» Blood Diamond

» Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, Danny Archer, a South African mercenary, and Solomon Vandy, a Mende fisherman are joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon--who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields--has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen, an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory--a journey that could save Solomon's family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have.

» Information

Director: Edward Zwick Writers: Charles Leavitt (screenplay), Charles Leavitt (story), C. Gaby Mitchell (story) Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio ... Danny Archer Djimon Hounsou ... Solomon Vandy Jennifer Connelly ... Maddy Bowen Kagiso Kuypers ... Dia Vandy Arnold Vosloo ... Colonel Coetzee Antony Coleman ... Cordell Brown Benu Mabhena ... Jassie Vandy Anointing Lukola ... N'Yanda Vandy David Harewood ... Captain Poison Basil Wallace ... Benjamin Kapanay Jimi Mistry ... Nabil Michael Sheen ... Rupert Simmons Marius Weyers ... Rudolf Van De Kaap Stephen Collins ... Ambassador Walker Ntare Mwine ... M'Ed Released on: 8 December 2006

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» Trivia

Jennifer Connelly suffered a neck injury while filming a car chase scene with Leonardo DiCaprio.

The attack helicopter seen near the end of the film is a Mi-24 SuperHind Mk IV. The helicopter started life as a Russian Mi-24 (NATO designation "Hind") but underwent an extensive upgrade program by Advanced Technology and Engineering, a South African arms company. Upgrades include improvements to avionics, weapons systems, and counter measures.

The white transport helicopter Danny Archer, Solomon Vandy, and Maddy Bowen fly to the refugee camp in is a Russian Mi-8 (NATO designation "Hip-P").

The airplane that Maddy Bowen boards at Colonel Coetzee's camp is a Russian Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO designation "Candid"). It was mostly likely the Il-76TF, which is the civilian transport variant.

Solomon's son's name is Dia, which means "expensive" in Krio, the adapted language of Sierra Leone.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe were Edward Zwick's first two choices for the role of Danny Archer. They later starred together in Body of Lies (2008).

When Danny Archer arrives in South Africa, there are two women standing in front of the airport and he walks by them. These women are Leonardo DiCaprio's mother and grandmother.

The pistol Danny Archer uses towards the end of the film is a Heckler & Koch USP.

Danny Archer has a tattoo of an African buffalo with two crossed arrows on his shoulder, this is the unit emblem of 32 Battalion sometimes called the "Buffalo Battalion".

Colonel Coetzee has several lines of dialogue in Afrikaans, Arnold Vosloo's first language.

De Beers Group, which is the largest player in the diamond trade, has expressed reservations that the film will reduce public demand for diamonds. De Beers maintains the trade in conflict diamonds has been reduced from 4% to 1% by the Kimberley Process and it has been suggested the company pushed for the film to contain a disclaimer saying the events are fictional and in the past. De Beers has denied this.

R.U.F. stands for Revolutionary United Front.