Should a non-Bond fan see OHMSS?
Bond Beginner
Absolutely. Coming out of the Connery era, I feared that I had made a terrible mistake agreeing to the Bondathon. “This franchise really is not for me,” I thought. Plot twist: it pains me to say it but Anna was right. There really is a Bond film for everyone. We only got one Lazenby-helmed Bond film, which blows, though, “I don’t want to be associated with this outdated, war-loving brute I’m going to go grow out my beard” is a massive flex. But because there is only one Bond film under this man’s belt, Lazenby is the darkest blindspot in the Bond zeitgeist. So for a first-time watcher, it’s kind of impossible to show up assuming anything. And with expectations out the window, there’s a lot more room to breathe and come at this entry on your own terms. So: if you’re suspicious of Bond films, especially older Bonds, give OHMSS a shot. If I can encourage one skeptic (just one!) to give OHMSS a watch, this whole project will have been worth it.
Bond Veteran
There’s! A! Bond! For! Everyone! This movie has gained traction over the years, but I still think it’s underrated. I don’t know if it’s the first Bond movie I would show someone new to the series, but I would definitely consider it essential viewing. This movie has aged remarkably well; it’s original and inventive while being a charming artifact of ’60s filmmaking.
What element from OHMSS would you like to see come back in future Bonds? What do you want to see left in the past?
Bond Beginner
Is it cheating to say I want more Lazenby? It is, isn’t it?
I mean, look, not to sound like a broken record, but Bond having something to lose really hits the spot. Tracy rules and I have a strong feeling that it’s going to take a miracle to unseat Diana Rigg as the franchise’s best Bond girl. I realize it’s early days and we have a lot of Bond girls to go, but she’s just that good. Tracy’s fantastic, and you immediately get why she means the world to Bond, why she grounds him and gives him something more to fight for than duty to queen and country.
I am compelled to say something about how hand-to-hand action is shot in this film. In the cold open, Bond saves Tracy from suicide and knocks around some grunts. It’s not the clearest sequence in a narrative sense but that doesn’t matter because the way this film shoots mano a mano action is shocking. It’s fast, brutal, frantic, and a lot more physical than anything we saw during Connery’s tenure (he was more of a sock’em once across the jaw kinda guy). Fights in OHMSS feel kinetic in a way that automatically raises the stakes. They’re struggles and they’re jarring at first, in part because what the heck is this Bourne Identity editing doing in the ’60s. But, after the credits roll: you’re on board. And good god that ski scene. We’re talking Mad Max: Fury Road levels of breath-holding.
As to what to leave, I mean: can Bond stop slapping his love interests around, please? It’s a low bar!
Bond Veteran
In terms of cinematography, this is at least top-three in the franchise. It’s gorgeous and imaginative, with more than a few sequences that beat anything I’ve seen from modern movies in a long time. If Bond 25 looks as good as OHMSS, I’ll be one happy camper.
All the things that could be left are minor things that I think of as relics from the era. Sure, the dubbing could be better, but is this worth getting hung up on? I don’t think so. I also can’t tell if I would hate it or think it was a hoot for Bond to break the fourth wall again. I guess there’s only one way to know for sure…
What’s your favorite so far? Least favorite?
Bond Beginner
Favorite: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Least favorite: You Only Live Twice.
Bond Veteran
Favorite: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Least favorite: Thunderball.
The End.
But Meg and Anna will return in Bondathon Part Three: The Moore Era!
Related Topics: Bondathon, James Bond, On Her Majesty's Secret Service
