MovieChat Forums > On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) Discussion > Macho Tough Guy Blofeld

Macho Tough Guy Blofeld

posted 6 years ago by ecarle (14979)
2 replies | jump to latest

In the Bond series, I believe we got three "Blofeld movies" in a row, villain wise:

You Only Live Twice: Mousy Donald Pleasance.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Macho Tough Guy Telly Savalas.

Diamonds are Forever: Prissy Poseur Charles Gray.

I've always wondered:

(a) Why they decided to go for a macho tough guy, that one time.

(b) Why Blofeld in OHMSS is fit enough to endure mano-y-mano fist-fighting with Bond on the bobsled at the climax.

Its just odd. When the Pleasance version underwent plastic surgery and lost the scar on his face, did he elect to have a more muscular build added? And after breaking his neck at the end of OHMSS, did Blofeld elect to be re-built yet again as a wimpier man for Diamonds Are Forever?

Its just an oddity to me, in the series.

For the record, though the Pleasance Blofeld is the classic one -- the Austin Powers/ Dr. Evil one -- I dig on the Savalas tough guy version. More dangerous.

[–] Cristianos (265) 5 years ago

Director Peter R. Hunt wanted a more physically fit actor to portray Blofeld for OHMSS according to the "James Bond Encyclopedia". Granted, I do think if Hunt returned to direct "Diamonds Are Forever", Savalas would have returned as well. In the end, I chalk up the differences in Blofeld's overall characterization to the director's preferences.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

Interesting. I suppose this allowed Blofeld to be a "presence rather than a person." He could be -- in face AND size and shape -- anything a director wanted him to be.

Also , I suppose the script forced things: Donald Pleasance duking it out with Bond on those bobsleds just would not have played "real."

And this: I do recall Savalas, even while being a more macho and fit Blofeld..playing him a bit "prissy" -- rather like Charles Gray would be one film later.