On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the rare James Bond film that treats the hero like a man with feelings. George Lazenby plays Bond as a romantic lead first, and the film spends half its runtime building a relationship with Tracy di Vicenzo before turning to the villainy. That choice pays off.
Trailer, via James Bond 007.
Lazenby’s One-Shot Bond
Lazenby was a model with no prior acting credits when he got the part. He announced early on that he would play Bond only once, and the film treats his performance accordingly. He is stiff in some scenes, but his chemistry with Diana Rigg as Tracy carries the picture. The romance is genuine, and it makes the final act land harder than most Bond endings do.
Savalas as Blofeld
Telly Savalas plays Ernst Stavro Blofeld as a cold, methodical menace. His scheme involves rendering all food plants and livestock infertile through a group of brainwashed “angels of death.” It is a grim plan, and the film commits to showing its consequences. Savalas sells the menace without ever becoming cartoonish.
The Romance Runs Long
The film devotes real time to Bond and Tracy’s courtship. They meet on a beach, fall in love, and marry by the end of the story. This pacing slows the action down, but it gives the audience a stake in Bond’s fate. The wedding at the end is earned, not tacked on.
The Alpine Setting
The bulk of the film takes place at Piz Gloria, a mountaintop retreat in the Swiss Alps. The location work is stunning, and the film uses it well. The chase sequences across the mountainside are tense, and the setting adds a sense of isolation that suits Blofeld’s plan.
The Cast Around Bond
Bernard Lee returns as M, Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, and Desmond Llewelyn as Q. Gabriele Ferzetti plays Marc-Ange Draco, Tracy’s father, and Ilse Steppat plays Irma Bunt, Blofeld’s henchwoman. The supporting cast is strong, even if the villains are less memorable than in earlier entries.
The Weak Link
The film’s biggest problem is its villain. Blofeld’s scheme is elaborate, but it is hard to understand why he is doing it. The “angels of death” are introduced late and feel like a convenient device rather than a threat in their own right.
The Final Word
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a flawed but rewarding entry in the Bond canon. Its romance is rare for the series, and its commitment to character over spectacle is refreshing. It is not the best Bond film, but it is one of the most human.
- Score: 8.1/10
- Runtime: 142 minutes
- Director: Peter R. Hunt
- Writer: Richard Maibaum
- Lead: George Lazenby as James Bond
Key Facts Box
– Release year: 1969
– Based on: Ian Fleming’s 1963 novel
– Setting: Switzerland, England, Portugal
– Bond’s rival: Ernst Stavro Blofeld
– Bond’s love interest: Countess Tracy di Vicenzo
The film is worth watching for Lazenby’s performance alone, but the whole package holds together better than expected. It is a solid entry in a long-running series, and a welcome change of pace.
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