Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Released (US): December 17, 1971
Genre: Action/Adventure
Length: 120 Min.
Director: Guy Hamilton
Writer:Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
Major Cast Members:
       Sean Connery – James Bond
       Jill St. John – Tiffany Case
       Charles Gray – Ernst Stavro Blofeld
       Jimmy Dean – Willard White
       Norman Burton – Felix Leiter
Awards:
       Golden Screen Award (Germany)
Budget: $7,200,000
Box Office: $116,000,000 (worldwide)

Plot Overview:Sean Connery returns to the James Bond series for one final go around, and is skeptical of his assignment to track down a diamond smuggling ring. After a little digging, however, Bond uncovers a more devious plot to gain world control. With this discovery, Bond comes face to face once again with his arch nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. With the help of Felix Leiter and the American CIA, Bond must get to the bottom of Blofeld’s latest plot and stop it before the situation gets out of hand.

Did you know?: Originally, American actor John Gavin was supposed to play the role of Bond until Sean Connery jumped back in at the last moment.

Review:Mercifully, George Lazenby stepped down as his role as James Bond after a sub-per performance in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, allowing Sean Connery to step back into the role for one final go around. Despite the fact that Connery is noticeably older in this one (nine years will do that to you), he returns the Bond character to its former glory.

Like many of its predecessors, the acting is again very good in this film. Connery as Bond was much better than the performance that Lazenby gave in the previous Bond installment, although it is evident that Connery doesn’t have the same zip that he had at the beginning of his career in Dr. No and Thunderball. Unlike other recent Blofeld’s, Charles Gray actually gives the perception of a criminal mastermind. Where Telly Savalas (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) and Donald Pleasance (You Only Live Twice) fall short, Gray succeeds. He is villainous and nasty, characteristics that seem lacking in other Blofeld’s of the past. It’s a shame that they didn’t find him earlier.

Acting is good throughout, as Jill St. John as Tiffany Chase and Norman Burton as Felix Leiter are both good as well.

As far as the plot goes, it is a little out there, but not as much as You Only Live Twice. Despite this, the plot runs nicely and there is enough action and suspense throughout to keep the viewer hooked. It’s not overdone though, as there are plenty of light hearted moments throughout this film as well. Thankfully, the oppressive presence of fancy gadgets seem to take a back seat throughout the film, with Q only making an appearance to help Bond change his voice slightly to fool Blofeld. Very well done.

Overall, a very solid Bond flick. I would recommend this one to most everybody, but particularly to those who are into the spy genre. Thanks to the return of Connery, this is a well acted, well written movie that should not be missed.

Final Grade: B

Other Reviews:
DVD Town: “…a bit sillier than most Bond adventures but probably not as bad as it could have been.”

Reel Views: “The ending, while high on pyrotechnics, is low on tension, bringing Connery’s era to a rather dissatisfying conclusion. The actor deserved to go out on a higher note, but his tenure as Bond provided enough moments of quality entertainment to eclipse Diamonds Are Forever’s final whimper.”

DVD Verdict: “A good middle of the road entry in the franchise, Diamonds Are Forever strays farther from the serious thriller mold of many of its compatriots but thankfully stops short of self-parody.”

Filmcritic.com: “It’s fun at times but overall one of the most hopelessly dated 007 flicks ever.”

EFilm Critic: “Sean Connery’s performance sums up what is one of the worst Bond films – drab and lifeless.”

TVGuide: “Next door to glass, but aided by the return of Connery (George Lazenby had undertaken the role of Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) teamed with Jill St. John, instead of the usual parade of faceless Bond girls.”

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On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Released (US): December 18, 1969
Genre: Action/Adventure
Length: 140 Min.
Director: Peter R. Hunt
Writer:Richard Maibaum
Major Cast Members:
       George Lazenby – James Bond
       Diana Rigg – Tracy Di Vicenzo
       Telly Savalas – Ernst Stavro Blofeld
       Ilse Steppat – Irma Bunt
       Gabriele Ferzetti – Marc Ange Draco
Awards:
       None
Budget: $7,000,000
Box Office: $87,400,000

Plot Overview:The sixth episode of the James Bond franchise sees a new actor step in to replace the departed Sean Connery: George Lazenby. Ernst Stavro Blofeld and SPECTRE return again, this time threatening to use biological warfare to get what he wants. Bond also meets up with a girl named Tracy Di Vicenzo, and the heat picks up between the two. However, Bond must first take on Blofeld, and to do that, he must go undercover. Bond faces Blofeld in Switzerland, but is his disguise enough to fool Blofeld?

Did you know?:Of all the 007 movies, this one follows Ian Flemmings’ original novel the closest. This caused problems with the continuation of the series. If you pay attention, you will notice that neither Blofeld or Bond recognize each other when they meet, despite the fact that they met in the preceding film, You Only Live Twice.

Review:Right off the bat, something is different about On Her Majesty’s Secret Service than all the other Bond films. It doesn’t take long to figure out – Sean Connery has been replaced by George Lazenby as James Bond! Unfortunately, this move did not turn out for the better, and that was a common theme throughout the movie, the acting was sub-par compared to other previous Bond movies.

Unlike Connery, Lazenby does not resemble Bond at all. The classy, witty, tough spy that we all have grown to love in Sean Connery disappears in George Lazenby. Now, Lazenby did not do a bad job in the role as Bond, but Connery is so far superior that it is difficult not to notice the drop off. It is easiest to say it this way: Sean Connery isJames Bond, George Lazenby is not.

Another issue with the acting/casting in this movie was the villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Played by Telly Savalas in this one, Blofeld does not seem like a villain. He is almost too nice and sincere. Savalas does not portray himself as a villain well, and it detracts from the film a bit. Unlike some past bad guys (Adolfo Celi as Largo in Thunderball comes to mind as a good one), the viewer does not feel intimidated or nervous when the villain enters the scene. Savalas is too nice, and it shows.

Fortunately, not all is lost. Thanks to some excellent writing, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service actually turns out to be a rather good movie. This was a little odd, because, in the past, Bond movies were boosted by superior acting, not because of the scripts.

While maybe a tad bit long at 2 hours 20 minutes, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is well paced, suspenseful, and features plenty of action without the excessive gadgetry. The skiing scene was great, and the fight scene at the end was well done, but not excessive, such as the ones in Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. Lazenby does well in these action scenes, probably the highlight of his performance. Richard Maibaum did well in this effort, and it saved the movie from the somewhat disappointing acting performances.

A must see for all fans of the classic spy thriller, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service offers good suspense, action, and a well thought-out plot. Unfortunately, the casting (particularly for Bond and Blofeld) hold this movie back from being amongst the best Bond features. Still, a worthwhile watch nonetheless.

Final Grade: B+

Other Reviews:
DVD Town: “If you can look past Mr. Lazenby in the title role…the story line, action, and supporting cast of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are well above average.”

Reel Views: “Even featuring an inferior 007, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a landmark change-of-pace, and an exhilarating and affecting piece of entertainment.”

Filmcritic.com: “George Lazenby took Bond’s reins from Sean Connery in this sixth 007 outing, an unfairly oft-maligned film that, while distinctively different than the rest of the series, is still quite fun to watch.”

EFilm Critic: “…anyone who truly knows Bond will tell you that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is actually one of the best ever.”

TVGuide: “…On Her Majesty’s Secret Service benefited from an extremely well-written script that finally revealed a bit more of Bond’s character. Lazenby, however, had no previous acting experience, and his lackadaisical performance limits the whole production, yet it still manages to remain one of the more entertaining Bond films.”

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