cry your eyes out. As it is, Lazenby merely goes thru the motions and lacks any emotional investment in his role.



Other than Lazenby, the film is surprisingly good. Storywise it is brought back into the real world with as little in gadgetry as is possible. Story Logic also can be commended in this film ( a lot of times stories like this can make very little sense ) and the other actors make a valiant effort to come across with as much gusto as is desired. So finally we end up with a film that could have been so much better, if only Connery had stayed on.

Noteable about this film is, as mentioned above, that Bond gets married to the daughter of a mob man, who also gets to play a little part in the rescue operation. Diana Rigg, just like Honor Blackman in Goldfinger, coming from the television show THE AVENGERS, plays Teresa di Vincenzo with a flair that certainly helps the film. Also Telly Savalas, who had cornered the market at the time playing villains, played a wonderful Blofeld, even though this film played the story as if Blofeld had never yet come face to face with Bond before. (Oops, maybe that plastic surgery bit was excised too quickly from the screenplay?) Oh well...




Director Peter Hunt delivered not at all a bad film. It is just as good though that Lazenby did not decide to stick around. He was offered the next film too. He opted out. Too bad about this film.....

Sometimes you might wonder how it could have been, if Connery had been at bat this time around. You can dream, can't you?