Well after the long stretch of Connery films I was finally ready for a change to the James Bond franchise. Unfortunately George Lazenby was not the change I was looking for. Now I can see why when they wanted to replace Connery that they went with Lazenby. The man looks good when he's throwing a punch or shooting a gun, but he just doesn't have the charisma or the charm to be James Bond. Not to mention Lazenby's acting talent, well there's little of it. Also I'll just go on record and say the more I had to look at his face I just didn't like it.
Now I know the general opinion of Lazenby that he wasn't a very good Bond so I'm sure I'm not alone there, but I do know of some people that legitimately like On Her Majesty's Secret Service. I can easily say that there are parts of this film that I really enjoyed but it really felt like there were two movies going on at the same time. One of these movies is actually really good. The other adds a significant arc to the Bond character and expands the Bond mythos. Now the whole marriage sub-plot can honestly just go. It is heavily featured in the beginning of the film, only to disappear until the end with little explanation. Tracy just accepts that Bond is going to be gone for a long time and then she shows up very conveniently for the plot. There's a lot of "what are the odds" moments throughout the film, even with Blofeld not recognizing Bond through his cheap disguise, even though he had him captured in the last film and got a good look at his face the whole time. At least for Bond it made sense because Blofeld had some plastic surgery to alter his look and this time around he seems less like a super villain.
Blofelds plan is also a mixture of good and bad. This time he's not looking for money, but a pardon from all of his previous crimes. How is he going to get this? By sterilizing the worlds food supply if his demands aren't met. He could even sterilize the human race if he wants. That's a pretty decent plan. How is he going to accomplish it? He sets up a clinic where they claim to cure allergies of women who work at different food sources around the globe but while he's helping them he throws in some hypnosis to turn them all into sleeper agents. What?! I was with you before but that second part, kind of ridiculous. Honestly, this is a film they could easily remake in the Daniel Craig era because there is a story here. Just lose the ridiculous parts, cut out or play down the love story and you could have a decent script. I mean a lot of things that are a big deal happen here, I mean Bond gets married, but I don't think it's needed. Especially since his wife is killed seemingly out of nowhere for one of the darkest endings I've ever seen.
Now I wasn't big on Tracy as a Bond girl at the beginning but she did grow on me by the end. She is the first Bond girl that I can remember holding her own in a fight. Well as far as the ones that aren't initially a villain. Lazenby however is just the weirdest version of Bond I could imagine outside of a parody. One scene the man is sitting while reading a Playboy magazine. Just so weird. He keeps the same tone of voice through the entire film and there's really no acting happening unless a punch is being thrown. He has a good throwing a punch face. I just can't believe him as Bond. Honestly after You Only Live Twice I was completely ready for a new James Bond, but about halfway through this movie I was glad that Connery is back in the next one.
There are at least some great action scenes. A pretty awesome car chase through the snow was highly enjoyable. The end battle is also fantastic. Blofeld has a great looking fortress and having it get stormed by a criminal army in tune to the James Bond theme was easily my favorite part of the movie. It made me just want an audio track of James Bond's theme laid in with gun fire. While these stands stand out we do get a way too long ski chase before this and a boring and absurd bobsled chase to close the film. Just another example of "What form of transportation has Bond not used yet? Put it in this movie". The awesome scenes just barely outweigh these ones that drag the film out. I also feel I should mention that a British secret agent, knowingly marries into one of the largest crime syndicates on the planet, Mi6 agents and even M are at the wedding. They even have a line where Tracy's mobster dad and M are sharing stories of being on the opposite sides of the same conflicts. A good laugh for all of our fallen comrades we used trying to kill each other. I give On Her Majesty's Secret Service two stars out of five. It has some ideas and some great action scenes but over all it was hard to sit through. Mostly for Lazenby's wooden acting. That face too!
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