Der Diamanten-Clou

Diamonds is a typical example the eclectic, even seminally post-modern work of Menahem Golan, a director and producer who earned a minor mention in the history of cinema (literally, in the case of Bordwell and Thompson’s book) as the mogul who headed Cannon Films in its golden era. However, it’s rarely mentioned anymore that he was also absolutely unique among the Hollywood bosses of the second half of the 20th century, because despite popular stories about his naïveté and salesman’s attitude, he was an avowed movie fan at heart. A significant number of the films on which he served as a producer and, in particular, as a director are characterised by the fact that they can be described as variations on successful films of either recent years or from the classic era of Hollywood. Golan was in fact a prototype of the film-enthusiast director who wanted to create a portfolio comprising his own versions of the films that he loved as a viewer. In this case, Diamonds is one of Golan’s typical derivatives of classic heist movies. At the same time, this means that, though the project does not conceal its ambition, it also unfortunately suffers from Golan’s lack of distinctiveness in terms of film language. In the hands of another, more talented, stylistically distinctive and skilful filmmaker, the film’s concept could have been shaped into a brisk genre flick. However, Golan’s typically half-baked screenplay and utilitarian, unappealing execution make the result simply and hopelessly uninteresting and bland from the viewer’s perspective. The film’s chase sequences and parallel plots are a clear example of the dramaturgical futility and zero sense of tempo and drama found in Golan’s films. Similarly, a distinguishing feature of the characters is their lack of development and individuality, from which even the stars, who for Golan were merely another coveted item in his portfolio, fail to rise above clichéd one-dimensionality. Like many of Golan’s productions, Diamonds is much more noteworthy in its own context and as a historical artefact than as a film. Specifically, Diamonds is Golan’s first attempt, together with his production partner and cousin Yoram Globus, to conquer Hollywood while still with his own production company, AmeriEuro Pictures Corp., which ceased to exist after making three films (the other two were variations on gangster flicks). Golan and Globus apparently learned at first hand that it is practically impossible to succeed in the movie business with a new company, because the company has neither distribution connections nor a catalogue of films to serve as a foundation for new titles. This obstacle was resolved four years later when they bought a majority stake in Cannon Films, which they built into the chief competitor of the major Hollywood studios during the 1980s. (18.08.2015)