Mission Summary

James Bond (Lazenby) has spent the last year looking for his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas). Just when the trail has gone cold and "M" takes him off the case, he learns of a suspicious request for the crown's College of Arms. Bond pieces together that this man trying to be confirmed as a royal count is in fact Blofeld, and when he travels undercover to Blofeld's lair in the Swiss Alps, he learns his real plans are to kill off all life on Earth using a biological attack.

Analysis

Rank: 3

If you are ever asked to name all the men who have portrayed James Bond, you most likely forgot George Lazenby. This film itself is often overlooked in the pantheon of Bond movies, and that is unfortunate. Lazenby does a good job in his first appearance, and the script stays true to Fleming's novel, which sees Bond piecing this case together without the help of gadgets. And unprecedented for the series, this film has several scenes that are emotionally charged, making it unforgettable.

Once again, we see the Bond writers being well ahead of their times, conceiving the notion of using a virus as a weapon. While this seems like an ambitious plot, it really feels secondary between the battle between Bond and Blofeld. The virus plot takes quite a long time to develop, as the script follows Bond piecing the plot together over the course of the first hour of the movie. I really liked this aspect of seeing the plan evolve from Bond's point of view, as opposed to the usual trick of revealing the scheme to the audience from the beginning.

Probably the biggest disappointment about the film is the lack of extended action sequences. This is the trade-off to have a suspenseful storyline, as Bond spends a considerable amount of time undercover and not using his Walther. There are a few sequences when Bond escapes from his enemies on skis, and there is some amazing footage of Bond escaping from a massive avalanche in the Alps. The climax sees an epic gun battle storming Blofeld's Piz Gloira hideout, but action is probably the one thing lacking from this film.

Lazenby never had an acting role outside of commercials when he was cast at 007, and there are moments when his inexperience is obvious. It also didn't help that about half of his lines of dialogue were dubbed to cut down on his Australian accent. But I still think he does a fine job of capturing Bond's suaveness and the deadpan delivery of certain lines. If he was given the chance to fit into the role over a few more movies, I think he could have been one of the better Bonds. The rest of the cast makes up for Lazenby's lack of experience. Savalas was a poor choice for Blofeld, and definitely lacks the intimidation that the character demands. Diana Rigg is one of the most talented actresses to play a Bond girl, and her expertise was defiantly needed in this role of Tracy, the troubled daughter of a French mob boss.

By far, the most memorable part of this movie is the relationship between Bond and Tracy. Bond still has his moments of promiscuity when he sleeps with two of the women from the Piz Gloria, but this is the first and only time we see a woman steal his heart. When we hear that Tracy's father offers Bond a million pounds to marry his daughter, we scoff at the notion, but as the film progresses, it is interesting to see Bond fall in love with her nevertheless. While the on-screen chemistry seems forced at times, Lazenby and Rigg still make a believable couple. The last few scenes of the movie are ones you thought you would never see in a Bond movie, and the last one is the most shocking and sentimental of any in the series.

Both the film and Lazenby are easily forgotten among the other more memorable characters and films, but seems to be unjustified in my book. Watching the plot unfold from Bond's point of view is exciting and suspenseful, and more than makes up for the lack of action in the film. Lazenby unfairly received most of the blame for the movie's commercial failure, but I think we saw flashes of what could be the next great Bond. And the last five minutes of the film are truly unforgettable and traverse such a wide range of emotions that nothing similar will ever be seen in the series ever again.