20 Things You Didn’t Know About You Only Live Twice (1967)
19. "But This Is Duty."
Lewis Gilbert took some convincing to direct the fifth Bond film, originally not knowing what he could bring to the project. Cubby Broccoli convinced Gilbert to join the production by telling him that he would be gaining the largest cinema audience in the world. Cubby also agreed that Gilbert’s regular editor, Thelma Connell could join him.
The filmmakers then met regular Bond film editor, Peter R. Hunt whilst he was holidaying in Japan and convinced him to helm the film’s second unit. When Connell’s original cut of the film ran to almost three hours and was negatively reviewed by test audiences, the producers convinced Hunt to take over as the film’s editor. Hunt drove a hard bargain, however, insisting on being appointed as the director of the next Bond adventure.
Peter Hunt hated Donald Pleasence as Ernst Stavro Blofeld and insisted on recasting the role with Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), despite remaining loyal to the bald-headed depiction of the character that Pleasence had originated. Nevertheless, Pleasence remained so closely associated with the role that early storyboards for Diamonds Are Forever (1971) depicted the return of his Blofeld.