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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Rating: 4.5* of five
Again a reminder that this is a review of the 1969 film, not Fleming's novel. I found I wasn't able to get past the outdated attitudes in the novels. I think because books are important to me, enduring documents of their times, and films are slight and insubstantial entertainments, I judge films much less harshly. After all, I take them so much less seriously.
This is only a 4.5-star experience because Lazenby's only outing as Bond was stylish and cool. It earned bad reviews for Lazenby, which endears him and his performance to me. Film critics in general are so full of hot air and bullshit that I love reading bad reviews so I can go and enjoy the panned product. I liked Heaven's Gate, for example, and I'd've never gone to see it if the critics hadn't howled their lungs out about its crappiness.
Anyway, Blofeld the recurring villain is played by Telly Savalas in this film. It's the absolute worst Blofeld I've seen. He got no pointy objects hurled at him, however. Hmmm.
Diana Rigg is The Girl. Okay, whatevs. The fact that her "father" is played by an Italian actor pretending to be Spanish and she's as British as shepherd's pie (and about as attractive, but then I'm pretty much immune to female aesthetic appeal), well it's a Bond film so one goes with it.
Joanna Lumley plays one of Blofeld's Angels of Death. The camp factor of this film just went up 2500%. It's also a little sobering to realize that Lumley was a comely youff when the film was made, and is now a grandmother. Tempus do fugit, eh what?
So that rating...is it purely contrarian? No. The film is very well made. The plot, while ridiculous, lacks gaping holes, unlike other entries in the series. The cinematography is as lovely as the series' standard, the script as witty as the best entries in the series, and Lazenby is very very very nice to look at. I also think he turned in a fine performance, and it's only butthurt Connery diehards who can't see that. This role isn't one for a Dramatical Genius to play, it's one for a film star to play. Lazenby COULD have been a long-run Bond. I think it's a shame he wasn't.
Pleasant way to pass a few hours, nice to look at, oh and the song! The song is sung by LOUIS ARMSTRONG!!!! Oh be still my heart. "All the Time in the World." I liked it. It's not up there with "Live and Let Die" or "Goldfinger" but it's a damn good song qua song.
Again a reminder that this is a review of the 1969 film, not Fleming's novel. I found I wasn't able to get past the outdated attitudes in the novels. I think because books are important to me, enduring documents of their times, and films are slight and insubstantial entertainments, I judge films much less harshly. After all, I take them so much less seriously.
This is only a 4.5-star experience because Lazenby's only outing as Bond was stylish and cool. It earned bad reviews for Lazenby, which endears him and his performance to me. Film critics in general are so full of hot air and bullshit that I love reading bad reviews so I can go and enjoy the panned product. I liked Heaven's Gate, for example, and I'd've never gone to see it if the critics hadn't howled their lungs out about its crappiness.
Anyway, Blofeld the recurring villain is played by Telly Savalas in this film. It's the absolute worst Blofeld I've seen. He got no pointy objects hurled at him, however. Hmmm.
Diana Rigg is The Girl. Okay, whatevs. The fact that her "father" is played by an Italian actor pretending to be Spanish and she's as British as shepherd's pie (and about as attractive, but then I'm pretty much immune to female aesthetic appeal), well it's a Bond film so one goes with it.
Joanna Lumley plays one of Blofeld's Angels of Death. The camp factor of this film just went up 2500%. It's also a little sobering to realize that Lumley was a comely youff when the film was made, and is now a grandmother. Tempus do fugit, eh what?
So that rating...is it purely contrarian? No. The film is very well made. The plot, while ridiculous, lacks gaping holes, unlike other entries in the series. The cinematography is as lovely as the series' standard, the script as witty as the best entries in the series, and Lazenby is very very very nice to look at. I also think he turned in a fine performance, and it's only butthurt Connery diehards who can't see that. This role isn't one for a Dramatical Genius to play, it's one for a film star to play. Lazenby COULD have been a long-run Bond. I think it's a shame he wasn't.
Pleasant way to pass a few hours, nice to look at, oh and the song! The song is sung by LOUIS ARMSTRONG!!!! Oh be still my heart. "All the Time in the World." I liked it. It's not up there with "Live and Let Die" or "Goldfinger" but it's a damn good song qua song.
adventurous
medium-paced
From IMDb:
James Bond woos a mob boss's daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world.
James Bond woos a mob boss's daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world.
You Have All The Time in The World
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the tenth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published in 1963. It is the second book in what is known as the "Blofeld trilogy". This begins with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice. Fleming wrote the book in Jamaica whilst the first film in the Eon Productions series of films, Dr. No, was being filmed nearby.
After The Spy Who Loved Me’ ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ is a return to form. In some ways it is a typical Fleming book. The plot is over the top and the story is exciting. Bond is in danger throughout. We also get the customary large scale battle at the end. This is all interspersed with action and pace, for example Bond’s frenetic ski chase. But in other ways Fleming departs from his normal blueprint as he shows an emotional side to Bond. Bond visits the grave of Casino Royale's Vesper Lynd, which he apparently does every year. He also asks the enigmatic Tracy to marry him after becoming emotionally involved. Both Bond and Tracey appear to be isolated people who both want more security in life.
Fleming is also great at the descriptive passages too. The scenes on the beach or in the Alps are well depicted and expressed in a way without breaking up a flow in the narrative. Fleming does insist on protracted explanations of card games and alpine sports.
In summary, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a notable chapter in the saga of James Bond. It pits Bond against his arch nemesis Blofeld's and is one of the better books. The mingling of Bond's personal life into the tale elevates this book higher than most in the series and this keeps the reader gripped until the end.
June 2016 Edit
The BBC Radio audio version it definitely worth listening to. Read by ex-Bond girl Joanna Lumley.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the tenth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published in 1963. It is the second book in what is known as the "Blofeld trilogy". This begins with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice. Fleming wrote the book in Jamaica whilst the first film in the Eon Productions series of films, Dr. No, was being filmed nearby.
After The Spy Who Loved Me’ ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ is a return to form. In some ways it is a typical Fleming book. The plot is over the top and the story is exciting. Bond is in danger throughout. We also get the customary large scale battle at the end. This is all interspersed with action and pace, for example Bond’s frenetic ski chase. But in other ways Fleming departs from his normal blueprint as he shows an emotional side to Bond. Bond visits the grave of Casino Royale's Vesper Lynd, which he apparently does every year. He also asks the enigmatic Tracy to marry him after becoming emotionally involved. Both Bond and Tracey appear to be isolated people who both want more security in life.
Fleming is also great at the descriptive passages too. The scenes on the beach or in the Alps are well depicted and expressed in a way without breaking up a flow in the narrative. Fleming does insist on protracted explanations of card games and alpine sports.
In summary, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a notable chapter in the saga of James Bond. It pits Bond against his arch nemesis Blofeld's and is one of the better books. The mingling of Bond's personal life into the tale elevates this book higher than most in the series and this keeps the reader gripped until the end.
June 2016 Edit
The BBC Radio audio version it definitely worth listening to. Read by ex-Bond girl Joanna Lumley.
For 2002 Audiobook edition, narrated by Rufus Sewell
Rufus Sewell narrated 11 James Bond novels (abridged) back in 2002 and this is one of them. Too bad they were never re-released since then as Rufus did an outstanding job and I wish I could get my hands on the rest - not only did he sounded like Bond (throaty, flirty), his other accents as narrator were amazingly spot on - Welsh, Scottish, Italian, German and French (both passages in Italian, German and French, as well as those nationalities' English accents) and the list goes on. Being a Bond novel, his imitation of the Bond girls were extremely entertaining yet feminine sounding!
I have never found the books as entertaining as the movies, so 5 stars for the narration and 3 stars for the story. Find it on YT for an entertaining 3-hr sojourn.
Rufus Sewell narrated 11 James Bond novels (abridged) back in 2002 and this is one of them. Too bad they were never re-released since then as Rufus did an outstanding job and I wish I could get my hands on the rest - not only did he sounded like Bond (throaty, flirty), his other accents as narrator were amazingly spot on - Welsh, Scottish, Italian, German and French (both passages in Italian, German and French, as well as those nationalities' English accents) and the list goes on. Being a Bond novel, his imitation of the Bond girls were extremely entertaining yet feminine sounding!
I have never found the books as entertaining as the movies, so 5 stars for the narration and 3 stars for the story. Find it on YT for an entertaining 3-hr sojourn.
A favourite Bond novel, possibly because (in my opinion) it was one of the best Bond films, with the best soundtrack and the best Bond.
Bond is on the search for Blofeld following events in Thunderball, and drinks/shags/smokes/shoots his way around various exotic parts of Europe.
The story relies on Bonds skills, rather than the gadgets from the films, and by the last few pages you can start to hear the orchestra coming up for Louis Armstrong to start "All the Time in the World"
Bond is on the search for Blofeld following events in Thunderball, and drinks/shags/smokes/shoots his way around various exotic parts of Europe.
The story relies on Bonds skills, rather than the gadgets from the films, and by the last few pages you can start to hear the orchestra coming up for Louis Armstrong to start "All the Time in the World"
It's been ages since I've read a James Bond and On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one that I'm not familiar with at all, not even the movie adaptation. Tonally it's quite a bit different than other stories in the series. Honestly, it feels more real including Bond himself particularly when it comes to his feelings for Teresa. I'm definitely going to have to see George Lazenby's outing as James Bond. Finally, I primarily borrowed this on audiobook solely because David Tennant is the narrator, and he does a marvelous job of it.
I think this may be my second favorite of all the bond books, second only to casino royale.
My first Fleming; my first Bond. Apparently it's not a typical Bond, but it was great. :)
(And David Tennant did an amazing job as a narrator... I am floored.)
(And David Tennant did an amazing job as a narrator... I am floored.)