Diamonds Are Forever [1971]

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1971
Running Times: 119 120 [Germany] 125 [UK] mins
Format: Technicolor Panavision [anamorphic] 35mm
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Eon Productions
Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman
Associate Producer: Stanley Sopel
Production Manager: Milton Feldman, Claude Hudson

SCRIPT
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum, Tom Mankiewicz
Novel: Ian Fleming
Continuity: Del Ross, Elaine Schreyeck

DIRECTION
Director: Guy Hamilton
Assistant Director: Jerome M. Seigel, Derek Cracknell
2nd Assistant Director: Richard Jenkins [uncredited]
3rd Assistant Director: Raymond Becket [uncredited]

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ted Moore
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Harold E. Wellman
Camera Operator: Bill Johnson, Bob Kindred
2nd Unit Camera Operator: Harold Wellman
Focus Puller: Michael Roberts [uncredited]
Clapper Loader: Colin Davidson [uncredited]
Camera Grip: Edward Underwood [uncredited]
Electricical Supervisor: A.H. Bosher [uncredited]
Stills: George Whitear [uncredited]

EDITING
Editor: John W. Holmes, Bert Bates
Assistant Editors: Andrew Smith [uncredited], Margaret Miller [uncredited], Andrew Stears [uncredited]

MUSIC
Music / Conducted By/ Arranged By: John Barry
Lyrics: Don Black
Song Performed By: Shirley Bassey
James Bond Theme: Monty Norman

SOUND
Sound Recording: Gordon K. McCallum, John Mitchell, Al Overton
Sound Camera Operator: Trevor Rutherford [uncredited]
Boom Operator: Keith Pamplin [uncredited]
Sound Editor: Teddy Mason, Jimmy Shields
Assistant Sound Editor: Ron Davis [uncredited]
Dubbing Editor: Christopher Lancaster [uncredited]
Assistant Dubbing Editor: Martin Evans [uncredited]

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Paul Rabiger, Basil Newall
Hairstylist: Eileen Warwick
Hairdresser: Colin Jamison [uncredited]
Wardrobe Supervisor: Ted Tetrick, Elsa Fennell
St John's Costumes: Don Feld
Wardrobe Mistress: Joanna Wright [uncredited]
Wardrobe Master: Ray Beck [uncredited]

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects: Albert Whitlock, Wally Veevers
Special Effects: Whitney McMahon, Leslie Hillman
Assistant Physical Special Effects: Arthur Beavis [uncredited], Brian Richens [uncredited], Bert Luxford [uncredited], Peter Pickering [uncredited]
Matte Camera Operator: Roy Field [uncredited]
Opticals / Projection Effects: Charles Staffell [uncredited]

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Art Director: Bill Kenney, Jack Maxsted
Assistant Art Director: Roy Walker [uncredited]
Prop Man: John Chisholm [uncredited]
Set Decorator: John Austin, Peter Lamont
Draughtsmen: Michael Lamont [uncredited], Ted Ambrose [uncredited], Dennis Bosher
[uncredited]
Technical Draughtsman: Fred Hole [uncredited]
Sketch Artists: Ivor Beddoes [uncredited], Ted Michell [uncredited]
Artistic Painter: Maciek Piotrowski [uncredited]
Production Buyer: Ronnie Quelch
Construction Manager: Michael Redding [uncredited]
Titles: Maurice Binder

MISCELLANEOUS
Production Accountant: Brian Bailey [uncredited]
Assistant Production Accountant: Brian Taylor [uncredited]
Accounts Secretary: Dana Molecki [uncredited]
Location Manager: Bernard Hanson, Eddie Saeta
Production Secretary: Jane Oscroft
Secretary to Saltzman: Beverley Davidson-Brett [uncredited]
Secretary to Broccoli: Jean Winbolt [uncredited]
Secretary to Soppel: Jane Leat [uncredited]
Unit Runner: Tom Gibson [uncredited]
Legal Advisor (Las Vegas): Sidney Korshak [uncredited]
Unit Publicity: John Willis [uncredited]
Assistant Unit Publicity: Doris Spriggs [uncredited]
Publicity Secretary: Elizabeth Batchelor

LOCATIONS
Locations: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Circus Circus Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; coastal waters off Oceanside, California, USA; Dover, Kent, England, UK; France; Germany; John Mansville Gypsum Plant, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Landmark Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California, USA; Palm Springs, California, USA; Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Universal City, California, USA
Studio: Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

STUNTS
Stunt Arranger: Paul Baxley, Bob Simmons [uncredited?]
Stunts: George Leech [uncredited]
Stunt Driver: Joe Williams [uncredited]

CASTING
Casting: Weston Drury Jr [uncredited]

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 [Felix Leiter]
Joseph Furst [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]
Sid Haig, Marc Lawrence [gangsters]
John Abineri [airline representative - uncredited]
Raymond Baker [helicopter pilot - uncredited]
Ed Bishop [Klaus Hergersheimer - uncredited]
Nicky Blair [doorman (Tropicana) - uncredited]
Larry Blake [barker - uncredited]
Ed Call [Maxie - uncredited]
Dick Crockett [crane operator - uncredited]
Constantin de Goguel (Constantine Gregory?) [aide to Metz - uncredited]
Gary Dubin [boy - uncredited]
Catherine Deeney [welfare worker - uncredited]
Clifford Earl [immigration officer - uncredited]
Mark Elwes [Sir Donald's male secretary - uncredited]
Brinsley Forde [houseboy - uncredited]
Donna Garratt [Bambi - uncredited]
David Healey [Vandenburg launch director - uncredited]
Karl Held [agent Sc 382 - uncredited]
Bill Hutchinson [controller (moon crater) - uncredited]
Janos Kurucz [aide to Metz - uncredited]
Max Latimer [Blofeld's double - uncredited]
Frank Mann [guard (moon crater) - uncredited]
Burt Metcalf [Maxwell - uncredited]
Frank Olegario [man in fez - uncredited]
Trina Parks [Thumper - uncredited]
Denise Perrier [Marie - uncredited]
Shane Rimmer [Tom - uncredited]
Henry Rowland [dentist - uncredited]
Gordon Ruttan [Vandenburg aide - uncredited]
Michael Valente [gangster? attendant? - uncredited]
Mark Lawrence, Sid Haig, Michael Valente [attendants]
Jay Sarno [sideshow spieler]
Sammy Davis Jr [Himself (uncredited) (scenes deleted)]
Valerie Perrine [Las Vegas showgirl - uncredited)]
Tom Steele [guard - uncredited)]
Don Messick [announcer at Circus Circus - uncredited]

James Bond seeks our Ernst Stavro Blofeld, hoping to avenge the death of his wife Tracy at the Blofeld's hands. But Blofeld is already planning his latest scheme, involving a huge, diamond powered laser platform in Earth orbit...

Connery was back in Bondage for one more time, though the results are disappointing. Diamonds was the most lacklustre Bond thus far and sadly signalled the beginning of a long, lean period for the long-running franchise.

Germany
Laserdisc Distributor: Diamantenfieber [Warner Home Video 99206 LD]

USA
Theatrical Distributor: United Artists
Video Distributor: MGM
Laserdisc Distributor: The Connery Collection - Vol. 2: Diamonds Are Forever [MGM Home Video ML 104539]; Diamonds Are Forever [CBS FOX]; Diamonds Are Forever [MGM Home Video ML 101741]

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Finland
Rating: K-16

Germany
Rating: 16

Norway
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: PG

USA
Rating: PG

1971
December
14: West Germany - theatrical release
17: USA - theatrical releases
17: Denmark - theatrical release
20: Sweden - theatrical release
25: Finland - theatrical release

1978
December
25: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1984
March
29: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1986
May
4: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1988
May
2: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1990
September
8: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1991
September
Day Unknown: German laserdisc release [as Diamantenfieber]

1992
May
4: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1993
April
17: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

December
15: USA laserdisc release [as The Connery Collection - Vol. 2: Diamonds Are Forever]

1995
March
12: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1996
March
31: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1997
March
31: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

1999
June
30: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

2001
July
18: UK - television broadcast [ITV]

2002
March
9: USA - television broadcast [on ABC]

1972
Academy Award
Best Sound [Gordon K. McCallum, John W. Mitchell, Al Overton] - nominated

James Bond 007 - Diamantenfieber - German title
Les Diamants sont Eternals - French title
Diamanten zijn Euwig - Flemish title
Agente 007, una cascata di diamanti - Italian title

SEQUEL TO
Dr No [1962]
From Russia with Love [1963]
Goldfinger [1964]
Thunderball [1965]
You Only Live Twice [1967]
On Her Majesty's Secret Service [1969]

SEQUELS
Live and Let Die [1973]
The Man with the Golden Gun [1974]
The Spy Who Loved Me [1977]
Moonraker [1979]
For Your Eyes Only [1981]
Never Say Never Again [1983]
Octopussy [1983]
A View to a Kill [1985]
The Living Daylights [1987]
Licence to Kill [1989]
Goldeneye [1995]
Tomorrow Never Dies [1997]
The World Is Not Enough [1999]
Die Another Day [2002]

SEE ALSO
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery [1997]
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me [1999]
Bambi [1942]
Free Enterprise [1998]
Gun Shy [2000]
The Rock [1996]
Trainspotting [1996]

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
The James Bond Story [1999]
Stealth Fighter [1999]
Happy Anniversary 007: 25 Years of James Bond [1987]
Premiere Bond: Die Another Day [2002]

MAGAZINES

TV Times 3-9 May 1986 p.31
credits

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.104
credits, short review

The Incredible World of 007 pp.62-69, 146
illustrated article

Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang! pp.96-105
illustrated article

Sean Connery pp.94-95
illustrated article [by Robert Tanitch]

KEYWORDS

diamonds; james bond; spies; extortion; high dives; los angeles; submarines; lasers; assassins; smugglers; casinos; mi6; blackmail; organized crime; millionaires; amsterdam; secret agents; sequels; las vegas; secret headquarters; cremation; funerals; chases; oil rigs; moon buggies; space; homosexuality; gadgets; coffins; secret organizations; books into film; penthouses; london; defenestration; fingerprints; elevators; satellites; africa