The thrill of James Bond’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service isn’t just in the suave spycraft, but also in its breathtaking action sequences set against the stunning Swiss Alps. For the second unit team, led by cinematographer John Glen, capturing these moments was a masterclass in ingenuity and resilience. This is the story of how they brought the explosive avalanche and exhilarating ski chase scenes to life, offering a rare glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of filmmaking on location for majesty’s secret service.
One of the most ambitious sequences involved triggering an avalanche on cue. The initial attempt, however, proved frustrating. “The camera crew was flown into position and we were ready to shoot by 10 o’clock,” Glen recounts. “I gave the turnover and fired the charges. Nothing! Then, slowly, a miserable slide started.” Despite meticulous planning and effort, the avalanche was a mere trickle. Les, who had dedicated significant time to the project, was understandably disheartened. To salvage something from the day, they used dummies to simulate skiers caught in the slide, but even this was plagued with mishaps, with dummies falling off wires.
However, luck intervened unexpectedly. While filming long shots of expert skiers navigating the treacherous avalanche zone, an unplanned event occurred. “In one of the shots, three girls were going through the area and they fell — one right after the other,” Glen explains. This serendipitous moment provided the perfect raw footage. Back in the studio, they skillfully composited this fall with existing avalanche footage, creating the illusion of the skiers being engulfed by a torrent of snow. This resourceful approach highlights the blend of planning and improvisation inherent in filmmaking, especially when dealing with unpredictable elements like avalanches, which mountain communities deeply respect.
Another key action sequence in majesty’s secret service involved a snow plough. Originally conceived as a train scene in Ian Fleming’s novel, logistical realities demanded a creative adaptation. Hubert, likely production designer or a similar role, devised a plan to use a massive, tracked road vehicle, typically employed for clearing high mountain passes in spring – coincidentally, also avalanche season. This shift not only proved practical but also heightened the dramatic potential, placing the action directly within the volatile avalanche terrain.
Filming the snow plough scene was remarkably efficient, a testament to the agility of a small, focused unit. Their routine was dictated by the mountain’s rhythm: “We would start very early and work until 2:00 p.m. when the slides and avalanches would start,” Glen recalls. Working in trenches dug 20 feet into the snow, they relied on a lookout and a klaxon to warn of impending danger. One day, the warning came none too soon. Amidst the deafening roar of the snow plough engine, an Italian worker frantically signaled an approaching slide. The crew scrambled to safety just as a slide engulfed their trench. “Fortunately, it missed the snow plough,” Glen notes, though Alex, likely the camera operator, had a close call with snow-covered batteries despite saving the camera.
The production then moved back to Mürren to film the night ski chase, a sequence crucial to the film’s climax. Director Peter Hunt was concerned about visually differentiating the pursuing groups in the darkness. Glen’s solution was ingenious and visually striking. While testing hand flares, he realized their potential for dramatic effect when skiers moved through trees. He proposed equipping one group of pursuers with hand flares and Blofeld’s group with parachute flares. This not only simplified visual identification but also added dynamic flair to the chase, enhancing the excitement of majesty’s secret service.
Filming this visually complex action spanned five evenings during the magic hour at Winteregg, leveraging the lingering snow. Transporting the crew to the slopes was an adventure in itself, involving precarious rides on tractor-type vehicles and a snowcat with a penchant for unsettling maneuvers. For scenes where Bond is illuminated by Blofeld’s flare, a powerful lighting rig was created using ten flares on a pole, fired electrically to achieve a sustained, bright light for filming.
The day-for-night shooting presented significant technical challenges, demanding careful management of extreme contrasts between the bright snow and deep shadows cast by trees. Maintaining spatial coherence among three fast-moving groups of skiers was paramount. Glen emphasizes the piecemeal nature of action filmmaking: “What you hope for in shooting such intricate action is that you will get all of the bits and pieces which, when joined together skillfully, will add up to the total impression the script calls for.”
The efficiency of the shoot was remarkable, with most scenes captured in just a few takes. Glen’s experienced eye allowed him to identify usable moments even within seemingly imperfect shots. He notes the editor’s crucial role in action sequences, explaining that seemingly unimpressive raw footage often contains “rare gems” – brief snippets of action that, when expertly combined, create a powerful and seamless final product. This was particularly true of Willy Bogner’s handheld camera work, which, while often erratic overall, yielded incredibly dynamic and impactful shots for majesty’s secret service.
By May, snow had vanished from Mürren, replaced by grazing cows. However, an unexpected two-day snowfall in May rekindled hopes for capturing more avalanche footage. A reconnaissance mission to a deserted valley near Mürren proved fruitful. Helicopter pilot Bruno was contacted, charges were prepared, and the team returned to the valley. “It was a perfect day and very hot with four feet of new snow on the fields above us,” Glen recalls. Confidence was high as they positioned themselves and Bruno and the guides planted charges.
{width=677 height=282}This time, the avalanches were spectacular. “Thousands of tons of snow came thundering down,” Glen describes. The team systematically worked around the valley, capturing numerous impressive shots. Conditions were so primed that avalanches even began occurring naturally, providing bonus footage.
With only four charges remaining, Glen spotted a vast, untouched snowfield. Repositioning for a better angle, they set up for what looked like a stunning shot against a clear blue sky. Just then, a jet contrail marred the pristine backdrop – a reminder of the unpredictable nature of location filming.
Despite the minor setback, the final avalanche shots were breathtaking. “It seemed like the whole mountainside was coming down,” Glen recounts. From their vantage point, the team witnessed the raw power of nature unleashed. Even at their base camp two miles away, onlookers were sent running. The sheer scale was captured with a single camera, requiring quick thinking and skillful camera work from Alex to pan and adjust to the unfolding drama. During the avalanche, a close call occurred when a sun flag briefly entered the frame, only to be swiftly knocked away by Alex, who remained focused on capturing the crucial moment.
{width=1024 height=658}The assignment concluded with a sense of exhilaration and accomplishment. “It was a memorable end to a most exciting assignment,” Glen reflects. The challenges of filming majesty’s secret service in the Alps, with its unpredictable weather and demanding action sequences, ultimately yielded some of the most iconic and thrilling moments in James Bond history. The blend of meticulous planning, quick thinking, and a healthy dose of luck proved essential in bringing the spectacular action of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service to the big screen, leaving a lasting legacy in cinematic action filmmaking.
