Diamonds Are Forever

Diamonds Are Forever, published in 1956, is the fourth James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. It is also the seventh film in the EON Productions film franchise, produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. It was released in 1971.

The novel

Diamond smuggling was a topic of great interest to author Ian Fleming. In 1957 Fleming wrote a non-fiction book on the subject, titled The Diamond Smugglers. Additionally, author Geoffrey Jenkins claims that he had collaborated with Fleming on the plot of a novel featuring James Bond and dealing with diamond smuggling, titled Per Fine Ounce. This book is claimed by numerous sources including The Bond Files by Andy Lane and Paul Simpson as being commissioned by Glidrose Productions. The book completed circa 1966 was never published.

Related Topics:
1957 - Non-fiction - The Diamond Smugglers - Geoffrey Jenkins - Per Fine Ounce - Andy Lane - Paul Simpson - Glidrose Productions

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Plot summary

The novel takes place just over two months from the end of Moonraker, which ended with James Bond taking a small vacation. When Diamonds Are Forever begins, M instructs Bond to infiltrate a smuggling ring, which is running diamonds from African mines to the United States. Bond's job is to travel down the "pipeline" as far as he can and find out who is behind it all. Under the name of Peter Franks, a petty crook already known as a diamond smuggler, he meets a mysterious "go-between" named Tiffany Case with whom (of course) he falls in love. Bond discovers that the smuggling ring is operated by a ruthless American gang called "The Spangled Mob", which is run by the brothers Jack Spang and Seraffimo Spang. Also part of the Spangled Mob are Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd who along with Tiffany Case and certain parts of how the smuggling pipeline works are the only things retained for the film.

Related Topics:
Moonraker - M - African - United States - Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd

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As Bond learns throughout the novel, the pipeline begins in Africa where a dentist would pay miners to smuggle diamonds in their mouth which the dentist would extract during a routine appointment. From there the dentist would take the diamonds and rendevous with Rufus B. Saye who would transport the diamonds to London via helicopter. In London, Tiffany Case would get an assignment from a contact only known as ABC, she would then meet with "the hire" (in this case, Bond) and explain to that person how to smuggle the diamonds to New York City. The pipeline ends in Las Vegas where Seraffimo Spang owns the Tiara hotel and a ghost town that headquarters the Spangled Mob, named "Spectreville" (Spectreville actually has no connection whatsoever to Bond's nemesis S.P.E.C.T.R.E., which appears later in Thunderball and is established at the start of the James Bond film series in Dr. No).

Related Topics:
New York City - Las Vegas - S.P.E.C.T.R.E. - Thunderball - Dr. No

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Felix Leiter plays a major part in the story, assisting Bond with inside information on crooked horse racing. They find that they are both investigating the same people. Leiter has left the CIA due to injuries sustained in Live and Let Die and is working for Pinkerton's as a private detective. Bond is captured by the Mob and tortured, but escapes with the assistance of Tiffany Case. The diamond pipeline

Related Topics:
Felix Leiter - Live and Let Die - Pinkerton

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is destroyed.

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Comic strip adaptation

Fleming's original novel was adapted as a daily comic strip which was published in the British Daily Express newspaper and syndicated around the world. The adaptation ran from August 10, 1959 to January 30, 1960. The adaptation was written by Henry Gammidge and illustrated by John McLusky. The James Bond 007 Fan Club published a reprint of the strip in 1981. Diamonds Are Forever was published again in 2005 as part of the Dr. No anthology by Titan Books.

Related Topics:
Comic strip - Daily Express - August 10 - 1959 - January 30 - 1960 - Henry Gammidge - John McLusky - 1981 - Dr. No - Titan Books

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