The Diamond Queen ** (1953, Fernando Lamas, Arlene Dahl, Gilbert Roland) – Classic Movie Review 11,057

Director John Brahm’s 1953 The Diamond Queen is a daft but colourful and jolly romantic adventure movie, set in Paris and India in 1659. It is the final film credited as being shot in SuperCinecolor.

Fernando Lamas stars as adventurer Jean Tavernier who is searching for a rare jewel to cap the coronation crown of Louis XIV. His travels take him to Nepal, home of a crazed Mogul (Sheldon Leonard), who possesses the fabulous blue diamond.

Tavernier (Lamas) battles another Frenchman, Baron Paul de Cabannes (Gilbert Roland), and a beautiful woman, Maya the Queen of Nepal (Arlene Dahl), for the diamond.

Cue lots of action which is entertaining and hurries the story along, but it is all a bit cheap and tatty and the acting is more wooden than sparkling. It is quite fun though.

Also in the cast are Michael Ansara, Jay Novello, Richard Hale, Noel Cravat, Paul Guilfoyle, Wanda Brown (Slave Girl), Evelyn Finley (Slave Girl), Sujata Rubener (Oriental Dancer), and Asoka Rubener (Oriental Dancer).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,057

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