Diamonds (1975 film)

Diamonds

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1975
Key people	Menahem Golan, Arik Dichner, Robert Shaw, Richard Roundtree, Barbara Hershey, Shelley Winters
Products	Film

Diamonds is a 1975 Israeli-American heist film co-directed by Menahem Golan and Arik Dichner. The film features Robert Shaw in a dual performance portraying twin brothers, supported by Richard Roundtree, Barbara Hershey, and Shelley Winters. It was also distributed under the title Diamond Shaft, although it bears no connection to the Shaft franchise despite Roundtree’s participation.

Plot

The narrative centers on Charles Hodgson (Shaw), a British nobleman who resorts to burglary to outwit his twin brother Earl (also Shaw), a security professional responsible for designing a highly secure vault in Tel Aviv safeguarding precious diamonds. To execute the heist, Charles enlists the expertise of Archie (Roundtree), a seasoned thief, along with Sally, while encountering Zelda Shapiro (Winters), an American woman in Israel searching for a new spouse.

Cast

• Robert Shaw as Charles Hodgson / Earl Hodgson
• Richard Roundtree as Archie
• Barbara Hershey as Sally (credited as Barbara Seagull)
• Shelley Winters as Zelda Shapiro
• Shaike Ophir as Moshe
• Yosef Shiloach as Mustafa
• Gadi Yagil as Gaby
• Yehuda Efroni as Salzburg

Casting

Director Menahem Golan intended to create an English-language international production featuring an overseas cast to facilitate distribution beyond Israel’s borders. He engaged Hollywood agent John Gaines regarding the casting of English actor Robert Shaw, who was then concluding another film. Gaines suggested including his clients Barbara Hershey and Richard Roundtree. Although Golan expressed interest in Hershey, his initial choices for Archie were Michael York and David Hemmings.

Filming

The filmmakers opted to shoot on location in Israel, drawing inspiration from the Israel Diamond Exchange situated in Tel Aviv. Additional footage was captured on Bond Street in London. During the production process, Shaw’s wife, actress Mary Ure, tragically passed away due to an accidental overdose at their rented residence in Mayfair.

Reception

On 1 January 1975, film critic Roger Ebert awarded the movie two out of four stars in the Chicago Sun-Times. While he commended the casting choices, he regarded the film as less engaging compared to leading entries within the heist film genre.

See also

• List of American films of 1975