Putting the "edit" into "fan-edit" #2 - The Deleted Scenes of DAF

Some Bond fans may have checked out the deleted scenes for Diamonds Are Forever on the Ultimate Edition DVD or Blu-Ray special features, and wondered what might have been if any of them had stayed in the final print.

Because Diamonds Reimagined is of course partly a re-edit of the original film, I did script the project around including a few of the deleted scenes to improve or add to the story. But which ones did I decide were eligible for inclusion? Let's go through them one by one...

Most of the deleted scenes can be viewed online from this YouTube video:

Scene 1: Sammy Davis Jr's cameo

One of the more unusual deleted scenes of the lot, this cameo from Sammy Davis Jr was not liked by Director Guy Hamilton due to Sammy's performance and its irrelevance to the overall plot.

Whilst I can see where he's coming from in that regard, I personally don't mind the scene because Sammy's reaction to Bond highlights the idea that James Bond is considerably more classy than Las Vegas in the 1970s. Not only that, but I think it adds a little authenticity to the film's world since Sammy Davis Jr was a famous performer in Las Vegas casinos.

So it is eligible for inclusion? Maybe so, but I'll go into more detail why with this next scene...

Scene 2: The death of Shady Tree (Extended version)

This scene is fairly morbid for the way in which Wint and Kidd dispatch of Shady Tree, and perhaps it might not have gotten past the censors' if the editors decided to keep it in.

Whilst I do like that the film makes Tree's death a bit of a surprise for Bond to discover, as a fan of Wint and Kidd I just have the urge to give them this little bit of extra screentime. 

Also, since the aim of this project is to make DAF a little more serious in tone so that it works as an OHMSS sequel (some of the humour will remain though), something grim like this I feel would help to sell that tone.

I might indeed include this scene in the re-edit, though one consideration I have made is whether I want to release a slightly longer Director's Cut in addition to the main re-edit. But that's something for me to sort out in the future, so for now let's say yes to the scene's inclusion.

Scene 3: Dinner with Plenty

Credit to Thunderballs.org for this production still of the deleted scene.

This scene from what I can tell was filmed at The Dome of the Sea restaurant, which was part of the Dunes Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. 

Guy Hamilton once explained in an interview with On The Tracks Of 007 creator Martijn Mulder (which can be accessed here for those interested; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS7PsvXL9MA) that the idea of the scene was that it was sort of a "getting to know you" date.

However, because of how small Plenty O'Toole's role is in the story, Hamilton felt the scene was pointless. The audience most likely already figures that she will go to Bond's Hotel Room with the intention of sleeping with him, so why include this scene anyhow?

When re-writing Diamonds Are Forever's plot, I thought along similar lines and didn't include it. What I have included however, is a similar scene in a setting that I have named 'The Atlantic Dining Palace'.

This animated scene of course, has Bond dining with Tiffany Case rather than Plenty. Exactly why I've done this becomes clear when we consider the other Plenty O'Toole deleted scene..

UPDATE: I have since changed my mind on this deleted scene, and have planned to include it in the final edit. This has meant I have had to change the setting of the animated scene mentioned above. More about this will be included in a future post.

Scene 4: Plenty returns!

This is one of the most infamous of the film's deleted scenes, and perhaps because it's one that a good deal of fans feel deserved to kept!

Without this scene, the reveal of Plenty O'Toole's death sort of comes out of nowhere as it's not entirely explained what she was doing at Tiffany's home where Wint and Kidd drowned her in the pool.

Despite that, you may be surprised to learn that I will NOT be including this scene in Diamonds Reimagined. 

Why? Because in the process of re-writing the screenplay, I have changed Plenty's role in the story a good deal to have her not get thrown out of the window by the gangsters from the Slumber Inc mortuary.

So there's no need for this scene in my re-edit whatsoever. Nevertheless, I'm afraid to say that Plenty is still a sacrificial lamb in the re-written story. Though the circumstances of her death are a little different, and you'll have to find out why once the project is finished..

Scene 5: Alternate take of Ford Mustang on two-wheels stunt

I don't think there's any doubt about it, this scene definitely deserves inclusion in Diamonds Reimagined. In fact, I've already edited it into the Las Vegas car chase as well as a couple of alternate takes/angles of other shots from the chase that you can find in the film's special features.

My edit of that moment combines both the unused and used take of the Mustang coming out from the alleyway, with a shot to bridge the gap between them. Why the editors and Guy Hamilton didn't think of something like this, I will never know..

Scene 6: Bond and Tiffany in the Bridal Suite (Extended version)

This is a scene I've not seen a lot of support for keeping in the film, perhaps because it's a little excessive in some places. And not to mention the awkward and unflattering shot of Connery at the end..

It certainly has its problems, and doesn't really advance the plot. Tiffany already knows by now that Bond is not Peter Franks, so in that sense why include it?

Well here's why I have decided to keep it; in my screenplay I've connected it to a new scene where Bond and Tiffany have an introspective discussion about each other. 

This is a way of exploring Bond's grief over the death of Tracy, and how Tiffany may feel sympathy for him. The Fleming novel gives Tiffany a darker backstory of having been gang raped as a teenager, which accounts for her cold demeanour towards Bond at the start of the book.

I thought this may be a good fit for an OHMSS sequel where Bond is similarly troubled by his past, and can find solace in the fact that Tiffany has been through difficult times as well.

I also want to state that I'm a fan of Sean Connery and Jill St John's chemistry in the original film. They clearly got along very well behind the scenes and their dynamic stands as one of the stronger parts of Diamonds Are Forever.

So like with the extended death of Shady Tree scene giving Wint and Kidd more screentime, I honestly would love to see Bond and Tiffany do a little more together in the re-edit.

That being said, I have made some edits to the deleted scene. Not only has the awkward shot of Connery at the end been removed, but I've taken out the part where Tiffany informs Bond that she knows he's not Peter Franks. I think that justifies its inclusion a little more.

Scene 7: Unused footage of Frogmen swimming towards Oil Rig

Not exactly a full deleted scene as it was never completed (see my post on the "Lost Climax" to DAF; https://diamondsareforeverre-imaginedproject.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-lost-climax-planning-re-creation-of.html), but it's unused footage anyway.

I've actually already included this in the re-edit, where it forms part of the modified Oil Rig climax. The idea behind this is that Bond told Willard Whyte that he was going to go aboard Blofeld's Oil Rig to distract him before a US Marines helicopter attack force arrives.

However, when Felix arrives on the Oil Rig to join the battle he informs Bond and Marc Ange Draco that Whyte has also got re-inforcements on the way. And those of course are the Frogmen!

And so those are all the deleted scenes from the original film, and as you can tell I've had to give the screenplay a lot of thought when deciding what to keep for the re-edit.

Story structure and pacing are all important when it comes to film-making. So I'm doing my best to ensure that remains the case with Diamonds Reimagined, even if the final film may end up being a similar length to On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

- The Retro Captain