Tiffany Case
Encyclopedia
Tiffany Case is a fictional character in the James Bond
novel
and film Diamonds Are Forever
. For the 1971 film she was portrayed by Jill St. John
. In the film it is stated that she was named after her (accidental) birthplace, Tiffany & Co.
, where her parents were going through a choice of wedding bands, to which Bond dryly jokes that she was lucky that it hadn't happened at Van Cleef & Arpels
.
's novel, she is an American diamond smuggler working as a fence
for The Spangled Mob
, a ruthless American gang that is smuggling diamonds from Africa through an international pipeline. Bond contacts her in London posing as petty crook Peter Franks, using her professionally as a gateway into the pipeline even as he develops a personal interest in her. Felix Leiter
, familiar with Tiffany's background, acquaints Bond with the fact that she was gang-raped as a teenager and, as a result, has developed a hatred of men
. She is nevertheless attracted to Bond, and the two ultimately become lovers.
Tiffany turns against her former partners, and helps Bond escape from their clutches. In the novel, she is later kidnapped by Wint & Kidd on the Queen Elizabeth
, but she is in turn rescued by Bond.
After this adventure, the two briefly live together, but, like many of Bond's women, she is out of his life by the next novel, From Russia With Love. In this novel, Fleming writes that Tiffany found Bond too difficult to live with and returned to the United States with an American military officer, apparently intending to marry him. The explanation was somewhat unusual both because Fleming rarely even mentions Bond girls for more than one book and because Bond actually seemed emotionally affected at the dissolution of a relationship.
In the novel, in the scene where Tiffany is introduced, several Bond girls are mentioned, including two that had not yet appeared. When Bond is speculating what "T. Case" stands for, two names that come to mind are Tilly and Teresa. Both names would later be used for Bond girls, Tilly Masterton
and Teresa de Vicenzo
.
and his terrorist organisation, SPECTRE
. Bond arranges a partnership with her in disguise, but this time it is to investigate her role in Blofeld's latest criminal scheme. She initially believes that she and "Peter Franks" are going to make millions, but gets caught up in much more than she bargained for when the real Peter Franks arrives on her doorstep. In a change of pace for the series, Tiffany is the first Bond girl to be shown gaining pleasure from watching Bond undress (albeit off camera), and encourages him with remarks such as "So far so good, keep going" and (still believing him to be Franks) "Peter, I'm very impressed. There's a lot more to you than I had expected." From the moment she and Bond find Plenty O'Toole
soaking in Tiffany's swimming pool, drowned mistakenly instead of her, Tiffany helps Bond follow the path of the smuggled diamonds until the trail leads to Blofeld.
By the end of the film, Tiffany has helped Bond defeat Blofeld, and the two go on a romantic cruise together. They are briefly interrupted by an assassination attempt by Blofeld's henchmen, Mr. Wint & Mr. Kidd, but Bond foils it, and the two sail off into the sunset.
In an attempt to leave Las Vegas with the diamonds, Tiffany hires a red Ford Mustang Mach 1
which is later driven by Bond.
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novel
Diamonds Are Forever (novel)
Diamonds Are Forever is the fourth of Ian Fleming's James Bond series of novels. It was first published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on 26 March 1956 and the first print run of 12,500 copies sold out quickly...
and film Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (film)
Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
. For the 1971 film she was portrayed by Jill St. John
Jill St. John
Jill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...
. In the film it is stated that she was named after her (accidental) birthplace, Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
, where her parents were going through a choice of wedding bands, to which Bond dryly jokes that she was lucky that it hadn't happened at Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewellery, watch, and perfume company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme, Paris...
.
The novel
In Ian FlemingIan Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's novel, she is an American diamond smuggler working as a fence
Fence (criminal)
A fence is an individual who knowingly buys stolen property for later resale, sometimes in a legitimate market. The fence thus acts as a middleman between thieves and the eventual buyers of stolen goods who may or may not be aware that the goods are stolen. As a verb, the word describes the...
for The Spangled Mob
The Spangled Mob
The Spangled Mob is a fictional crime organisation from the James Bond novel series by Ian Fleming.-Creation and Organisation:The Spangled Mob was created by Jack and Seraffimo Spang also known as the Spang brothers. Its enforcers were Albert Wint and Charles Kidd.-Novels:The Spangled Mob's first...
, a ruthless American gang that is smuggling diamonds from Africa through an international pipeline. Bond contacts her in London posing as petty crook Peter Franks, using her professionally as a gateway into the pipeline even as he develops a personal interest in her. Felix Leiter
Felix Leiter
Felix Leiter is a fictional CIA agent created by Ian Fleming in the James Bond series of novels and films. In both, Leiter works for the CIA and assists Bond in his various adventures as well as being his best friend. In further novels Leiter joins the Pinkerton Detective Agency and in the film...
, familiar with Tiffany's background, acquaints Bond with the fact that she was gang-raped as a teenager and, as a result, has developed a hatred of men
Misandry
Misandry is the hatred or dislike of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misos and anēr, andros . Misandry is the antonym of philandry, the fondness towards men, love, or admiration of them...
. She is nevertheless attracted to Bond, and the two ultimately become lovers.
Tiffany turns against her former partners, and helps Bond escape from their clutches. In the novel, she is later kidnapped by Wint & Kidd on the Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. Plying with her running mate Queen Mary as a luxury liner between Southampton, UK and New York City, USA via Cherbourg, France, she was also contracted for over twenty years to carry the Royal Mail as the second half of the two...
, but she is in turn rescued by Bond.
After this adventure, the two briefly live together, but, like many of Bond's women, she is out of his life by the next novel, From Russia With Love. In this novel, Fleming writes that Tiffany found Bond too difficult to live with and returned to the United States with an American military officer, apparently intending to marry him. The explanation was somewhat unusual both because Fleming rarely even mentions Bond girls for more than one book and because Bond actually seemed emotionally affected at the dissolution of a relationship.
In the novel, in the scene where Tiffany is introduced, several Bond girls are mentioned, including two that had not yet appeared. When Bond is speculating what "T. Case" stands for, two names that come to mind are Tilly and Teresa. Both names would later be used for Bond girls, Tilly Masterton
Tilly Masterton
Tilly Masterton is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel, Goldfinger.The character was adapted for the 1964 film, Goldfinger, however, her name was changed to Tilly Masterson. Likewise her sister, Jill, was renamed Masterson as well...
and Teresa de Vicenzo
Tracy Bond
Teresa "Tracy" Bond is a fictional character and the main Bond girl in the James Bond film and novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service...
.
The film
The 1971 film adaptation of Diamonds are Forever substantially revised the plot and, with it, Tiffany's character. In the novel Tiffany is a vulnerable young woman with a sardonic exterior and an experience of the world beyond her years, similar in many ways to female characters in noir fiction. While she is still a diamond smuggler, she is now unwittingly working for Bond's archnemesis Ernst Stavro BlofeldErnst Stavro Blofeld
Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a fictional character and a supervillain from the James Bond series of novels and films, who was created by Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory. An evil genius with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the British Secret Service agent James Bond and is arguably...
and his terrorist organisation, SPECTRE
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
. Bond arranges a partnership with her in disguise, but this time it is to investigate her role in Blofeld's latest criminal scheme. She initially believes that she and "Peter Franks" are going to make millions, but gets caught up in much more than she bargained for when the real Peter Franks arrives on her doorstep. In a change of pace for the series, Tiffany is the first Bond girl to be shown gaining pleasure from watching Bond undress (albeit off camera), and encourages him with remarks such as "So far so good, keep going" and (still believing him to be Franks) "Peter, I'm very impressed. There's a lot more to you than I had expected." From the moment she and Bond find Plenty O'Toole
Plenty O'Toole
Plenty O'Toole is a fictional character from the film version of Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever . She was portrayed by Lana Wood, younger sister of Natalie Wood....
soaking in Tiffany's swimming pool, drowned mistakenly instead of her, Tiffany helps Bond follow the path of the smuggled diamonds until the trail leads to Blofeld.
By the end of the film, Tiffany has helped Bond defeat Blofeld, and the two go on a romantic cruise together. They are briefly interrupted by an assassination attempt by Blofeld's henchmen, Mr. Wint & Mr. Kidd, but Bond foils it, and the two sail off into the sunset.
In an attempt to leave Las Vegas with the diamonds, Tiffany hires a red Ford Mustang Mach 1
Ford Mustang Mach 1
The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was a performance model of the Ford Mustang that Ford produced beginning in 1969. The original production run of the Mach 1 ended in 1979 because the Mustang II coupe was being phased out in favor of newer Mustangs on the Fox body platform.The Mach 1 returned in 2003 as a...
which is later driven by Bond.