chriswright1969 The 7th official James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever does not have the reputation of being one of the better Bond epics. But I must admit for having a soft spot for Diamonds Are Forever despite the fact that in hindsight the film has missed some great opportunities.It was decided to ignore the events of the previous Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) which ended with the murder of the wife of James Bond by his nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld. It could have been a great revenge movie, but it's not.Diamonds Are Forever starts with a very short fight scene in a Japanese decor, telling us that it's starting where the 5th Bondfilm You Only Live Twice (1967) left off. At the time On Her Majesty's Secret Service was considered a failure (it wasn't) and the rumor was that the new James Bond actor George Lazenby got fired (he wasn't, he decided not to go on, much to his regret later). Ever since then, the reputation of On Her Majesty's Secret Service has surpassed Diamonds Are Forever.But on the plus side Diamonds Are Forever is one of most efficient Bond films made. The tone is (a little too) lightweight, it has that smoothly early seventies style and shows what Las Vegas looked like in 1970/1971. The greatest asset of course is that Sean Connery returned to the franchise after being absent in the previous film. Older and a little too out of shape, Connery is at his most relaxed in this one and even here he is still the best cinematic interpretation of the character. A James Bond who has seen and done it all. The only time Bond is really surprised in this film is when he meets Blofeld again, whom he thought he had killed in the prologue. Diamonds Are Forever may have discarded the revenge plot but It was a financial successful revenge for Sean Connery on the Bond producers. Connery always felt short changed by the producers but was lured back by United Artists for one more film for an enormous salary (which he donated) and benefits (including a two movie deal).Diamonds Are Forever is also a guilty pleasure nowadays because Bond gets to do things which today's cinematic heroes can no longer get away with: he hits women, kicks Blofeld's cat and disposes easily of two stereotypical gay men (including finishing it off with a one liner). So, unless you're easily offended, Diamonds Are Forever can also be recommended as a terrific time capsule.

mark.waltz With a gap of one film, Sean Connery returned to the role of James Bond for the last time (as part of the official series), and what he gets is certainly action packed, thrilling and completely entertaining, but seems to be minus the spark and the likability. He's on the case of a diamond smuggling ring run by another white cat carrying villain (Charles Gray) where there's more to the story than just diamonds. Along the way, Bond goes through a crematorium, car chases in Las Vegas and takes on two tough kicking women's gymnasts. Then, his encounters with Gray appear confusing thanks to the multiple lookalikes he has, several meeting some fascinating if gruesome demises.Gray in drag makes Gene Hackman in "The Bird Cage" look like Marilyn Monroe, but fortunately that's just a quick blur. I wasn't crazy about the Bond girls in this entry, with an obnoxious characterization by Jill St. John and an unmemorable performance by Lana Wood. The two fast moving gymnasts may be challenging partners for Connery but I really wanted to see them get more than they ended up getting. Gray does make a fascinating bad guy, and there are some moments where you may be biting your knuckles may be sore from biting them. But many of the twists and situations are weak and unconvincing, and that makes this less likable. Still, there's another Shirley Bassey song to get the action started, indeed one of the best themes.

LeonLouisRicci This, the Seventh James Bond Film in the Franchise, is Wrought with Fandom Wrath, but some Less Demanding Viewers are more Sympathetic.About as Disappointing as "You Only live Twice" (1967) with the Added Ingredient of Sean Connery returning to the Role after a One Film Holiday, and the Anticipation Factor Ramped Up Big Time.What was Delivered was Tepid Fun with the Emphasis on Fun. Serious Spy Stuff was Abandoned for Over the Top Characters and Routine and Artificial Looking Action.Not Completely a Loser it has some Moments (like the elevator fight and the pre-credit scene) but Overall Things like the "Moon Buggy" are Expensive Junk thrown in like the Lame and Obviously Staged Car Chase on the Downtown Vegas Strip. It Lazily Shows Rows of Spectators along the Street Watching the Filming in Multiple Shots. The Two Wheeled Car Escape is Infamous.Not a Lot to Recommend, but if Your Tolerance for a Whimsical and Light-Hearted Bond is High, have No Fear because this is the Forerunner of the Tacky and Gaudy Films to Follow.The Weight of Previous Box-Office Booty Weighed Heavily on the Hubris of the Producers and They Shamelessly Soured the Integrity of the Character and Produced Painfully Executed Excuses of Mechanized Assembly Line Vehicles one after another with a Few Exceptions, in what seemed like Forever.

Python Hyena Diamonds Are Forever (1971): Dir: Guy Hamilton / Cast: Sean Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Jimmy Dean, Lana Wood: Average 007 James Bond outing. This one regards greed, which is the ambition of every Bond villain. Here we have a useless villain who can duplicate himself as well as present duplicate voice devices so to manipulate his world domination plan further. We also have a couple of devious nerds called Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd who are involved in a defeat so stupid that it warrants ridicule. Director Guy Hamilton made one of the best Bond films with Goldfinger. Here he creates an entertaining film with a diamond smuggling plot but the humour is misguided terribly. Sean Connery returns as agent James Bond after sitting out the previous film. Here Bond is nearly killed several times including cremation and buried alive in a pipe line but he makes a getaway in a moon buggy. Jill St. John is easily the worst and most annoying Bond girl at this point. She isn't sexy and one may wish that she was heaved out a high rise into a pool along with another girl named Plenty O'Toole. Lana Wood portrayed that creatively named death sentence. Did I mention Jimmy Dean as an over the top Presidential type figure who has two hit girls named Bambi and Thumper? Despite the foolishness loyal fans will enjoy the action, glitter and glam of the production. Score: 6 ½ / 10