Universal Soldier (1971 film)
Encyclopedia
Universal Soldier is a 1971
film starring George Lazenby
as a mercenary
.
The film had a £1,000,000 ($2,200,000 US) production budget. George Lazenby and his (then) manager, Ronan O'Rahilly
, financed the film and were the executive producers. The film was directed by controversial director Cy Endfield
. On O'Rahilly's advice, Lazenby turned down an offer by Harry Saltzman
of $1 million from United Artists
and EON Productions
to star as 007
in Diamonds Are Forever
, opting instead to make Universal Soldier—a decision he would come to regret.
Lazenby financed, co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in Universal Soldier, for which he was paid a salary of £100,000 per month plus 25% of the worldwide profits, which at the time was the highest salary for any actor in the UK. The film was a sort of James Bond
parody, combining elements of James Bond with the hippie
movement of the era, and using many themes from the film Easy Rider
(1969). Originally, Jimi Hendrix
was signed to co-star with Lazenby in the film, however he died from complications due to an alcohol
/drug
-related overdose shortly before filming was set to begin, which gave the film much bad press even before it began shooting. Although critically acclaimed by some, the film caused a lot of controversy in the UK at the time of its release due to its blatant depictions of sexuality, hippie culture, and drug use. Germaine Greer
appeared as Clara Bowden, wife of Derek Bowden, played by the film's director Cy Endfield. Well known models from the time as well as several actors in the film, including Lazenby himself, were reported to have actually used real drugs in the film and on the set.
Due to the negative press the film received it flopped at the box office despite its relatively large budget for an action film (at that time) and having the most recent James Bond starring in it. Lazenby subsequently fired O'Rahilly.
After this, O'Rahilly's career as a film producer failed and he went back into radio production. Lazenby's would-be acting career in the UK fizzled due to the film's box office failure and he went to Italy, then to Hong Kong
, and then to Australia to make more films, before landing a Hollywood contract in the late 1970s.
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
film starring George Lazenby
George Lazenby
George Robert Lazenby is an Australian actor and former model, best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.-Early life:...
as a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
.
The film had a £1,000,000 ($2,200,000 US) production budget. George Lazenby and his (then) manager, Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly is an Irish businessman best known for the creation of the offshore radio station, Radio Caroline.O'Rahilly's parents owned the private port of Greenore in Carlingford Lough, County Louth...
, financed the film and were the executive producers. The film was directed by controversial director Cy Endfield
Cy Endfield
Cyril Raker Endfield was an American screenwriter, film director, theatre director, author, magician and inventor, based in Britain from 1953.- Biography :...
. On O'Rahilly's advice, Lazenby turned down an offer by Harry Saltzman
Harry Saltzman
Harry Saltzman was a Canadian theatre and film producer best known for his mega-gamble which resulted in his co-producing the James Bond film series with Albert R...
of $1 million from United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
and EON Productions
EON Productions
Eon Productions is a film production company known for producing the James Bond film series. The company is based in London's Piccadilly and also operates from Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom...
to star as 007
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
in Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (film)
Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
, opting instead to make Universal Soldier—a decision he would come to regret.
Lazenby financed, co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in Universal Soldier, for which he was paid a salary of £100,000 per month plus 25% of the worldwide profits, which at the time was the highest salary for any actor in the UK. The film was a sort of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
parody, combining elements of James Bond with the hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
movement of the era, and using many themes from the film Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
(1969). Originally, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
was signed to co-star with Lazenby in the film, however he died from complications due to an alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
/drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
-related overdose shortly before filming was set to begin, which gave the film much bad press even before it began shooting. Although critically acclaimed by some, the film caused a lot of controversy in the UK at the time of its release due to its blatant depictions of sexuality, hippie culture, and drug use. Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
appeared as Clara Bowden, wife of Derek Bowden, played by the film's director Cy Endfield. Well known models from the time as well as several actors in the film, including Lazenby himself, were reported to have actually used real drugs in the film and on the set.
Due to the negative press the film received it flopped at the box office despite its relatively large budget for an action film (at that time) and having the most recent James Bond starring in it. Lazenby subsequently fired O'Rahilly.
After this, O'Rahilly's career as a film producer failed and he went back into radio production. Lazenby's would-be acting career in the UK fizzled due to the film's box office failure and he went to Italy, then to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and then to Australia to make more films, before landing a Hollywood contract in the late 1970s.