Goldfinger
Review #78
Eon Productions, 1964
Mov No. 20808
Genre: Action
Rated: PG
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
Staring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, Harold
Sakata, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell
Oscars: 1 win (Best Effects, Sound Effects), 1 nomination
AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: Hero's and Villains (#3, Hero James Bond); Quotes (#22); Heros & Villains (#49, Villain Auric Goldfinger); Songs (#53, Goldfinger); Thrills (#71); Quotes (#90; "A Martini. Shaken, not stirred.")
AFI Quotes #22: "Bond. James Bond." - James Bond
Runtime: 1h 52min
Best quote: "And who are you?" "My name is
Pussy Galore." "I must be dreaming..."
- James Bond
& Pussy Galore
"You expect me to talk?" "No Mr. Bond, I
expect you to die!"
- James Bond
& Auric Goldfinger
In the third installment of the classic James Bond series, James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to observe a man known to be a involved in illegal activities, mostly in gold and gold bullion. Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) is bent on controlling the world's supply of the precious metal, no matter the cost.
After foiling Golfinger in his attempt to win a card game, a woman Bond cared for, Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) was Asphyxiated - by having her body toatally covered in gold paint.
Bond tracks Goldfinger to Switzerland. There he is captured and almost castrated by a lazer, but not before Golfinger reveals his plot to break into Fort Knox - the world's largest bank - and blow it up.
With sexy women, a villan's villan, and a mute assassin who throws a deadly bowler hat, Bond is in for one rousing adventure!
Personal Comments
The word "pussy" was very riske in 1963 (hey - it still is), and for someone to be named 'Pussy Galore' was unheared of. The Bond films broke ground in many areas, and hot women with sexy names was just one of those areas. Originally, Bond was supposed to reply, to Pussy (Honor Blackman) after she introduces herself, "I know you are, but what's your name?" This line is way more suggestive than what we now have, and probably would have been cut anyway.
This James Bond made motion picture history as to the number of ticket sales and just how much money it actually made. It was a HUGE success, and a big reason why the series has done so well after all these years.
After viewing Goldfinger most recently, I now realize how Auric Goldfinger could have been named one of the fifty best on-screen villians. Who else but Goldfinger would dare to castrate his enemies with a laser?
Plot: 
Break into Fort Knox, blow it up... yah, it sounds kinda fake, right? Wrong! far from it. It's much more complicated than that.
Visual Effects: 
The stunts were all excelent, and every one of the visual effects came off without hitches... save one.
In the pre-credits teaser, Bond fires a gun that shoots a grappling hook and rope up to catch on a ledge. You can clearly see that the rope/hook does not come from the gun, but rather is thrown up from below the gun.
Aside from this, everything else is superb.
Sound:
Who can forget the classic Shirley Bassey song "Goldfinger"? And as always, the James Bond theme...
Character Development:
All characters stay static and change little. However, Q gets more lines, and we learn what his actual job at MI6 actually is. A nice touch.
Atmosphere:
The pre-credits teaser whould hook you. If not, Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" will.
Realism:
Warren’s Rating:
FINAL RATING
8.00/10Is the movie worth your time to watch?
13-04-04
