Diamonds

Pretty decent heist flick benefits from better than average perfs from Shaw and Shaft.

Golan decides to film it all in the Holy Land which, if nothing else, gives it some excellent cinematography to work in front of.

Shaw shows that he could have been James Bond. He looked great in the role. One almost wonders why the Oscars didn't call on him more often.

Shaft Roundtree made an excellent balance for him too. He did the hired muscle routine with a touch of class.

I'm trying to figure out Shelly Winters role though. It seemed like the producers just wanted to hire her just to hire her. Don't get me wrong. She did fine in the part. But why was it there? Dated a lot. But still a thrill ride.

Implausible but mildly diverting crime caper directed by Menahem Golan a few years before he and cousin Yoram Globus gave the world Cannon Films and a its raft of bad '80s movies starring a young Chuck Norris, an old Chuck Bronson, and various and sundry break dancers and American ninjas. The film begins on a low note - a karate match featuring Robert Shaw as a pair of battling twin brothers, courtesy of special effects that would have embarrassed Patty Duke circa 1963. Things pick up when Shaw - along with Richard Roundtree as a master thief just of of prison and Barbara Hershey (going through her Seagull phase) as his sexy girlfriend - land in Israel, where the massive and elaborate diamond heist is to take place. The location filming in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and elsewhere makes this film distinctive and watchable, even if it's never going to make anyone forget Topkapi, Rififi, or The Asphalt Jungle. Oh, and Shelley Winters shows up unnecessarily from time to time pretty much reprising her Poseidon Adventure role as a gregarious American yenta visiting Israel. Hardly a forgotten gem, but worth a look for fans of '70s cheese thanks to the cast and settings.

This is certianly not the best of the 70's crime films, and I am not sure I understand the alternative title 'Diamond Shaft' (with Roundtree top billed) as Roundtree's not playing John Shaft and he's not even playing a cop. It's probably just a way of exploiting his past success in the Shaft films. Anyway, this film is difficult to love or hate, I just found it an adequate quirky little 70's crime film. Robert Shaw is quite a dignified charactor and is also a little mysterious (playing his twin aswell). It's a fun film to watch but is not as good as those gritty 70's thrillers such as French Connection, Taking of Pelham 123 etc. I doubt it's worth recommending, but it was interesting to see Roundtree, Shaw and randomly Shelley Winters, all together.

Firstly, it is wrong to associate this alongside any of the Shaft series. The VHS reissue (in EP mode) is evidently retitled to fortify it on the retail shelves. Roundtree is entirely cast different, and fans of Shaft will be disappointed that he doesn't even wear a mustache in the film. Rather, "Diamonds" is one of those action/caper films that seem to fit very comfortably in the 70's. It's hardly jaw-dropping material, but Golan (of the Cannon film group) invested well into this accurately sketched story.

The location work on "Diamonds" is superb and justly highlighted. The story starts in Europe but is mostly in the streets, neighborhoods and buildings of Israel, which is somewhat unusual for an "exotic" locale. There's plenty of local flavor injected into the story, and the location plays a big part in the tension of the plot- Israeli police using their own means to track down an international thief and an ominous London businessman. Roundtree is superb, still shining in the Shaft afterglow and Shaw is as consistent as ever (even in the iffy double-casting job). Unfortunately, the women do not fare so well- Barbara Hershey (as Barbara Seagull) whines at Roundtree's character throughout half the film about some unclear relationship issues. And Shelly Winters is...... uhhhhh, well, Shelly Winters as she portrays a lukewarm bit of comedic relief. She plays a stereotype American Jewish woman visiting Israel on a tour to buy diamonds. A peripheral character at best, it could be said that her character exists merely to parody the common Israeli/American tourist. Nonetheless, the action and details of this thriller are the fenceposts here and they hold together a remarkably good 70's flick. The soundtrack, which might at times see more recognition than the film, is composed by cult composer Roy Budd (Get Carter, Stone Killer, etc) and The Three Degrees. It too has been reissued. Overall, it's a nice surprise and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys 70's action cinema or borderline Black action.

Good crime drama, with somewhat complex storyline (unique twists and turns), but easy and fun to follow. Characters portrayed by Robert Shaw and by Richard Roundtree were played well, particularly Robert Shaw's quirky expressions (similar to those of Quint, in Jaws, but with a good deal more class). Barbara Hershey's character was OK, but could have been played as well or better by any number of actresses. Israeli cast members did a good job, and there were some really nice scenic shots of Israeli locations (though somewhat dated, in view of the time of filming). Good fun - good ending!