Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Richard Maibaum (screenplay) and
Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

17 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

"Diamonds Are Forever"...forever...forever...forever...

Plot:

A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an extortion plot headed by his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Plot Keywords:

Diamond | Smuggling | James Bond | British | Casino

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Sean Connery	...	James Bond
Jill St. John	...	Tiffany Case
Charles Gray	...	Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Lana Wood	...	Plenty O'Toole
Jimmy Dean	...	Willard Whyte
Bruce Cabot	...	Saxby
Putter Smith	...	Mr. Kidd
Bruce Glover	...	Mr. Wint
Norman Burton	...	Felix Leiter
Joseph Fürst	...	Dr. Metz (as Joseph Furst)
Bernard Lee	...	M
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Leonard Barr	...	Shady Tree
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Margaret Lacey	...	Mrs. Whistler
Joe Robinson	...	Peter Franks
David de Keyser	...	Doctor (as David De Keyser)
Laurence Naismith	...	Sir Donald Munger
David Bauer	...	Mr. Slumber
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Casino Player (scenes deleted)
Sid Haig	...	Slumber Inc. Attendant (uncredited: in closing credits)
Marc Lawrence	...	Slumber Inc. Attendant (uncredited: in closing credits)
John Abineri	...	Airline Representative (uncredited)
Ray Baker	...	Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
Ed Bishop	...	Klaus Hergersheimer (uncredited)
Nicky Blair	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Water Balloon Game Barker-Operator (uncredited)
Ed Call	...	Maxie (uncredited)
George Lane Cooper	...	SPECTRE Agent (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	...	Crane Operator (uncredited)
Catherine Deeney	...	Welfare Worker (uncredited)
Gary Dubin	...	Boy (uncredited)
Clifford Earl	...	Immigration Officer (uncredited)
Mark Elwes	...	Sir Donald's Secretary (uncredited)
Brinsley Forde	...	Houseboy (uncredited)
Constantine Gregory	...	Aide to Metz (uncredited)
David Healy	...	Vandenburg Launch Director (uncredited)
Karl Held	...	Agent (uncredited)
Roy Hollis	...	Las Vegas Sheriff (uncredited)
Bill Hutchinson	...	Moon Crater Controller (uncredited)
Janos Kurucz	...	Aide to Metz (uncredited)
Lola Larson	...	Bambi (uncredited)
Debbie Letteau	...	Girl on the Corner (uncredited)
Frank Mann	...	Moon Crater Guard (uncredited)
Connie Mason	...	Woman at Whyte House (uncredited)
Neil McCarthy	...	Guard on Blofeld's left (uncredited)
Don Messick	...	Announcer at Circus Circus (uncredited)
Burt Metcalfe	...	Maxwell (uncredited)
Johnny Miller	...	Gunman (uncredited)
Frank Olegario	...	Man in Fez (uncredited)
Trina Parks	...	Thumper (uncredited)
Denise Perrier	...	Marie (uncredited)
Valerie Perrine	...	Shady Tree's Acorn (uncredited)
Shane Rimmer	...	Tom (uncredited)
Henry Rowland	...	Dr. Tynan (uncredited)
Gordon Ruttan	...	Vandenburg Aide (uncredited)
Jay Sarno	...	Sideshow Barker (uncredited)
Tom Steele	...	W Technologies Gate Guard (uncredited)
Michael Valente	...	Slumber Inc. Attendant (uncredited)
E.J. 'Tex' Young	...	Craps Dealer (uncredited)

Directed by
Guy Hamilton

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(novel) uncredited
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay) and
Tom Mankiewicz		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
Harry Saltzman	....	producer
Stanley Sopel	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Ted Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bert Bates
John W. Holmes		(as John W.Holmes)

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Bill Kenney
Jack Maxsted

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)
Peter Lamont

Makeup Department
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Eileen Warwick	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Milton Feldman	....	production manager
Claude Hudson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	assistant director
Jerome M. Siegel	....	assistant director
Raymond Becket	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Jenkins	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ron Quelch	....	production buyer (as Ronnie Quelch)
Ted Ambrose	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Ivor Beddoes	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
John Chisholm	....	prop man (uncredited)
Roy Walker	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Lancaster	....	dubbing editor
Teddy Mason	....	dubbing editor
Gordon K. McCallum	....	dubbing mixer (as Gordon McCallum)
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
Al Overton	....	sound recordist
Jim Shields	....	dubbing editor (as Jimmy Shields)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Les Hillman	....	special effects (as Leslie Hillman)
Whitey McMahon	....	special effects
Bert Luxford	....	assistant physical special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Wally Veevers	....	visual effects
Albert Whitlock	....	visual effects
Jim Danforth	....	model animator: submarine (uncredited)
Roy Field	....	optical cinematography (uncredited)
Charles Staffell	....	optical/projection effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunt arranger
Bob Simmons	....	stunt arranger
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lightning Bear	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Johnny Bossle	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Monty Bossle	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Buzz Bundy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Dennis Camsey	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Lane Cooper	....	stunt: Blofeld Goon in pre-title sequence (uncredited)
George Lane Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gerry Crampton	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Leslie Crawford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Patty Elder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Donna Garrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Reg Harding	....	stunts (uncredited)
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunt double: high fall from oil rig (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hickman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Max Latimer	....	stunt double: Charles Gray (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Johnny Miller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Victor Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Robotham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Sholomir	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Stromsoe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Williams	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Johnson	....	camera operator
Bob Kindred	....	camera operator
Harold E. Wellman	....	camera operator: second unit (as Harold Wellman)
Mike Roberts	....	focus puller (uncredited)
George Whitear	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donfeld	....	costumes: Miss St. John (as Don Feld)
Elsa Fennell	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ted Tetrick	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ray Beck	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
John Barry	....	music arranger
Shirley Bassey	....	singer: title song
Don Black	....	lyrics by
Monty Norman	....	composer: The James Bond theme
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gene Clinesmith	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main title
Albert R. Broccoli	....	presenter
Bernard Hanson	....	location manager
Del Ross	....	continuity
Eddie Saeta	....	location manager
Harry Saltzman	....	presenter
Elaine Schreyeck	....	continuity
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Eon Productions (made by) (as Eon Productions Limited)
• Danjaq (as Danjaq S.A.) (uncredited)

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (released thru) (as United Artists Entertainment from Transamerica Corporation)
• United Artists (1971) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1971) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• C.B. Films (1971) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1971) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1971) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United Artists (1971) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1971) (Italy) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (Greece)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  DVD audio restoration & mastering 5.1 (uncredited)
• Aston Martin Lagonda  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of
• C.T.S. Studios  music recorded at (as C.T.S. Studios, London, England)
• Circus Circus  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as Circus Circus, City of Las Vegas)
• David Morris Jewellers  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of
• Dover Harbour Board  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Dover Harbour Board)
• Dunes Hotel, Casino and Country Club  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Dunes Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• Ford Motor Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Ford Motor Company)
• Honda Motor Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of
• International Hotel, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The International Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• Landmark Hotel, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Landmark Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• Mint Hotel, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Mint Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• P & O - Orient Lines  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as P & O Lines)
• Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Riviera Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• Sands Hotel, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Sands Hotel, City of Las Vegas)
• Tropicana Hotel, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the help and co-operation of (as The Tropicana Hotel, City of Las Vegas)

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Diamonds Are Forever (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | West Germany:16 (nf) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:PG | UK:PG (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1971) | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1994) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts)

Filming Locations:

3rd Floor, Reguliersgracht 36, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Eon Productions

Trivia:

Instead of building their own oil rig, the production team hired a semi-portable one for $40,000 a day, customized it and then towed it to a location off the Southern California coast.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Bond emerges from the manhole cover in the desert, there are two men working at the site, one digging and the other watching. The dialog over the scene is not matched by the supervising worker's lips, who appears not to speak at all.

Quotes:

[first lines]
James Bond: [tossing chinese man around] Where is he? I shan't ask you politely next time. Where is Blofeld?
Chinese Man: Ca-Ca-Cairo.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Satellite Test Reel (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

Overly Americanised, action-free camp-fest

DAF is one of the weakest, laziest movies in the franchise.

For a start, where is the action? Apart from a good close quarters punch up in a lift, there is hardly any. What remains is lacking in energy and played mainly for laughs. 007 beaten up by two acrobatic women - until he just holds them underwater in a swimming pool. An awful slapstick car-trashing chase in Vegas. And the big finale is anything but. We have a few of Blofled's henchmen fighting a few helicopters. Bond does almost nothing except swing Blofeld's escape pod around with a crane.

Which brings us to another point - this is without doubt the least serious Bond movie ever. It is borderline comedy throughout, clearly influenced by the likes of The Man from UNCLE and the Batman TV show. Blofeld dresses in drag at one stage. Most of the supporting characters are comic relief. The sinister henchmen, Wint and Kidd, would stand out in any other movie due to their extreme black humour, but here they are just wasted. Jill St John's Tiffany Case is amongst the worst Bond girls, silly and helpless.

We even see Q - in Vegas - cheating on a slot machine.

At least Connery is back right? Wrong. He's clearly on set, but equally clearly thinking about his next round of golf. Even his delivery of 'Bond, James Bond' is awful. He isn't helped by some awful costume decisions, including a brown tweed suit, and a pink (!) tie. Connery's huge payout for this film means everything else looks cheaper than before; by the climax you have embarrassing helicopter explosions, clearly animated, that would have been superbly detailed model shots in previous (and later) movies.

There is virtually nothing good to say about Diamonds. The film is so lacking in energy or excitement that only the plot manages to pull it along. It's a series of weird and comedic scenes that hardly feel like a Bond movie in any way, and it's hard to believe this came after On Her Majesty's Sceret Service. The film scrimps so much on the action that you are left watching a bizarre, parallel universe version of Bond where nothing remotely Bond-ish seems to happen. It feels almost like a live-action version of a Saturday morning Bond cartoon, watered down for the kids (Bond never even uses his gun).

Two plus points; Shirey Bassey's theme tune is superbly atmospheric and mysterious. Jill St John is very sexy. That's it. Connery came back, the director of Goldfinger came back, and the result was this farce.