Jeremy Bolton (billfenner1967)

Simply put, the best film of the Bond series -- along with "From Russian With Love" that is -- boasting a terrific story and characters, thankfully light on the stunts and gadgets. Unfortunately, this is the film that suffers from the Not-The-Sean-Connery-One syndrome. People -- dull, stupid people -- won't give this film a chance because it stars the guy who played Bond just once. Well, George Lazenby is fine as Bond. He's no Connery, but then again who is? However, he's perfectly suitable as Bond in my opinion, and, if anything, adds some laconic charm and genuine earnestness to the character. Mention must be made also to the brilliant John Barry who turns in one of the best scores he ever produced for this film. I love this film completely, including its flaws, because I regard it to be as close to my personality displayed on film as I've ever seen.

A remarkable film, long forgotten and overlooked, usually remembered these days for featuring a young Anthony Hopkins. And while he's great, this film belongs to Christopher Jones, the young, unfortunate American actor who would abruptly disappear from films soon after this film was released. The Le Carre novel is quite different in certain plot points, particularly the main character of the Pole sent back to Germany to spy, but it's a testament to the wonderful work of the writer-director Frank Pierson who, though changing some fundamentals of the novel, managed to still make a faithful adaptation. In spirit, it's the same story as Le Carre's despite it's differences. Love this film. One of the best spy films of the era, up there with "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" for me.