The James Bond director who hated their 007: “Never spoke to me the whole nine months”
The future of the James Bond franchise has been at the front of our minds ever since the announcement that Amazon will now oversee the series and take creative control from the Broccoli family, who, up until now, fiercely maintained that they would refrain from selling out in order to protect the integrity of the story. Because of this, many fans are looking back on crucial moments from the history of The Secret Agent and the films that have defined its legacy, reflecting on the iconic performances and high-stakes scenes that cemented it as one of the best British franchises of all time.
But, alongside the brighter moments, each iteration of the character has experienced its fair share of problems and clashes, with George Lazenby describing his unfortunate feud with the director and strained production.
On Her Majesty’s Service, released in 1969, was the sixth instalment to the James Bond franchise. Directed by Peter R Hunt, the film follows Bond as he tracks his nemesis, Ernst Blofeld, to a mountaintop retreat in the Swiss Alps where he is training an army of women. However, a spanner is thrown into the works when Bond falls for Tracy Draco and marries her to get closer to Blofeld.
While it was initially met with a frosty reception, it has developed a new fanbase over the years as people have come to appreciate the purple hue of the landscape, the moody performance by Lazenby, and the elaborate yet fluid action sequences. Some die-hard fans now consider it one of the best in the series, taking place in an entirely unique and romantic environment that separates it from many of its successors.
However, the film’s complex legacy can also be reflected in the mood prevalent on set. Lazenby describes this tense relationship with Hunt and their early disagreement that plagued the rest of the production.
When discussing this, Lazenby shared a surprising insight into the shooting circumstances around the final scene: “Yeah, well, that last scene, I actually did do one with tears coming down and the director, who I never spoke to for the whole movie… but I didn’t think I needed to speak to the director. I had a little falling out on the first day of filming and he never spoke to me the whole nine months. It’s true.”
Adding: “But it didn’t bother me ‘cause I’d never been an actor, so I didn’t know who the director was from the cameraman (laughter). Every take I did was one take. But we did it from different angles, so I got more than one go at it sometimes. But Peter Hunt was tough. I won’t tell you how we fell out, but it was just my big mouth.”
Hunt is best known for his work on the Bond film and has a sparse filmography besides his contribution to the franchise. Who knows what Lazenby said and why it struck such a nerve with the director, but giving someone the silent treatment for a full nine months seems like a hefty price to pay for a minor upset.
