Nancy is a fictional Hungarian patient overcoming an allergy to potatoes, being treated at Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s allergy-research institute high up in the Swiss Alps. The character appeared in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, portrayed by Hungarian-born British actress Catherine Von Schell. She was credited “Catherina” in the credits for the film.
Biography
Nancy first appears when James Bond, posing as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, visits Blofeld’s allergy research institute high in the Swiss Alps of Piz Gloria and is seen playing a dice-based game with the Israeli girl. Although all the women at the institute take a liking to Bond, he becomes the center of fascination from Nancy and Ruby Bartlett. While becoming acquainted with Bond as Hilary, Nancy demonstrates a wariness around Blofeld’s henchwoman and her matron, Irma Bunt, as she warns against the Israeli girl calling the woman old.
Continuing their discussion at a dinner table, Nancy is curious to know about “Hilary’s background, especially his job as a genealogist. During the conversation, Nancy tells Bond she is overcoming an allergy to potatoes at the clinic. Still, she now adores them and is quickly told not to disclose medical histories by Bunt. Nancy makes flirtatious faces at Bond from across the table, and she takes a keen interest in a book Bond claims to have brought with him to the clinic, including pictures.
Bond arrives from seducing Ruby after delivering the book to her room, only to find that Nancy has sneaked into his room, disobeying Irma Bunt’s orders for patients and visitors to remain in their rooms once night falls. Still intrigued by the book with pictures, Nancy asks Bond where it is, only for the latter to start flirting with her to distract her from it. Believing he is not interested in girls due to him posing as Sir Hilary, Nancy is confused at first, but soon they both kiss as they fall on the bed, implying they have sex.
The following morning while playing curling with her fellow patients, Nancy intentionally drops her glove so that Bond would stop to pick it up. Using this, she plans another time to meet up in the evening. However, that evening, Bond is tricked by Irma Bunt when visiting Ruby before Nancy is captured and sent to Blofeld for interrogation. During the investigation, Blofeld reveals he is brainwashing the patients so that they distribute bacteriological warfare agents throughout various parts of the world.
While Bond is captured, the women are given leaving Christmas presents from Blofeld himself. The gifts include an atomizer whose intended purpose is to spread the bacteria upon Blofeld’s orders and a communicating radio. Nancy leaves the clinic with the rest of the girls, but Blofeld’s plan is inactive after Bond destroys the facility and warns M about the attack planted in the women’s minds. The future of Nancy is unknown. The most likely outcome is that she was located and approached by the police to break her hypnotized state.
