Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an evil plot involving a rich business tycoon.

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay)

Stars:

Sean Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Connery	...	James Bond
Jill St. John	...	Tiffany Case
Charles Gray	...	Blofeld
Lana Wood	...	Plenty O'Toole
Jimmy Dean	...	Willard Whyte
Bruce Cabot	...	Saxby
Putter Smith	...	Mr. Kidd
Bruce Glover	...	Mr. Wint
Norman Burton	...	Leiter
Joseph Fürst	...	Dr Metz (as Joseph Furst)
Bernard Lee	...	'M'
Desmond Llewelyn	...	'Q'
Leonard Barr	...	Shady Tree
Lois Maxwell	...	Moneypenny
Margaret Lacey	...	Mrs. Whistler

Storyline

James Bond's mission is to find out who has been smuggling diamonds, which are not re-appearing. He adopts another identity in the form of Peter Franks. He joins up with Tiffany Case, and acts as if he is smuggling the diamonds, but everyone is hungry for these diamonds. He also has to avoid Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, the dangerous couple who do not leave anyone in their way. Ernst Stavro Blofeld isn't out of the question. He may have changed his looks, but is he linked with the heist? And if he is, can Bond finally defeat his ultimate enemy.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | diamond | ford mustang | yanked off bikini top | panties | 

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Taglines:

Bond is back...with the excitement [British advance double crown poster ; Style B]

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

17 December 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Diamonds Are Forever

Filming Locations:

Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

$7,200,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$43,819,547

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,819,547

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (colour) (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

FRANCHISE TRADEMARK: Bulky blond henchman Peter Franks (Joe Robinson) is one of the many franchise incarnations of the Donald "Red" Grant (Robert Shaw) character from From Russia with Love (1963), along with Hans in You Only Live Twice (1967); Erich Kriegler in For Your Eyes Only (1981); Venz in A View to a Kill (1985); Necros in The Living Daylights (1987), and Stamper in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Robinson taught Sir Sean Connery judo for You Only Live Twice (1967), and accidentally pulled off Connery's hairpiece during one take of the elevator fight.

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Goofs

When Bond gets picked up from the airport and he and two other men get into the hearse, we see three doors being closed, and hear accompanying foley/sound effects for the driver side front and rear doors, but not the passenger side door.

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Quotes

[first lines]
James Bond: [tossing Japanese man around] Where is he? I shan't ask you politely next time. Where is Blofeld?
Japanese man: Cai... Cai... Cairo!

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Crazy Credits

THE END of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER James Bond will return in LIVE AND LET DIE

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Alternate Versions

Burt Saxby discusses with Sammy Davis, Jr. why he has not signed his contract yet.

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Connections

Referenced in The Exotic Locations of 'Diamonds Are Forever' (2006)

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Soundtracks

British Grenadiers March
(uncredited)
Licensed from the Boosey & Hawes music library

User Reviews

Nice Bond film with spectacular scenarios mostly filmed in Las Vegas

The movie resulted to be Sean Connery's last appearance as Bond before he returned again in ¨Never say never again¨ by Irwin Keshner . M ( Bernard Lee )assigns an under-grade mission to Bond dealing with diamonds robbing but the events go worse . This time Bond confronts Blofeld (Charles Gray) and a strange couple , Mr Kid and Mr Wint (Bruce Glover and Putter Smith ) in a intrigue about diamonds smuggling and a final with satellite full of nuclear weapons , holding of the world to ransom . Bond is helped by a Howard Hughes type recluse (Jimmy Dean) and of course Q (Desmond Llewelyn ). And the extraordinary presence of a marvelous girl (Jill St John) and secondary appearance another Bond female ( Lana Wood, Natalie Wood's sister ) in the ordinary Casino of Las Vegas .

The film contains spectacular fights , action packed , car chases , apocalyptic and overwhelming scenarios along with the typically glossy ingredients series but Sean Connery looks a little bit boring ,in fact is his Bond last film , before his surprising return . It is held together by fine acting and above all, and overwhelming level of tongue-in-cheek . Sean Connery as James Bond is cool , he has coldness and toughness , typical characters of the famous personage , but also earns in irony , suavity and smoothness . The interesting screenplay based on Ian Fleming's novel is written by Richard Maibaum and the recently deceased Tom Mankiewicz. The action is very good , the cinematography by Ted Moore is magnificent , the sets decent , but the real clincher is the fact that Bond is once more performed by a hero with the right stuff . The struggles were carefully choreographed by very accomplished athletes as a pair gorgeous killer karate female bodyguards and performed like a dance routine requiring each participant to hit their mark at the correct time . The picture is produced by habituals Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli filmed on location in Amsterdam , Netherland , Los Angeles ,Nevada and Pinewood Studios ,London,England. The atmosphere is faithful to the actual location but the interiors on a set at Pinewood Studios. Appropriate and wonderful -as usual- musical score by John Barry .Main title song is catching and marvelously performed by Shirley Bassey . The motion picture is well directed by Guy Hamilton who also directed ¨Live and let die¨, ¨the man with the golden gun¨ with Roger Moore and the best Bond : ¨Goldfinger ¨also with Sean Connery . Indispensable and essential watching for James Bond fans .