Recapping 007 #7 - Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (Review)

[@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ]

The king is dead. May his memory live forever. Sean Connery 25 August 1930 - 31 October 2020

[@danielhesemann]

He died on Halloween?

[@brodiesmith7957]

Yea the worst thing that happen on a Halloween day just sucks

[@HLHReviews]

Fun fact: The actor who played Mr. Wint, Bruce Glover, is the father of Crispin Glover, who is obviously best known for playing George McFly in Back to the Future.

[@b.chaline4394]

HunterLewis726 just saw an interview of Crispin yesterday - he looks so much like his dad now !!! I half expected him to drop a random « bomBE surprise » halfway through the conversation !

[@pedrofelipepamplona1944]

Wow ! Thanks for the information ! They do lookalike.

[@johnellizz]

That's COOL and is infinitely beyond being a merely 'fun fact'.

[@TheAeroAvatar]

Pretty heavy huh? ;)

[@dvon1097]

Diamonds is my guilty pleasure bond film. I know it's ridiculous and over the top but its so funny and entertaining.

[@Mein-Darth]

Thats how a Bond movie should be my friend.

[@Mein-Darth]

@Zak Jansen Yeah it shows us hes really just pathetic human being.

[@markmerzweiler909]

I look at it the same way!

[@scottknode898]

I am the same way it is not my favorite Bond film but is a guilty pleasure as was On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and The Man With The Golden Gun.

[@charlierichards5865]

My guilty pleasure is 100% A View To A Kill

[@bittercaramel7652]

Not gonna lie but “Diamonds Are Forever” is one of my guilty pleasure movies.

[@tek6423]

Nothing wrong with that…..Jill St. John made it all worthwhile.

[@199019852007]

​@@tek6423she bats above her average as they sat in cricket and baseball

[@samsmiff-w6s]

Same here

[@shiptj01]

Hi.

[@pi.actual]

It's the cassette in the panties scene, admit it.

[@1totalhitman]

I like Roger Moore, but I like to imagine how George Lazenby would have performed in 6 other films. I also prefer Telly Savalas as Blofeld. The guy had charisma!

[@Seargent363]

+TotalHitman And such a presence on screen. I always wonder what Diamonds are Forever could have been under Lazenby, I wish I lived in that universe.

[@MrJohnlennon007]

Lazenby is the best!

[@christopherthorne8133]

Charles Gray was so miscast for this given he plays Blofeld nothing like the other two. They should have just hired another bald actor more in line with Savalas or Pleasance. I get that Blofeld changed himself to go undercover but fuck me, not Gray lol.

[@eggbertinkabod1121]

@@Seargent363 BLACK POWER

[@eggbertinkabod1121]

@@MrJohnlennon007 YO MOTHER IZ DUH BEST , SHE A GUD LAY.

[@hkr0065]

*OHMSS writers* : "Lazenby is new, so lets just write the best damn movie we can and people will ignore him." *DAF writers* : "Connery's back, so let's phone it in like always. He'll carry the movie.

[@DutchBondFan]

Spot on!!!

[@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ]

I think with Lazenby O.H.M.S.S. is done more as a love story, than a Bond film. D.A.F. was made as a sequel of ''You Only Live Twice'', and has same style with ''Live and Let Die'' and ''The Man with the Golden Gun''.

[@adriansherlockdamondark.1094]

Exactly my thoughts. It's like they were so terrified people would not like a Bond film without Connery, they went all out to give Lazenby the best script, best action, best stunts, best Bond girl, best villain, best John Barry score, best ever damn thing, to surround him with maximum support. When Connery returned... wow... it really felt like they took a well-earned vacation.

[@steevrawjers]

hkr006 loLLLLL

[@steevrawjers]

MYNEXTPHASE lol true it reminds me of when Marcia Brady helped that wallflower become a popular girl topping it off with writing for her the best speech ever Then when Marcia had to go up against that same girl in the speech forum her own speech fell flat in comparison

[@markcrorigan554]

I know that this movie could be a lot better but for me, it’s such a guilty pleasure, I absolutely love Diamonds are Forever.

[@rogerhwerner6997]

The gangster to the left of Bond sitting in the car makes an appearance as the same gangster in the precredit sequence of The Man with the Golden Gun.

[@varanid9]

And the gangster in the back seat later went on to be "Captain Spaulding" in Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects".

[@davidhallett8783]

The actor in cold opening of the man with the is marc lawrence who was in about. Six charlie chan movies mostly as chiefs of police but plays a gangster in c c s murder cruise and c c at the wax museum

[@rippedreaper7279]

I took me 10 years to get the part "providing the collars and cuffs match" phrase, Connery is a God

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

Please, enlighten us sir

[@anonvideo738]

@@JohnDoe-tm9wz its a "carpet matches the drapes" joke. (as in, hair on the head matches hair down below)

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

@@anonvideo738 Thanks

[@declansheehan1768]

In a weird way I find it strangely funny (even though I probably shouldn't) that after YOLT Eon were like "Bond is bigger than the actor who plays him" and then after just one film without Connery United Artists were like "We need Sean back."

[@DutchBondFan]

Hahaha yeah. It's mainly because George didn't manage to proof to the world that there really was life after Sean Connery. It's not just Lazenby's fault though, in his defence. It wasn't untill Roger Moore that the point was made that another actor could indeed be succesful with it. (At least in my opinion)

[@gussiejives]

As miscast as Charles Gray was in this, I’ll always love him as the Criminologist in Rocky Horror and as Sherlock Holmes’s brother Mycroft in the Granada TV series.

[@thursoberwick1948]

Oh, he's good in some roles. Sand with Dalton. I like Dalton in many roles but not as Bond.

[@varanid9]

@@thursoberwick1948 Well, let's face it, none of them live up to Connery. How can they, he created the role!

[@Yngvarfo]

He also played Mycroft in the movie "The Seven Percent Solution," which had no other actors in common with the Jeremy Brett series. It seems like lots of people saw him as natural for the role.

[@zacmumblethunder7466]

He was brilliant in "The Devil Rides Out".

[@thejawooshtroll5565]

Loving these. Watched all of them back to back. Keep up the good work

[@DutchBondFan]

+TheJawooshTroll Man that's so awesome, thanks :) - Glad you enjoyed! - I will start producing episode 8 soon! :)

[@lw3646]

Thankfully Ian Fleming never had to see this.

[@jordan31176]

I recently watched Dr No. I've never really sat threw it all before, it's usually just on in the background. But I was surprised how well made it was for the time, it's actually aged better than most Bond films. There is one dated green screen effect but that's all. It's well edited, directed and acted with some fantastic special effects.

[@reuvengershon6625]

Of course. That's why it's a classic

[@markmerzweiler909]

It was also quite restrained...Bond had no gadgets at all.

[@SolarDragon007]

As flawed is Live and Let Die is, it was an ENORMOUS improvement over this film.

[@DutchBondFan]

+SolarDragon007 Pretty much every Bond that came prior to this was an improvement over this film! ;p

[@mulvi747]

Mr. Wint and Mr. Kit are great henchmen. I love the strange presence they have.

[@martyemmons3100]

I agree. The homophobic psychological aspect of the assassins was/still is a viable formula in 'Movies for men' characteristic trait. There are a few movies that have used that theme. Norman Bates in "Psycho" (1960). The crossdressing killer/restroom scene in "Freebie And The Bean (1974). The Dr. Robert Elliott role in "Dressed To Kill" (1980). The Buffalo Bill role in "Silence Of The Lambs" (1991).

[@LarsDVDTimeYT]

10:13, for those who dont know, the car in the background is the Aston Martin DBS from on her majesty’s secret service being loaded with rockets. The car was going to be in the film but it didn’t make it to the final cut, so it gets a little cameo in Q Branch

[@jeremy28135]

Man you're so good at this. Awesome job again 👍

[@pwareham61]

Your commentary is hilarious, had me in stitches. Bravo

[@sanchog5704]

I haven't laughed so much in ages at some of your comments...you say a lot of small things that I have always thought weird after having watched this movie so many times out of nostalgia (as it was my first Bond). Thanks for this brilliant review!!

[@DutchBondFan]

+Hanglemez Pallaccini Haha so good to hear man! Comments like these motivate me to work on these projects, its fun spending all those hours producing knowing that there are fellow fans out there awaiting these episodes! :)

[@SoftwareAgentsTV]

I swear up and down that this is basically an Austin Powers movie played entirely straight. -- AT

[@josephvanburen1329]

SoftwareAgentsCorp still makes it funnier than Austin powers.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

But... isn't that literally the point?

[@jonathancampbell5231]

Well, Austin Powers was literally based on this film specifically, so yes. (not sure about it being played ENTIRELY straight though)

[@QUINT34577]

fire the lazzzer...Dr Eevvil

[@davehallett3128]

@Just think what are you. A robot

[@Dremeli]

Those goons who Blofeld orders to take gun off Bond at the pre-title sequence are George Lane Cooper and Terence Mountain who appeared as a goon in pre-title sequence of OHMSS. George Lane Cooper also appeared as Blofeld's goon on OHMSS.

[@puppyash9656]

Fun fact: The pre-title sequence for "For your eyes only" brings the Bond v. Blofeld saga to an end, picking up both the fact that he was paralyzed following the oil-rig battle, and that he is the one responsible for the death of Bond's wife. It is actually a really clever setup.

[@folkblueswriter]

"Diamonds" was entertaining at the time but I found casting Jimmy Dean as Willard Whyte really bad, he was a country singer not a movie actor so he stuck out like a sore thumb trying to read his lines in a movie full of skilled actors like Sean Connery, Jill St. John, and Charles Gray.

[@flashrobbie]

Lana Wood's sister Natalie was married to Robert Wagner. After her death he married Jill St John.

[@chrischeshire6528]

Jill St John, Stefanie Powers and Natalie Wood all attended the same school in San Francisco when they were 7 years old. Natalie and Jill both were married to Robert Wagner and Stefanie was married to him in Hart to Hart.

[@declansheehan1768]

You know what I don't get? Why did they feel the need to scrap the revenge aspect just because Lazenby wouldn't be returning?

[@postersandstuff]

Because producers felt that OHMSS wasn't that much of a hit so they went back to the more outlandish/OTT Bond like seen in GF. To many casual fans this is the Bond they prefer usually.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

I think it has to do with how Connery played Bond.

[@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ]

Declan Sheehan Why did they feel the need to ignore, Bond and Blofeld meeting in ''You Only Live Twice''?

[@alucard624]

@@fuzzydunlop7928 That's part of it, but this was a serious misstep after OHMSS in tone and storyline.

[@booqueefious2230]

@@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ the movies were adapted out of order, and the plot required Blofeld to think Bond was somebody else. It just wouldn't have worked if they recognized each other, they'd have to rewrite a huge part of the story, and they were really trying to stick with the book since it was written to be a movie

[@goodtitle686]

5:25 To be fair, Irma Bunt was gonna be in Diamonds are Forever, but her actress died four days after premier of OHMSS. So naturally they hadty scrap the original plan of Bond tracking revenge on Tracy. It would have been awesome plot tho :D

[@Hydrograd57]

With all the recasting the franchise had, I really don't think that would have been much of an issue, nor is it a valid excuse. They could have easily followed up on it with another actress playing Bunt.

[@chrismc410]

She was avenged eventually by For Your Eyes Only, some 15 years later. In many ways For Your Eyes Only was a follow-up to OHMSS

[@Badanny777]

Irma Bunt. Her name was Ilse Steppatt

[@chrismc410]

Head canon says Marc-Ange Draco, Tracy's father got to Bunt before Bond could

[@michaelsinger4638]

Just recast the role then. They recast Blofeld like five times after all.

[@CommanderSuberox]

I actually really love this movie its cheesey and so over the top its a guilty pleasure I recently rewatched this with my wife and her never seeing this movie before she just thought it was ridiculous and would just question every stupid plot point it just made me love the film even more with how we laughed at the film.

[@varanid9]

My niece absolutely loathes "Meet the Spartans" when we watched it, so, naturally, the very next night, her husband and I forced her to watch it again, haha.

[@johnjamele]

This was soooo much a Roger Moore Bond film inexplicably starring Sean Connery.

[@bonghunezhou5051]

Au contraire; Roger carried on the tone initiated by Sean in the first 007 film of the 1970s - at least for his first 2 to 4 entries.

[@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ]

@@bonghunezhou5051 I agree, but for the first 2 films of Moore (especcially the second). This he had also said director Lewis Gilbert 5.29 - 5.59 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5zFhZ-de5KMmbs

[@henrykujawa4427]

Tom Mankiewicz was involved in the writing of "DIAMONDS", "LALD" and "GOLDEN GUN" back-to-back. I rank all 3 as terrible, though I tolerate "LIVE AND LET DIE" simply because, unlike the other two, that one is actually FUNNY. Guy Hamilton is mostly known for comedy-- apart from "GOLDFINGER", his I like his NON-Bond films WAYYYY better. Especially "THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE" and "EVIL UNDER THE SUN". Oh yeah, and "FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE".

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@henrykujawa4427 I like Man with the Golden Gun. Christopher Lee, Asian locations etc.

[@daxmiller35]

@@henrykujawa4427 very true. The early 70s were pretty terrible for Bond films

[@rogerhwerner6997]

Yea OK BUT Jill is so friggin hot!

[@alucard624]

Very true. Jill St. John was a straight up hottie in this film, but boy did she ever play complete utter morons in her career. Ironically she's pretty damn smart in real life and a really cool person to meet to boot.

[@johnellizz]

She's the hottest Bond girl and the two runners up are Barbara Bach and Jane Seymour.

[@rogerhwerner6997]

@@alucard624 I'd argue Diana Rigg, Cary Lowell, and Claudine Auger are at least as lovely.

[@davidcoleman757]

She sure was.

[@michaelsinger4638]

@@rogerhwerner6997 Eva Green and Sophie Marceau.

[@lukedaley17]

Diamonds are forever is a guilty pleasure for me. Very entertaining indeed.

[@DannyAbs]

Connery looked like he aged 25 years gained 60 pounds and had only about 2% of the enthusiasm since Dr. No , which was only nine years before this biblical Trainwreck

[@matthewkime6840]

DannyAbs ii

[@eggbertinkabod1121]

@@matthewkime6840 BLACK POWER

[@eggbertinkabod1121]

@Just think BIKE LIFE IN PHILLY

[@eggbertinkabod1121]

I JUST MARRIED MY SLICE OF PIZZA AT CITY HALL IN NYC

[@davehallett3128]

@@eggbertinkabod1121 how old are you. 12

[@RW__-oi8nr]

I also think diamonds at forever is a really decent film

[@1981ius]

Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Sean Connery and the others. Wonderful cast !

[@martyemmons3100]

I've had a 'crush' on Lana Wood ever since seeing her in "Diamonds Are Forever".

[@1981ius]

@@martyemmons3100 I understand. She was a beautiful woman.

[@Smudgeroon74]

​@@martyemmons3100 tell me about it 😊

[@1wwtom]

Still one of my Fav Bond flicks. Much lighter after all it was the '70's! Willard Whyte was an obvious reference to Howard Hughes who was buying up LV properties at the time. Vegas fans will like the Old Fremont Street scenes and note that the Plaza was still under construction at the time at the end of the street. The Whyte House where Bond does his climbing act was the old Hilton off strip where Elvis was in residence and is now the Westgate. The Circus Circus still had the aerial performers over the casino into the 2000's and their Slot playing Elephant was an attraction at one time. Overall still a Fun flick that I still watch now and again.

[@varanid9]

That elephant was for real? I always thought it was just a dumb gag ala the double-taking pigeon from Moonraker. You learn something new every day.

[@johnellizz]

Not only did this one reveal the Apollo moon hoax as many have observed, but it also seems to reveal the Natalie Wood death hoax as well. The scene where Natalie's sister, Lana, is drowned as Robert Wagner's next wife, Jill St. John, looks on in horror seems infinitely beyond coincidence as was obviously a telegraphing of the hoax.

[@DemonBoy3223]

What you said in your _OHMSS_ review s correct: The producers *did* intend to end _Majesty's_ with Bond and Tracy driving off into the sunset following their wedding, saving Tracy's murder for the pre-credit scene in _Diamonds_, which *was* initially written to be more of a revenge-themed sequel. But of course, that was before Lazenby ultimately decided to quit the role.Here, it does feel like it's trying to be a both a stand-alone Connery-era film, while also trying to be a quasi-sequel to _Majesty's_.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Allegedly the revenge script didn't work well so probably wouldn't have been used even if Lazenby stayed [at one point Blofeld wasn't even going to be in this film]. I think there was a push to end OHMSS like Fleming intended too.

[@sre94]

It really is striking how much Connery aged from You Only Live Twice to this movie. And to think, he was only 41 at the time I wonder what the reasoning was for the tense exchanges between 007 and M, something I don't recall seeing to that extent in any other Bond film. Was it meant to reflect a personal grudge between Connery and Broccoli/Saltzman?

[@GrosvnerMcaffrey]

It could have been from stress. Connery couldn't even take a crap without being harassed by the media. People he didn't even know wrote letters to him either saying they wanted to kidnap him, screw him, or kill him. I can see why he was reluctant to return to Bond

[@varanid9]

It's weird because, in Outland, made 10 years later, he looks younger and more fit than he did in DAF. Hell, I think he looked better 20 years later in The Rock than he did in this one.

[@joemoss5138]

@@varanid9 Wow...had the exact same thought. Wonder what happened between '68 and '71?

[@varanid9]

@@joemoss5138 Mega-success and too much good living, I imagine, LOL.

[@DCDPM]

I'm 38 and thought I looked fucked, then I read Connery's age in Diamonds.

[@mattdurkee4651]

This was one of the first bond movies I ever watched. Didn’t at the time think it was all that bad. Over the years I have come to realize how bad it really was. I still like it for the nostalgia

[@nicknewman7848]

Sean also came back because the deal allowed him to make 2 other films of his choice where he would have creative control. One of these films was The Offence which he considered one of his better performances.

[@JOSH-lw2jv]

Fun Fact: *"Diamonds Are Forever"* was the final film for actor Bruce Cabot (who played Bert Saxby). He's probably well known for his earlier film role as John "Jack" Driscoll, the First Mate of the Venture in the original *"KING KONG"* (1933).

[@dansgeld]

i also liked the fight in the lift

[@postersandstuff]

The best scene in the movie !

[@theskyliner9963]

I really look forward to watch the next video with Roger Moore;).I am happy that I have found you on KZbin:)You do a good job!!!;)

[@DutchBondFan]

+TheSkyliner 99 Thanks a lot my friend, welcome aboard! And I will make sure to release the next episode soon! :)

[@mariakelly5]

TheSkyliner 99 Yes, DutchBondFan is the best Bond reviewers on KZbin.

[@crimsondeath7468]

I love your reviews. Keep em coming

[@DutchBondFan]

+heavytom89 I will! Glad you enjoy them :)

[@PowerRangers12345]

"It's just a jump... to the left!"

[@Charles-ik6ip]

Two Birds and a Third No !

[@ecafssot]

😅I was going to go with Sweet Transvestite after seeing Blofeld in drag❗

[@SwordHMX]

And a step to the ri-i-i-i-ight!

[@cianthulu4204]

Put your hands on your hips!

[@HLHReviews]

The Man!! You bring your knees in tight

[@イギリスの男]

I like Diamonds. The blanks in the film are quite conspicuous, but it doesn’t look unorganized. The fun is that we don’t need to be concerned of the A to B to C, meaning we had time for the toilet break and still have the same fun. Moreover I feel the B part is deliberately missed in the plot, meaning there’s no deep reason for anything that happens in the whole film It’s lighthearted and opens the door for Moore’s direction, making the campy and comedic approach relatively consistent rather than tradition-breaking. Most of all, it clearly has an atmosphere of its own. The eerie score with the cheesy plot makes for a unique combination, instantly alluring you into the strange world of DAF. It doesn’t deserve the bashing it gets.

[@varanid9]

There's definitely a lot of good things about it. The first half of the movie is very good. And, as you say, there's a long portion following that is silly and doesn't advance the plot much. I think the main reason it's despised (besides bad Blofeld, no reference to Tracy) is that the climax fails to rescue it, as in Hamilton's other Bond films.

[@martyemmons3100]

The "Diamonds Are Forever" by Shirley Bassey and John Barry is my favorite Bond theme song.

[@imcustomized]

"So much tacky stuff in this movie." Dude, it was the 1970s, _The Decade That Good Taste Forgot!_ Maybe this is where it all started.

[@DutchBondFan]

Perhaps. But look at The Spy Who Loved Me, which came out in the same decade. Thats tacky stuff done right and with style and class!

[@danielkinell3955]

I think it is a pretty good bond film

[@subramaniamsrivatsa2719]

Very true . Fun to watch !

[@mws755]

After James Bond has already saved the world from destruction 3 or 4 times, his name might become well known

[@mikefordguy3364]

This is may favorite of the series. Love the cars and the cheesy jokes. My car club had a gathering in Rehoboth beach back in 2005. It was themed James Bond drives to Rehoboth. One of the members had the exact yellow car Bond drove onto the hover craft. We had a dinner party with several Bonds, one Blowfeild in drag and another as the real Blowfeild. Plus an assorted cast even the Egyptian guy at the rolete wheel. It truly was a blast!

[@brycewilson5886]

You hit this review out of the park, every issue with the film you've identified, (except perhaps Connery's Pink tie.) Having said that, I actually enjoy this movie.

[@MikeHL78]

"The satellite is at present over... Kansas. Well, if we destroy Kansas, the world may not hear about it for years." Probably the only line of dialogue from this film that I actually like. XD

[@postersandstuff]

There are many good one liners in this movie , example : "I've got a brother. Small world" :P

[@NDHFilms]

4:07 I saw Diamonds Are Forever before You Only Live Twice, so this part was very confusing at first.

[@patd4u2]

The last scene of the oil derrick being attacked was shot just off the coast in my home town of Oceanside Calif. It was in our local paper about it. I was fifteen years old at the time. My friends and I rode our stingray bikes to the Oceanside pier to watch it as good as we could. Couldn't see to much but we did see the explosions.

[@borgtennis]

"This never happened to the other fellow!" is a great line!

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

Diamonds can actually be used in lasers, but you focus the light through them to make the beam narrow enough to burn. You don't just put a blinged up dish around the laser.

[@Asidders]

3:35 Thank you for clearing that up. Something about that voice delivery *always* seemed off to me, and I had no reason why.

[@TheT3rr0rMask]

For me, this is the worst Bond film. I hate that they didn't follow up OHMSS, but even when you ignore that to look at it on its own merits, its such a dull, boring, and embarrassing film. Some parts are great, I especially like the cremation scene which is pretty suspenseful and creative, but its just such a bad movie. If you told a newcomer that Connery was the best Bond and they saw this film, they'd think you're crazy 😂. going from perfect to terrible in your career is quite an accomplishment. One last thing, Guy Hamilton: Goldfinger- Great DAF- Awful LALD- Great MWTGG- Awful See a pattern there.

[@hkr0065]

Yeah Connery looked dreadful in this. He looked better in Never Say Never Again and that came out almost twenty years later. 😂

[@saskruffriders8234]

To each their own, but I’d say there were way more boring and awful movies in the franchise than this one. Quantum, Die Another Day and From Russia with love, spring to mind

[@Anthonycheesman2024]

This and you only live twice def are the bottom of Sean Connery bond imo

[@brucesnow7125]

@@saskruffriders8234 you think From Russia with Love is dreadful? Why? It's my favorite one lol.

[@gedjad]

@@brucesnow7125 me too

[@lloydsetty]

And, don't forget about Plenty's see through clothes in the pool....

[@shannonbayley3684]

I watched this review as soon as you originally put it out and several times since over the years, and the line "But here he looks like a dirty old man with an ashtray on his chest" cracks me up every time 🤣🤣🏆

[@sonofportsmith4435]

Thank you so much for this review. I needed reminding why it is that I have not revisited this film since the first (and only) time I watched it. Sean will always be Bond to me, it's just a shame he left the worst till last. Should have been Lazenby.

[@ΜακηςΛ-ε5ρ]

Connery is Bond until the early 70s. Producers wanted him in ''Live and Let Die''. If ''Diamonds Are Forever'' was a revenge film and not a a follow-up of ''You Only Live Twice'', he would fit perfectly as Bond after Tracy's death.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I do believe if Lazenby had signed that contract he would have been paid to leave as UA wanted Connery back, money no object [John Gavin was signed as Bond but paid off once Connery returned]

[@bladerunner951]

I definitely agree with this review. I would even go so far as saying that the climax at the oil rig is the worst one in the series because Bond does NONE of the dirty work here. In Dr. No he at least had a decent, even if very short, fight with the villain. Here all he does is call the cavalry and dick around with a crane and the day is saved. All good action movies have to give the heroes a run for their money but this just seems like picnic to Bond. Doesn't help that Charles Gray is as intimidating as a kitten either. He is actually a very good comedic actor but dear God this is Blofeld he is supposed to be! The man who murdered Mrs. Bond, the mysterious figure who made even Rosa Klebb shudder in fear! Even the goofiest Roger Moore films have more believable bad guys.

[@postersandstuff]

Don't blame Gray , he could be intimidating if the script was there.

[@Luke-cp2jz]

Didn’t Bond practically save Washington from being destroyed through his crane hijinx though? He used the crane to destroy the building which the cassette was using to guide the satellite laser to destroy Washington. For arguments sake though, he definitely could’ve gone and destroyed the tape faster if he did it on his own without using the crane for like three minutes and messing around but it did add a little comedy albeit being very impractical.

[@shamsingh6280]

absolutely amazing review and spot on, really loved it and you re very funny. Thank you for bringing joy. yes this film is the weakest of the Connery films sadly, but I love it due to the fact that it was the first bond film i watched on British TV way back in the early 1980's.

[@kevind814]

Liked how many times you said "just getting started", cause the campiness just kept on coming.

[@steevrawjers]

Kevin D loLLLLL

[@kengreenberg]

The guy in car at 28:00 is the renegade millionaire who left the huddle in Goldfinger and was crushed by Oddjob’s machinations.

[@declansheehan1768]

I like this movie as a stand alone Bond film, I guess partly because of how balls to the wall insane I remember it being and just finding it a fun movie, but I found it disappointing as a follow up to On Her Majesty's Secret Service considering how that film ended on a really sombre note with Tracy dying and Bond being reduced to tears, and how in this film that's completely forgotten and the most we get following that is a line in The Spy Who Loved Me and Bond finally getting his revenge in For Your Eyes Only.

[@1981lashlarue]

And a reference in Licence to Kill.

[@lukasnummer1]

In "License to Kill", Bond is more upset about the death of his friend´s wife than he was about his own wife´s death.

[@nashf5925]

yes, but the start of DAF puts Bond back on a revenge!

[@bodieofci5418]

This is my guilty pleasure Bond film. It's not great and Connery looks about 90 but it has some good moments andca great John Barry score.

[@jroch41]

Best Bond movie review I've seen yet, Dank U wel.

[@TheHCPMusic]

The "moon sequence" is more than likely a sly nod to the conspiracy theory buffs who claimed (even as far back as the early 70's) that the landings were faked on a sound stage. If you think the Vegas scenes were tacky, you haven't even mentioned the deleted scene where The Honorable Sammy Davis, Jr., makes a cameo appearance, and actually DISSES Bond's white dinner jacket ("What wedding cake did HE fall off of!")! Not cool to have the hero referred to as not being cool. (But I remember Roger Moore's Sansa-Belt slacks in "For Your Eyes Only", and you can make all the "Dad-slacks" jokes you want to about that.) Charles Gray's portrayal as Blofeld has got to be the GAYest, most campiest version, even moreso than Dr. Evil. I guess he was getting his practice in for the role of Dr. Scott in "Rocky Horror"....

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

I've always wondered where that conspiracy got started, wouldn't be surprised if it were Soviet in origin or something.

[@stephencalder8357]

The fake moon landing nonsense did not enter the public discourse (lamentably) until years later. No way were they foreshadowing that. The artificial moonscape would have been constructed and used to test space suits, moon buggies, and various astronaut paraphernalia. Very common activity for an engineering / tech company. Also, note that the moon landings were very recent history at the time, and loomed large in the public consciousness. No surprise at all that EON would want to capture some of that in their film.

[@les4767]

Charles Gray wasn't Dr. Scott. He was the criminologist.

[@johnellizz]

Not only did this one reveal the Apollo moon hoax but it also seems to reveal the Natalie Wood death hoax as well. The scene where Natalie's sister, Lana, is drowned as Robert Wagner's next wife, Jill St. John, looks on in horror seems infinitely beyond coincidence and was obviously a telegraphing of the hoax.

[@martyemmons3100]

That can't be as absurd as having Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

[@drivingschool803]

Fun fact, mr wint is played by bruce Glover who is the father of crispin Glover. Crispin glover played george mcfly in back to the future.

[@TheBandit025Nova]

So Arthur McFly

[@MrDavey2010]

Totally totally agree with every point you make. Very insightful. Well done!

[@chrisnorman9980]

I couldn’t believe how badly they dressed Connery in this movie. That lavender tie that only came down to the top of his stomach was appalling.

[@AcidRayne100]

Right!? It made him look like an immature school boy trying to be rebellious rather than a suave top secret agent

[@varanid9]

That's because they were using his wardrobe from YOLT and, by 1971, Connery had grown 9 inches.

[@venturatheace1]

Connery's best Bond film is 'The Rock'. Yes, I consider "John Mason" to be Bond

[@Vanska0]

After rewatching bond movies again (just finished The Man With The Golden Gun), i can safely say, this one is the absolute worst. The plot was confusing and boring, it feels like even the movie itself got bored with it. Connery is back and i find him to be here at his worst. You can just see he doesn't give a shit at all, which makes it even harder to care for what's happening on screen either. The bond girl Tiffany Case starts off interesting, but as you pointed out, turns out to be just a stupid bimbo. Action is mostly boring too, with the exception of the elevator fight, which seems like it's the only part where they put genuine effort in. I love Charles Gray, but he's completely miscast as Blofeld. The special effects are bad (they had to cut the corners there because of Connery's huge paycheck). Even the climax is lame! There's no excitement or sense of danger, just bunch of helicopters flying around, fake explosions, bond crashing Blofeld's minisub into control room and it's all over all of sudden. It's like all the glamour and charm was zapped out of the franchise in this installment, and replaced with cynical selfparody and halfarsed execution. Also, as you pointed out, it's even more frustrating how much potential this movie had being a sequel to the amazing "On her majesty's secret service". This is the bond movie i'd rather not watch again. Campyness and selfparody is fine, but they did all that WAY better in later Moore films.

[@venturatheace1]

Which is a shame because the previous film OHMSS was a masterpiece

[@burno55_]

@@venturatheace1 No it wasn't, it was decent but calling it a masterpiece is a vast exaggeration.

[@oldmoviesinbwwithsubtitles3501]

Good film, Great Soundtrack

[@edwardgreen6577]

my least favourite connery film but it does have a cracking theme song . good and fair review of a less than steller film thumbs up sir.

[@davehallett3128]

@Just think what are you. A robot

[@AvengerII]

You honestly think THIS is worse than Never Say Never Again? Neither film is fantastic -- they rank among the Top 5 WORST Bond films -- but I'd say Diamonds is NARROWLY more tolerable than Never Say Never Again. Again, they're both terrible Bond movies.

[@kuribayashi84]

John Barry had back pains from trying to carry this movie all by himself. Okay, I admit: Wint and Kidd were memorable henchmen, there were some funny lines, the FIght in the Elevator, the Las Vegas Car Chase and the Scene of Bond breaking into the Whyte-house top-floor were pretty good. But overall, this ranks at the bottom, right alongside "Die Another Day".

[@varanid9]

Interesting you mention DAD, as it had a lot of the same elements as this movie: a villain thought dead that comes back after altering his looks, diamond smuggling, a space-borne death ray, an escape with a goofy vehicle, I think I even read that the director was a fan of DAF.

[@chrisroberts246]

I agree with many of your points.Charley Gray was terrable as blofeld.what were they thinking when they cast him.

[@henrykujawa4427]

By total contrast... Charles Gray is FANTASTIC as the main villain "Mocata" in "THE DEVIL RIDES OUT" (1968), and as Mycroft Holmes in the Jeremy Brett SHERLOCK HOLMES series. (He also played Mycroft in the movie "THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION".) And, to my utter shock, he played the hero in the Rocky Horror sequel, "SHOCK TREATMENT", where, at the end, he got to both SING and DANCE! What a guy.

[@Anthony_Stockton09]

Diamonds is my favourite Sean Connery bond film

[@poontang3zizo]

"First of all, WHAT? And second of all, THE FUCK?!" You couldn't have said it any better

[@thefonzkiss]

Lazenby was better than wigged up old looking bloated Connery in 1971.

[@IanWaterfall]

Great take on this movie. It's certainly higher up my list than yours, but I'm in total agreement with you over Dalton's movies, especially Licence To Kill (which was my first cinematic bond experience), Kinda gotta like Tim's movies as he lived in my home town for many years!

[@DutchBondFan]

No way! Which hometown was that? Man that's awesome! (And thanks, my take on this is as good as yours! It's all so subjective!)

[@IanWaterfall]

DutchBondFan It's a small town in England called Belper. His family used to own an oil refinery there. Great work on the recapping series, looking forward to the last few episodes.

[@tomemeigh5338]

The moon scene was a reference to the brand new "conspiracy theory" of the time - that the Apollo moon landings were in fact staged.

[@mtut]

There are other touches of conspiracy theory here, like the rumor that Howard Hughes dressed in costumes to secretly leave the hotel. I think it was actually Cubby Broccoli's idea to work that into the movie. Somewhere he said that he'd seen a very tall woman (Hughes was 6'3") walking through one of the casinos and she reminded him of Howard Hughes.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

In all fairness...Tiffany IS part of the criminal element, and it's possible Bond's name has gotten around the criminal underworld.

[@DutchBondFan]

Fair point!

[@martyemmons3100]

I don't feel a need to 'justify/explain' all the reasons on why "Diamonds Are Forever" is a horrible movie. I personally liked the comedy of the "You just killed James Bond" scene.

[@Krzyszczynski]

Never understood, either at the time or since, why Bambi and Thumper joined Bond in the pool when they were very clearly more than a match for him on dry land.

[@mr.tramber]

Very good review. Diamonds are forever was the first Connery's Bond , which I saw at the age of 15. So I have some nostalgia feelings for this one. But many years has passed, and now I can see and understand all the mistakes in this one. I agree, the biggest mistake was taking away the story of Bond's revenge for Tracy. Even without Lazenby, producers could develop this story with Connery, and they should brought Pleasance of Savallas back for the role of Blofeld. I agree, Charles Gray really sucks as Blofeld. Even as a standalone Bond story, DAF has too much unfunny moments, which you have mentioned. Some scenes are especially dissapoiting, such as pre-title sequence and final battle in the oil rig, there wasn't any extreme and brutal moments, which have already shown in the previous movies. But at the same time movie has some good scenes, for me Fight at the elevator, Cop chase are good-done and looks extreme, even Moonwalk chase and final confronation with Wint and Kidd looks funny for me. Same thing is with characters, as for me, Mr.Wind and Mr.Kid were really memorable henchmen, and Jill St John is really beatifull for Bond girl. As for Sean Connery himself, yes, he looks older, he looks in his mid 40-s in DAF. And I think this comic style doens't suit for his type of character, it just feets Moore better. Also the whole soundtrack of this flick is awesome, both theme song and others movie themes are very well done by maestro John Barry. Totally, this movie is very weak for me, but I like to watch is sometimes for pure nostalgy. Actually, the predcessor and successor of this movie - OHMSS and LALD are miles better than this one. OHMSS for me is very unusual and unique Bond film (Lazenby was very good). And LALD is very cool and creative Bond movie, the whole humor style fits perfect to Moore's debut entry. And LALD is one of my favourite Moore's Bond movie, along with TSWLM and OP, very good one. Thank you for the review, greetings from Ukraine.

[@varanid9]

Spot on assessment.

[@varanid9]

BTW, that goop for the Blofeld duplicate was sulfur mud from the hot spring for him to soak in at a specific temperature in order to prepare the skin for plastic surgery. It's a reference to a scene from the novel (which had nothing to do with Blofeld or space-borne lasers but was about an American mob and climaxes in a ghost town) in which Bond goes to a mud bath spa.

[@henrykujawa4427]

Here's a weird bit of trivia for you: David De Kyser, who had a brief role as a doctor in "DIAMONDS", is the one who DUBBED Gabrielle Ferzetti's voice in "OHMSS". It's one of the few times they got someone other than Robert Rietti to dub someone on a Bond film.

[@jamminjohn]

Unlike most with a newfound love for the Lazenby film, I'll take Diamonds any day.

[@thomaswiseman1171]

This review has given me some great laughs.

[@oobrocks]

The car scene is the highlight!

[@henrykujawa4427]

There's only 2 things I like in this film. One is Jill St. John (but only in her Amsterdam scenes, the ONE brief part of the movie that actually stuck to the novel, which I did like very much). The other is Shirley Bassey's theme song. Of the 3 she did, "DIAMONDS" is by far my favorite. My Dad and I once watched this UNCUT without commercial breaks... and about halfway thru, when we took a break to get food, he said he could NOT follow the plot at all!! That just shows how bad it was. And that's completely beside the style and tone of the thing.

[@shettrick]

My favorite line: First of all, "What the..." and second of all, "Fuck!" You're really very good at this, both your insightful observations and commentary as well as your clever and funny comments.

[@gavintheg.o.a.t2001]

What if (This is my theory) there’s like a different reincarnation of Bond? One is married but his wife died (Plus references), the other facing SPECTRE, another one going on different adventures, & the other is Daniel Craig

[@pnwsp21stcentury81]

LOL I love your Bond reviews. And some of your videos going on my funny videos list. And I just love funny and hilarious you are. And you just crack me up. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@simonbrunner3062]

Great review, I fully agree with everything you said. This used to be my least favourite Bond movie until Spectre came out. I can't believe Sean Connery is actually younger than Roger Moore. It took Moore 14 years and seven more Bond movies to look as old as Connery does in this one. Another issue I have with the climax is that in the end the day is saved by forcefully destroying the control center. That renders everything pointless that happened on the oil rig up until that point. What was all that fuzz with the tape about and why did Bond even go in on his own before calling the cavalry, when they could have simply launched a missile into the control center from the helicopter to begin with?

[@str.77]

""It took Moore 14 years and seven more Bond movies to look as old as Connery does in this one." That's not actually true. Connery looks much older than he did in You Only Live Twice but he looked still much younger compared to the later Roger Moore. I would guess Diamond's Connery and the early Roger Moore to be of pretty much the same age.However, in the early movies Moore made up for his age with wit and charme, which Connery was lacking in this one.

[@kirk1701]

I used to tolerate this film because of the early 70s vibe, but it's gotten lower on my list. I still love the them song and John Barry's soundtrack.

[@bradhoward2410]

Any Bond movie taking place in Las Vegas in the 1970s is bound to be tacky. So it’s a mediocre film, but it was fun to see Sean Connery back, and the movie’s title song will always be one of the best in the franchise. Gotta love Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey!

[@rsavage569]

You forgot about Shady Tree having 2 different basement dressing rooms. Plus, there were 2 different vehicle rentals. One was the red Mustang, but the other was hard to tell, since it's a dull yellow color in the movie for 20 seconds. Where Felix steps out his car and tells James he lost her.

[@steevrawjers]

lol classic thank you for making this movie review so hilariously fun and informative

[@larrysepicmovies5044]

Peter Franks is played by KOE ROBINSON, hero of the Hercules movies from the 1960s.