Code Name: Diamond Head is a 1977 American television spy film starring Roy Thinnes[1] as an undercover counterintelligence officer known as Diamond Head whose mission is to stop a rogue double agent from stealing the formula for a new chemical weapon.[2] Originally filmed as a pilot for a new television drama (which was never picked up by the networks), it was eventually used for The NBC Monday Movie on U.S. broadcast network NBC. [3][4]
| Code Name: Diamond Head | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Paul King |
| Directed by | Jeannot Szwarc |
| Starring | Roy Thinnes France Nuyen Gilbert Lani Kauhi |
| Music by | Morton Stevens |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Quinn Martin |
| Running time | 74 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Release | May 3, 1977 |
Plot edit
Johnny Paul (Thinnes) is a flashy gambler and ladies' man living on Oahu. In reality, he is an agent working for a secret US government agency. He is assigned to a mission to stop the theft of a deadly new gas, which has the potential to cause instant death upon contact. The substance was being secretly created by a top battalion of Marines at the request of a Pentagon official. However, a double agent had infiltrated the unit, killed the executive, and assumed his identity. Paul uses his image to get close to the double agent, who is known by the pseudonym "Tree.” However, once his cover is blown, it's a race against time to stop Tree from selling the secrets to an unnamed foreign power.
Cast edit
- Roy Thinnes as Johnny Paul / "Diamond Head"
- France Nuyen as Tso-Tsing
- Gilbert Lani Kauhi as Zulu
- Ward Costello as Captain Macintosh
- Don Knight as H.K. Muldoon
- Ian McShane as Sean Donovan / "Tree"
- Eric Braeden as Ernest Graeber
- Dennis Patrick as Commander Yarnell
- Alex Henteloff as Dr. Edward Sherman
- Eric Christmas as Father Murphy
Reception and legacy edit
Kevin Thomas for the Los Angeles Timespraised Jeannot Szwarc's direction, calling it "crisp and driving". Conversely, Thomas was critical of Paul King's script, finding it "too trite to succeed as the escapist entertainment intended".[6]
The film was featured in a season six episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Home media edit
The film is currently available only in VHS format. The Mystery Science Theater version was released in DVD format on March 27, 2012 as part of the 23rd boxset of the series.[7]
References edit
- ^ BFI
- ^ Turner Classic Movies
- ^ Daddy-O's Drive-In Dirt
- ^ B&S About Movies
- ^ TV Guide
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (May 3, 1977). "The Spy Game in 'Diamond Head'". Los Angeles Times. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ MST3K: Volume XXIII - DVD - Shout! Factory
