On Her Majesty's Secret Service

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the eleventh James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, published in 1963. In 1969, it was produced as the sixth film in the James Bond movie series, and the first and only film starring George Lazenby as James Bond. Lazenby was the second official James Bond, the first having been Sean Connery. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and made by EON Productions.

The novel

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is considered the second book in what is known as the 'Blofeld Trilogy', which, resumes from Thunderball after the interlude novel The Spy Who Loved Me, and concludes with You Only Live Twice.

Related Topics:
Thunderball - The Spy Who Loved Me - You Only Live Twice

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Plot summary

For more than a year, James Bond, British secret agent 007, has been trailing the private criminal organization S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and its leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld in an operation dubbed 'Operation Bedlam'. This story is partially written in The Spy Who Loved Me where Bond explains to Vivienne Michel the aftermath of 'Operation Thunderball' and the escape of Blofeld. By the time of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond is convinced S.P.E.C.T.R.E. no longer exists, and is frustrated at being unable to locate Blofeld so much so that Bond actually prepares a letter of resignation for M. Meanwhile, Bond comes across a beautiful, suicidal young woman named Teresa di Vicenzo?by thwarting her suicide drowning.

Related Topics:
S.P.E.C.T.R.E. - Ernst Stavro Blofeld - The Spy Who Loved Me - M

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Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (or Tracy) is the daughter of Marc-Ange Draco, the head of the Union Corse, a powerful European crime syndicate. Draco believes the only way to save his daughter's life is for Bond to marry her. For that, Draco offers Bond a great dowry?as well as Blofeld's whereabouts. Bond refuses this offer, but does agree to continue to see Tracy while her mental health improves.

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Draco informs Bond that Blofeld has been hiding in Switzerland and upon further investigation, Bond discovers that he has assumed the title and name Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. Blofeld has also undergone plastic surgery to physically pass as an heir of the de Bleuville bloodline?so much so that he has asked the College of Arms to declare him the reigning count. By impersonating a college representative, Sir Hilary Bray, Bond infiltrates Blofeld's lair atop Piz Gloria and finally meets Blofeld.

Related Topics:
Switzerland - College of Arms - Piz Gloria

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At Piz Gloria, Bond learns Blofeld has been using his time curing a group of young British and European women of their allergies to livestock and food phobias. In truth, however, Blofeld and his homely aide, Irma Bunt, have been brainwashing the women into carrying biological warfare agents back to Great Britain and their home countries in order to destroy Great Britain's agriculture economy, upon which post-World War II Britain is dependent.

Related Topics:
Irma Bunt - Brainwashing - Biological warfare - World War II

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Feeling his cover was to be soon blown, Bond escapes from Piz Gloria and encounters Tracy, who helps him escape from S.P.E.C.T.R.E.. Bond, who has become smitten with the resourceful, headstrong woman, proposes marriage and she accepts.

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With the help of Draco's Union Corse men, Bond mounts a bloody, air assault battle against the clinic and Blofeld, who escapes?later exacting revenge on James and Tracy Bond moments after their wedding ceremony.

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Trivia

The book was the first James Bond novel published after the start of the official film series. In tribute, Fleming mentions Dr. No co-star Ursula Andress by name in one chapter describing her as a beautiful movie star. Ian Fleming also pays tribute to the first official James Bond, Sean Connery, by stating that 007's surname as well as his father, was Scottish.

Related Topics:
Dr. No - Ursula Andress - Sean Connery - Surname - Scottish

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Comic strip adaptation

Ian Fleming's 1963 novel was adapted as a daily comic strip published in the British Daily Express newspaper, and syndicated worldwide. Possibly the longest James Bond novel adaptation, the strip ran for nearly a year, from June 29, 1964 to May 17, 1965. The adaptation, which revived the comic strip after a two-year hiatus, was written by Henry Gammidge and illustrated by John McLusky; it has been reprinted by Titan Books in 2004.

Related Topics:
Comic strip - Daily Express - June 29 - 1964 - May 17 - 1965 - Henry Gammidge - John McLusky - Titan Books - 2004

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