I wanted to make a post about OO7 for quite some time, but wanted it to be something more than just “Favourite OO7 actor”. So, I decided to make a comparison to these two films. OHMSS was George Lazenby’s only outing as the legendary superspy James Bond. And the tale too is rather an unconventional one by Bond standards: in order to locate the criminal mastermind Blofeld, Bond must ally himself with underworld kingpin Draco - the catch is that he must bond himself to Draco’s daughter Teresa. So the two of them shack up, Bond locates and takes on Blofeld... and here is the interesting part: Bond and Teresa fall in love. This makes Bond a vulnerable human with fallacies and depth, very unlike most Bonds seen before/since (till Craig anyway). “This never happened to the other fellow,” he remarks – and while this truism probably didn’t go down well with audiences back then, today it makes for an interesting exploration at the man behind the image, at the truth behind the fantasy. And more interestingly is what happens in the end: Bond and Teresa depart for a happily-ever-after tale... then BANG! Blofeld appears and kills Teresa. This was not the fantasy OO7 where he wins the day and gets the girl, no this was a realistic look at the world of espionage, where you can never turn your back on your enemies, where allies/loved ones can turn on you or worse end up dead, and where there can never be permanent happy endings. It’s more real, more painful and more bittersweet (because that’s how life truly is). CASINO ROYALE moved along parallel lines (NOT A REMAKE, as some critics claimed): Bond is allied with the sensual and smart accountant Vesper Lynd to capture a criminal with links to an international cartel. Bond wins, the two fall in love... then the cartel makes its deadly strike, leaving Vesper dead and Bond bereft. I must say this is the superior film of the two, due to it handling the concept in a more contemporary manner: Bond is more thuggish and less suave as he comes into his own as the spy god, there is no evil organization but rather a cartel with people EVERYWHERE, and of course, Le Chiffre is a magnificent adversary. But on the other hand, the love story doesn’t really work too well: the two DO get together but there is a definite lack of emotional sentiment (to be fair this is OO7, it can’t possibly be mushy melodrama) and the fact that this is a proto-Bond and not the final Bond that we all know and love is a little disappointing. I don’t know which one is better, I can’t decide. Nor will I make a poll, because unless it was Craig or Lazenby in both films it’s not a proper comparison. But what are your opinions?
Who the hell claimed that?! Of course Casino Royale is not a remake of OHMSS. Someone would have to be a complete idiot to even consider it. They are both adaptations of novels. And they are, along with From Russia With Love, maybe the three Bond movies most faithful to their source material. At the very least, Casino Royal is the most faithful adaptation we've gotten since the Connery era. Casino Royal pads itself with a lot of extra action and subplot to fill out the run time and give a little variety to setting, but it's still relatively true to the book in its own way. Certainly more than many of the movies, some of which only take the novel's title, maybe a few character names and little more. Casino Royale is very well acted, beautifully shot and edited and is a great reinvention of the franchise (too bad they dropped the ball with Quantum of Solace). And I love Eva Green. But I think I have to give the edge to OHMSS. It's one of the best stories, not just of the movie series, but of the original novels as well. And Diana Rigg as Tracy was perfect. Savalas is maybe my least favorite Blofeld, but I understand why they needed a more physical presence in this movie. OHMSS also has one of John Barry's best scores. I appreciate what David Arnold does in the newer movies, but even he understands he's just doing Barry-lite. Nothing matches the original.
This. OHMSS is a sadly underrated and overlooked movie, all because of the Lazenby factor. It's easily one of the best movies in the series; if Connery had been in it OHMSS would probably be widely considered the best Bond film. Casino Royale is also a great movie, but I'm not a huge fan of Craig's rougher and more brutish Bond.
Yeah, OHMMSS is definitely one of the top Bond films. I really enjoyed Lazenby's performance too...it's just a shame that he was a placeholder Bond while producers were waiting for Moore to get out of his Saint contract.
LOVE OHMSS, easily still my favorite Bond movie and possibly best of the books too. Every time I watch it, I find myself ever more appreciative of Lazenby's performance. And Diana Rigg as Tracy is just perfection. I don't think the movie would've turned out as great if not for all the development hell, and lack of Connery honestly. I'm looking pretty hard at getting this book just because OHMSS is just so damn awesome.
bond's great no matter what the movie, and who's playing him. Even if it is Roger moore, who is probably the one that is the most bland. but even his films are still fun. so why do we care which one is better? they're all fun! lol
inb4 the ensuing dozen threads of "[insert James Bond film here] vs. [insert other James Bond film here]"-threads begin.
I always used to think this, but over time I have started to wonder. I don't know if Connery could have played Bond that emotional or that vulnerable at that point in his career. When Connery came back for Diamonds and Bond thinks he's killing Blofeld in the beginning, there's nothing there. There's no emotional weight or sense of payback or anything. And because of the persona Connery had built up with the character, I'm not sure audiences would have even believed him being close to tears at the end of OHMSS. I'm not even sure Connery would have played it that way. So in a way, I've come to believe the movie actually benefited from Lazenby replacing Connery.
Didn't one the the Moore Bond films start off with a gravesite visit? And the opening sequence ended with dropping Draco into an industrial smokestack?
Who is Draco? You mean Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Yeah, that was For Your Eyes Only, one of Moore's best. Although Blofeld isn't named as such, even in the credits. But that is clearly who it is meant to be. And I kind of like the idea he's spent all the years since OHMSS paralyzed rather than living it up in Las Vegas as seen in Diamonds. There's also a brief mention of Tracy in Spy Who Loved Me (Moore's other best), when Moore's Bond shows it's still a raw nerve for him.
Yeah, there was some kind of rights issue that kept the Bond films from being able to use Blofeld or SPECTRE. The character was never identified by name so that the trademark couldn't be violated. It's been a long time since I read about that so I don't remember the full story. It happens in Licence to Kill, too. Felix's ill-fated bride asks Bond when he'll get married and he grows very cold. Tracy's not mentioned often in the series, but it's always nice to see the occasional reminder that she still affects Bond deeply.
Casino Royale was superb movie i love it so much, beyond this i really like daniel craig as james bond his style and look awesome i wanted to look like him and now i am, since i got his attire from FilmStarJackets i thank them to give me it's replica.
Not sure On her Majesty's just didn't feel right with out Connery on the other hand Casino was weird....I mean they had woody Allen as the villain, and I think you had to be high to get the plot I'm still trying to figure out the sky diving indians
Or do you think he meant the old 1954 TV movie with american spy agent Jimmy Bond? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bBnVDj5SkA
Funny enough, my top three favorite Bond films of all time are: From Russia with Love Casino Royale OHMSS All three of them are quite close to the original novels, especially when compared to the other movies in the series.
