TRACY

Contributed by: The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia by Steven Jay Rubin

Nickname of the spoiled daughter of Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), portrayed by Diana Rigg in Eon Productions’ sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Her formal name is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (her husband, an Italian count, died in a car crash with one of his mistresses). Introduced as a suicidal burnout case who’s ready to end it all in the ocean off Portugal, Tracy is rescued by Bond (George Lazenby). She gradually recovers during a whirlwind courtship with 007, until he leaves for the Swiss mountain hideaway of SPECTRE chief Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas).

Later, like a female version of the US Cavalry, she comes to Bond’s aid, joining him in a mad escape from Switzerland, both in a car and later on skis. More than any other woman in the series, she displays the mental and physical skills needed to keep up with Bond.

Hiding out in a barn during a snowstorm, Bond expresses his love for Tracy. And, in one of the most dramatic pronouncements of the series, he proposes. However, their wedding plans are cut short when Tracy is captured by Blofeld’s men. His love for Tracy, combined with his hate for Blofeld, leads Bond on a freelance mission—with the help of Draco—against Blofeld’s Piz Gloria fortress (M and the Secret Service refuse to help). Masquerading as Red Cross workers headed for an Italian flood disaster, Draco’s copter-borne attack force arrives at Piz Gloria, rescues Tracy, and obliterates the SPECTRE nest. In a thrilling bobsled chase, Bond disables Blofeld—at least temporarily.

Following their wedding, Bond and Tracy, now just another happy married couple, pull off a highway in Portugal to remove the conspicuous Just Married signs that have been plastered on 007’s Aston Martin. As Bond throws them away, a Mercedes driven by Blofeld drives by, and his henchwoman Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat) opens fire with a machine gun. Bond returns to the car, but Tracy is already dead—shot right between the eyes. OHMSS ends on this sad note.

During the pre-credits teaser of For Your Eyes Only, the twelfth Eon Bond film, Bond (Roger Moore) pays an emotional visit to Tracy’s grave, which bears the inscription

Teresa Bond

1943–1969

Beloved Wife of James Bond

We have all the time in the World

It’s one of the few sentimental moments in the series’ history. Unfortunately, it’s followed by a ridiculous final confrontation with Blofeld—or at least, for legal reasons, an unidentified Blofeld lookalike.

SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app