JAMES BOND’S IDENTITY CRISIS: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE AT 50

Call For Papers for SAMLA ’91 — In 1969, the world of film was presented with an almost unthinkable breach of protocol: in the new James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (OHMSS) the familiar face of Sean Connery was no longer James Bond, instead; the global icon 007 was represented by an unknown Australian actor/model, George Lazenby. As Lazenby’s only Bond film, OHMSS has been neglected—and maligned—as a “misfit” in the James Bond series. Not only does the film begin with Bond attempting to resign from the Secret Intelligence Service, but it is the only film in which Bond—the permanent bachelor–does the unthinkable and gets married to Tracy di Vicenzo (powerfully played by Diana Rigg). The tragic conclusion of the film and escape of Ernst Stavro Blofeld also makes it an anomaly, a radical departure from the “Bond defeats the villain and gets the girl” formula. The time has come, at this 50^th anniversary of the film, to reevaluate it and examine the “identity crisis”—both that of James Bond himself and of the Eon Bond film series—it represented. This panel welcomes papers on any aspect of the 1969 film of OHMSS, directed by Peter Hunt, and/or the novel by Ian Fleming, published in 1963, of which it is a surprisingly close adaptation. Please send 250-word paper proposals, brief bios, and A/V requirements to Professor Oliver Buckton at Florida Atlantic University (obuckton@fau.edu) and Matt Sherman (baconbond@gmail.com) by May 15^th, 2019. BondFanEvents has a coupon we can share with buyers of The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Forever–the book that arose from a set of prior SAMLA discussions–a 30% discount when purchased direct from Lexington books (in either an electronic or hardcover edition)! Send us a PM, and note the new book cover as shown here and on site: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498567589/The-Many-Facets-of-Diamonds-Are-Forever-James-Bond-on-Page-and-Screen#

What joy! A collection on my favorite Bond book, the one with most wit. This sparkling collection offers interesting perspectives both on the film and on the more lackluster but still worthwhile novel of that title. Both novel and film focus on America during its age of unrivaled power. — Jeremy Black, University of Exeter, author of The World of James Bond: The Lives and Times of 007 The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Foreveroffers an abundance of riches for both Fleming scholars and fans. In particular, Guy Hamilton’s 1971 adaptation of Fleming’s novel receives considerable attention and, in the phrasing of one of the volume’s fine contributors, proves to be a ‘key transitional film for the Bond series.’ Readers and viewers alike will find much of value in this anthology. — Stephen Watt, Indiana University (Interview with the author, available at https://jamesbondradio.com/inside-oliver-bucktons-new-book-the-many-facets-of-diamonds-are-forever/)