Movie Type: Glamorized Spy Film, Romantic Adventure
Themes: Obsessive Quests, Heroic Mission
Main Cast: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Ilse Steppat, Gabriele Ferzetti
Release Year: 1969
Country: UK
Run Time: 144 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
It wasn't as well received at the box office as the pictures that preceded it or followed it, but Peter Hunt's On Her Majesty's Secret Service was the finest of the James Bond movies and also arguably the last truly great movie in the series. James Bond, portrayed here by George Lazenby (in his only performance in the role) has spent nearly two years trying to track down Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas), the head of SPECTRE. He has been taken off the case by his chief (Bernard Lee), an action the pushes him to the point of considering resigning from Her Majesty's Secret Service, just as he opens a possible new avenue of attack on his quarry. Whilst in the field, Bond has chanced to cross paths with the Contessa Teresa Di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), a beautiful but desperately unhappy woman, whom he rescues from one apparent suicide attempt and an embarrassing moment at a casino gaming table -- the Contessa, who prefers to be called Tracy ("Teresa was a saint"), is the daughter of Marc Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), an industrial and construction magnate and also a crime boss, who is impressed with Bond personally as well as professionally, and would like to see him marry his daughter. Bond is, at first, unwilling to involve himself with a woman -- any woman -- on that level, but Draco's underworld contacts give Bond a vital clue to Blofeld's whereabouts that get him back on the case and hot on the man's trail. Journeying incognito to Blofeld's mountaintop retreat in the Swiss Alps, Bond finds the criminal mastermind posing as a would-be nobleman and also as a philanthropist, running a clinic devoted to the treatment and eradication of allergies. It's all a front for a surprisingly sinister (and scientifically valid) plot for international blackmail that would make any previous Bond villain quake in fear. And in the process of staying alive long enough to have a chance of stopping Blofeld, Bond discovers the Tracy is truly like no woman he's ever known before -- one special enough that he finds himself willing to give up his life as a free-living, free-loving bachelor. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
Review
Although it is mostly remembered for featuring George Lazenby's sole appearance as James Bond, this 1969 film is revered by Bond fans as one of the series' finest entries. On Her Majesty's Secret Service stands out from other Bond films because it treats its main character like a human being instead of a superhero. He suffers moments of doubt, doesn't always know the right thing to do, and is even capable of falling in love. These changes bring a surprising warmth to James Bond, who is vividly brought to life by the underrated Lazenby with a mixture of macho charm and unexpected vulnerability. Diana Rigg also makes a vivid impression as Tracy, easily the toughest and most resourceful of all Bond heroines, and Telly Savalas turns in a menacing yet slyly witty performance as Blofeld. This film also defies convention by downplaying the gadgetry and gimmicks that would soon dominate the series in favor of a plot that balances the action with a strong emphasis on character development. Despite a two-hour-plus running time, the film moves at a brisk clip thanks to Peter Hunt's tight direction. Hunt, originally an editor on the Bond series, also utilizes his editor's sense of timing to create a series of breathtaking action set pieces; highlights include a stunning nighttime ski chase and the explosive siege on Blofeld's mountaintop lair. From its stylish opening to its stunning and unexpected coda, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the high-water marks of the James Bond series and a refreshing antidote to the often cartoonish antics of its later years. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Bernard Horsfall - Campbell; George Baker - Sir Hilary Bray; Bernard Lee - "M"; Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny; Desmond Llewelyn - "Q"; Angela Scoular - Ruby; Dani Sheridan - American Girl; Julie Ege - Scandinavian Girl; Joanna Lumley - English Girl; Mona Chong - Chinese Girl; Anouska Hempel - Australian Girl; Ingrit Back - German Girl; Jenny Hanley - Irish Girl; Zara - Indian Girl; Helena Ronee - Israeli Girl; Geoffrey Cheshire - Toussaint; Irvin Allen - Che Che; Terence Mountain - Raphael; Bill Morgan - Klett; Richard Graydon - Draco's Driver; Reg Harding - Blofeld's Driver; Virginia North - Olympe; Brian Worth - Manuel; Bessie Love - American Casino Guest; Steve Plytas - Greek Tycoon; Robert Rietty - Chef de Jeu; Elliott Sullivan - American; Martin Leyder - Chef de Jeu Huissier; Yuri Borienko - Grunther; James Bree - Gumboldt; Catherine Schell - Nancy; George A. Cooper - Braun; John Crewdson - Draco's Copter Pilot; Leslie Crawford - Felsen; Dudley Jones - Hall Porter; John Gay - Hammond
Credit
Robert Laing - Art Director, Bob Laing - Art Director, Marjorie Cornelius - Costume Designer, Frank Ernst - First Assistant Director, Peter Hunt - Director, John Glen - Second Unit Director, John Glen - Editor, John Barry - Composer (Music Score), Hal David - Songwriter, Monty Norman - Songwriter, Basil Newall - Makeup, Paul Rabiger - Makeup, Alec Mills - Camera Operator, Sidney Cain - Production Designer, Syd Cain - Production Designer, Willy Bogner - Cinematographer, Roy Ford - Cinematographer, Michael Reed - Cinematographer, Ken Higgins - Cinematographer, Egil Woxholt - Cinematographer, John Jordan - Cinematographer, Alex Barbey - Cinematographer, Albert R. Broccoli - Producer, Harry Saltzman - Producer, Peter Lamont - Set Designer, John Stears - Special Effects, John W. Mitchell - Sound/Sound Designer, Vic Armstrong - Stunts, George Leech - Stunts, Richard Maibaum - Screenwriter, Simon Raven - Screenwriter, Don Lusher - Musical Performer, Ian Fleming - Book Author
