Diamonds Are Forever

James Bond is sent to investigate a diamond smuggling ring and after following up a contact in Amsterdam ends up in the gambling capital of the world.

Investigating the reclusive Willard Whyte, he learns the diamonds are destined for a research laboratory in the Nevada desert where a satellite is being constructed.

Breaking into the penthouse of The Whyte House, the Las Vegas hotel owned by Whyte, 007 comes face to face again with his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofold.

What we say

Diamonds Are Forever returns to the trajectory started with You Only Live Twice and abandons Ian Fleming almost completely. The film really marks the start of the series’ more comic period typified by Roger Moore; it has plenty of good lines though and John Barry’s score is superb.

Locations

Original release

Premiere: 17th December 1971 at the DeMille theater in New York (although it was shown on 14th December in Berlin)
UK: 30th December 1971 at the  Odeon Leicester Square
US: 17th December 1971

Principal crew

Director
Guy Hamilton
Screenplay Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz
Producer
Albert R Broccoli and Harry Saltzman
Music
John Barry
Editor
Bert Bates & John W Holmes
Production Designer
Ken Adam
Cinematography
Ted Moore

Cast

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
Bernard Lee ‘M’
Desmond Llewelyn ‘Q’
Leonard Barr Shady Tree
Lois Maxwell Moneypenny
Margaret Lacey Mrs Whistler
Joe Robinson Peter Franks
David de Keyser Doctor
Laurence Naismith Sir Donald Munger
David Bauer Mr Slumber

Drinks

Cars

Ford Mustang Mach I Fastback  (1971)

Quotes

  • “That’s quite a nice little nothing you’re almost wearing. I approve.”
  • “Was that Burt Saxby? Tell him he’s fired!”
  • “Hi, my name’s Plenty.”
    “Of course it is.”
    “Plenty O’Toole.”
    “Named after your father, no doubt.”
  • “Well, they’re both aboard, and I must say Miss Case seems quite attractive… For a lady!”
  • “The stiff, ehm, the deceased back there… Your brother, Mr. Franks?”
    “Yes, it was.”
    “I got a brother.”
    “Small world.”
  • “I give up. I know the diamonds are in the body, but where?”
    “Alimentary, Dr Leiter… “
  • “Exceptionally fine shot.”
    “I didn’t know there was a pool down there. “
  • “I tend to notice little things like that – whether a girl is a blonde or a brunette.”
    “Which do you prefer?”
    “Well, as long as the collar and cuffs match…”
  • “Oh, yes. What were you about to ask me?”
    “James, how the hell do we get those diamonds down again?”
  • “Unfortunately, our cellars are rather poorly stocked with clarets.”
    “Mouton Rothschild is a claret. And I’ve smelled that aftershave before and both times I’ve smelled a rat!”

Buy Diamonds Are Forever DVD/Blu-Ray from Amazon

Amazon UK

Buy DVD | Buy Blu-Ray

Amazon US

Buy DVD | Buy Blu-Ray | Download

Poster Art


Buy a Diamonds Are
Forever poster or print.

Soundtrack


Read more about the Diamonds Are Forever Soundtrack or buy it online.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service | Live And Let Die

David Leigh founded The James Bond Dossier in 2002. A fan of 007 since the age of 8, he is also author of The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond. You can order a copy here if you don't own it already.


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2 Responses to “Diamonds Are Forever”

  • David Belcher

    The very first Bond movie I saw in the theatre

  • Philip North

    One of the weakest Bond films in my opinion. Connery should have left off on YOLT. Poor decision to return for this.

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