OHMSS - am I the only one who...

Agent Sidewinder

...cannot imagine Sean Connery in this film at all?

Seriously, I read many comments on OHMSS to the effect of 'oh, with Connery it would have the PERFECT James Bond film', but for me the film and George Lazenby are inextricably connected. In fact, a significant part of my enjoyment of the movie comes from its 'oddball' status.

Connery is, of course, Connery. But when I try to imagine him exchanging loving glances with Tracy in Draco's car or while travelling down a Swiss mountain on skis, or crying over Tracy's body at the end, I can't do it, those moments are forever Lazenby's to me. I'm not knocking Connery's acting skills here, I'm sure he COULD have pulled it off, it's just nigh on impossible for me to imagine it.

So, does anyone agree with me out there, or am I yelling in the dark here?

superado

One fansite (sorry, don't recall which one) constructed a plausible "what if" based on facts about EON's decision process, making suppositions that had all the planets aligned, OHMSS would have become the 4th film in the series. Yul Bryner was touted as a highly probable (or ideal) Blofeld, with Julie Christie was actually in the running as a Bond Girl.

Of course, the most popular "what if" as you mentioned is Connery in the 1969 OHMSS. I've pondered on how one day a fan-made version of OHMSS could incorporate flawless CGI to make the Lazenby-Connery switcheroo, but I agree that with the lines and "acting" done close to verbatim would likely produce something really wooden (though I still anticipate this happening one day!)

The big maybe, and common regret, is how perhaps Connery would have made OHMSS his own, since there is a measure of these films that result from the actors' on the spot input, the unique "synergy" (hate that word, BTW) produced by the cast and crew, and most importantly, the unique interaction between Rigg, my favorite Bond girl of all time, and Connery...ahem, my fave Bond. But who knows? Maybe the interaction would have proved disasterous, and the "caliber," appeal or bankability of movie leads do not always guarantee successful pairings; a 60's film with a title I can't remember at the moment, with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole comes to mind as an example of this.

Pierce_Brosnan

I too think Connery could not have done a good job on that movie. The way Lazenby captured that last crying scene, I could not imagine Connery doing it!

arthur pringle

I don't know if it is a minority view but I'm glad Connery didn't make OHMSS. Connery was completely bored of James Bond by YOLT and I don't think he would have been as believable in this story as Lazenby. What I mean by that is that Lazenby was young and projected a certain vulnerability. I can't imagine Connery falling in love with Diana Rigg or crying.

Lazenby also brought a physical edge to the part that was above and beyond any of the other actors. If you can forgive his occasional discomfort in the role overall Lazenby was much better than most people give him credit for. When Connery did return he telephoned a jovial performance in and paved the way for the Roger Moore era.

Napoleon Plural

I'm inclined to agree with Sidewinder, with a few exceptions: I can only imagine Connery doing the droll comments, in particular his banter of sorts with Irma Bunt about their boss, 'A characteristic ambition' (to leave his mark on humanity, ie Blofeld is a dictator and madman, picked up and queried by Bunt, 'Oh, of a true humanitarian.' The moment is lost with Lazenby but Connery knew how to milk that rapport with the audience, as did Moore and Brosnan.

steelydan3

I agree that I cannot imagine Connery in the role too. By the way, he was supposed to be getting a bit tired of all the coverage surrounding Bond, especially on location with YOLT, when some of the journalists addressed him as James Bond. If he wasn't so enthusiastic about Bond by this point, this would have made for a really awful film IMO. Besides Lazenby was good, he looked really vunerable at the end. I think Connery wouldn't have portrayed it as well.

Mark Hazard

superado wrote:

.... Yul Bryner was touted as a highly probable (or ideal) Blofeld, with Julie Christie was actually in the running as a Bond Girl...../quote]

Can't say that I remember Yul Bryner being touted as a possible Blofeld, but I do recall reading that Julie Christie was rejected out of hand as being a Bond girl due to her lack of bust size.

The Cat

Yul Bryner was never Blofeld and I'm dubious about Julie Christie too, but that's a nice myth to keep alive. Here's the article superado thinks about:

http://www.hmss.com/films/ohmss67/

Barbel

superado wrote:

...the "caliber," appeal or bankability of movie leads do not always guarantee successful pairings; a 60's film with a title I can't remember at the moment, with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole comes to mind as an example of this.

"How To Steal A Million"- too calculated to create cool characters and chemistry. Dead on, supes.

Bondmovies

Who knows, maybe Connery would
have liked to have done this
movie and show off that he can
do emotional scenes.

Or at the end of the movie
when hes saying goodbye to Tracy
instead of saying "We have all the time in
the world" Connery looks up with the serious
look he does and says, "Blofeld"

words

I can imagine Connery doing this scene but as the previous poster said, his reaction would have to be different. I imagine a brief moment of sorrow followed by a glowering rage.

Gassy Man

words wrote:

I can imagine Connery doing this scene but as the previous poster said, his reaction would have to be different. I imagine a brief moment of sorrow followed by a glowering rage.

Connery could pull it off, especially if they allowed him to show some of vulnerability and surprise he was given in the earlier Bonds. That said, I rather like Lazenby's performance and wish that he would have done at least one more film.

James Blond

I believe OHMSS is a cool film. And also can't imagine Connery in that movie. OK, Connery is the man but in this movie ... nope!

Lazenby sais in the end of starting sequence: "That never happened to the other guy!" If it would, OHMSS would be totally different movie.

Napoleon Plural

Now I think about it, are there any movies at all where Connery looks moved or tearful at the death of a woman? He does get lachymose sometimes, but in a slightly Irish poet self-indulgent sort of way... That's maybe why we can't imagine it...

Steed

You sure ain't the only one. Lazenby is superb imo, bar the way he hobbles through one-liners (of which there are very few anyway). How anyone can deny his chemistry with Diana Rigg (my fave Bond girl too- I similarly love her in The Avengers as Emma Peel), plus his tearful scenes at the end and his excellent scenes with M baffles me. Connery played a very different Bond entirely- the cold professional, whereas Lazenby's one is more emotionally complex character. I love the 'I'll have to find something else to do' line after Lazenby's Bond proposes to Tracy which is completely at odds with any side of the character we saw before.
To me, it's THE ultimate Bond film. It has a degree of emotional intensity that few others had- it was never seen again until 'For Your Eyes Only' and it was somewhat botched in that, imo. The only thing I could say was wrong with the film would be right at the very end- I find the triumphant strains of the Bond theme that follows the gorgeous, moving 'We Have All The Time In The World' to be all wrong.

kal_solar

Lazenby worked very well in the 007 role in this movie and I too am one of those who likes this movie just the way it is. At just 29 years old he was certainly the youngest bond but his maturity of character shone through I thought. A classic and my favourite bond movie into the bargain.

Iona Havelock RIP

Ironically just watched it on a new UE DVD this afternoon. Lazenby is excellent. This is the best in the series.
Several factors make the film the best EON Bond film.
1) The locations - The Swiss alps, Bern, Portugal, London.
2) Casting - Rigg, Savalas give excellent performances. Ilse Steppat is marvellous as Irma Bunt. She died shortly after filming I believe. The Blofeld girls are excellent. Notice Joanna Lumley.
3) Script - Maibaum at his best. Extensive use of locations from the novels never seen in th films before such as Bond's office, M's house 'Quarterdeck?'. Extended screentime used to full effect.
4)Costume
5)Music score. The instrumental title track is better than most of the themes sung by major artists.
Louis Armstrong's We Have All The Time...is very atmospheric especially at the climax of the film.

Everything about the film is flawless.
The UE disc has some never before seen footage of Lazenby. 'In His Own Words' I think it is called.
Why was he such a dick about refusing to shave his beard and being a hippy? He could have been Bond throughout the seventies no problem.

taity

Iona Havelock RIP wrote:

Why was he such a dick about refusing to shave his beard and being a hippy? He could have been Bond throughout the seventies no problem.

I think he just felt that he was the star of the bond movies, and not Bond being the star of Bond movies. He seemed almost wanting to make enemies of friends. What he said about Hunt in the "In his own words" I thought was interesting - that they could have found anyone to play james bond and that hunt was more interested in set ups for shots. It seemed just like shooting himself in the foot.

Anyway, it seemed like he learnt his lesson. At least thats something.

Enoch

superado would like to CGI Connery into OHMSS. I'd like to CGI Lazenby into more Bond movies, but the scripts wouldn't take account of the depth of his character.

caractacus potts

according towikipedia
one reason Connery quit after YOLT was the filmmakers abandonment of the source material in favour of formula

Wikipedia wrote:

In 1967, following the unsatisfying experience of filming You Only Live Twice, Connery quit the role of Bond, having grown tired of the repetitive plots, lack of character development, and the general public's growing demands on him and his privacy (as well as fear of typecasting). Connery has also stated that he did not like the direction the Bond series was heading in, feeling that the filmmakers were straying too far from the source material. The producers instead hired George Lazenby to take over the role in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

any truth to that or is that just more spurious Wikiwisdom?
if true, it suggests connery would rather have done a faithful adaptation of OHMSS than some fantastic story of a secret volcano HQ

Barry Nelson

An in shape Connery would have been great in OHMSS, DAF Connery would not.

heartbroken_mr_drax

Was Connerys opinion about the plotlines/storylines and quality a result of how Sean acts and plays bond? Were the stories limited by the character played by Sean himself?

The Cat

caractacus potts wrote:

any truth to that or is that just more spurious Wikiwisdom?
if true, it suggests connery would rather have done a faithful adaptation of OHMSS than some fantastic story of a secret volcano HQ

Watch how you word your statements. In the beginning, you said that according to wiki, Connery left the role because it wasn't close to the source material. While this is not true, it's not implied in the wikipedia quote - he DID get tired of the role and would have left it no matter what. In an interview made on the set of DAF (published in one of the issues of the Bondage magazine), he said he didn't like the story of OHMSS at all and wouldn't have been interested doing it. Doesn't sound like a purist to me...

mrwoodpigeon

Bondmovies wrote:

Or at the end of the movie
when hes saying goodbye to Tracy
instead of saying "We have all the time in
the world" Connery looks up with the serious
look he does and says, "Blofeld"

)

mrwoodpigeon

caractacus potts wrote:

according towikipedia
one reason Connery quit after YOLT was the filmmakers abandonment of the source material in favour of formula

Wikipedia wrote:

In 1967, following the unsatisfying experience of filming You Only Live Twice, Connery quit the role of Bond, having grown tired of the repetitive plots, lack of character development, and the general public's growing demands on him and his privacy (as well as fear of typecasting). Connery has also stated that he did not like the direction the Bond series was heading in, feeling that the filmmakers were straying too far from the source material. The producers instead hired George Lazenby to take over the role in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

any truth to that or is that just more spurious Wikiwisdom?
if true, it suggests connery would rather have done a faithful adaptation of OHMSS than some fantastic story of a secret volcano HQ

Wikipedia is for wimps Seriously, I don't trust that page. Anyone can write anything on that. As for Connery doing a faithful turn, maybe he would have. Lazenby though made it his own. He ****ed up in a big way though by losing the job. ****.

mrwoodpigeon

Barry Nelson wrote:

An in shape Connery would have been great in OHMSS, DAF Connery would not.

He was a bloated oaf in that movie. Looks like he feels it too in every scene.

Dan Same

mrwoodpigeon wrote:

He was a bloated oaf in that movie. Looks like he feels it too in every scene.

He wasn't that bad. X-(

caractacus potts

The Cat wrote:

Watch how you word your statements. In the beginning, you said that according to wiki, Connery left the role because it wasn't close to the source material. While this is not true, it's not implied in the wikipedia quote

the 2nd sentence of the passage I quotes alleges just that

caractacus potts quoting Wikipeida wrote:

Connery has also stated that he did not like the direction the Bond series was heading in, feeling that the filmmakers were straying too far from the source material.

Looks like bolllocks to me, Ive never seen such motives attributed to Connery before and think this is another example of why you cant trust Wikipedia: any old person can write whatever they want, whether or not they have a clue what theyre talking about
a few folks above argued the increasing formulization was due to Connerys personal style, and that sounds more likely: there was stuff in the novels that just wouldnt work with the Connery persona, not just Tracys death but the torture scenes, the moments of selfdoubt, the constant muttered expletives, the fact FlemingBond actually falls for women and considers changing his lifestyle...
I could not see him in OHMSS at all, itd have to be a totally different movie, and we already had an unrecognizable You Only Live Twice that trashed all elements of character development that were in the novel
we gotta count ourselves lucky he did quit or we never would have got this film at all

Dan Same

I have no doubt that not only could Connery have done OHMSS but he could have done an absolutely brilliant job. My biggest regret regarding the Bond films is that Connery didn't do OHMSS.

caractacus potts wrote:

there was stuff in the novels that just wouldnt work with the Connery persona, not just Tracys death but the torture scenes, the moments of selfdoubt, the constant muttered expletives, the fact FlemingBond actually falls for women and considers changing his lifestyle...

I think Connery could have done everything that you stated extremely well. However, to be fair, he might not have agreed to do some of them such as the torture scenes, the moments of self doubt and 'the fact FlemingBond actually falls for women and considers changing his lifestyle.' I think he could have handled them superbly, but I can't imagine him agreeing to doing them, same as the Tracey scene as depicted in the film. However I can easily imagine him agreeing to constantly mutter expletives.

(That all said, I wouldn't want to see any of the things that you described. Obviously Tracey died in OHMSS and in it Bond fell for a woman for whom he considered changing his life style, which as a one-off I think worked, but only as a one-off, however I'm not looking forward to the torture scene in CR and I don't think that Bond should have moments of self doubt.)

Moore Not Less

Dan Same wrote:

I have no doubt that not only could Connery have done OHMSS but he could have done an absolutely brilliant job. My biggest regret regarding the Bond films is that Connery didn't do OHMSS.

The Sean Connery of the first four Bond films could and probably would have done a brilliant job in OHMSS, far better than George Lazenby. The Connery of YOLT & DAF definitely would not have done a brilliant job in OHMSS.

In fact, Connery's portrayal in YOLT is my least favourite by a Bond actor in the whole series. I'd rather have Lazenby than a bored looking non-performing Connery. However, I am less critical of Connery in DAF. I tend to believe he altered his portrayal to suit the lighter tone of the film. He could have lost some weight, though.

heartbroken_mr_drax

Agreed, sometimes Connery is too mellow, it started to show in thunderball, even though it looks like hes enjoying himself things cool and funny lines like "Cya later, aligator". But scenes especailly in YOLT i agree. Connery's bored portrayal in DN, TB, YOLT & sometimes, but not all in DAF affect his movies, Roger Moore really enjoys himself and when he has to be serious esp in Octopussy with Orlov and at the circus its believeable, and Peirce really makes an effort all the time esp in TWINE.

I enjoy Seans bond but i find it all too cool, roger can sometimes overdo the funnyness but brings it right back esp in the Glen ones of his, Pierce has gotten the balance right.