’Goldfinger’, the third movie in the James Bond series, is one of the most memorable movies ever made, and among the best ones I have come across. This was the movie that provided the correct formula for putting together future Bond movies. It had a refreshing plot, with some active spywork going on, like surveillance and stuff, not just the ’zoom-wham-crash-bang-boom!’ routine, which unfortunately most Bond movies are today. I watched this one a long time ago, on VHS, and was awed by it (It was the first bond movie I watched.) The characterisation, the style, everything was just perfect. The story was the same old ’Bad guy wants to conquer the world and good guy wants to stop him’, but what made this movie different was
the radically different plot, and the way it was picturised. Directed by Guy Hamilton, it contains all the marks of good movie making.
CAST AND CHARACTERS
Sean Connery: James Bond; The main attraction of the movie is of course, Sean Connery. His acting is so easy, so natural. James Bond is a man of style, of perfection, of flamboyance and charm, of action. Connery can easily be at home in any of these. He has an atmosphere of ’never being in a hurry’ around him, which was one of the reasons for which James Bond became so famous. He made a mark for himself, showing the world what James Bond was like, and was a huge influence on the rest of the series.
Gert Frobe: Auric Goldfinger; Goldfinger is by no means the most vicious villain Bond has encountered. But he is one of the most memorable. This is because is a very rich, but ordinary guy, unlike most other Bond villains. He dosent have a huge arsenal of technical wizardry at his diposal, or an underground complex of technicians and scientists with ultra hi-tech stuff. but has a perfect plan, and a way to execute it. Cunning, ingenious, and very intelligent, he also is obsessed with gold.
Honor Blackman: Pussy Galore; One of the most toughest, independent and unforgettable Bond girls ever, she didnt fall head over heels for Bond, like most of them do. She dosent have time to follow him around like a puppy. In fact she was Goldfinger’s pilot, and followed his instructions to the dot. Bond, with all his charm couldnt get past her icy disposition, and she was immune to him. He has to use force, and finally she’s the one who saves the day.
Harold Sakata: Oddjob; In many Bond movies, the henchman of the villain is as memorable as the villain himself. The tough, silent korean who is murder loving and fiercly loyal to Goldfinger, is more than a match for Bond. With his enormous strength and a deadly bowler hat with its rim made of metal, he presents himself as the greatest (physical) challenge to Bond.
PLOT
The British Secret Service feel that the bullion dealer and billionaire Auric Goldfinger is upto something crooked, and decides to put him under surveillance. Superspy James Bond is entrusted with the mission. He gets his gadgets from Q, which include a feature packed Austin Matrin, and follows Goldfinger to Switzerland, secretly finds Goldfinger’s factory. He tries to take it out, but gets himself captured. Bond is taken to Goldfinger’s establishment in Kentucky, and he entertains Bond with his plan. It turns out that he is planning to bring the economy of the world under his contol, through a plan he calls ’Operation Grand-Slam.’ Its a really big one. He actually decides to take out Fort Knox, The Gold reserve of the USA, using an advanced nerve gas (which he uses on some of his guests, to test its efficiency) and an atomic device. Goldfinger is obsessed with gold, and wants all of the yellow metal in the world to himself. James Bond, while in captivity of Goldfinger, develops a plan to stop him. But how he executes his plan is in a manner that only James Bond can do. The climax is the most memorable and exciting of all, set in Fort Knox and its
surroundings, all the way to a nail biting finish.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MOVIE
There are many events in the movie which became famous associated with it. The most noticeable is the gadget packed Austin Martin, which includes navigation, Rotatable number plates, ejectable passenger seat, smoke screen, oil spray, bullet proof panels, machine guns, spinning blades extending from the wheels etc. This is the movie which made it mandatory that Bond should have a flashy car, loaded with features, and technology far ahead of time, when he goes about his adventures. There are many memorable action scenes, including the chase scene in the Goldfinger factory, where Bond uses almost all the devices in the car, and the climax fight, which takes place in Fort Knox, betweeen Bond and Oddjob, in which Bond almost gets himself beaten to death. Also, many memorable one liners and are associated with the movie, like the one when Bond asks Goldfinger ’’Do you expect me to talk?’’ The response is: ’’No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!’’ And of course, the beautifully picturised intimate scenes between Bond and his girls add to the charm of the movie. Also, the title song by John Barry (sung by Shirley Bassey) is among the best of the series. The beautiful locales of Switzerland are a bonus.
This movie captured the imagiation of the world, and Bond films had reached their maturity. There is not a boring moment throughuout the movie. The right combination of style, fast cars, beautiful women, great action scenes and fantastic locales, set the trend for Bond films and blazed a trail, that is being followed even today. (But to much a smaller scale, I might add.) If you havent seen this movie, you are really missing something.