Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Production
Producers: Harry Saltzman & Albert R. Broccoli
Director: Guy Hamilton
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum, Tom Mankiewicz
Composer: John Barry
Cast
Mission
Following a trail that leads from the canals of Holland to the neon streets of Las Vegas, James Bond uncovers a plot by Blofeld to use the world's supply of diamonds to create a high powered laser satellite capable of destroying any target on earth, and it's aimed at Washington.
Locations
Japan; Cairo, Egypt; South America; South Africa; Dover, UK; Amsterdam, Holland; Los Angeles, USA; Nevada, USA; Las Vegas, USA; Baja, California; USA.
Pre-Credits Sequence
After killing Bond's wife in the previous film, 007 wants revenge on Blofeld. In the first scenes Bond aggressively extracts information from several people on the whereabouts of his nemesis. Meanwhile, Blofeld is performing plastic on a goon. When they leave, 007 makes his entrance disguised as a guard that he earlier dispatched. Bond is attacked by the mud bather and triumphs, only to be met with Blofeld and his two guards. After some pithy dialogue, a fight ensues and once again Bond is victorious. The two guards are dealt with he gets his time alone with Blofeld. After tying him to a stretcher, Bond pushes him into the mud pit and leaves.
Title
The title is taken from Ian Fleming's fourth novel. Although diamonds are central to the plot of the film, the title is never mentioned. However, the phrase is used in dialogue in the 2002 film 'Die Another Day'.
Release Data
UK: 30th December 1971 (PG)
USA: 17th December 1971 (PG)
World Premiere: 30th December 1971 (Odeon Leicester Square, London, UK)
UK TV Premiere: 25th December 1978, ITV
US TV Premiere: 12th September 1975, ABC
Running Time: 119 minutes
Classification: PG (UK), PG (US)
Budget: $7.2m
Worldwide Box Office: $116m
US Box Office: $43.8m
US Admissions: 25.8 million
UK Box Office: N/A
Best Line
Plenty: "Hi, I'm Plenty." Bond: "But, of course you are."
Plenty: "Plenty O'Toole."
Bond: "Named after your father, no doubt?"
Best Mistake
One of the moon buggy's wheels falls off mid-chase.
Distinguishing feature
Connery's return. Tempted back into the Bond role for a then record sum of $1.25m plus a percentage of the profits. He donated the entire sum to his Scottish International Educational Trust.
Vital Statistics
Conquests: 1
Martinis: 0
Kills: 7
"Bond, James Bond": 1
Cut Scenes & Alternate Versions
There a four significant scenes which were cut from the film:
- Burt Saxby discusses with Sammy Davis, Jr. why he has not signed his contract yet.
- After the gambling, Bond has dinner with Plenty.
- The original version of the scene where Bond drives on two wheels through the alley. This version was not used due to the watching crowds and the police cars at the end of this scene.
- A scene were Plenty returns to Bond's room after she was thrown into the pool. Here, she spies on Tiffany Case and Bond making love through a crack in the bedroom door. Plenty then looks through Tiffany's purse nearby and finds the address to Tiffany. This explains how Plenty gets to Tiffany's house later in the movie. Another scene has Plenty arriving the next day at Tiffany's house and letting herself in and sees nobody's around (all the characters are at the Circus Circus Casino). Plenty goes into Tiffany's bedroom, sees some of her wigs lying around and tries a few on for fun, until the frame pulls back to Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd arriving and seeing Plenty trying on the wigs, assume she's Tiffany whom they are ordered to kill..
The "Inside" DVD documentary contains an alternate version of the death scene of the Dentist. Instead of putting the scorpion into the doctors shirt, Mr. Wint puts the scorpion in his mouth.
The TV version aired on ABC on March 2nd, 2002 was digitally altered. Dark bra straps were placed on actress Lana Wood's originally naked back, and her formerly tan panties were digitally coloured to match..
MI6 Ranking
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THE END of DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
James Bond will return in LIVE AND LET DIE
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