I consider the first three Bond adventures in the franchise classics. Those three are Dr. No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. Out of all of them, Goldfinger is the most silly but also one of the most entertaining. It also consists of everything a Bond film needs.
This time around, after taking care of a Mexican drug lord, Bond is sent after Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe), a very rich gold smuggler, and his Korean henchman, Oddjob (Harold Sakata), who uses his deadly hat to a killing effect. Bond follows Goldfinger to his gold factory in Switzerland, where Bond is captured by Oddjob and delivered into Goldfinger’s hands. Meanwhile, M16 and the CIA work together when Bond is gone missing.
Goldfinger reveals his evil plan to Bond. Using his private army of Koreans, as well as the help of the pilot Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), he wants to irradiate all of the gold in Fort Knox, therefore causing an economic crisis in the west, while his gold will rise up in value ten times. This will also leave the American gold useless for about 58 years, and give China a worldwide advantage among the chaos.
The movie culminates in an all out battle between Goldfinger’s private army and the American forces protecting Fort Knox, while Bond must fight Oddjob as well as try to deactivate the bomb.
Goldfinger is all silly and gimmicky, but it’s because it’s so silly that it’s good, good as in, one of the best Bond’s in the franchise. It pulls off a lot of good lines, especially by Bond and Goldfinger, and also has a number of memorable set pieces.
“Do you expect me to talk?” asks Bond to Goldfinger, strapped down to a slab of gold with a laser about to slice him in half
“No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” responds Goldfinger.
This conversation between Bond and the principal villain is easily the most memorable in the franchise.
Directed by Guy Hamilton, Goldfinger is also very entertaining and Connery gives a good performance, and one that he deserved in becoming the highest-paid actor of the year. I think that Connery is the best actor to portray Bond, and his confidence in the role is at its maximum here.
Silly but entertaining, gimmicky but definitely worth watching, Goldfinger is one of the most popular and memorable Bond’s in the franchise. It’s pure classic Bond, and is one of the few Bond’s that contains all of the elements needed to perform a great Bond pic.
**** ½/5
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