What constitutes a Christmas movie? This is a surprisingly divisive question. Some movies are undoubtedly Christmas classics: “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Elf”; however, there are those that are debated: “Gremlins,” “Batman Returns” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” However, there is one film that I am always shocked to see left out of this conversation: the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” which I believe to be a Christmas movie that rivals “Die Hard” for high-energy holiday thrills.
“Majesty’s” holds an interesting place in the Bond franchise, being the first film not to star Sean Connery as 007 and instead featuring George Lazenby in his first and only time donning the tuxedo. The film was directed by Peter Hunt, adapted from Ian Fleming’s novel and co-stars Telly Savalas as Bond’s nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld and Diana Rigg as Tracy Bond. It premiered on Dec. 18, 1969, coinciding with the holiday season.
Why is it a Christmas movie? To begin, a good portion of the film occurs over the Christmas holiday, and the seasonal vibes are heavy. Once Bond arrives at Piz Gloria (Blofeld’s lair) about a third into the run time, the scenery switches to snowy mountains, ski resorts and Christmas markets. Christmas is surprisingly prominent plot-wise. Blofeld’s scheme, without major spoilers, involves giving Christmas presents to his “angels of death.” While undercover, one of Bond’s blunders that blows his cover is his suggestion to go to the archives over Christmas, when they would be closed. The film features many chase sequences, with two occurring on Christmas Eve. One of these entails Bond escaping from Piz Gloria using skis, bobsleds and ice skates. In a very tense scene, Bond inadvertently gets trapped at a holiday party where Christmas music is heard, fireworks are fired and holiday decorations adorn the set. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Blofeld finally uncovers Bond’s identity, when, after being knocked out, the first thing Bond sees after regaining consciousness is Blofeld decorating a Christmas tree. What does the notorious villain say to Bond? “Merry Christmas, 007”. Even the villain can postpone his schemes to decorate his lair for the holidays.
What are some common themes across holiday movies? I argue that family is one of the most abundant. In “Home Alone,” Kevin learns the value of family after wishing them away. In “Elf,” one of Buddy’s primary motivations for leaving the North Pole for New York City is to meet his father. Notably, “Majesty’s” is the film where 007 gets married, a surprising development for the character. Throughout the film, we watch as he falls for Tracy Draco. In a memorable scene, the song “We Have All the Time in the World” scores a beautiful montage of their growing relationship. Bond reunites with Tracy on Christmas Eve, and together, they escape Blofeld’s henchmen by finding solace in a barn with animals and hay … sound familiar? 007 marries Tracy towards the end of the film, and audiences watch the newlyweds drive away as they discuss plans for children and raising a family; Bond has finally found the love of his life.
Furthermore, an original Christmas song, “Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?” was written and sung for the film. The track is featured on the soundtrack album and has its place on many Bond fans’ Christmas playlists. The song concerns many Christmas topics: Santa Claus, snowflakes, reindeer and Christmas cards to name a few. It is played twice in the movie — first when Bond’s train arrives in Switzerland and the second when he finds Tracy in the village on Christmas Eve. Additionally, the song is interwoven as an instrumental version throughout the score.
A major argument against “Majesty’s” is that the whole picture is not set during the holidays. I respond that a significant enough portion of the movie does, Christmas movies don’t only have to be set in December. Consider “It’s a Wonderful Life”: there is no question that it is a Christmas movie, but the festive part isn’t until the end. A good amount of the film takes place throughout the whole year. In “Christmas Vacation,” the story ends on Christmas Eve, but we never join the Griswold family on the big day. This illustrates that a movie can be a “Christmas movie” without spending a lot of time on the day itself.
Regardless of your thoughts of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as a Christmas movie, the snowy vibes, festive music and exciting plot warrant an entertaining holiday watch. Personally, it is mandatory December viewing that I’ve played while decorating my Christmas tree for the past two years. If you want an exciting action movie this holiday season and are tired of “Die Hard,” I recommend this classic Bond flick.
