Bond and Tracy in Lisbon - Palácio Fronteira, part 2

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, as Bond and Tracy are spending time together in Portugal, a few various sights in and around Lisbon are pictured. One of the first love scenes with Bond and Tracy
was filmed at the Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira just outside of Lisbon.

Bond and Tracy are first walking past the large fountain in the middle of the garden and then continue to the right, walking past a smaller, octagonal fountain where Tracy throws a flower in the water.

The two fountains are actually not located on the same path

The Palace of the Marquesses of Fronteira was built between 1671 and 1672 as a hunting pavilion to Dom João de Mascarenhas, 1st Marquis of Fronteira and is currently owned by the 12th Marquis de Fronteira who also disposes of the house. However, some of the rooms including the library, and the garden, can be visited during opening hours.

Bond is wearing the same double breasted blazer that he wears at M's house later

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In an adjacent part of the garden, to the left when facing the palace, is the smaller fountain located where Bond and Tracy are sitting down in an earlier scene. Tracy is holding a cat and Bond is wearing a black tie. This post is covered here.

This scene is supposed to take place in a different park at another time, given their change of clothes, but is consequently filmed at the same location, just a different part of the garden. The Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira is a must visit when in Lisbon, primarily because the location has been nearly untouched since 1969.

Bond and Tracy in Lisbon - Palácio Fronteira

As it is Christmas, I'd thought it appropriate to share one of the locations from On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the only Bond film where Christmas is celebrated and features rather prominently, even with Blofeld wishing 007 a merry Christmas. The film also features a Christmas song, especially written for the film by the composer John Barry.

In the film, Bond falls in love with Teresa di Vicenzo, the daughter of an Italian gangster. They share a few romantic moments together in Lisbon early in the film. A few scenes were filmed in what appears to be a park, first with Bond wearing a black tie, and later, with him in a double breasted blazer. Both these scenes were filmed in the same location, namely in the 5.5 hectare large garden of Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira, just outside central Lisbon.

During these scenes Tracy falls in love with Bond and ultimately marries him, which would prove to be fatal. The scene with Bond and Tracy petting the cat by the fountain was filmed in the smaller garden which is located on the back of the palace (south of the building) and the next scene with Bond and Tracy walking by another fountain, this time in different clothes, was filmed in the lower main garden. These scenes will be covered next year.

Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira and the main garden

The palace is still the private residence of the Marquesses of Fronteira but is sometimes open to the public. Check dates and time before going there.

The main garden - located east of the palace building

The Palace of the Marquesses of Fronteira was built between 1671 and 1672 as a hunting pavilion to Dom João de Mascarenhas, 1st Marquis of Fronteira, who had received his title from King Afonso VI of Portugal.

This is the smaller garden where the first scenes were filmed. Bond and Tracy are coming towards the fountain (from the house) and are heading east (to the right) before Tracy sits down by the fountain.

Some steps lead down to the large lower main garden from this smaller garden where the scene with Bond and Tracy were filmed.

The palace garden is magnificent and a location that must be visited. It has not changed notably since 1969 and the spots are very recognizable. In addition to the the two scenes with Bond and Tracy, a few publicity stills were also shot at this location, primarily the picture below, featuring George Lazenby standing on a stone staircase surrounding a pond. 

As the year is coming to an end, we note that it has indeed been a sad year for the Bond series as we lost Sir Roger Moore on 23 May and we also note the passing of Karin Dor, who played the Spectre villain Helga Brandt in You only live twice on 6 November.

One can only wish that Draco's words from On Her Majesty's Secret Service will be true for 2018.

"The best years are still to come, let's hope"  

I wish you all a very 

Merry Christmas, 

and a happy new 2018!

Ta ta,
J

Draco and M

During the wedding reception of Bond and Tracy, which takes place at Draco's estate in Portugal in one of the last scenes in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Draco and M find time to chat together and exchange a few business secrets in the garden. Despite being enemies in business, with Draco heading one of the biggest crime syndicates in Europe and M being responsible for the killing of three of Draco's best operatives, the competitors have put aside their rivalry on Bond's wedding day.

The steps where M and Draco were filmed drinking champagne and talking are located in the garden of the estate Herdado do Zambujal which was Draco's home in Portugal, in the film, covered in the earlier post here. The steps can be found immediately to the right of the main house coming from the entrance gate.

M talks to Draco about an operation known as "the bullion job" from November 1964 and is fascinated to know how much money Draco got away with at the time. The fact that it is called the bullion job and went down in 1964 can very well be a subtle reference to Goldfinger (produced in 1964) and maybe a hint that Draco was somehow involved with Goldfinger.

"-Yes, November 64, the bullion job! You got away with quite a chunk in the haul. Tell me, I've always wondered..."
                                 - M to Draco - 

Draco's estate - Herdado do Zambujal

On Her Majesty's Secret Service was filmed mainly in Portugal and Switzerland with a few of the very key sequences filmed in and around an estate called Herdado do Zambujal, a two hour drive outside of Lisbon. It is here that Bond and Tracy fall in love and ultimately celebrate their wedding at the end of the film.

The house is only seen briefly in the beginning of the film as Tracy arrives to Draco's birthday party. However, the exterior features more prominently during the wedding scenes. The wedding reception and the following party take place in front of Draco's house on the courtyard.

As Bond and Tracy drive away, Miss Moneypenny cries by the fountain in front of the house. She is however soon interrupted by M and Q.

"Ah, 007 never had any respect for government property!"

Several scenes, including Draco's birthday at the bull ring was filmed on and around this magnificent estate and much more will be covered from this classic and stunning location, given time.