Customer Reviews
This never happened to the other fella - By: Matthew Mercy, 30 Aug 2008 
In recent years, George Lazenby's one & only movie in the role of Bond has come in for sympathetic critical re-evaluation, with it's fidelity to Fleming, charming performance from Diana Rigg, (comparitively) realistic action scenes, & twist ending. However, despite these plus points, the fact remains that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is an uninvolving, almost boring film. Lazenby isn't bad but he's so monumentallly overshadowed by the spectre of Connery that he never has a chance of making the role his own; he lacks the emotional range to give his romantic scenes with Rigg any real charge, & you become aware as the film progresses that the whole thing is geared towards masking his shortcomings. With a dull Blofeld from Telly Savalas & oddly incongruous bits & pieces that disturb the viewer (Bond reading Playboy, Bond quitting the Secret Service after a snit with M, Bond grabbing Moneypenny's arse), it doesn't feel like a Bond movie; it doesn't feel like a good movie either.
A HARDER EDGE!!!! - By: Adam Jackson, 23 Aug 2008 
Easily the best Bond movie with some great hard edged action setpieces!
Lazenby, while maybe not Connery, is still better than the embarassing Moore.
And the best score EVER of any Bond movie - seriously, the title track is on a different level.
Telly Savalas as Blofeld, Cable Car/Mountain retreats ala Where Eagles Dare, lots of machine guns, skiing & BIG bangs, a biological threat to the Earth, the guy shredded in the snow plough & THAT final showdown between Blofeld & Bond! Not to mention some FANTASTIC fist fights with sound FX worthy of Indiana Jones or Rocky!
A 60's Bond for a Die Hard crowd.........
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is not crap - By: Mrs. A. Smith, 27 Apr 2008 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 & also arguably the last truly great movie in the series. George Lazenby was not as bad as people thought he was, he just didn't have the same qualitys as Connery, & tell the truth who else does ? Anyway George is the best bond physicallly whith Craig not far behind. It is a very entertaining bond film with the song "We have alll the time in the world" sung by Louis Armsrtong which is wonderful. I advise you to get this film as is is better than most(20 years worth) of the others in the series. Lazenby ain't that bad.
the best bond there is - By: ID, 06 Mar 2008 Over the last couple of months, I've watched alll of the James Bond ultimate editions & it's reinforced my view that OHMSS is the best of alll.
I've read several times that OHMSS would have been the greatest Bond without a doubt if Connery had been the lead., but I don't think it would have been the same film. Connery's films had become increasingly gimmick-led. Thunderballl had been the most successful to date, but was a poor attempt to repeat the Goldfinger formula, producing & uneven, largely dull film. You Only Live Twice was a big improvement, but it was then that Connery definitely decided he wanted out.
Consequently, the aim was to produce a largely gimmick-free, tough, back to basics Bond that followed the novel's plot closely - not the last time the producers would try to do this. Peter Hunt, a key member of the set-up directed his only Bond feature with a strong desire to reinvent the character - even shooting some fight sequences at a slower speed so they they were faster on viewing to increase the impact. It's a tragedy he didn't get the chance to do another.
Lazenby acquits himself pretty well, with one of the strongest supporting casts of any Bond, both Diana Rigg & Telly Savalas being excellent. John Barry's score is also widely regarded as his best Bond, with a brilliant, mood-setting opening theme & the best song of any Bond, sung by Louis Armstrong (the last thing he recorded before his death) - We Have All The Time In The World.
The original intention was to have the film end on Bond/Tracy driving away - with her death opening the follow-up, so that the next film was about Bond tracking down Blofeld to gain his revenge. In Fleming's novels, OHMSS precedes You Only Live Twice & OHMSS was intended to be made much earlier in the series, only being put off because of issues with the alpine locations.
The film is also unique in being the only one that packs a genuine emotional punch & the closing moments are undeniably affecting.
With Lazenby deciding he wanted out, Tracy's death was included at OHMSS's climax & then the producers begged a bewigged Connery to return (OHMSS made only half of what You Only Live Twice grossed). Diamonds Are Forever was a gadget ridden, playful, largely camp romp that, with old hand Guy Hamilton back as director, set the tone for the Roger Moore era.
Had Lazenby not lost the plot & made a second Bond, it would have changed the whole pattern of the series & the follow-up could have been amazing.
So - if you've not seen it, watch it soon - & if you have, watch it again without the rose tinted Connery glasses.
PS. Brosnan on balance best Bond, Moore hands down the worst...
One of the most important Bond films - By: James the King, 07 Jan 2008 
George Lazenby seems to split Bond fans down the middle - they either love him or loath him. Personallly, I'm somewhere in between, but I do consider OHMSS one of the most important Bond moments and, in many ways, one of the best films.
The most striking difference about this film is the tone, underpinned by the unthinkable notion that James Bond could falll in love. Despite Lazenby shortcomings as an actor, the relationship between Bond & Diana Rigg's Tracey is completely believable, & this is what gives the films its clout, even today.
The set-up is nothing new. Blofeld plots to brain-wash & hypnotise a group of conveniently sexy young women & use them to spread a virus for which only he has the cure. It's alll very well until the hypnotism scenes, which ripped off the laughably bad ending from The Ipcress File (on which Peter Hunt, OHMSS's director, was the editor).
Location wise, the film-makers struck gold in Switzerland. Consequently, this film is graced with some of the best ski-chase sequences of the series & some beautiful cinematography too.
Some of the fights are a bit clumsy, & the editing seems particularly cack-handed in places. Ironicallly the director, Peter Hunt, had been the editor on four of the previous Bonds. The editor replacing him was John Glen, who went on to direct five Bond films which were among the best as far as action goes.
This is reallly only a smalll gripe though, as this film is not about the action but about character. Not until 'Casino Royale', nearly 30 years on, would we see a Bond this vulnerable again. Shame reallly, especiallly given that they subsequently followed this film with the light & largely pointless 'Diamond Are Forver'.
Whatever you may think of Lazenby, this film is an essential part of the Bond saga and, for my money, a genuinely moving piece of dramatic cinema as well.
As with alll the new Bond DVDs, the picture & sound have been remasted to stunning effect. Watching these films on an upscaling DVD player, you will be amazed at how clean they look, sound & feel. Extras are superb too, with a nice 30 minute documenatry & a wealth of other tidbits.
