Diamonds Are Forever Official

: To lure Sean Connery back, United Artists paid him a then-record $1.25 million salary (roughly £2 million), which he donated entirely to the Scottish International Education Trust.

: Unlike the globe-trotting films, the book is a gritty, somewhat linear pursuit of a diamond smuggling pipeline. It starts in the mines of Sierra Leone and ends in Las Vegas.

: The "mud" in the opening mud-bath sequence was actually made of instant mashed potatoes . After 24 hours under hot studio lights, the mixture began to smell so bad it was almost unbearable for the crew. The Theme Song Diamonds Are Forever

: The antagonists are the Spangled Mob , led by the unglamorous brothers Jack and Seraffimo Spang.

: The title itself is a direct nod to the famous De Beers marketing slogan "A Diamond Is Forever," which was created in 1947 and redefined the diamond as a symbol of eternal commitment. : To lure Sean Connery back, United Artists

: The film is remembered for the quirky and lethal duo Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd , who brought a unique, dark humor to their assassinations.

Fleming’s fourth Bond novel was inspired by a 1954 Sunday Times article about diamond smuggling in Africa. : The "mud" in the opening mud-bath sequence

: Fleming conducted deep research for the book, even interviewing a former MI5 head who was working for De Beers at the time. The 1971 Film: A Campy Return