48 replies to this topic

[Genrewriter]

He directed a film about the painter Jackson Pollock a few years ago.

[Kingdom Come]

Diamonds Are Foever, forever, forever, forever, forever is not flawed and is a gem and gems always sit comfortably with diamonds. It is my 2nd fav Bond film. Wonderful script and structure and the best lines via Tom Mankiewicz. Unusually fresh atmosphere established. Perfectly edited; no surprise that neither Hunt not Glen were anywhere near the editing suite.

[SimplyMoore]

Call me crazy, but this film, along with Goldfinger, is one of my all time Bond favourites. The villains were hillarious, Sean's Bond had a personal agenda--to avenge his dead wife, I liked the actor who portrayed Blofeld. Everything about that movie makes me want to see it again and again. I just find it thoroughly entertaining.
I don't think it is flawed at all. In fact I believe that all Bond movies are excellent, it is just that James Bond has become so big, and fans and critics alike expect all of these movies to be perfect. When you think about it, no movie is truly perfect, not even classics like Gone With The Wind. It all comes down to what you prefer to see yourself.

[bryonalston]

I do think that the first part of DAF was the start of the best Bond film. I've always despised everything that happens after Bond escapes from the tunnel. It takes a great movie and flushes it down the toilet, where, frankly, it belongs.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Well-written article, Genrewriter . I like your point how DAF is kinda like a "Rat Pack" Bond film. It would be easy to imagine Frank Sinatra as Bond and Dean Martin as Leiter. Jill St. John was one of Sinatra's girlfriends. Include Sammy Davis Jr.'s deleted scene and voila, the "Rat Pack" Bond film is there. I like your point about the script's lean storytelling technique. It really shows a respect for the viewer that today's films tend to lack. I can understand why they cast Norman Burton as Leiter though. Sure, he was older and a bit overweight than the previous Felix but that was probably to make up for Connery's being overweight in the film. I also enjoy DAF's 3rd act. Despite its problems, it's still better than the over-CGIed, videogame 3rd act of DAD. I also don't find Tiffany quite as dumb in the final act as she's often accused of. After all, she didn't realize Bond had already switched the tape in the machine.

[Qwerty]

I also don't find Tiffany quite as dumb in the final act as she's often accused of. After all, she didn't realize Bond had already switched the tape in the machine.

I've often wondered how she seemingly easily switched the tape the first time without being seen, yet the second time, she was caught immediately.

Better just accepted.

[Qwerty]

Bumping this up. Interesting article; newer members may not have read it yet.

[Tuxedo wearing Bond]

it's a coincidence really as I only found and read the yesterday. It enlightened me regarding DAF, a good read that I recommend.

[ACE]

Wonderful piece, Genrewriter. You do make an old Bond war horse like me re-evaluate the film, which is a trick in itself. Never thought about the Japan opening connection with YOLT before. We agree on a lot of the movie and seemingly for the same reasons but disagree on Charles Gray.

Here

[Piz Gloria 1969]

A nice DAF item I own :

http://groups.msn.co...oto&PhotoID=271

[Napoleon Solo]

In its favor, DAF does have some very good dialogue. My favorite line belongs to Blofeld. "At present, the satellite is over....Kansas. Well, if we destroy Kansas, the world may not hear of it for years." But other posters have pointed out the weaknesses, especially in the last third. Even Tom Mankiewicz concedes the best set piece is the Vegas car chase and that's only halfway through the movie, instead of the climax (source: DAF alternate soundtrack on the DVD).

Here's a bit of trivia. There were essentially dual UK and US crews. At least two (and maybe three) members of the U.S. crews were veterans of The Man From UNCLE. The two I know for sure are Paul Baxley (sharing the stunt arranger duties with Bob Simmons; presumably Baxley did the stunt arranging in the U.S. while Simmons did it at Pinewood) and Eddie Saeta.

[Scottlee]

Woah. I think I just lost almost half an hour reading that article. Still, was well worth my time. Enjoyed it very much. It was very interesting. I even learnt one or two new things. For instance, I never considered before that Connery pauses during the Moneypenny scene to remember Tracey (possibly).

[triviachamp]

I like your point how DAF is kinda like a "Rat Pack" Bond film. It would be easy to imagine Frank Sinatra as Bond and Dean Martin as Leiter.

How about Frank Sinatra as Blofeld, Bing Crosy as Bond, Bob Hope as Leiter and Dorothy Lamour as Tiffany? Then we got ourselves a Road movie. The Road to Las Vegas.

It really shows a respect for the viewer that today's films tend to lack.

But alas not viewers of OHMSS. And its treatment of Blofeld.

The first scene, and in fact the entire pre-title sequence gives the audience what seems to be a fitting conclusion to the previous film-Bond getting revenge for the death of his wife

Too bad the rest of the movie isn't.

[triviachamp]

I also noticed this: DAF is the only One Woman Bond. Plenty is thrown out before they can do anything.

[FelixLeiterCIA]

"Her scene also features a veiled reference to Tracy, the request for the diamond ring that most people overlook. Watch Connery in the scene and pay attention to the pause before the line. You can tell for a brief second he

Edited by FelixLeiterCIA, 13 January 2006 - 01:47 AM.

[triviachamp]

[quote name='FelixLeiterCIA' date='12 January 2006 - 20:32']"Her scene also features a veiled reference to Tracy, the request for the diamond ring that most people overlook. Watch Connery in the scene and pay attention to the pause before the line. You can tell for a brief second he

[Flash1087]

[quote name='Genrewriter' date='14 May 2004 - 17:54'][quote name='Mister Asterix' date='14 May 2004 - 10:45'] [quote name='Genrewriter' date='14 May 2004 - 12:38'] Unfortunately, I'm not THAT Ed Harris.

Edited by Flash1087, 13 January 2006 - 04:15 AM.

[Fro]

This is a very good description... it's really too bad the whole shebang goes down the toilet to some extent. The script is pretty witty but the action pieces come up pretty lame and the plot gets way, way too campy.

First third is *really* good, second third is okay (alternating good and bad scenes), third act is complete garbage.

Edited by Fro, 22 January 2006 - 09:36 PM.

[LadySylvia]

I just watched DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER last night.

Don't get me wrong. It's a rather fun movie with some very witty lines. But . . . I think it's probably the worst Bond movie I have ever seen.