Goldfinger

Almost sublime - this James Bond film had it all, from adventure to romance to thrills. It starts with a shocking electrocution and then into the classic saucy gold credits before the scene is set with Goldfinger himself.

Bond, played by dashing Sean Connery for the third time, has to find out what unpleasant gold-smuggling chap named Auric Goldfinger is up to and put a stop to it. He tracks him down first to Geneva then Kentucky in a sparkling sequence of adventures, occasionally involving bumping into Goldfinger's memorable Korean hatchet-man Oddjob with the odd hat. Favourite bits from so many: short-lived girlfriend Shirley Eaton going for gold; polished Bond being dismissive of the brandy at the Bank Of England much to M's pleb puzzlement; the debut of the special Aston Martin and Q's workshop; the narky golf match between Bond and Goldfinger; Bond's close but rather unnecessary laser shave at Goldfinger's HQ; his various encounters with feisty Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman); the gangster with the pressing engagement; and Shirley Bassey's title song was by miles the best Bond song ever.

The whole film is still a joy, maybe improbable and even ludicrous at times yet I watched it rapt all these years later. It portrays back to us a simpler world though we didn't know it at the time, a world I can sometimes relate to better than the beautiful perfect world we have now. You don't need cgi cartoonery, strong sex, extreme violence, so-called realism – or even a sensible story – if you've got the right mix of escapism and personality put together by people who enjoy what they're doing instead of only being in the middle of a franchise.

Goldfinger was the third Bond film and, on its release in 1964, proved itself to be the first blockbuster of the series, firmly establishing OO7 in the public imagination. Dr No and From Russia with Love had both been successful, but Goldfinger outperformed both at the Box Office, and in the process laid down the guidelines for nearly every Bond film that has followed since.

There is undoubtedly much to admire about the film, not least the memorable Shirley Bassey theme song, still one of the best. Guy Hamilton directs with impressive assurance, the locations are excellent and Sean Connery is once again the epitome of cool as Bond, although he is not as menacing as he was in the first two films. He is, however, still a believable character and finds himself in genuine danger during the film, having to rely on his wits to survive. Goldfinger is one of the great Bond villains, played with real bonhomie by Gert Frobe, who succeeds in making him a more fleshed-out character than many of the one-dimensional baddies of later films. The wonderfully-named Pussy Galore, meanwhile, is one of the best Bond girls. Honor Blackman plays her as a woman with real spirit and intelligence, and it is a pity she does not get more screen time.

Goldfinger also introduced several elements which have since become cliches of the Bond series. For the first time Bond visits Q's workshop to pick up his equipment, and for the first time he receives some fancy gadgets, packaged up in the famous and stylish Aston Martin. The film is also injected with a lot more humour than its predecessors, with OO7 throwing out one-liners more frequently and a somewhat camper tone being introduced to proceedings. As Oddjob, Howard Sakata is the first in a long line of totally silent but lethal henchmen. He is not as good as Red Grant in From Russia with Love (who spoke), but his deadly hat is memorable, and he is a formidable opponent for Bond.

Good as it is, however, it could be argued that Goldfinger had a malign influence on many of its successors. Because it was so successful, the Bond producers became convinced that later OO7 releases should follow the same gadget-led, tongue-in-cheek style, but on a grander scale. As a result, Goldfinger began the shift away from the relatively serious, hard-edged tone of the first two films towards the light-hearted visual spectaculars that would come to dominate the franchise in the 1970s. Taken on its own terms, though, Goldfinger certainly ranks as one of the best Bond films, and is much better than the later ones which tried hardest to mimic and outdo it. Personally I like the tougher films in the franchise the best, especially From Russia with Love, but Goldfinger is the most enjoyable Bond film of its kind, and deserves its classic status.

First of all, I must state for the record, Sean Connery is THE James Bond. Even though the first Bond film I ever saw was "For Your Eyes Only" with Roger Moore. I was very young and very much drawn in. I have seen every one of the Bond films and without a doubt, "Goldfinger" is the finest the 007 saga has to offer.

Before I had begun an appreciation of the Connery films, i.e. before I'd seen them, a good friend and cartooning mentor, Ross Paperman, sorted me out. He helped me see how Connery's Bond was suave and sophisticated but also demonstrated a quality the other Bonds do not portray: fear. Not a panicky soil-your-pants kind of fear, mind you. But Connery's Bond actually has a few anxious, sweat-soaked-brow moments. A perfect example is when Bond is strapped to a table as Goldfinger's captive with a laser beam primed to cut him in half. 007 has to think fast. "Do you expect me to talk?" "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" A famous scene and line from Bond's most enjoyable film.

Perhaps what makes the earlier films more enjoyable is that they had fresh, innovative elements that have now become cliché and gimmicky. The new films are often stale and already covered ground and they don't even appear to be trying anymore.

But it's more than that. Even watching "Goldfinger" today, having seen all the latest in special effects and technology that Hollywood has to offer, it still is riveting and thoroughly entertaining. That is also without the added advantage of being overly nostalgic about "Goldfinger". How could I? I hadn't even been born when it first hit theaters, and it was far from my first 007 experience. The story, the characters and the fun of "Goldfinger" is timeless and if given a chance could probably rope in a whole new generation of fans. It just doesn't seem likely to happen.

Much of the satire from the Austin Powers films is directly derived from the Connery films, especially "Goldfinger" and "Dr. No", proving their lasting effect on popular culture. As well, John Barry's scores from the Connery films are finding their way into the ears of a new generation through pop music as snippets from his soundtracks are sampled by such artists as Robbie Williams, Mono and Curve, to name a few.

But if by some fluke you read this and you haven't seen "Goldfinger" yet, do yourself right and acquaint yourself with the real James Bond. You'll probably be hooked by the time you hear Shirley Bassey's voice in the famous opening theme.

Goldfinger (1964) is Quintessential James Bond 007 it is my number one all time favorite James Bond 007 film from Sean Connery. This one, You Only Live Twice and DR. No from Sean Connery are really my top three all time favorite James Bond 007 films. This was originally the first James Bond film I saw as a kid. Goldfinger was also my dad's favorite James Bond film and in years it become a cult classic. Even for 53 year old movie it still a classic the best 007 flick. I love it to death, I am enjoying it and I have so much fun watching it.

This movie has so much action, action, action and more action. Sean Connery does an excellent performance as James Bond 007 I'm a hard-core James Bond fan. I make no apologies for believing that even the late Sean Connery is the closest thing we've seen to IAN FLEMING's James Bond. Everyone who watched this movie know is a really good Bond movie.

The reason why is this movie so good: - James Bond has new cool car Aston Martin DB5 build with smoke screen in which can throw a co driver seat out of the car and the revolving licence plate. The car also has other applications such as: 30 calibre machine guns, Tire-shredding blade, Oil smoke and water emitters. Actress Shirley Eaton as the murdered Jill Masterson-" is one of the most enduring images in cinematic history. The girl is painted with gold and dies. Memorable and cool villains like are: Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob ( Goldfinger's second henchman.) Oddjob wears a Sandringham hat with a sharpened steel rim, he is using it as a lethal weapon in the style of a chakram. The movie has great sexy beautiful girls like Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson and Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson. Cool dialogues I love it so much.

"Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"

This was directed by director Guy Hamilton it was his first James Bond 007 film the first two films were directed by Terence Young in which he directed Thunderball next Bond movie after this one. This movie also didn't evolve around SPECTRE this time like was in the first two film it was about a brilliant mastermind criminal in which he planed to blow off Fort Knox to get more profits for his Gold brilliant! It has beautiful great music score by John Barry I love it. The car Aston Martin DB5 James Bond 007 was driving was so cool, it has so many accessories it was beautiful to watch it.

Investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.

This movie has so much impact it is well acted it has great brilliant plot.

Gert Fröbe R.I.P was brilliant and excellent as Goldfinger the original villain. He gave his powerful performance as the bad guy from the title of the movie. I love him in this movie.

Harold Sakata R.I.P. as Oddjob was great villain just like Goldfinger, he was really strong and excellent in hand to hand combat. Oddjob and Jaws are two great Bond villains.

Honor Blackman is the first of a long line of James Bond females with patently sexual names And ho could ever forget Shirley Eaton's introduction in the film? She is lying on a chaise longue on the balcony of Goldfinger's Miami Beach hotel suite, attired in black bra and panties, while she observes Mr. Simmons' (Austin Willis) gin hand through binoculars.

What more could you ask for? Well, how about a film in which Bond actually *does* something? For the whole 2nd half of this movie he's just a prisoner who fails every attempt to escape, signal his superiors or even deactivate the bomb himself. Even killing Oddjob at the end is ultimately meaningless as he's still trapped in the vault with a bomb he can't disarm until the Army rescues him.

Goldfinger is a 1964 British spy film and the third instalment in the James Bond series to be produced by Eon Productions, starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title character Auric Goldfinger, along with Shirley Eaton as the iconic Bond girl Jill Masterson. Goldfinger was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and was the first of four Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton.

10/10 Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved me has such a great villains and they are both in my top 10 James Bond favorite films. I just love and enjoy watching this film. Goldfinger in my opinion is MILES way better then Daniel Craig's last three films he did. This movie deserves a cult classic status movies like this will never be so good like was Goldfinger. It is quintessential James Bond 007 action cult classic film I love this movie to death it is my number one favorite Sean Connery's James Bond 007 film.

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. This is the third installment in the Bond series n Connery reprises his role as James Bond for the third time. While vacationing in Miami Beach, Bond is directed by the MI6 n CIA to keep an eye on a bullion dealer Auric Goldfinger at the hotel there. During the investigation, Bond uncovers the gold magnate's sinister plan involving the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.

This was the first Bond movie to introduce the extensive use of technology and gadgets by Bond. It was also the first one where a Bond girl is killed. Quantum of Solace, includes an homage to the gold body paint death scene (inspired from this movie) by having a female character dead on a bed nude, covered in crude oil. In this one, Bond faces a sinister and sadist villain known as Goldfinger and his strong henchman, Oddjob, who kills people with his razor sharp hat. He gets to cool off with Honor Blackman n Shirley Eaton.

In the book, Goldfinger is an expert pistol shot who never misses, and always shoots his opponents through the right eye. He tells Bond he has done so with four Mafia heads. In the book, Oddjob has a taste for cats as food, apparently acquired during a previous famine in Korea.