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Diamonds are Forever

Diamonds are Forever

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Diamonds Are Forever (And For Fun)
Review: Extremely stylish James Bond film, which ushered in the "just for fun era" that didn't end (but was interrupted by For Your Eyes only) until Roger Moore's retirement in 1985. However, this one has several qualities which most of those others don't. First, Sean Connery's back and gives his most complete acting performance in a Bond film. I personally enjoy him more in this film than in any of his other Bonds. It was, for my money, his most relaxed and confident performance. And his less than perfect appearance, though shocking to some, made his portrayal of the world-weary Bond all the more appropriate. Second, the dialogue here is masterful and, for once, truly funny in an ultra-sophisticated sort of way; the witicisms are incredible clever, maybe more so than in any Bond before or since. You have to watch this one over and over just to catch all the ingenious banter. I also really enjoyed all the supporting characters performances as well. While he might have been a little more threatening, Charles Gray's Blofeld is the most memorable of the bunch, and I'd like to think that someone who plots world domination must be somewhat sophisticated and intelligent, rather than just a raving megalamaniac (Pleasance) or a mobster-like neanderthal (Savalas). Next, the producers opted for an older Bond Girl, ala Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, in casting Jill St. John as Tiffany Case and it works well. It would have been hard to stomach a twentish, innocent-looking hardbody in the role of this jaded, international smuggler. Also, in spite of being older and heavier than most Bond girls, Miss St. John comes across as one of the sexiest Bond girls ever and seems to perfectly compliment the aging Connery. The funny but deadly homosexual assassins Wynt and Kidd were perfectly cast, too. Now those are different Bond henchman! But again, there are many things different about this one. As I alluded to in my opening sentence, there's something inately stylish about this film as it possesses a surrealism that seems to be lacking in many of the later Bond films. The characters and sequences have a certain fanciful quality to them. Even the clothing/costumes worn by the characters stand out. The outfits of Tiffany Case and Blofeld especially. And strangely enough, they don't seem as dated as those worn in the two Roger Roger films that followed. Connery, too looks more at home in his suits and and tux than in any of his other Bonds. The moody music is great too. The opening title theme seems to get everything off to a "glittering" start. I liked the music accompanying the fight scenes and action sequences and for that reason was a little disappointed that John Barry opted to use the "James Bond Theme" for the climactic oil rig sequence instead of expounding on the film's score. I keep thinking of the moon buggy chase scene where Connery's knocks the guy off the ATV and the music kicks in as he drives away with Jill St. John observing from the outside, now that was excitng! Why couldn't Barry have come up with something similar for the finale? At other times, the music was appropriately eerie (the early South African scenes) and elegant (the scene at Tiffany's flat and the casino scene). While the plot once again deals with science fiction and the villain threatening the entire world, this time there's a couple of kickers, which I won't go into for fear of spoiling it for those who haven't yet seen this one. Suffice to say though that it's nice to know for once how the villain came upon the capital and means to execute his plan. In conclusion, I think anyone would find this Bond movie one the the most enjoyable of the series if they put it in the right mindset. It made a steady climb into my top five because the more I watched it, the more things I picked up on that made me like it even more. It's just fantastic fun, and last time I checked, there's nothing wrong with that.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Grand fun
Review: Okay, okay, this is not at all in most ways like Ian Fleming's novel. Yet, for me it turns up being Connery's fourth best outing. Sir Sean delivers a campy, stylish, and cool performance as OO7 (also his fourth best), Jill St.John is a good, more independent Bond girl than most, and even though I really enjoyed Charles Gray's witty, sophisticated, urbane, and cool performance of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, he needs some menace to his character. I can't stand Willard Whyte and don't care for Norman Burton as Felix Leiter, yet Glover and Smith are great as Blofeld's comedic, scene-stealing henchmen, Wint and Kidd. Even though the sets were previously used in other Bond films, (MGM/UA didn't have that much money left for the series after OHMSS) they succeed. Settings are the colorful world of Las Vegas, the desert, New Amsterdam, and an oil platform off the coast of Baja California. Barry produces a good score, and I like Shirley Bassey's title song. Pre-title has Bond globe-hopping around to track down Blofeld. After hurling a SPECTRE assasin through Japanese paper walls, having former Miss world Denise Perrier appear topless, and knocking down another SPECTRE agent onto a roulette table, Bond finds Blofeld and after a brief but cool fight scene Bond kills Blofeld (or so he thinks). The Maibum/Mankiewicz script is brazen with witty lines including- "Hi, I'm Plenty" "But of course you are", "We do function in your absence, commander", and I'll finish dressing" "Oh please don't, not on my account". Action includes a car chase through the desert with Bond in a stolen moon buggy, a car chase through Las Vegas where Bond and Tiffany Case are in a cool red Mustang, and an exciting helicopter attack on Blofeld's oil platform. Overall, my ninth favorite Bond film. Recommended!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This Diamond IS Forever
Review: Diamonds Are Forever is, in my opinion, the fifth best Bond film in the series. This film is a world away from the slightly overrated On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the previous Bond which stared the unbearable George Lazenby. DAF is a highly entertaining film; and why it is no Goldfinger (the second best of the series), it is certainly one of the best. This is the first Bond to be action-oriented. However, it is handled very well and does not go to far such as the terrible Live And Let Die did. Mr.Kidd and Wint are really cool, however, I can't stand Jill St.John. The bottom line: See this movie, but wait until October when it is released on DVD-it will definitely be worth the wait. And buy it on Amazon.com!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Irresistable
Review: It's a guilty pleasure... miserably directed, filled with unattractive performances, and with a dud script that's especially painful after "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." And yet it's hard to resist. Even paunchy, beat-out and sporting a bad toupee, Sean Connery is a magnetic actor, and he has a wonderful moment when he's introduced to a girl who says "Hello. I'm Plenty": "but of course you are," he coos. Jill St. John is one of the more memorable Bond girls, the title song is a sleazy masterpiece, and the chases feature a cool red Mustang and a clumsy Moon Buggy. Is it a good movie? Irrelevant, Mr. Bond!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: ok movie
Review: this i believe is the worst bond movie although not bad because it is hard to mess up bond even with tim dalton. however, mr kidd and wint are so cool.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Diamonds is Fun Forever
Review: This is the most fun James Bond film of all time. A quick pace, whimsical characters and crazy goings on make this one read like a comic book for adults. That's probably why it gets a bum rap from "Purist" James Bond fans who take themselves (and the character) too seriously. They do others a disservice when they downplay this movie because, in many ways, it's more entertaining than some of the serious Bonds. In addition to the outlandish characters and situations Bond encounters, we have Sean Connery giving his most accomplished, well-rounded and wide-ranging Bond characterization of all and a script that contains many of the most clever, witty and memorable lines ever spoken in a Bond movie. Alternately spooky, thrilling and funny, Diamonds Are Forever is as a underrated Bond film there is and a must see.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Dialogue Forever
Review: While not among the best Bond films in the pure sense of the word, this is surely one of the most entertaining. Extremely fun to watch, it contains the best dialogue and most memorable one-liners of the entire series. Fascinating and whimsical characters are introduced at a breathtaking pace. Plot detail took a backseat to mood and atmosphere here, but it works as this film contains some of the most memorable scenes in the entire series: the opening "pipeline" sequence with Wynt and Kidd, Bond's arrival at Tiffany's apartment and his elevator ride to the top of the Whyte House, just to name a few. The soundtrack was appropriate and helped to set the mood. Both the fight with Peter Franks in the elevator and the tussle with Bambi and Thumper are very creative and imaginitive; they were refreshingly different struggles than Bond had in other films. The same could be said of the protracted moonbuggy to Mustang chase scene. But most importantly, this film is fortunate to have a more experienced Connery, exhibiting more acting range and confidence than ever before. His maturity as an actor in this film is as evident as his maturity physically. He and the rest of the cast all seemed like they had a lot of fun making this picture. That seems to be the point here: who cares if this is more like and Errol Flynn romp than a Humphrey Bogart melodrama? The object is to entertain, which this movie surely does.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Diamonds are Forever
Review: After Connery left in You Only Live Twice and Lazenby's On Her Majesty's Secret Service comes Connery back again in Diamonds are Forever. Though it can't match up to the film it kind of copied which is Goldfinger, it is still very good and as some great elements. Connery isn't looking his best but is older, wiser, and does a great job. Jill St. John is good as Tiffany Case but is stupid and a wimp at the oil platform. Lana Wood is great as Plenty o'Toole and I wished she could have been in the film longer. Charles Gray is excellent as Blofeld and is one of the best villains but WHY does he have hair! Glover and Smith are hilarious as Wint and Kidd, the two gay assasins, and are even wittier than OO7 himself. However, the other members of the supporting cast such as Jimmy Dean's annoying Willard Whyte and Norman Burton's forgettable Felix Leiter are not very good.

The Las Vegas setting is fitting and the plot was confusing but good once you found out what it was. Goldfinger had clarity, which is something Diamonds lacked. The action was a chase through the desert where Bond is pursued by Blofeld's men in a moon buggy, a car chase through Las Vegas and the climax which is somewhat disappointing where helicopters attack an oil platform.

Diamonds had excellent sound quality and earned a nomination at the 1971 Academy Awards for Best Sound along with films such as The French Connection and Fiddler on the Roof, which won. This was something no other OO7 film had or has accomplished. Goldfinger did win in '64 for Sound Effects. This film loses some credibility because it seemes to bog down at the end unlike other Connery films. The title song is good, and John Barry's score is not as good as OHMSS's but holds its own.

Diamonds is good and is like Dr.No in a way because though Diamonds is witty and Dr.No is serious they both have excellent villains (Gray), (Wiseman), good Bond girls (St.John), (Andress), and little action but great storylines and the way the films go on. However, Dr.No is better and though Diamonds may be one of Connery's worst it is better than most of Moore's films and is very good.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GLITTERING 24 CARATS OF ENTERTAINMENT!
Review: Being raised on the Moore films, I found Diamonds Are Forever my favorite Sean film after Goldfinger. Everything glitters in this movie, from the diamonds themselves, to Las Vegas, and the soundtrack!Jill St. John is suitably sardonic and sarcastic as Tiffany Case. Lana Wood have plenty of bosom to fulfill her role as Plenty O'Toole, and former Miss World Denise Perrier appear topless (in a flash, that is) in the pre-title sequence.

Then there is Wint and Kidd, the two homosexual assassins who sprouts even wittier lines than Bond himself.

The movie dragged down a bit when Jimmy Dean's loud and obnoxious Whillard Whyte appears. But Diamonds Are Forver carried on the Bond tradition with panache and hopefully, Bond will be as forever as those diamonds.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The return of the original Bond, older but wiser
Review: Sean Connery was lured back to the role that made a star nearly ten years earlier. The wittier style of Diamonds are forever would later be repeated in the Roger Moore films that followed. Connery may not look as youthful as he did in previous Bond films but is good to have the original and best James Bond back. I found Diamonds hugely enjoyable with great villians Mr. Wint and Mr. Kint and Bond girl Tiffany Case but I did not think Charles Gray was the best Blofeld and the question I always wonder is 'Is Blofeld working indepentently or on behalf of Spectre ( who never get a mention in the film). Beside that you will find Diamonds are Forever great entertainment.


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