With the incredibly stupid decision by George Lazenby not to continue in the role of James Bond after On Her Majesties Secret Service. United Artists went into overdrive to get Sean Connery back into the fold. Connery had gotten sick of the role and had not been happy with the money he was receiving from the producers Broccoli and Saltzman. But after some negotiations Connery received one of he highest salaries an actor had ever gotten for a film at that time. Diamonds Are Forever with Sean Connery was on.
The film had the old production team back, production designer Ken Adam, cinematographer Ted Moore, director Guy Hamilton and writer Richard Maibaum. Since the film was primarily set in Las Vegas it was decided they needed an American writer. Tom Mankiewicz son of legendary director/writer Joseph Mankiewicz also has screen credit.
In spite of the behind the camera talent and the usual good looking production the film has a messed up plot line caused by some rather severe editing that clearly went on after filming. The other problem is that nobody takes anything seriously in this film. Encounters with a couple of "women's lib" amazons kind of went nowhere and the casting of sausage king and singer Jimmy Dean really didn't work all that well
Even with the return of Sean Connery, the producers were taking no chances on this film. Diamonds Are Forever has two comedic car chases a big shoot out on an oil rig and Jill St John running around in hot pants or a bikini. Charles Grey brought kind of a detached amusement as Bond's nemesis Blofeld. However the whole gangsters in Las Vegas plot line that leads into a science fiction plot which is really contrived.
Well for better or for worse this is the transitional film with the departure of Connery and the entrance of Roger Moore as a more lightweight and jokey James Bond. For all the problems with the film it's still fun to see Sean Connery back as James Bond, no one could deliver a clever quip like Connery and he has an undeniable movie star presence.
The running time is 120 minutes
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