@007hertzrumble @MrMattPatterson By the way, you’re about to see a Bond film, introduced by a Bond. Let’s savor that.
— Andy Ross (@ThatAndyRoss) March 28, 2015
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know well enough by now that I attended the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles this past week. I spilled much Twatter during those four days. One event during this 4-day cinema-going extravaganza piqued my interest. I devoted my entire Friday to George Lazenby introducing On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. I chose my movies for the entire day based on setting myself up to get good seats for OHMSS. (As it turns out, you don’t need to have the highest number in the queue, you just need to have friends — Proto-#Bond_age_ hosts @MiddParent and @NitrateDiva — who get the #1 spot in line and save you a seat in the third row.
Not too shabby.
So excited for #OHMSS here with @007hertzrumble ! #tcmff
— Fussy (@MiddParent) March 28, 2015
TCM host Ben Mankiewicz sat with Lazenby before the film, talking about his legacy as a one-time Bond and his experience on set with director Peter Hunt and co-star Diana Rigg. Lazenby commandeered the conversation discussing veiled propositions from Diana Rigg and trysts in the stuntman tent and demonstrated fully the bravado that allowed this non-actor to talk himself into the most famous individual role in all of cinema. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service wowed on the big screen. But I don’t need to tell you that. It’s a gloriously shot film with tremendous snow-capped cinematography and epic chase scenes. My pulse raced even leading up to Lazenby’s infamous quip “This never happened to the other fellow,” anticipating the brassy OHMSS theme. I’ll spare you further fanboy gushing and instead allow tweets, pictures and Nitrate Diva to tell a more robust tale from that glorious evening. See Nitrate Diva’s full writeup about the TCMFF event here, including meticulous notes about the Lazenby/Mankiewicz conversation. I was too busy being absorbed at listening to James Bond spin devilish yarns and causing Mankiewicz to scratch his head in disbelief.
George Lazenby chats with Ben Mankiewicz before On Her Majesty’s Secret Service at the 2015 TCM Film Festival.
Not sure @BenMank77 knows what the hell to do with George Lazenby. Best non-conversation ever. #TCMFF #OHMSS
— #Bond_age_ (@007hertzrumble) March 28, 2015
“For the first time in this conversation you’re underselling yourself.” @BenMank77 to George Lazenby. #TCMFF #OHMSS
— #Bond_age_ (@007hertzrumble) March 28, 2015
Finally, here’s a full conversation with George Lazenby courtesy of THRPodcasts. This was recorded during the TCM Film Festival and sheds more light on the enigmatic man who starred in one Bond movie and then walked away from everything. Required listening.