The man with a midas touch! (Goldfinger (DVD))

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Goldfinger (DVD)
Date:	02/04/02 (169 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny, Entertaining, Bond!

Disadvantages: None really

Ian Fleming's James Bond series of films has been around now for nigh on 40 years. Of course, it's had it's highs and lows, but with Pierce Brosnan as the ubiquitous hero, it's back to being near it's best again.

However, during the course of a recent pub conversation with other Bond fans, the question was raised: "Which is the best Bond film?"

My answer was "Goldfinger" and a recent viewing has only strengthened this point of view.

? Pussy Galore: "My name is Pussy Galore"
? Bond: "I must be dreaming!"

James Bond (Sean Connery) is asked by the Bank of England and "M" of MI6 (Bernard Lee) to discover if Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), a gold obsessed industrialist, is smuggling gold out of Britain. During the course of his investigation, Bond discovers a much larger and more sinister plot by the villain to cripple the US economy which will increase the value of his own gold supply and help enemies of the United States in a financial sense.

This was Connery's (and indeed, everyone else's) third outing with Bond and I think this is reflected in the movie. The beginnings of the classical Bond template is on offer here, and while other Bond movies have better gadgets, music, plot, secondary characters, henchmen and more beautiful women, few have managed to get the blend as good as they do here. You can tell the cast and crew are starting to get the feel of the whole Bond thing, and as such comes over all the better for it.

? Colonel Smithers: "Have a little more of this rather disappointing brandy."
? "M": "What's the matter with it?"
? Bond: I'd say it was a thirty year old "fine", indifferently blended, Sir.....with an overdose of Bon Bois!
? "M": "Colonel Smithers is giving the lecture, 007."

Oddjob's not the best or most charasmatic henchpers
on the series has seen (his single syllable grunt can mean anything from "I have found your golfball, Mr. Goldfinger" to "Men, pick up that young lady") although he is as tough for Bond to beat as any of the others.

The Bond series have never been noted for outstanding acting abilities, despite having some top class talent on board, but at least in this case no-one lets the side down, and everything is played straight, despite being firmly tongue-in-cheek overall.

Even after 20 official Bond outings, Gert Fröbe still gets (in my opinion) the best line ever to grace a Bond adventure.

? Bond (desperately, with a metal cutting laser making rapid progress toward his family jewels): "Do you expect me to talk?"
? Goldfinger (laughing): "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!"

There are a few other outstanding elements of this particular Bond movie: the Aston Martin DB5 is a lovely car (the ejector seat when your girlfriend/boyfriend insists on listening to some crap music would be very handy, never mind the other cool stuff), and the theme tune, sung by Miss Shirley Bassey is one of the best on offer. Also, the image of Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) being naked, painted entirely in gold paint is as memorable as Ursula Andress emerging from the sea in Dr. No.

As usual, the action takes place across a wide range of differing locations: England, the Swiss Alps and Kentucky being the main ones. This does a good job of reinforcing the point that Bond is an international player. As usual, the villain is an impeccably polite character, despite being quite naughty, and I am always amused when the villain asks one of his employess to "show Mr. Bond to his quarters" when what he actually means is: "Chuck Jim in jail."

? Goldfinger: "Choose your next witticism carefully, Mr. Bond. It may be your last!"

It's well paced, meaning you are never bored
from beginning to end, and is all so enjoyable that you don't care about the gaping plot holes which crop up from time to time. As well as that, some of the special effects are hopelessly out of date now, and the sight of the film being speeded up to supposedly simulate speeding cars does seem to stretch credibility somewhat. However, for me, Goldfinger is the Bond movie that all Bond movies will be compared to.



Dir. Guy Hamilton
1964

Cast:
Sean Connery - James Bond
Honor Blackman - Pussy Galore
Gert Fröbe - Auric Goldfinger
Shirley Eaton - Jill Masterson
Tania Mallet - Tilly Masterson
Harold Sakata - Oddjob
Bernard Lee - M
Cec Linder - Felix Leiter
Lois Maxwell - Moneypenny
Richard Vernon - Colonel Smithers (The Bank of England Official)
Burt Kwouk - Mr. Ling
Desmond Llewelyn - Q (Major Boothroyd, MI6)

James Bond will return!

Summary: