Diamond City (1949) User Reviews

Good "British Western" that compares well with USA Westerns

[Marlburian · 7/10 · 12 September 2018]

I guess that the two very recent reviews were prompted by DC being screened on the excellent British TV channel Talking Pictures. (I watch more films on it than all the other TV channels together.) The film's based on fact though I couldn't find much about Stafford Parker on the Web, save that he customarily wore a large white top hat!

David Farrar didn't fully convince as Parker, his slight build making him an unlikely victor in his gritty fistfight with the far larger Niall MacGinnis. But generally the acting was very acceptable and I was impressed with the realistic grubbiness of Klipdrift and its residents - a welcome contrast to the neat towns and smarty-turned out actors of most American Westerns.

At least three of the cast had appeared together in "A Boy, a Girl and a Bike", released the same year as DC: Honor Blackman, Diana Dors and John Blythe.

Rare British western

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 10 September 2018]

There aren't many British-made westerns in existence, but DIAMOND CITY is such a film, set in the diamond country of South Africa where political rivalries and greed spill over into bloodshed and murder. It's a rather efficient affair, featuring a nice and expansive set and a decent cast who bring the material to life. Some of the attitudes and the like are dated somewhat but this generally holds up as an entertaining slice of hokum. Niall MacGinnis once again makes a wonderful villain (as anyone who has seen NIGHT OF THE DEMON can testify) and it's particularly interesting to see youthful turns from Honor Blackman and Diana Dors, set against one another.

".....want to buy some sparklers..?... Here's one to be going along with...."

[Brucey_D · 6/10 · 8 September 2018]

This film is set in the newly discovered diamond fields of Southern Africa, in the 1870s, and is loosely based on real events. This area was arguably wilder than the wild west, for a while. The discovery of diamonds alongside the Vaal river created quite a rumpus at the time; in a disputed area, claimed by various parties, the only law and order was one that the 10000-odd diggers made for themselves. Eventually the region was annexed by the British and later became part of the Orange Free State, but in the meantime, following an attempted takeover by the Transvaal Boers, a short lived "Digger's Republic" was declared.

Instrumental in the creation and administration of the Digger's Republic was Cpt Stafford Parker; that much is historically accurate, beyond that however it is most likely artistic licence having precedence over historical fact. However that few of the protagonists speak with anything like a South African accent is probably quite accurate; most of the diggers were British emigrants and the characters that are variously Boers and Native Africans do have accents that are not a million miles from those they might have had in reality.

As a film, it isn't a bad film; it would have been immeasurably improved by being shot in widescreen colour, but presumably the budget did not permit this; the arid landscape is pretty much lost in shades of grey here. However for modern movie buffs the main interest is probably in the cast; David Farrar (of Black Narcissus fame) has the lead, with a decent supporting cast including a very young Diana Dors and an equally young Honor Blackman. Bill 'Compo' Owen has a decent role too. Honor Blackman plays a prim, "butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth" type, in stark contrast to the later roles such as 'Pussy Galore' and in the Avengers for which she is better known. Dors has her largest role to date in this film; here she throws a mean bottle! Although there is a plot with more than one love triangle that could have been explored in subtlety and depth (as per Black Narcissus), all played out to the harsh backdrop of the African scenery, here it is something of an opportunity missed.

So a film that is worth watching for sure, but not for the reasons for which it was originally made. For once I think the average score (6.0 at the time of writing) isn't a bad reflection of this film's quality.

It's not quite King Solomon's Mines, but it'll do.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 5 June 2022]

This is a surprisingly unique British film featuring good performances by David Ferrar, Honor Blackman, Diana Dors and Neil McGinnis, dealing with a British mining town in Africa searching for diamonds. Ferrar is going for a definite Tyrone Power / Errol Flynn look, and since he's quite nicely as the head of the mission to rid the town of corruption led by McGinnis. But some of his actions are questionable too, and it would be nice to have those moments more detailed to show his ruthlessness to indicate why McGinnis and his men were opposed to his taking on power to create court to uphold the law.

As for McGinnis, he is a truly repulsive character, a bully who would use cohorts to get what he wanted then turn on them to maintain power and create further corruption. Dors (only 19) has dark hair here, and is quite feisty as the bar maiden with eyes on Farrar and a fist ready for Blackman, a salvation army worker out to spread that good old time religion. Dors gets to sing "Up in a Balloon" (a standard from the 1800's that Joan Blondell also did in Lady for a Night") and gets into a catfight with Blackman, playing a role that was probably written for Jean Simmons.

The atmosphere of this film shows the rugged terrain of this African plain, and while color would have definitely helped, the photography is still quite good and the film moves at a study pace with lots of action, a bit of romance and some amusing comedy. I felt that the lack of a settlement gave an indication of the rough life that these British visitors had to deal with, unlike other bigger budgeted films that had more lavish sets. So this is a very interesting film to seek out, a British version of Western themes but not set in the American west.

What An Ugly Mustache!

[boblipton · 6/10 · 10 March 2020]

David Farrar wears a realistically ugly mustache in this movie about Stafford Parker, the leader of the diamond miners along the Vaal during the period when the Boers and the British were wrangling peacefully for control of the land. He loves Salvation Army lass Homor Blackman, and is loved by bar girl Diana Dors, and has the villainous Niall MacGinnis as his adversary; it was all right when he was selling whiskey to the Blacks, but now MacGinnis is buying diamonds from them. Gasp.

Given that all we know about the real Stafford Parker is there was one, it's a surprisingly warty portrait of the period, with the air of an A Western. Farrar acts somewhere between Errol Flynn and Preston Foster in his performance. The movie is peppered with stage extravaganzas of "Up in A Balloon, Boys" and lynchings and battles, so that the editing has an almost stroboscopic effect. It's always at least watchable, and frequently better. I just wish the print was a little lighter.

no one gets what they esnt

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 18 March 2013]

This is another British western,this time set in south Africa.no one gets what he most wants.Carter really wants Blackman who wants George baker..Ford wants Carter but for some strange reason he doesn't want her..hi all business wants the diamond concession but doesn't get it.Carter is made president of the independent state,but no for long as the British come in and take it over as a colony.this film is one of a number from that period which could loosely be called a British western.it is a strange sort of film because hardly anyone speaks with what in any way shape or form remotely resembles a south African accent.also how can any film be believable where Carter sounds Diana Ford,albeit a brunette, in favour of a very prim and proper honour Blackman.so a rather unsatisfactory film

Diamond City

[CinemaSerf · 5/10 · 4 January 2023]

David Farrar is "Parker", a man trying to bring some sense of law and order to a diamond mining community in pre-colonial South Africa. Most of his fellow citizens welcome his proposals save for "Muller" (Niall MacGinnis). The former wins a concession from the local chief to mine and export the diamonds after a bit of fisticuffs with his nemesis, but that just serves to sow the seeds for the constant undermining of his ideals until a final denouement with both men fighting for their lives, and for control of "Hopetown". Filmed on location, it looks quite good but the adventure elements are all too often dragged into melodrama by the romantic ones. Diana Dors ("Dora" - who does a decent on-stage number here) and Honor Blackman ("Mary") find themselves the object of not just the desires of "Parker" but of his friend "David" (Andrew Crawford) and there is a touch of bible-based do-gooding from Mervyn Johns to further clutter up the narrative. The script is very wordy at times, and I could have done with a better lit production too. Farrar tries his best here, but sadly this is just another routine, and pretty forgettable, effort from all concerned.

A gem of an adventure and it's British

[Maverick1962 · 8/10 · 3 August 2020]

I've had the pleasure of seeing several movies just recently directed by David MacDonald and this is the best. Looking through his IMDb page I noticed that he turned to television in the 1950's as so many directors and big name actors did and he directed some of the series I used to watch and enjoy as a boy but It's Diamond City that has made me aware of his name at last. This is a rousing adventure film set in the gold mines of South Africa where a true life character named Stafford Parker temporarily became President of the Republic of the area before the British government annexed it. Played with gusto by the underrated David Farrar, Stafford Parker bulldozes his way through the picture, never shy of physically fighting off the villains intent of getting the gold for themselves. Niall McGuinness gives a convincing portrayal of the big brawling adversary, Diana Dors (only 18) is the barmaid who is besotted by Farrar who in turn falls in love with the missionary's (Mervyn Johns) daughter played by a young Honor Blackman, who sadly passed away recently aged 94). I smiled at one point as Diana Dors refers to Honor as the 'Kid'. Blackman was 6 years older than Diana in reality although Diana has much more impact than the mousy (at the time) Blackman who changed all that later through The Avengers (TV) and Goldfinger. This film plays much like a western and I was very impressed with sets, dirty, muddy, ramshackle buildings, much like it may have been and reminding me of the Dodge City sets in the great TV series Deadwood. There are some really great fight scenes like in a John Wayne western and an impressive charge on horseback by the gold diggers against the villains near the closing scenes. Intelligently written and acted, particularly by Farrar, I loved this movie.