BECOMING BOND

US, 2017, 92 minutes, Colour.
George Lazenby, Josh Lawson, Kassandra Clementi, Jeff Garlin, Dana Carvey, Diana Rigg.
Directed by Josh Greenbaum.


This Is a documentary about George Lazenby. On the one hand, it does explore serious matters about Lazenby himself, his life, growing up, his work in the garage, his being a car salesman, being a model, the opportunities, the choice for 007, his experience of the producers, making the film, the promotion, his womanising, the loves of his life, but, especially, his opting out of the Bond contract.

On the other hand, there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek, quite some humour, Lazenby appearing as something of a larrikin (the meaning of which is explained on screen!).

Basically, the film is an interview with Lazenby at 76. He is particularly genial, light-hearted, not taking himself too seriously. He is very direct about his life, his own character, the women in his life, his relationship with his love, Belinda, and walking out on her. At one stage, the interviewer asks him whether all he is saying is true or not – and his reply is that he is remembering it and saying it (which does not necessarily guarantee it).

Which means then that the film is an interesting 90 minute to camera interview with George Lazenby interspersed with dramatised past episodes, Josh Lawson playing the part of Lazenby. They are not meant to be taken seriously (as some disappointed commentators have complained). Rather, they contain repetitions of Lazenby’s own words, even in his own voice as spoken by other characters.

This means that we see something of George Lazenby’s childhood in Goulburn and Queanbeyan, his comments about his family, his uncertainty as to what he would do after school which he did not like. He seems to be fairly content in his work in the garage. His eager response to the opportunity to be a car salesman, initially not persuasive, but told to listen and then very successful.

We see his tentative relationship with Belinda, her snobbish father who is a friend, literally, of Prime Minister Menzies. We see Belinda going to England, George following her, his work as a car salesman, and an eager photographer sending stills to agents and his becoming a star model in England and on the continent, a collage of all his poses, glimpses of his real photos and video clips and advertisements.

His agent, played by Jane Seymour (herself a Bond girl) urges him to go to the office of the 007 films, Harry Salzman (played by Jeff Garlin as a variation on Harvey Weinstein). Director Peter Hunt is also brought in only to discover that Lazenby has no film experience whatsoever.

There are lots of scenes of the making of Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1968, especially scenes with Diana Rigg (who appears momentarily later in the film commenting on Lazenby’s giving up his career as a film star).

The latter part of the film is quite interesting enabling audiences to understand why his film was a one-off, the pressures on him by the producers, his growing a beard and wearing this on tour and paying for his own tour, interviews with David Frost, with Johnny Carson (re-enacted rather prissily by Dana Carvey), and other interviewers including Michael Parkinson.

The moral of Lazenby’s story is that he did what he liked, not living up to people’s expectations. He might have lost money but he would have been constricted, his life controlled and he has preferred to marry, have children, drive racing cars, not be indebted to anyone.

So, even with the light tone and the serious undertones, this documentary is a contribution to the James Bond movie history.