Worth: $14.00
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Cast:
George Lazenby, Josh Lawson, Dana Carvey, Jane Seymour
Intro:
"Lazenby recounts his life with charisma..."
Hulu produced this documentary about the charmed life of George Lazenby – the only Aussie to play James Bond, as well as the only person to inhabit the coveted role for only one picture.
The majority of Josh Greenbaum’s Becoming Bond’s running time is devoted to Lazenby’s larrikin childhood, constructing a portrait of a smart-arse brat who cheerfully got up to all sorts of pranks and mischief. “I was wild and I’ve been that way forever,” he grins.
Now in his ’70s and still handsome, Lazenby narrates his life story directly to the camera, with plenty of typically dry Aussie wit. Apparently, more arse than class must have been his guiding mantra.
Clearly orchestrating the interview, Greenbaum occasionally interjects with an off-screen question. “How could I remember it if it wasn’t true?” is one reply. The filmmaker livens up the film by creating cute re-enactments of key exploits, as acted well by Josh Lawson and others. We occasionally get actual photos and footage of the man himself – including his original screen test. In a sly cameo, former Bond girl Jane Seymour plays the high-powered agent who propelled Lazenby to land the gig, while Dana Carvey briefly stands in for Johnny Carson.
Lazenby recounts his life with charisma, starting with his small-town childhood through to all the rowdy fun that life in London during the Swinging ’60s had to offer for a 24-year old stud.
It’s well into the film that we get to the part when the happy-go-lucky Lothario, through a series of flukes, manages to land the plum movie role despite zero film acting experience. Tall, dark and handsome with a smooth and confident demeanour and a sexy, dimpled chin, he apparently had the right amount of swagger to convince the studio heavies. Lazenby worked on a nine-month shoot, with four months of pre-production training. Filling (first Bond star) Sean Connery’s oversized shoes proved to be a colossal joke to Lazenby, who fearlessly opted to do most of his own stunts.
Naturally, the life-changing role catapulted the former car mechanic turned male model into international superstardom. His head grew. He partied constantly. The movie was a huge success but Lazenby was an obstreperous leading man. Following the movie’s massive box office success, he famously declined to sign a six-picture deal contract – even turning down an extra $1 million persuasion bonus. His career stalled.
“It’s a tough umbrella to walk under, that James Bond thing,” he recalls. The man even sheds a tear at losing the love of his life through sheer carelessness.
Nevertheless, Lazenby claims he has no regrets. He boasts he wrote his own story, adding “I lived my life the way I wanted to.”
