Trivia

He was originally hired to direct Superman (1978), when the film was scheduled to film in Italy. Marlon Brando refused to work in Italy and insisted the production be moved to England. For this and other reasons the production was moved to England, and Hamilton, a "tax exile" who could only be in England for 30 days a year, had to drop out and was replaced by Richard Donner.

After leaving the armed forces at the end of World War II, Hamilton entered the film industry in a very lowly capacity, but worked his way up very quickly. By the time he was in his mid-20s he was regarded as the foremost first assistant director in British films, working with the top British director of the time, Sir Carol Reed, and also John Huston. Hamilton became a director himself at the age of 30.

He was asked to direct Opération Tonnerre (1965), but he declined due to feeling worn out and "creatively drained" after the production of Goldfinger (1964).

He was asked to direct James Bond 007 contre Dr. No (1962), but declined.

Apart from directing four James Bond movies, he also directed a Harry Palmer movie: Mes funérailles à Berlin (1966); a Miss Marple movie: Le miroir se brisa (1980); and an Hercule Poirot movie: Meurtre au soleil (1982).

He had a fractured working relationship with Eva Renzi when they were working on Mes funérailles à Berlin (1966). It was Renzi's first big film, yet she told Hamilton how to direct her and her co-stars, how to light her, how to place the camera and so on. When he asked her why she didn't trust him, she simply quipped: "I think you're an untalented director.".

He was asked to direct Lifeforce - L'étoile du mal (1985), but he was a tax exile at the time and was unable to work in the UK for the amount of time required to produce a Bond film.

At one point Orson Welles went missing during the Vienna shoot of The Third Man so assistant director Guy Hamilton aided by an over size hat and padded coat stood in for him,.

One reason for his refusal to direct the Bond film "Thunderball" was that he wasn't keen on underwater filming; he felt that it was too slow. Despite that, he would have liked, he said, to have directed "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" - he returned to the Bond franchise with the one after that, "Diamonds Are Forever".