DIAMONDS

US, 1975, 108 minutes, Colour.
Robert Shaw, Richard Roundtree, Barbara Seagull, Shelly Winters.
Directed by Menahem Golan.

Israeli director Menahem Golan works in the Israeli industry (as in the musical Kazablan and in Britain and in the U.S. as Lepke with Tony Curtis). Tel Aviv and its vast diamond exchange are the setting for this enjoyable robbery thriller but the stars are international. Robert Shaw is the mastermind of a tense attempt on the vault of diamonds. He enlists help from Richard Roundtree and Barbara Hershey. Shelley Winters provides some comic relief. Attractive to look at, the film builds its pace steadily and of course there is a twist at the end and a psychological moral. It's the kind of film that one can recommend as undemanding entertainment.

1. The indication of the title, the quality of the film in the robbery genre, audience expectations for this kind of film and their fulfilment?

2. The qualities of the film as an Israeli production, the presentation of Israel, locations, police, tourism, robbery etc.? The contribution of the Israeli cast?

3. The conventional opening and audience expectations? Archie coming from prison, Sally meeting him, the introduction to the diamond world, the karate party with the Hodgsons, the outlining of the job? Did the film transcend this conventional opening?

4. The strength of the characters portrayed? The Hodgsons and the rivalry as explained later? Charles Hodgson as a millionaire and his determination? Archie and his skills, relationship with Sally? The contrived robbery of the Hodgson home and Archie's being caught?

5. The transition from London to Israel? How did the film visually communicate Israel: the airport, the police, their trailing the principal characters, the encounter with Mrs. Shapiro and her reappearance?

6. How enjoyable were the details of the plot and the tricking of the police? The Bethlehem sequences, the role of the guide, the fake crown being made?

7. The balance with Charles Hodgson going to the diamond centre, the detailed tour of the diamond centre and its explanation, the audience involvement in awareness of security preparations at the diamond centre?

8. The inter-relation between the principal characters? Archie and Sally? Archie's seeking out of Hodgson and their walk on the hills of Jerusalem?

9. The fake melodrama with the three principal characters in the church at Bethlehem, their disguises and their escapes? The police being tricked?

10. How well did the robbery present itself, the suspense and the detail? The kidnapping of the child? The preparation of the helicopter? The point by point details of Hodgson's progress, Archie's going across the roof, the various devices that they used? Charles using his brother's plans?

11. How credible was the revelation of the motivation? The impact on Archie, his greed and their discovery? The melodramatics of the escape?

12. How satisfactory was the ending? The humour of the donation to Israel? The twin brother arriving? Audience pre-suppositions about heroes and heroines, crime, right and wrong, justice?