Goldfinger
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- For other uses, see Goldfinger (disambiguation).
Image:Goldfingerpenguin.jpg Goldfinger, published in 1959, is the seventh James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. It is also the third James Bond film in the official EON Productions series, and the third to star Sean Connery as the suave and sophisticated British Secret Service agent James Bond. Released in 1964, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and directed by Guy Hamilton.
The film is one of the most critically acclaimed of all the James Bond films. In 1965 Norman Wanstall received an Academy Award for Sound Editing for work on the film. The American Film Institute has also honoured the film four times ranking it #90 for best movie quote ("A martini. Shaken, not stirred."), #53 for best song ("Goldfinger"), #49 for best villain, and #71 for most thrilling film.
Goldfinger was the first James Bond film to be shown on U.S. television, which occurred on September 17, 1972 on ABC. At the time, it garnered the highest Nielsen Ratings of any film broadcast on television with 49% of all viewers.
Contents |
The novel
Plot summary
The novel begins in a similar fashion to Moonraker with an acquaintance of Bond (Junius Du Pont from Casino Royale) meeting him in Miami and requesting that he observe a Canasta game between him and the eponymous villain of the novel, Auric Goldfinger. Du Pont suspects Goldfinger of cheating and offers to pay Bond to confirm his suspicions. It turns out that Goldfinger is indeed cheating and Bond forces him to admit his guilt and pay back Du Pont due compensation.
After Bond returns to London he inquires into the background of Goldfinger to find that he's the world's top gold smuggler, the richest man in England, and after further investigation Bond learns Goldfinger is a communist criminal working as the treasurer for the Soviet assassination agency SMERSH.
Bond learns that Goldfinger intends to finance SMERSH's schemes by stealing fifteen billion USD worth of gold bullion from the American bullion depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, an operation codenamed "Operation Grand Slam". Bond, along with Felix Leiter work to prevent the villain from executing his plan, which involves killing the soldiers of Fort Knox with a water-borne toxin and then using an atomic bomb to break into Fort Knox's impregnable vault.
In the novel, Pussy Galore is the head of a criminal organisation from New York City called the Cement Mixers. Her group, as well as various other mobs including the Mafia and the Spangled Mob from Diamonds Are Forever, have been employed to aid Goldfinger in the planning and execution of "Operation Grand Slam".
In terms of gadgets, this Fleming novel is closest to the Bond films technological underpinnings. The secret agent is issued a battleship grey Aston Martin DB Mark III with lethal accessories, as well as a homing device similar to that seen in the movie; however, Q is not in the book.
ISBN numbers
- ISBN 0142002046 (hardcover, 2002, reprint)
- ISBN 0685112179 (paperback)
Trivia
- In the story Goldfinger's gold ingots are distinguishable by a small Z etched somewhere on the bar. In alchemical symbolism, the Z is one of the symbols for gold.
Comic strip adaptation
Fleming's original novel was adapted as a daily comic strip which was published in the British Daily Express newspaper and syndicated around the world. The adaptation ran from October 3, 1960 to April 1, 1961. The adaptation was written by Henry Gammidge and illustrated by John McLusky. It was reprinted by Titan Books in 2004.
The film
Plot summary
In the film, which deviates somewhat from Fleming's novel but still contains many similar plot points, James Bond discovers "Operation Grandslam", a plot by Auric Goldfinger and his organisation, sponsored by the People's Republic of China, to apparently steal the gold from the U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Bond later learns that Goldfinger's intention is not to steal the gold, a completely unfeasible goal, but to devalue it by detonating an atomic bomb within the depository and contaminating the United States's gold reserve thus making all that gold unusable, thereby increasing the value of his own gold.
After a separate mission during the pre-title sequence in which Bond destroys the base of a drug lord and defeats a thug in a bathroom brawl, the film proper begins in Miami with Bond foiling the plan of Goldfinger to cheat at gin. Bond learns that a girl, Jill Masterson, is watching the card game through a telescope and reporting to Goldfinger his opponent's moves. After foiling Goldfinger and forcing him to lose, Bond and Jill consummate their new found relation and afterwards, as Bond goes into the kitchen to get some fresh champagne, he is knocked unconscious by Goldfinger's henchman, Oddjob. When Bond comes to, he discovers that Jill has been covered with gold paint and is dead.
Later in London, Bond is told to investigate Goldfinger further. Bond meets with Goldfinger on a golf course where he plays a round of golf with Goldfinger luring him with the prospect of obtaining a German gold bar from World War II. During the match Goldfinger attempts to cheat, but is caught by Bond. Instead of calling him out, Bond allows this to continue, but switches Goldfinger's ball and forces Goldfinger to lose as they were playing strict rules of golf. After the match Bond installs a homing device on Goldfinger's car, and follows him to Switzerland. While there he meets Tilly Masterson, Jill's sister. Tilly tries to shoot Goldfinger with a sniper rifle, almost hitting Bond instead. As Tilly attempts to flee the scene in her Ford Mustang, Bond slashes her tyres with a spike that extends from his car's wheel cover. Bond subsequently gives her a ride to a service station.
Later that night, Bond does some reconnaissance around Goldfinger's plant. He learns that Goldfinger is casting parts of his Rolls Royce in gold and using the car to smuggle that gold from country to country. He also overhears Goldfinger talking to a Chinese agent about an Operation Grandslam. While there he comes upon Tilly trying to shoot Goldfinger again and accidentally triggers an alarm. During their attempted escape, Bond is captured and Tilly is killed by Oddjob.
Arguably the most famous scene in this film and in any Bond film — Bond is strapped to a table underneath an enormous laser beam where he has a brief discussion with Goldfinger. Without interrogating Bond, Goldfinger sentences 007 to death by slicing him with the laser.
- Bond: "Do you expect me to talk?"
- Goldfinger: "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die."
This scene differs from the corresponding scene in the novel: Goldfinger, using a buzz saw in what is known as "the pressure room", spared Bond's life, not because he claimed knowledge of Goldfinger's plan, but in acceptance of Bond's offer to work for him.
Later, Bond is put onboard Goldfinger's private jet piloted by Goldfinger's personal pilot, Pussy Galore. She informs Bond that they are flying to Baltimore en route to Goldfinger's ranch in Kentucky, near Fort Knox. Bond manages to activate a homing device in the heel of his shoe. Felix Leiter picks up the homer's signal and informs M of Bond's whereabouts.
After they land, Bond is taken to Goldfinger's horse breeding ranch. Goldfinger is holding a meeting with the heads of several U.S. mob families. Bond is taken to a cell, but manages to disable his guard and escape. He eavesdrops on Goldfinger's mob meeting, finding out that Goldfinger intends to kill the troops guarding Fort Knox with nerve gas, then (supposedly) rob the gold depository. Later as Bond discusses the details of Operation Grandslam with Goldfinger, Goldfinger informs Bond that he instead intends to detonate an atomic bomb, supplied by the Chinese government, which will irradiate the entire gold supply of the United States for 58 years, rendering it useless and multiplying the value of Goldfinger's own supply by ten times.
As the operation begins the next day, Pussy's female pilot squad sprays the area around Fort Knox, seemingly killing thousands of soldiers as well as Felix, however, in truth Bond had previously seduced Pussy Galore and had managed to get her to spray a gas that would have no effect. Goldfinger and his army believing the soldiers are dead, blow the main gate and use the laser to break into the vault where he handcuffs Bond to the bomb. Outside the U.S. Army has shown up and engaged Goldfinger's army in a fierce gun battle. During the battle Goldfinger manages to escape while impersonating an army officer and Bond battles and kills Oddjob in the vault. As Bond struggles vainly to deactivate the bomb, a CIA agent enters the vault with Leiter and switches off the bomb just in time.
After accomplishing his mission Bond is honored with a personal meeting with the President of the United States, but during flight finds out that Goldfinger had hijacked the plane and is planning to fly to Cuba. After a struggle onboard, Goldfinger fires his gun, breaking the window, and is subsequently sucked out of the plane. The plane crashes, but Bond and Pussy Galore, who was piloting, manage to parachute out of the plane just in time.
Cast & characters
- James Bond - Sean Connery
- M - Bernard Lee
- Felix Leiter - Cec Linder
- Miss Moneypenny - Lois Maxwell
- Q - Desmond Llewelyn
- Auric Goldfinger - Gert Fröbe
- Oddjob - Harold Sakata
- Pussy Galore - Honor Blackman
- Jill Masterson - Shirley Eaton
- Tilly Masterson - Tania Mallet
- Solo - Martin Benson
- Kisch - Michael Mellinger
- Mr. Ling - Burt Kwouk
Crew
- Directed by: Guy Hamilton
- Written by: Ian Fleming
- Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum, Paul Dehn
- Produced by: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman
- Music composed by: John Barry
- Film editing by: Peter R. Hunt
- Cinematography by: Ted Moore
- Production design by Ken Adam
Soundtrack
Image:007Goldfingersoundtrack.jpg Goldfinger is the first of three James Bond films with a theme song sung by Shirley Bassey. Though she only performed three out of the many Bond film theme songs, her strong, brassy style became a Bond theme trademark. "Goldfinger" was written by John Barry and Anthony Newley. The theme was originally recorded by Newley, but was rerecorded with Bassey for the film and the soundtrack. Newley's version was later released in 1992 as part of the 30th Anniversary of James Bond on film in the compilation collectors edition The Best of Bond...James Bond. Bassey's theme sold over a million copies in the United States awarding her a Gold album. In the United Kingdom the theme reached number 21 on the charts.
The film's soundtrack was composed by John Barry, marking this as his second credited James Bond film soundtrack. The last four tracks were not released on the original soundtrack and were first released on the 30th Anniversary compilation, The Best of Bond...James Bond. They were also later released on the remastered Goldfinger soundtrack in 2003.
Track listing
- "Goldfinger" - Shirley Bassey
- "Into Miami"
- "Alpine Drive / Auric's Factory"
- "Oddjob's Pressing Engagement"
- "Bond Back in Action Again"
- "Teasing The Korean"
- "Gassing The Gangsters"
- "Goldfinger" - (instrumental version)
- "Dawn Raid on Fort Knox"
- "The Arrival of the Bomb and Count Down"
- "Death Of Goldfinger, The End Titles"
- "Golden Girl"
- "Death Of Tilly"
- "The Laser Beam"
- "Pussy Galore's Flying Circus"
Vehicles & gadgets
- Aston Martin DB5 - The most famous of James Bond's company cars. It was his first company car in the films, and is equipped with all of Q Branch's usual refinements (carried from adventure to adventure), including bulletproof front and rear wind screens, oil slick dispenser, smoke screen burner, front wing machine guns, rotating licence plate, and, most famously, the passenger ejector seat, which would again be used in Die Another Day, but in an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. While being the most recognized Bond car, it's actually only appeared in four Bond films: Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, and Tomorrow Never Dies. The car would also be driven by George Lazenby in the 1983 made-for-TV film The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair and by Roger Moore in the 1981 spoof The Cannonball Run. This makes Timothy Dalton the only official Bond actor who has yet to be shown driving the DB5.
- The Tilly Masterson character drives the then all-new Ford Mustang in a duel with the gadget-laden Aston.
- Homer - Bond is issued two homing devices by Q Branch. The first, is the larger, and used by Bond to track the villain's Rolls Royce automobile to his base. The second, is the smaller, and allows MI6 to track Bond's whereabouts; it is hidden in the secret compartment in the heel of one shoe. He later slipped it on to the person of Mr. Solo who was taking his leave from Goldfinger's Fort Knox scheme, hoping that MI6 could then follow and capture Solo and question him about where he got the device. Unfortunately, the tracer was destroyed when Solo was murdered and his body was crushed in a car crusher along with the car he was in.
- The car-ferry airplane is an Aviation Traders Carvair, an aircraft which was built for transporting automobiles and well-off passengers. Only 21 Carvairs were ever built and therefore is rather unknown.
Locations
Film locations
- Miami, Florida
- London, England
- Stoke Poges Golf Club, Buckinghamshire, England
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Fort Knox, Kentucky
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Washington, DC
Shooting locations
- Pilatus Aircraft Factory, Stans and Furka pass (compare the pictures on [1])
- Miami, Florida
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Fort Knox, Kentucky - exteriors only
Asphyxiation argument
Although James Bond films are not known for their technical accuracy, but rather for outlandishly plausible action, one incident in this film bears mentioning.
In one scene, the villain's girlfriend, Jill Masterson, is murdered by "skin suffocation." She was painted with gold paint and died, because her skin was unable to breathe. According to urban legend, the concept was based on the death of a Swiss fashion model who painted herself and asphyxiated.
Though this is a plausible explanation for this unusual method of killing, it has been argued whether or not it is possible. Humans, being mammals, achieve respiration via their mouths and nostrils to fill their lungs with air. The only animals that breathe through their skin are amphibians, insects and worms. In fact, were it true that people breathe, in auxiliary fashion, through their skin, it would, therefore, be impossible for people to engage in extended bathing, mud baths, scuba diving and, indeed, body painting - activities requiring extended covering of the skin. If one did try murder via gilding, the victim would die of heat stroke, but only after a long period and not in the manner shown in the movie. The gold paint would clog the pores and prevent perspiration, rendering the body unable to properly regulate its temperature. Dying in this fashion, however, would take several days and is a very inefficient manner of killing.
The Discovery Channel series, MythBusters has twice attempted to prove or disprove whether skin suffocation due to paint was possible. In both experiments one of the hosts of the series was covered head-to-toe in gold paint. The first experiment was called off when the subject began experiencing breathing and blood pressure problems. In a follow-up experiment, a different subject was covered but this time showed no ill effects.[2]
Trivia
- The villain's name was borrowed from the architect Ernö Goldfinger, and his character bears some resemblance. Ernö Goldfinger consulted his lawyers when the book was published, prompting Fleming to suggest renaming the character "Goldprick", but eventually settled out of court in return for his costs, six copies of the book, and an agreement that the characters' first name Auric would always be used.
- The film's opening teaser sequence is based on the novel's opening where Bond is in the Miami Airport lounge thinking about the recent killing of a drug smuggler.
- The character "Pussy Galore" was named after Ian Fleming's pet octopus.
- Concerned about censors, the film's producers thought about changing Pussy Galore's name to "Kitty Galore". They kept the original name when British newspapers began to refer to Honor Blackman as "Pussy" in the lead up to production.
- Ian Fleming also contributed to the original draft screenplay for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. television series, in which one of the heroes was named "Napoleon Solo". That name originally came from the novel: Napoleon Solo is one of the crime bosses Goldfinger invites to participate in his scheme to steal the gold from Fort Knox, however, the character appearing in the film is a gangster referred to only as "Mr. Solo" (coincidentally a working title for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), he exits the story due to "a pressing engagement." In the film he is taken to a junkyard and crushed in a car compactor. In order to simulate the sound of crumpling metal, sound effects editor Norman Wanstall used the noise of crumpling beer cans.
- Ford supplied the Lincoln Continental which is unceremoniously crushed in a junkyard compactor (causing much anger among American audiences) in return for the all-new Ford Mustang being showcased in the Swiss mountain driving sequence.
- In the end sequence, when the atomic bomb is defused, the original ending countdown shown was "003" seconds remaining to detonation. When the film was released in the U.S., the producers changed it to 007 seconds, but the dialogue line remained: "Three more ticks and Mr. Goldfinger would have hit the jackpot".
- For an unknown reason Jill and Tilly's surname was changed from Masterton to Masterson for the film.
- The gold-painted girl in the opening credits is actually Margaret Nolan who also plays Bond's Miami masseuse, Dink.
- Sean Connery never traveled to the United States to film this movie. Every scene where Bond is in America was shot at Pinewood Studios in London.
- For security reasons, the filmmakers were not allowed to film inside Fort Knox. All sets for the interior of Fort Knox were designed and built from scratch.
- The 3D map Goldfinger used during his mission briefing is now on display at Fort Knox.
- Bond is not a fan of those other British 1960s icons The Beatles. He tells Jill Masterson that they should not be listened to without earmuffs.
- Script co-writer Paul Dehn would later be hired to write most of the entries in the Planet of the Apes film franchise, in part due to his work on Goldfinger.
- Scenes from the film are shown during the opening credits sequence, although footage from the helicopter chase in From Russia with Love and the explosion on Crab Key from "Dr No" are also featured. This is also the first opening credit sequence to show the face of the actor playing James Bond; this would not happen again until The Spy Who Loved Me.
- The film was temporarily banned in Israel due to Gert Fröbe's connections with the Nazi Party. The ban, however, was lifted many years later when a Jewish family publicly thanked Fröbe for protecting them from persecution during World War II.
- Gert Fröbe was chosen for the villain's role because producers Saltzman and Broccoli had happened to see his performance in a German thriller named 'Es geschah am hellichten Tag' ('It happened in broad daylight', 1958), which is based on the story Das Versprechen (literally The Pledge) by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. In that movie, Fröbe performed the role of a psychopathic serial killer named Schrott, who lets out his frustrations about his overly dominating wife on helpless children. Broccoli and Saltzman had watched the movie and decided to get this 'big bad German' for the role.
- The iconic slow aerial shot that follows the opening credits is that of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, which still stands. The big band piece accompanying that is John Barry's "Into Miami."
External links
- {{{2|{{{title|Goldfinger}}}}}} at The Internet Movie Database
- MGM's site on Goldfinger
- Explanation of dying by gilding
- Another explanation of dying by gilding
- James Bond and the Oedipus Complex: The Subtext of Goldfinger
| The James Bond films |
|---|
| Official films Dr. No | From Russia with Love | Goldfinger | Thunderball | You Only Live Twice | On Her Majesty's Secret Service | Diamonds Are Forever | Live and Let Die | The Man with the Golden Gun | The Spy Who Loved Me | Moonraker | For Your Eyes Only | Octopussy | A View to a Kill | The Living Daylights | Licence to Kill | GoldenEye | Tomorrow Never Dies | The World Is Not Enough | Die Another Day | Casino Royale |
| Unofficial films Casino Royale (1954 TV) | Casino Royale (1967 spoof) | Never Say Never Again |
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