Binge-watching Bond part 7: 'Diamonds Are Forever'

Connery in Diamonds Are Forever

Sean Connery's rough-and-tumble Bond returns for one last (official) time in Diamonds Are Forever, a fun, but ultimately not all that consequential entry in the Bond canon. Remembered now more for its iconic score than its content, this film did set the tone for the 007 of the '70s.

It's sillier, jokier and a lot more sexually overt than its predecessors, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. After the somber ending of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, this film clearly goes in a different, more light-hearted direction.

Connery, as always, is a delight as 007, although he looks a little older and heavier, and appears less convincing in his action scenes.

And his Bond's penchant for slapping around women to get information he needs hasn't held up well to say the least.

This film also brings back Blofeld, albeit an effeminate, non-bald version. Although the character arguably remains the most iconic of the series, his contribution to this film isn't quite as menacing as it was during the prior two.

The film makes great use of its Las Vegas location, this was the first Bond film I can recall taking place largely in the United States. The next Bond film, a classic in my estimation -- Live and Let Die, has a similarly American-infused flavor.

Diamonds Are Forever

Perhaps, because producers were earnestly considering an American for the lead role -- both Burt Reynolds and James Brolin's names were floated around this time -- that may account for the trajectory of the series.

I do think a flaw in some of the Bond films starts to become more evident here -- the villain's schemes have become increasingly hard to follow and understand, therefore the stakes don't feel quite as high as they did in say Goldfinger.

Seeing as I've reached the seventh film, I thought from now on I'd rank the films as I go along.

So far, here are my favorites from best to worst -- keep in mind I love them all, in fact there are few if any Bond films I dislike entirely. But alas here are my rankings:

1) From Russia With Love
2) Goldfinger
3) Dr. No
4) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
5) You Only Live Twice
6) Diamonds Are Forever
7) Thunderball

Diamonds Are Forever boasts a very sexy (if a bit bimbo-y) Bond girl, Jill St. John, but also some very racially insensitive and sexist material that put it just a notch below You Only Live Twice and above Thunderball. All three are legit, good Bond movies but they lack the heft of the four ranked above them. I could have used more of the gay hitmen Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd but I digress ...

Liz's take: I feel like this one I can't even group with the others. It feels so different, very American. It lacks some of the scale that the others did. There were some cool sequences like the car chase through Vegas. But after On Her Majesty' Secret Service, which had one amazing action set piece after another, this one felt kind of lacking.

The most useless Bond girl ever -- it was really frustrating because other Bond girls have held their own and contributed in meaningful ways and Jill St. John's character, Tiffany Case, always seemed at a loss and is a total ditz. I think Connery did his thing but it also felt like he was phoning it in, and his age was showing at this point, which may be why the action wasn't quite as on point.

What is frustrating with Blofeld is that it would be cool to have some consistency with the character. We've now had three actors playing him so far, each with their own unique take on the role, and I think they missed out on a cool opportunity to develop him as a character.

I think this one suffers from watching it right after On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but it was fine. And I did love this one's music the best.

Liz's rankings:

1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2) Goldfinger
3) Dr. No
4) You Only Live Twice 
5) From Russia With Love
6) Diamonds Are Forever
7) Thunderball