The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Forever: James Bond on Page and Screen

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Diamonds Are Foreverthe fourth James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, published in 1956is widely recognized as one of the most intriguing and original works in the 007 series. With its exciting settings including West Africa, Las Vegas, and the horse-racing center of Saratoga Springs, the novel explores the thrilling themes of diamond smuggling, gambling, gangsters, sex, and espionage. Moreover, the novel is unique in being set outside the conventional Cold War milieu of other Fleming novels, allowing readers to explore Flemings views of America without reference to its Cold War antagonist, the Soviet Union. This collection of essays is the first to explore Flemings novel in depth, as well as delve into the remarkable 1971 film adaptation directed by Guy Hamilton (who also directed Goldfinger), and starring Sean Connery in his final official appearance as 007. Updating Flemings novel for the post-1960s culture of sexual liberation and mass-market consumerism, Hamiltons film departs from the novel by introducing Ernst Stavro Blofeldthe head of SPECTRE and James Bonds nemesisas the arch-villain. The ten original essays in this collection focus on diverse themes such as the central role of Tiffany Caseone of Flemings most memorable Bond girlsin novel and film; Flemings fascination with diamonds, reflected in this novels intertextual connections to the non-fiction book The Diamond Smugglers; the authors ambivalent relationship with American culture; the literary style of Diamonds Are Forever, including its generic status as a Hollywood novel; and the role of homosexuality in the novel and film versions of Diamonds Are Forever. Bringing together established Bond scholars and new emerging critics, this collection offers unique insight into one of the most influential works of modern popular culture, casting new light on the many facets of Diamonds Are Forever.

Reviews

What joy! A collection on my favorite Bond book, the one with most wit. This sparkling collection offers interesting perspectives both on the film and on the more lackluster but still worthwhile novel of that title. Both novel and film focus on America during its age of unrivaled power. -- Jeremy Black, University of Exeter, author of The World of James Bond: The Lives and Times of 007
The Many Facets of Diamonds Are Forever offers an abundance of riches for both Fleming scholars and fans. In particular, Guy Hamilton's 1971 adaptation of Fleming's novel receives considerable attention and, in the phrasing of one of the volume's fine contributors, proves to be a 'key transitional film for the Bond series.' Readers and viewers alike will find much of value in this anthology. -- Stephen Watt, Indiana University
Countless books have been written about the James Bond franchise over the years, but only a small handful have focused exclusively on one individual title in the series. Instead, most tend to approach the Bond phenomenon from an all-inclusive perspective. In fact, other than Charles Helfensteins exhaustively researched making-of volumes about On Her Majestys Secret Service and The Living Daylights, and Andrew McNesss superb book-length analysis of A View to a Kill, its difficult to think of another example where an author delves deeply into one particular entry in the series rather than covering the entire 007 filmography as a whole. Well, its time to add an intriguing new title to that short list. (Excerpted from interview with the author, available at https://jamesbondradio.com/inside-oliver-bucktons-new-book-the-many-facets-of-diamonds-are-forever/) -- James Bond Radio

Author Bio

Oliver Buckton is professor of English at Florida Atlantic University.