The James Bond Rewatch: Current Movie - SPECTRE

[Doc755]

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is always the Bond film I’m most protective of. It was a favorite of mine growing up and I would get defensive when people would attack it, especially for superficial reasons. “Lazenby only did one” or “It’s long”, etc. Watching it again, it reminds me of how enjoyable it is especially coming after the lackluster You Only Live Twice. Lazenby clearly wasn’t an experienced actor, but there’s an authenticity to his performance and he handles the emotional material well. He also clearly is enjoying himself immensely especially in the action scenes where he had a habit of getting a little too intense with the stuntmen.

I go back and forth on how this film would have played with Connery still in the role. On the one hand, I tend to think it would indisputably be the best of the franchise given its storyline if it had the best Bond in the lead. However, Connery had clearly grown bored with the role in the last film so it’s hard to picture him back in top form here when in the next film he basically needed to be bribed to come back again. In any case, Lazenby acquits himself well aside from some slight mugging and the chemistry he shares with Diana Rigg is palpable.

Stealing yet another actress from The Avengers, after Honor Blackman in Goldfinger, Rigg is a treasure. From the opening where we see her walk almost zombie-like into the sea, we get to see her character come back to life through her relationship with Bond. Could it have been hokey to have Bond fall in love? Definitely. But the montage set to Louis Armstrong’s lovely “We Have All the Time in the World” sells the relationship. There was clearly an electricity between the two in the earlier scenes, however the montage helps denote the passage of time and you can see them falling for one another on the screen.

OHMSS was the longest film of the classic era but I always maintained it never felt it. On this rewatch I can admit that while it doesn’t drag, some of the bed-hopping at Piz Gloria does slow it down a bit and could easily be excised from the film. It also helps that the story is more grounded and personal for Bond as he’s on the hunt for Blofeld. There’s less gadgets and Bond is forced to survive on his wits. We also see him vulnerable as he is on the run from SPECTRE forces with no avenue of escape.

I want to give a special shout out to Gabriele Ferzetti as Draco, Bond’s father-in-law and partner in crime. Another strong ally in these early films, I always thought it would be interesting to have him come back and have a reckoning with Bond but alas, it was never to be. He shifts gears from organized crime head to loving father effortlessly and adds great charm to his scenes. Lois Maxwell is also on point as the mediating force between Bond and M’s egos and it’s nice to see both of them are aware of how important she is to their working relationship. And, of course, Savalas is my personal pick for best Blofeld. Here he’s a physical threat to 007 and after the heartbreaking finale, the object of Bond’s vengeance.

I’ve always pushed OHMSS as the best film of the franchise. I’ve been wavering back and forth on whether to keep it in that spot or yield to From Russia with Love. And while I came VERY close, I’m still going to keep it in the top spot with and rate it a 9. (I already conceded my top film in the Marvel Rewatch!) I was just so invested in the film even though I’ve seen it multiple times. While some of the physical action may be a bit spotty, the ski scenes, stock care race and helicopter assault (to the Bond theme!) are all top notch action sequences. But the real winning factor is the heart. That ending is so gut-wrenching and made all the more powerful because we too fall in love with Tracy. And yes, those end credits should have been silent.

Current Rankings:
1) On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
2) From Russia with Love
3) Goldfinger
4) Thunderball
5) Dr. No
6) You Only Live Twice