The Diamond of Jeru

Serious jungle adventure with mature themes in the wilds of Borneo

In the mid-1950s, a pompous American & his wife (Keith Carradine and Paris Jefferson) hire dubious guides to go up a river in search of diamonds in Sarawak. Meanwhile a haunted Korean War veteran (Billy Zane) keep an eye on them with his native protégé.

"The Diamond of Jeru” (2001) originated from an unfinished 1950s' story by Louis L’Amour, completed by his son Beau and used for this movie (eventually published in audio form in 2015). While I suppose it’s comparable to Indiana Jones movies and, especially, David Keith’s knockoff “The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck,” it lacks the flippancy of those flicks, as well as similar ones, like “King Solomon’s Mines” (1985) and “Firewalker.” This is a serious jungle adventure with bits of “Apocalypse Now,” just on a less-impressive TV-budget and script elements reminiscent of L’Amour’s “The Quick and the Dead” with Sam Elliott (1987).

I felt disappointed the first time I watched it, but appreciated it more on my second viewing for several reasons. I liked the realism and was drawn into the characters as I paid closer attention to the dialogue. Like Elliott’s “The Quick and the Dead,” there’s breathtaking cinematography (the jungle in this case) and a mature approach, not to mention Paris’ beauty, emphasized in an understated, tasteful way.

There’s an undeniable bond between Mike Kardec and Helen Lacklan, which is obvious to the husband (and reminiscent of “Shane”). Perhaps you can relate: You stumble across someone of the opposite sex and instinctively sense a palpable connection, some kind of profound mutual fascination, yet - for whatever reason - pursuing an intimate relationship is not an option. In an entire lifetime you will only experience a handful such 'connections,' or less. These exchanges are permanent because they are so potent they are forever burned into your psyche. The movie showcases this well.

Also, it's nice to see Billy Zane as the protagonist for a change (after his effective portrayals of villains in "Dead Calm" and "Titanic"). He's quite good in the part. As for Keith Carradine as the pompous American husband, I'm glad he wasn't made out to be an over-the-top villain. Instead, L'Amour made him a human being with flaws and attributes. Notice how Mike and John sit on the beach together in the final act, both wounded, having an honest talk and gazing at the woman they both adore.

It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Queensland, Australia, including the Old Government House in Brisbane.

GRADE: B-/B