Goldfinger is the quintessential James Bond movie. It has the perfect combination of fun, thrills, excitement, it has a great leading man in Sean Connery, and is captained by a wonderful director in Guy Hamilton. When people ask, "What is your favorite James Bond film?", nine times out of ten the answer is Goldfinger.
Goldfinger is the story of James Bond investigating a smuggling case, and uncovering a plot to contaminate Fort Knox in the process. I love the way the story unfolds in this film. James Bond (Sean Connery) is first assigned to investigate Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) to find out if he is smuggling his gold illegally. This quickly evolves to believing that Goldfinger is going to steal the gold supply of Fort Knox, and we actually believe this for the majority of the movie. It is only towards the climax of the film that we find out Goldfingers' true intentions, and this leaves us anxiously waiting to see if Bond will be able to save the world once again. This film also set the standard for gadgetry-equipped vehicles. No Bond car will ever be better than the Aston Martin DB5, and that is, in large part, thanks to all of its high-tech weaponry. The moment in the film that showcases the ejector seat is perhaps the most memorable moment in the history of the franchise. There is one EXTREMELY minor plot hole that I feel the need to address. When Bond is Goldfingers' "guest" on his private jet, we learn that their final destination is actually Kentucky. Perhaps I missed it, but I do not recall the jet ever actually landing there. This flaw in no way diminishes the enjoyment of watching this film. In fact, one of the best moments of my life was watching this film with my grandfather. He had seen the movie when it was released in 1964, and it was quite wonderful knowing that he was also a Bond fan. If you have never seen one of these films, Goldfinger is the perfect place to start.
Sean Connery returns as James Bond. This is perhaps his best performance as 007 because he brings the perfect blend of charm, wit and lethalness to the character. The scene where he is playing golf with Goldfinger is the perfect example of this. This is also the film that, in my opinion anyway, sets the standard for the Bond one-liners. Connery delivers them in such a humorous yet deadly way, and they become second nature to the franchise for years to come. This is an iconic performance from Connery in an iconic James Bond film.
Honor Blackman plays Pussy Galore. I like this character quite a bit because even though she is Goldfingers' personal pilot, and even though she says she is immune to Bonds' charm, you can tell by the way Blackman plays the character that both things are getting to her emotionally in different ways. The look that Galore gives Bond when he says, "He's quite mad, you know." speaks volumes. Galore is a strong, independent woman which is why she is one of the most popular "Bond Girls", and Blackman gives an exemplary performance.
Gert Frobe plays Goldfinger. Goldfinger is one of those Bond villains that you love to hate. There is a certain charm and confidence that he has that Frobe plays into quite well. The scene with the industrial laser is one where Goldfinger shows all of these traits, as well as being exceptionally evil. Frobe's performance is one of the countless reasons why this film is so re-watchable.
Guy Hamilton is the director of Goldfinger. I love the style and tone that Hamilton brings to Bond. In nearly every scene you are anxious to see what happens next, and yet there is a certain enjoyment that is there as well. That kind of tone is tough to achieve. I also love the way Hamilton directs action sequences. There are longer cuts, shorter cuts, tracking shots, and even a couple of P.O.V. shots. The car chase throughout Goldfingers' warehouses keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This film is a brilliant cinematic achievement, and that is due to Hamiltons' masterful directing.
Goldfinger is certainly the most popular of the James Bond films, and there are many reasons why. With a unique combination of action and humor, the film long ago established itself as the Bond film for the ages. If you are a Bond fan like me, and especially if you are a fan of the Sean Connery Bond films, then I cannot recommend this movie highly enough.
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