For a sobering contrast, if not yet familiar, I invite each of you to view The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965).

While by comparison, it could be considered to be 'dull', it might just be the substantive piece which you may be subconsciously longing for.

Haven't seen the movie, but the book is fantastic.

I loved the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy movie with Gary Oldman too. It instantly became one of my all time favorites, and easily in my top 5 of this century so far.

Fun fact: Star Trek Deep Space Nine episode Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges was heavily inspired by The Spy Who Came In from the Cold.

Is "Her Majesty's Secret Service" as bad as the reputation makes it to be?

It's a bit stupid to tell everyone your name if you work as secret agent, and if memory serves he actually
used a code name in Dr. No....but after that at least most of the time he basically flashes his credentials.

Also movies like this create a problem, there is little threat to the life of the hero, Bond dying would
put a damper on the franchise. And the villain explaining the plot is for the audience to get the dots
connected and well to give Bond a chance to escape...otherwise franchise problem.

Now I never watched all the Bond films, nor have I watched one in quite a while since Skyfall.

But yeah, I thought the secret canon was that James Bond was just a name passed from agent to agent. That idea ended with Craig Bond.

"Craig Bond-kun, look at this manor you grew up in. You were an orphan once. Judi DeMch is back and will now die. Yes, we know Daniel Craig said he's going to retire from the character. He always says that. He'll be back."

It is good but it depends on what kind of movies you like. It's the same as the other 1960s Bond films. This one is worth it as he meets his wife in this one. George Lazenby is Bond and is his only time as Bond as Connery was going to be done being Bond but Connery came back to do Diamonds' are Forever and "Not in the Bond List but is a Bond film" Never Say Never Again as his last time as Bond.