Before Spectre: Which Film Was Each James Bond Actors Best?

George Lazenby - On Her Majesty's Secret Service

George Lazenby is something of an anomaly within the Bond franchise, given that he played the role of 007 on just one occasion, shoehorned between two Connery efforts. Interestingly, he was offered a multi-film deal despite his lack of acting experience, but turned it down under the belief that making just one would be a launching pad to global stardom. It's a decision he probably regrets today, though its questionable as to whether the franchise would've achieved its longevity with him at the helm, as his sub-standard acting ability was the weakest element of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which by default is both his best and worst Bond outing. Aside from his wooden delivery, however, the film is a fantastic adaptation of one of Ian Fleming's best stories. At its heart is the relationship between Bond and the vulnerable woman who becomes his wife during the course of proceedings, Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg). This develops in a rather heartwarming fashion, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) re-emerges with a plot to initiate bacterial warfare. The casting of Savalas was something of a left-field choice given that his rather physical take on the role differed extensively from the calculating one given by noted character actor Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice, but it worked, showcasing the charisma that he would become better known when he took up the mantle of Kojak. The snowy setting of the film allowed for some breathtaking visuals and fine stuntwork, including a helicopter-led assault on Blofeld's mountain-top lair and a long chase scene that incorporates skiing, a bobsleigh track, a stock car race and an avalanche. The most memorable moment, however, belongs to the immediately detestable henchwoman Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat), who delivers one of the most heart-wrenching moments in cinematic history when she guns down Bond's new bride on their wedding day. In Connery's hands, On Her Majesty's Secret Service could quite possibly have been the best Bond film ever made. In the less capable hands of Lazenby, however, it just falls short. It does seem harsh to judge him on just the one outing, given that he could've grown in the role over time had he stuck with it, but this was not to be.