Lazenby: Why he only starred once
He was the Australian car salesman who landed one of the most coveted roles in cinema, despite not having acted a day in his life. He was also the man who walked away from a US$1 million pay cheque and at least a decade of steady work.
George Lazenby, the one-shot James Bond who replaced Sean Connery for 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, relays his amazing tale in Josh Greenbaum’s enthralling, entertaining and enlightening documentary Becoming Bond (screens 9.35pm today, Rialto).
Telling his tale direct to camera and in his own words, Lazenby makes for a hilarious and charismatic guide to an incredible story.
Growing up in Goulburn, New South Wales, young George was expected to live to only age 12 after poor health left him with just half a kidney. Aware that ‘‘you only live once’’, he developed a reputation as a pre-teen larrikin, stealing a car at the age of 6 and taking a snake to school.
However, after becoming the only one in his class not to graduate, Lazenby decided to apply himself a little more, although his initial efforts as a mechanic and car salesman were less than impressive. But after going on a How to Win Friends and Influence People course, he made immediate improvements.
It was then that he met high-society gal Belinda Fingleton, whom he followed to London. Landing a job at the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Park Lane, Lazenby was approached by a photographer who wanted to take pictures of him. Although initially concerned at the snapper’s intentions, the square-jawed Aussie agreed and suddenly found himself in demand throughout Europe as a male model.
Acting certainly wasn’t on his radar until agent Maggie Abbott suggested he would be perfect as Bond. Problem was, he couldn’t even get an audition. However, after ‘‘borrowing’’ one of Connery’s suits and sneaking his way past the front desk, Lazenby managed to steal a face-to-face with director Peter Hunt, who was impressed by his audacity, even when the Aussie came clean.
‘‘Stick to your story and I’ll make you the next James Bond,’’ Hunt promised.
Backed by Lazenby’s vivid storytelling, Greenbaum (New Girl and sports mascots documentary series Behind the Mask) brilliantly brings the bon vivant’s story to life through the use of lip-synched reenactments and a smattering of archival interviews and footage.
House of Lies’ Joshua Lawson, who also brought Paul Hogan to life for a mini-series last year, is a more-than-adequate double for Lazenby, while Jeff Garlin is a memorable Harry Saltzman and former Bond girl Jane Seymour is magnificently cast as uber-agent Abbott.
But beneath all the fascinating tidbits about onset pranks involving German sausages and a jaw-dropping account of how Lazenby defied producers and grew a beard before the premiere, Becoming Bond is a heart-wrenching tale of regret of the one that got away.
Lazenby looks and sounds genuinely emotional as he recounts how he threw away his chance at happiness with Fingleton.
Like Lazenby’s only outing as the vodka martini-swilling spy, it’s the surprise dramatic punch that really stays in the memory long after the credits have rolled. – James Croot