Plot: While investigating mysterious activities in the world diamond market, 007 (Sean Connery) discovers that his evil nemesis Blofeld (Charles Gray) is stock-piling the gems to use in his deadly laser satellite. With the help of beautiful smuggler Tiffany Case (Jill St. John), Bond sets out to stop the madman - as the fate of the world hangs in the balance!
Firsts: Actor returns to play Bond
Gadgets: Fake fingerprint, grappling gun, miniature voicebox
Girls Bond slept with: Tiffany Case, Plenty O'Toole (almost)
Elaborate murder attempt that Bond escapes (tie): Death by cremation, buried alive in a pipe
Personal review: Quel fromage! This is one of my least favorite Bond films. For me virtually nothing works here. Let's begin with Connery, who came back to play Bond after being given a ridiculous salary, yet looked completely bored throughout the entire film. Then you have one of the worst Bond girls of all time in Tiffany Case. Jill St. John's portrayal of her is annoying, unsympathetic, and unsexy. I cringe everytime she's on the screen. You also have some off-putting henchmen in Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint. They just add to the creepy, cheesy vibe of the film. And then you have the total character assassination of Blofeld here. He's made to look particularly cartoonish in this film. This is due both to how the character is portrayed in the film and the way Charles Gray depicts him. I did enjoy the opening sequence of Bond hunting down Blofeld as it tied nicely into the previous film, but things rapidly went downhill from there. While some may argue that On Her Majesty's Secret Service was too serious, this film is a worse offender in the opposite direction. This seemed closer to an episode of the Adam West version of Batman than it did a Bond film. I am glad everyone involved realized changes needed to be made in the franchise and they certainly came in the next film. 5/10
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