Monday, January 18, 2021

OHMSS

 The elements of a blockbuster film have oft been mulled over and I was thinking about the Bond movies on a grand scale - they have to be the ones on a grand scale with exotic locations, with a real sense of the era, the time, most certainly romance which does not get too "James! James!"

Location and score, bevy of beauties:



Casting - vital. If there are people in that film who do nothing for you or worse - put you off, then it undercuts the film immediately. Or under-using someone. While I understand that Virginia North was more eye candy than actress and Diana Rigg cannot have a word said against her in this country, I still feel Tracy would have been better with Ms North ... but never mind. 

There's just something about Ms Rigg - great actress, consummate, mature - but but but. And Lazenby - great in the fights, good with the romance too when he could control that ego - but oh, that ego. What a tosser, not unlike the uploader of this video:


Discordant elements came up with the bevy for a start. The producers/director were forcing the Bond-Angela Scoular thing because she was British but really, she was dull the way she was made up and dressed, with the way too strong come on. Anyway, Lazenby had his eyes on Ingrit Black, the tall German . Pretty obvious whom he was not on with in that picture.


Which brings me to the unlikely "ally", the Kerim Bey type, the Topol - when the ally is a rogue, it provides a nice counterpoint.  Plus the henchman of the goody is just as important as the henchman of the baddy and Bernard Horsfall was underused in this film IMHO.

The Barry score and the Louis Armstrong song smoothed things over though:

 

To be sure, Rigg and Lazenby were consummate here and that brings me to the next point - iconic moments. The wiping away of the tears, the ending - yes they were great but I stole the barn scene in the storm and used it in my long book, only in a shed by the side of the Cleveland Way, not quite as romantic.

Other Bond films in the same league, where the actors took their parts seriously once they were on-set?   Why do I not like Goldfinger as much as a film?  The locations?  The lack of grand, romantic vistas, The lack of grand romance overall?

Have to think about that.

1 comment:

  1. My all time favorite, which you alluded to, is From Russia With Love.
    Turkey before it was at all known, or spoiled by the tourists, a small number of good actors, no high tech distractions, unless you count the locomotive, limited totty, "nice" villains and Miss Moneypenny allowed to blossom a little.
    A gem.

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