Out of the twenty-six Bond films (yes, I include Never Say Never Again in that), I think the very best is On Her Majesty's Secret Service. And if it isn't number one, it's certainly in the Top Five.
That opinion may surprise some people because it isn't the first film that usually comes to mind. I know... sacrilege, right? How can a Sean Connery Bond movie not be the best?
Interestingly, this opinion has become far less unusual over the last couple of decades. For many years, On Her Majesty's Secret Service was treated as something of an oddity in the Bond canon, a movie remembered mostly for being the one without Connery. However, as audiences and critics have revisited the film, its reputation has grown significantly. Today, many longtime Bond fans rank it alongside classics such as From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Casino Royale, and License to Kill as one of the strongest entries in the entire series.
So while it may not be the first Bond film many people name, it is no longer a fringe opinion to argue that On Her Majesty's Secret Service belongs among the very best.
While I think Connery was excellent in the role, I'm not convinced he was the best Bond. That honor might actually belong to Timothy Dalton, but that's a discussion for another day.
At the time, George Lazenby had the impossible task of replacing Connery as 007. A near-complete unknown, it would be his only outing as the British super-spy, but what an outing it was.
I won't go too deeply into the story in case anyone reading this hasn't seen the film, but I will say this: On Her Majesty's Secret Service presents perhaps the most human depiction of James Bond in the entire series.
The action has also aged remarkably well. Nearly all of the skiing, car chases, and fight scenes rely on practical effects and real stunt work, giving the film an authenticity that many modern action movies struggle to match.
And then there's the villain.
Blofeld is played by none other than Telly Savalas. "Who loves ya, baby?" Oops... wrong role! But seriously, you can't go wrong with Savalas. His Blofeld is physically imposing, intelligent, and genuinely threatening.
Unlike Connery's effortlessly cool Bond or Roger Moore's more lighthearted and gadget-driven interpretation, Lazenby's Bond feels personal. He gets hurt. He doubts. He falls in love. He feels like a real person instead of an indestructible icon.
Some critics have focused on Lazenby's inexperience as an actor, and there's certainly some truth to that. Unfortunately, every performance was inevitably compared to Connery's, making the transition even more difficult. Looking back today, however, I think Lazenby deserves far more credit than he usually receives. When compared to Ian Fleming's novels, his interpretation is actually one of the closest to the Bond Fleming wrote.
Then there's Diana Rigg.
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| Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, aka Tracy Bond |
Wow.
Most younger viewers know her as Olenna Tyrell from HBO's Game of Thrones. Fewer realize that during the 1960s she was widely regarded as one of Britain's great screen beauties and style icons.
More importantly, Tracy isn't just another "Bond girl."
She's intelligent, independent, capable in a fight, and never feels like she's simply there to admire Bond. She challenges him emotionally in ways very few characters ever do.
And then... there's the ending.
As Bond says:
"We have all the time in the world."
It's one of the most emotional moments in the franchise and one of the reasons this film has only grown in stature over the decades.
In many ways, Diana Rigg's performance feels effortless because she brought so much of her own wit, confidence, and personality to the role. Anyone familiar with her career: from The Avengers to Game of Thrones, knows she possessed that commanding screen presence throughout her life.
Some readers may be wondering, "Tracy Bond? Who's that?"
If you've never heard of her in connection with the other Bond films, there's a reason. Watch On Her Majesty's Secret Service and you'll find out. The character is referenced in several later Bond movies, but they're subtle enough that many viewers miss them. Because On Her Majesty's Secret Service spent so many years being overlooked within the Bond canon, those references are easy to overlook as well.
So there you have it.
I think On Her Majesty's Secret Service has the strongest claim to being the greatest Bond film ever made; or, at the very least, it belongs comfortably in the Top Five.
Now of course the natural question what does this have to do with anything? Well, once again a gamer of the right age range? Top Secret of course, but even better? Victory games James Bond 007!
In a future article I'll attempt the impossible task of ranking every Bond film to determine which one truly deserves the top spot. Stay tuned.
Are you a Bond fan? If so, which Bond film do you think is the best? Let me know in the comments.
