Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Overview

Diamonds Are Forever marks Sean Connery’s return to the role of James Bond after stepping away following You Only Live Twice. Released in 1971 and directed once again by Guy Hamilton, this film trades the emotional gravity of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for camp, glitz, and a heavy dose of 1970s Vegas showbiz flair. It also marks the last official Eon appearance of Connery (barring Never Say Never Again in 1983), and the final Bond film produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman during their direct partnership.

The film is often seen as a transitional moment — winding down the Cold War spy thrillers of the ‘60s and inching toward the more fantastical, tongue-in-cheek adventures of the Roger Moore era. While beloved by some for its flamboyant style and dry humour, Diamonds Are Forever is also frequently criticized for its uneven tone, lazy plotting, and jarring departure from the emotional stakes of its predecessor.

Plot Summary

James Bond is on a personal vendetta, hunting down Blofeld — the man responsible for the death of his wife, Tracy. After a cold opening where he appears to kill Blofeld in a mud bath facility, Bond returns to MI6 duty and is assigned to investigate a diamond smuggling operation that seems to be avoiding market saturation.

Bond impersonates smuggler Peter Franks and follows the trail from Amsterdam to Las Vegas, encountering the seductive Tiffany Case (Jill St. John), a diamond courier. As Bond digs deeper, he uncovers that the diamonds are being used to build a satellite weapon capable of destroying nuclear stockpiles from orbit — a plot orchestrated by none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld, alive and now played by Charles Gray.

Blofeld intends to auction nuclear supremacy to the highest bidder. Bond must stop him, navigating a landscape of eccentric assassins, double-crosses, Vegas casinos, moon buggy chases, and a showdown aboard an oil rig.

Sean Connery as James Bond

Connery’s return was a surprise, as George Lazenby had left after only one film. Lured back with a record-breaking salary and charitable incentives, Connery is visibly older and, at times, seems to coast through the role. That said, he still brings undeniable charisma, with dry wit and a seasoned smoothness that feels at home in the film’s slick, ironic tone.

This is a Bond who is less physical and more sardonic. Connery is clearly having fun, especially in the scenes involving impersonation, gambling, and verbal sparring. But there’s a looseness to his performance that lacks the intensity and emotional undercurrent of his earlier outings. It’s Bond by way of Vegas — confident, indulgent, and just a bit detached.

Direction and Style

Director Guy Hamilton, returning after Goldfinger, steers the film into lighter, more eccentric territory. The film’s aesthetic is marked by Vegas glitz, mid-century futurism, and absurdist touches. Hamilton treats the narrative with ironic detachment — everything is slightly heightened, from the villain’s plot to the bizarre henchmen to the over-the-top set design.

The action scenes range from solid to sloppy:

The elevator fight with Franks is tight and brutal.

The car chase through Las Vegas, including Bond’s stunt driving on two wheels, is energetic.

The moon buggy chase is utterly ridiculous.

The final oil rig battle is chaotic and underwhelming.

Tonally, the film juggles camp and spy thriller elements but doesn’t always land the balance. The result is stylish but uneven — a movie that never quite decides how seriously it wants to be taken.

Villains

Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Charles Gray)

Charles Gray's Blofeld is wildly different from the cold, calculated villains of earlier films. He’s urbane, witty, and almost too genteel — frequently in drag, making sarcastic quips, and exuding a theatrical flamboyance that borders on parody.

He lacks menace, and his motivations (extorting world powers with a diamond-powered space laser) feel more sci-fi than spy fiction. Gray is entertaining, but his Blofeld is more of a Bond parody villain than a threatening nemesis — especially when compared to Pleasence or Savalas.

Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (Bruce Glover and Putter Smith)

These two are among the most memorable henchmen in the series. Cheerfully sadistic and ambiguously romantic, Wint and Kidd kill with ironic flair — using scorpions, flaming kebabs, and bombs hidden in cakes.

Their dry humour and eerie chemistry make them standout characters. While clearly written for camp (and sometimes problematic in their stereotypical portrayal), they remain iconic for their macabre playfulness.

Bond Girls

Tiffany Case (Jill St. John)

Tiffany Case begins the film as a smart, self-assured smuggler with a great wardrobe and some sharp banter. Unfortunately, by the second half, she’s reduced to comic relief and bikini filler — often confused, bumbling, and needing rescue. Jill St. John is lively and charming but let down by the script, which seems unsure whether to treat her as femme fatale or ditzy sidekick.

Plenty O’Toole (Lana Wood)

A classic example of the disposable Bond girl. She’s introduced as a high-rolling flirt and thrown out a window almost immediately afterward. Her character is all cleavage and quips — memorable mostly for the name.

Locations and Production Design

Amsterdam: Brief but stylish — the canals and diamond settings offer a European flavour.

Las Vegas: A major departure from exotic locales, Vegas is treated with affectionate satire. Casinos, circus acts, and gaudy hotels define the film’s aesthetic.

Desert Labs and Moon Base: These sequences flirt with sci-fi parody, especially the staged “moon landing” scene, which feels like a jab at conspiracy theories.

Oil Rig Lair: The finale’s set-piece — Blofeld’s sea-bound base — is underwhelming, lacking the grandeur of earlier villain lairs like the volcano in You Only Live Twice.

Music and Theme Song

John Barry’s score is strong, with a more jazzy, sinister sound than usual. The music leans into noir influences and gives the film a smooth, decadent texture.

Shirley Bassey returns to sing the title track, “Diamonds Are Forever” — a sultry, luxurious ballad dripping with double entendre. It’s one of the best Bond themes, conveying both allure and danger. Her vocal performance is bold and commanding, setting the tone for the film’s glam-noir atmosphere.

Gadgets and Technology

Voice-altering machine: Used by Blofeld for his body doubles.

Space laser satellite: The central MacGuffin of the plot, and one of the most outlandish in the series.

Bond himself uses fewer gadgets, relying more on infiltration and deception than Q's usual bag of tricks.

Themes and Subtext

Materialism and Decadence: Diamonds, Vegas, and flashy excess dominate the story. The film plays like a satire of consumer culture, filtered through the Bond lens.

Identity and Duplication: Blofeld’s doubles and plastic surgery add a surreal quality — everyone is trying to be someone else.

Tone vs. Substance: The film almost mocks the seriousness of prior entries — it’s a self-aware, winking Bond adventure that knows it’s absurd and leans into it.

Legacy and Reception

Diamonds Are Forever was a commercial success, but its critical reception was mixed. Over time, its standing has become more divisive:

Pros: It's stylish, campy, and fun. Connery is back. Wint & Kidd are iconic. The theme song is a banger.

Cons: The plot is convoluted. Tiffany devolves. Blofeld is toothless. The emotional arc from OHMSS is completely ignored.

Still, it holds a place in Bond history as the end of an era — the swan song of Connery’s official tenure, and a bridge between the Cold War thrillers of the ‘60s and the campy escapades of the Roger Moore years.

Final Verdict

Diamonds Are Forever is a glittering, goofy, and often bizarre Bond entry that values style over substance. It lacks the emotional resonance of its predecessor and the menace of earlier Connery films, but it offers enough charm, memorable moments, and Vegas sheen to entertain. It’s Bond as cabaret — glamorous, ironic, and unapologetically weird.