Diamonds Are Forever
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Movie Reviews of Diamonds Are Forever
Movie Review: Sean Connery forever.
Summary: 4 Stars
As Connery's Bond movies progress they became less a spy movie and more a special effects and gadgets extravaganza. I still think this is a decent movie, but probably just because Sean is my favorite Bond and I've never seen a Bond movie I didn't like, but this is not one of my favorites. Still it has some very interesting characters and it lets us know that Bond is not infallible, and though clever and fierce he mostly gets by on luck and determination in this film.
One thing that is great is seeing Vegas back in the day. Wow has it changed. I'm glad Connery decided to make another and this is his last official Bond movie (though of course he came back for one more with different producers). Still even the worst Sean Connery Bond movie is better than a lot of other films out there.
Movie Review: International Espionage
Summary: 4 Stars
Sean Connery returns as the inimitable James Bond, Agent 007; he teams up with the beutiful Tiffany Case(Jill St. John) to stop his adversary Blofeld(Charles Gray)from using the fortune in stolen diamonds to finance a deadly laser satellite. Exciting, entertaining, a typical James Bond film that only Sean Connery can bring off successfully. Don't be fooled by the twists and turns as the story unfolds; you know that James Bond always wins no matter how dark any chance of success may appear at times.Movie Review: Bond01
Summary: 4 Stars
Diamonds are Forever; my favorite Bond Movie, has always been a difficult Dvd to get; at a great price. Amazon came through.
I know.. this is really an Amazon Review.
Movie Review: Weakest of the Connery films
Summary: 3 Stars
My favorite Bond actor has always been Roger Moore and this film, more than anything else, is probably the reason why. Diamonds are Forever was the final Connery film and the one I remember most from my childhood. Unfortunately it is also easily the worst from the Connery era with Sean looking old and tired. It starts off well enough with Bond hunting down Blofeld in order to take revenge for the killing of his wife, Tracy. The opening song is another Shirley Bassey classic and fans are introduced the two most inventive and creepy villains in the entire Bond series, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. It's when Bond arrives in the Vegas that the wheels fall off the wagon. The story just makes no sense.
At one point James Bond, as Peter Franks, and Tiffany Case hatch a scheme to split the diamonds he stole but first she has to pick up the diamonds from an elaborate drop-off at the circus. Why would Bond go to all this effort involving Felix Leiter and the CIA just to get diamonds he already had? It might make sense if he thought that Tiffany would lead him back to the trail of the smugglers but Bond believes she'll return the diamonds to him which would make the whole exercise pointless. Tiffany ditches the agents and returns to a house set up by the diamond smugglers only to find a dead woman in the swimming pool. The woman's feet are tied to a weight but this is absurd. Criminals weigh down bodies so they won't float to the surface and be found except SHE'S IN A SWIMMING POOL!! How would she not be found?
Another odd scene is when Bond is trying to escape Blofeld's lab and stumbles upon a movie set created to simulate a moon landing (a nod towards the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was fake). Now the first question is why Blofeld is creating a phony moon landing film but that's the least of this scenes problems. The actors in space suits are moving slowly to simulate motion on the moon but even when Bond ruins the scene they continue to move slowly including trying to stop him in slow motion. It looks absurd. To escape Bond jumps into a moon buggy and guess what? It just happens to be a fully functioning vehicle despite the fact that it's being used as a movie prop. Not only is it real but it comically smashes through the movie set wall which appears to be made of nothing more that thin plaster. Is that how movie sets are built? In Diamonds are Forever, Bond doesn't win thanks to his guile but through pure dumb luck. In fact he wins DESPITE making choices that in the real world would be ridiculous.
Perhaps the most disturbing scene is the one where James Bond first beds Tiffany Case. As Bond walks towards the bed, naked, the camera shot is strategically placed just high enough to hide his privates and let me tell you, it is a sight to behold. In less than a decade Connery seems to have aged 30 years. Gone is the lean athletic form of the early to mid 60's replaced with a flabby, furry, middle aged body. The Bond fantasy world is shattered with this stark image of aging and mortality. Ironically when Roger Moore took over the mantel in 1973 he was several years older than Connery and yet looked like a young replacement.
Later in the film Bond is captured by Blofeld and placed into the most easily escapable death trap in Bond history. I mean he seriously just walks right out. Blofeld certainly cannot claim ignorance over Bonds abilities given the fact that he's spoiled Specters grand plans five times already. As if that weren't enough, Blofeld inexplicably allows Bond to walk right up to the computer that controls the diamond satellite and fumble with the cassette tape that's necessary to operate it. Later he allows Tiffany near the cassette. It's like Blofeld is just begging to have his plan spoiled.
Despite its flaw DaF may be the most philosophically interesting of all the Bond films. Near the end of the movie Blofeld summarizes his plan to his assistant Dr. Metz. His goal is nuclear disarmament and world peace. Yes, that's exactly what he said. No mention of extortion or having himself as leader of some new world order. Just world peace. So if Blofeld goal is world peace what is Bond fighting for? The Cold War and status quo?
The film is far from a total loss. The scene where Blofeld's diamond laser is unveiled is awesome, Jill St. John is a well put together woman and Lana Wood may be the most gloriously top heavy woman in Bond film history. In the end, however, it ends up being a rather a dreary, forgettable affair. Diamonds are Forever is good for completing a Bond collection but I would watch any other Connery film before this one.
Movie Review: Why is Sean Connery playing James Bond in a Roger Moore Bond movie??
Summary: 3 Stars
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This movie is over 35 years old (counting from the date of this review).
(Sir) Sean Connery made six EON production (or "official") movies with him starring as James Bond. They were (1) Dr. No (1962) (2) From Russia with Love (1963) (3) Goldfinger (1964) (4) Thunderball (1965) (5) You Only Live Twice (1967) and (6) Diamonds are Forever (1971).
This is the seventh spy film of the British Bond series (the sixth was "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" with a different actor playing Bond). As well, it is the sixth and last to star Connery as the fictional MI6 agent Commander James Bond (code number 007).
This movie is based on the 1956 novel of the same name as the movie by Ian Fleming (1908 to 1964).
Briefly, Bond impersonates a diamond smuggler to infiltrate a smuggling ring. He soon uncovers a plot by his former nemesis Ernst Blofeld (Charles Gray), leader of the criminal organization SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion) to use the diamonds in the construction of a giant laser satellite that would be used to hold the world for ransom.
The title song is sung by Shirley Bassey.
This movie has all the Bond ingredients: gadgets, witty dialogue with "Bondisms" (Bond one-liners), unique background music, Bond girls (with Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) being the main Bond girl), villains, and action.
Unfortunately, despite these ingredients, this movie does not "feel" like a Bond movie or more accurately, it does not feel like a Sean Connery Bond type movie.
Why is this? For starters, Sean Connery does not "look" up to the role. He's not lean and trim. He even has long side-burns. Perhaps the reason was that he never expected to play Bond again and had to be lured back for considerable money to play this part one more time. As a result, he seems to simply walk through the movie.
The witty dialogue with Bondisms falls flat in most cases. The main villain, Blofeld as played by Charles Gray does not seem very villainous (which is strange when you consider he's leader of SPECTRE). True, two of Blofeld's (gay) henchmen, Mr. Wint (Bruce Glover) and Mr. Kidd (Putter Smith) give good performances but for some reason, seem to have wandered accidentally onto the movie set.
Jill St. John as Tiffany Case (who has the distinction of being the first American Bond girl) plays a diamond smuggler. To me, she's one of the least effective Bond girls playing the part in an annoyingly shrill manner.
The new gadgets presented in this movie are nothing spectacular or clever.
The reason for Blofeld wanting diamonds is not revealed until the last half hour and many people may get fed up with the movie before then.
The one thing this movie does have is plenty of action especially the car chase scene.
Perhaps the biggest problem with this movie is that it is more humorous than serious. (The previous five Connery Bond type movies (listed above) were more serious.) Thus this movie paved the way for the Roger Moore Bond type movies which were more humorous and deviated greatly from the James Bond in the Ian Fleming novels.
This movie when released made about one hundred and sixteen million dollars worldwide (or about six hundred and seventeen million in today's dollars). I think it grossed so much because of Connery's, by then, star power.
The DVD (the one released in Sept., 2007) is flawless in picture and sound quality. This movie has been digitally restored and I'm sure the picture is just as good (if not better!!) than when it was released over 35 years ago. There is also superior sound. As well, there is one extra in the form of an audio commentary.
Finally, here is some information to consider. This DVD is actually the first disc of the two disc "Ultimate Edition." Bond fanatics might want to purchase this two disc Ultimate Edition since the second disc has "the best collection of special features ever assembled for Bond." (Unfortunately, the Ultimate Edition is no longer available but can be purchased second-hand.)
In conclusion, those who enjoy the Roger Moore Bond type movies should like this movie but those who enjoy Sean Connery Bond type movies will probably be very disappointed in this movie.
(1971; 2 hr; wide screen; 32 scenes)
<<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>>
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