DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) C widescreen 118m dir: Guy Hamilton

w/Sean Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Lana Wood, Jimmy Dean, Bruce Cabot, Bruce Glover, Putter Smith, Norman Burton, Joseph Furst

From The Movie Guide: "Next door to glass, but aided by the return of Connery (George Lazenby had undertaken the role of Bond in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE) teamed with Jill St. John instead of the usual parade of faceless Bond girls. The Las Vegas locations sizzle and the script at least has the good sense not to take itself too seriously. The producers had by now decided that Connery, not Bond, was their big attraction and lured him back into the fold with an offer he couldn't refuse --- $1.25 million, a percentage of the profits on the film, and an agreement to back two films of Connery's choice, which he could either star in or direct. Connery accepted the offer, but was not to be persuaded to do the role again until NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN in 1983. Shirley Bassey, who sang the title song from GOLDFINGER, returned here to sing the title song written by Barry Don Black. Two karate-kicking girls initiate Bond into sexual equality, but the genre was beginning to look shopworn by now. That's Lana Wood, Natalie's sister, as Plenty O'Toole. But no amount of frou-frou can distract us from wondering why no arch-villain just shot 007."

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound (Gordon K. McCallum, John Mitchell, Alfred J. Overton).