3 replies to this topic

[Gregbert007]

As I continue to write about the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond film, I take a look at On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Of course it is the one and only George Lazenby film. I discuss why I think it is one of the best Bond films despite some obstacles and why Best Buy almost ruined the whole thing for me.

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[freemo]

Nice. Some interesting points, particularly about the use of references to previous adventures as a means of showing that this is still the one and same James Bond (easy to criticise in hindsight, but probably felt required at the time).

The scene where he breaks into the safe is Gumbold's office is awesome, and a scene that really shows the change in direction they took with this film (compare it with the sake-cracking scene at Osata chemicals in the previous movie, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, where Bond pulls out a device Batman's utility-belt style).

[Gregbert007]

Nice. Some interesting points, particularly about the use of references to previous adventures as a means of showing that this is still the one and same James Bond (easy to criticise in hindsight, but probably felt required at the time).

The scene where he breaks into the safe is Gumbold's office is awesome, and a scene that really shows the change in direction they took with this film (compare it with the sake-cracking scene at Osata chemicals in the previous movie, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, where Bond pulls out a device Batman's utility-belt style).

Thanks for reading it! I agree, the references were probably needed at the time yet I would think most people going to the film would probably know that Connery was no longer Bond. All said and done, I suppose Saltzman and Broccoli didn't want to risk any confusion with their cherished character.

In regards to the Gumbold scene. I love how there is the stuffy old office building yet Bond gets this hi-tech equipment into the office. I also love how Bond is calm, reading the paper while the machine is safe-cracking.

Thanks again for the comments!

Take care,
Greg

[Dustin]

Interesting article there, Gregbert007. On the references, well, at the time there used to be basically two major schools of thought. One was the "Connery-is-the-new-superstar", as evidenced by the ballyhoo Connery encountered ever since GOLDFINGER with growing intensity and diminishing patience. The other was "James-Bond-is-the-greatest-thing-on-earth" obviously favoured by the producers. But they noticed an ever-growing number of contenders both in theatres and on the telly, both playful parodies and - relatively speaking - serious thrillers. So audiences effectively could get a decent helping for their Bond fix any day and sometimes right into their living rooms. Eon's way out of this dilemma was to capitalise on the fact they were selling the real stuff, the original article. the role of Bond is greater than the actor playing him, evidently a sound theory. The new face was not to be explained, the former films not to be denied. To the contrary, the whole setup was chosen to underline this was the same guy who fought Goldfinger and Doctor No and SPECTRE.