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Adventure in Diamonds

Alternate Title: Diamonds Are Dangerous Director: Geo. Fitzmaurice (Dir) Release Date: 5 Apr 1940 Duration (in mins): 70, 74 or 76 Duration (in feet): 6,825 Duration (in reels): 8			Print this page Display Movie Summary

Cast:	George Brent	(Capt. Stephen Dennett)
	Isa Miranda	(Felice Falcon)
	John Loder	(Michael Barclay)
	Nigel Bruce	(Col. J. W. Lansfield)
	Elizabeth Patterson	(Nellie)
	Matthew Boulton	(Lloyd)
	Rex Evans	(Whistler, [Jimmy])
	Cecil Kellaway	(Emerson)
	Walter Kingsford	(Wakefield)
	Ernest Truex	(Toutasche)
	Ralph Forbes	(Mr. Perrins)
	Nikolayova	(Mrs. Perrins)
	Charles Erwin	(Nelson)
	E. E. Clive	(Mr. MacPherson)
	Vera Lewis	(Mrs. MacPherson)
	Edward Gargan	(Lou)
	David Clyde	(Bartender)
	Rex Downing	(Pageboy "Buttons")
	Harry Stubbs	(Stout man on boat)
	Douglas Gordon	(Steward)
	Guy Bellis	(First immigration officer)
	Norman Ainsley	(Second immigration officer)
	Hi Roberts	(Bellhop)
	Gerald Rogers	(Steamship clerk)
	Major Sam Harris	(Bill)
	Anthony Marsh	(Cadet)
	Roger Gray	(Sergeant at airport)
	Bobbie Hale	(Batman)
	Jack M. Lee	(Tailor)
	Keith Kenneth	(Doorman)
	Janet Waldo	(Telephone operator)
	Carleton Young	(American sailor)
	William Haade	(Tatooed American sailor)
	Louis Mercier	(French sailor)
	George Calliga	(French sailor)
	Charles Bennett	(Cockney sailor)
	David Thursby	(First English sailor)
	John Ward	(Second English sailor)
	Jimmy Aubrey	(Waiter)
	Ambrose Barker	(Customs official)
	Wilfred Roberts
	Susan Paley

Summary:

While on board a liner bound for South Africa, Captain Stephen Dennett, a British army flier, meets Felice Falcon, a glamorous jewel thief. Felice, with her confederate Michael Barclay, is plotting to make a getaway with a haul of diamonds that have been cached at a mine by another accomplice and decides to use Stephen as her stooge. She charms Stephen into promising her entry into the forbidden precincts of the diamond mines, but is outwitted by him when he gets away with the jewels himself and turns them over to his friend, police commissioner Colonel J. W. Lansfield. Using the diamonds as bait, the two set a trap for Barclay, whom the police have been chasing for a long time. Their plans go awry, and Felice is caught in the trap instead and is sentenced to prison. When a murderous jewel ring then begins operation, the colonel offers Felice parole in return for her cooperation in trapping the gang, and she agrees to pretend that she and Stephen are a newly married couple who are delivering the jewels to the gang. As they await contact by the ring, Felice falls in love with Stephen and renounces her wicked past. When the gang finally contacts the couple, their cover is blown as the ringleader turns out to be Felice's old accomplice, Barclay. However, the colonel comes to Stephen and Felice's rescue and wins both their freedom as well as Felice's permanent release from prison.

Production Company:	Paramount Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company:	Paramount Pictures, Inc.
Director:	Geo. Fitzmaurice	(Dir)
	L. A. Fleishman	(Dial dir)
	George Templeton	(Asst dir)
Producer:	A. M. Botsford	(Prod)
	William LeBaron	(Exec prod)
Writer:	Leonard Lee	(Scr)
	Franz Schulz	(Scr)
	Frank O'Connor	(Story)
Photography:	Charles Lang Jr.	(Dir of photog)
Art Direction:	Hans Dreier	(Art dir)
	Robert Usher	(Art dir)
Film Editor:	LeRoy Stone	(Ed)
Set Decoration:	A. E. Freudeman	(Int dec)
Costumes:	Edith Head	(Cost)
Music:	Sigmund Krumgold	(Mus dir)
Sound:	Harold Lewis	(Sd rec)
	Richard Olson	(Sd rec)
Country:	United States

Copyright Claimant	Copyright Date	Copyright Number	Passed By NBR:
Paramount Pictures, Inc.	5/4/1940 dd/mm/yyyy	LP9523	Yes

PCA NO:	5590
Physical Properties:	b&w:
	Sd:	Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording


Genre:	Drama
Sub-Genre:	Crime

Subjects (Major):	Criminals--Rehabilitation
	Diamonds
	Impersonation and imposture
	Jewel thieves

Subjects (Minor):	Diamond mines
	Dogs
	English
	Officers (Military)
	Murder
	Ocean liners
	Ostriches
	Police
	Prisons
	Romance
	South Africa
	Traps

Note:	The working titles were Portrait in Diamonds and Diamonds Are Dangerous . According to information in the Paramount script files at the AMPAS library, Frank O'Connor's original story was called "Tempted." Also included in the files are the story and script, Madame Mystery , by Gilbert W. Gabriel and Franz Schulz, however, it is unclear if any portion of this material was used as a basis for the film. Writer A. Guarini also contributed to several scripts for this project, however, his contribution to the final film has not been determined. Although Harold Lewis and Richard Olson receive screen credit, one contemporary source credits George Dutton with the sound recording. A scene of an ostrich race appears in the film.

Bibliographic Sources:	Date	Page
Daily Variety	16 Jan 40	p. 3.
Film Daily	5 Apr 40	p. 4.
Hollywood Reporter	16 Jan 40	p. 30.
Motion Picture Daily	22 Jan 40	p. 6.
Motion Picture Herald	11 Nov 39	p. 55.
Motion Picture Herald	20 Jan 40	p. 44.
New York Times	4 Apr 40	p. 23.
Variety	24 Jan 40	p. 14.

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.



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