Many people pinpoint Live and Let Die as the start of the self-deprecating campiness that soon came to dominate the James Bond series, but this trend really began with its predecessor, Diamonds Are Forever. As a result, Sean Connery's final official go-round as Bond is nowhere near as satisfying as classics like From Russia With Love or Goldfinger. The biggest problem with Diamonds Are Forever is its muddled script. The plot confusingly juggles a diamond-smuggling scheme, an attempt to ransom the world with an intergalactic weapon (an element recycled from You Only Live Twice), and the return of arch-villain Blofeld, while the dialogue overdoes with it plethora of corny one-liners and groan-worthy puns. The film also suffers from an unwieldy tone that veers between bluntly sadistic violence and cartoonish slapstick, never finding a comfortable balance between the two. Worst of all, Connery seems bored with his role and delivers a performance that is competent but lifeless. Despite these problems, Diamonds Are Forever still offers a few diversions for the action fan. Individual action scenes are quite thrilling, the most memorable being a showdown between Bond and two female kung-fu fighters and a high-speed car chase through the streets of Las Vegas. There are also some colorful supporting performances, the best being Jimmy Dean's charming work as the country-boy millionaire Willard Whyte and the flamboyantly bizarre turns from Bruce Glover and Putter Smith as gay hitmen Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. Ultimately, Diamonds Are Forever is one of the lesser entries in the Bond series, but boasts enough style and action to satisfy the series' hardcore fans.