Overview: Her Majesty's Secret Service, or MI6 as it is known, is the world's most legendary spy agency thanks to the James Bond stories. Set up in 1909 as the Secret Service Bureau, the existence of MI6 was never formally acknowledged until 1994 which goes a long way to understand the modus operandi of this government agency.

DVD Verdict: Following on from the Overview above, initially the bureau was set up to control secret intelligence operations overseas, particularly concentrating on Imperial Germany's activities. With unprecedented access to some of the key players in British espionage 'Secrets of Her Majesty's Secret Service' lifts the veil on the shadowy world of spying.

Featuring remarks from one of its former chiefs; an ex-spy; and Bletchley Park codebreaker Mavis Batey (1921-2013), it also spotlights some of the spy gadgets the agency used in the past; and details how its practice of recruiting agents from the upper classes ultimately harmed it.

This film goes back in time and behind the scenes to look at some the world's most calculated and delicately executed operations. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.