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| A hype-pushing, bold poster for Guy Hamilton's Goldfinger, which promises action, star charm and titillating sexiness |
James Bond is back, this time investigating a gold smuggling kingpin.
Goldfinger is written by Paul Dehn (Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)) and Richard Maibaum (Dr. No (1962)), based on the same-titled 1959 novel by Ian Fleming (Live and Let Die (1954)), the 7th in his Bond series, and directed by Guy Hamilton (The Ringer (1952)). It is the third film in the Bond franchise.
Gert Fröbe (Ludwig (1973)) is the fat Goldfinger villain, who schemes to break into the US Treasury's Fort Know gold depository and turn all the gold radioactive. Goldfinger is the silliest film of the Bond franchise up to its point, but hysterically enjoyable all the same.
The golf scene, the Aston Martin gadgets, Goldfinger's exit through a tiny airplane window, - there's a long list of memorable scenes and elements in Goldfinger, which as a movie is similar to the Bond franchise overall in that as entertainment product, it is irresistible.
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Bond franchise: Spectre (2015) - Mendes' second Bond delivers
Skyfall (2012) - Mendes elevates a slickly produced modern Bond to thrilling heights
Die Another Day (2002) - Tamahori makes a thrilling, grand piece of Bond escapism
A View to a Kill (1985) or, Once a Gentleman, Always a Gentleman!
For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Glen debuts with wacky, action-packed Roger Moore Bond
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Connery's last Bond adventure is a colorful romp
From Russia with Love (1963) - Several remarkable elements make Young's 2nd Bond an enduring classic
Dr. No (1962) - Bond # 1 is one attractive package
Guy Hamilton: Top 10: Best car chases in movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Connery's last Bond adventure is a colorful romp
Cost: 3 mil. $
Box office: 124.9 mil. $
= Blockbuster (returned 41.6 times its cost)
[Goldfinger premiered 17 September (London, UK) and runs 110 minutes. The film's budget was the equivalent of the preceding first (Dr. No) and second (From Russia with Love) Bond movies combined, and it is the first in the franchise to put focus on America. Terence Young left as director when he was refused a profit percentage. Shooting took place in Switzerland, the UK including London, Miami, Florida, Kentucky and Washington DC from January - July 1964. Fleming visited the set but died in August, shortly before the film's premiere. The production received permission to film around Kentucky's Fort Knox, the US Bullion Depository, where they violated the flying permits by flying way too low and were harshly reprimanded by the military. All the Fort Knox interiors were shot in a studio set in England. Glass doors in the Leicester Square cinema in London were broken by the ecstatic crowds at the film's premiere. The film recouped its budget in 2 weeks; with Guinness Book of World Records recording it the 'fastest grossing film of all time' and New York's DeMille cinema staying open 24 hours a day to screen the film nonstop. The film grossed 23 mil. $ (50 % of the gross) in North America in its initial release and 46 mil. $ globally. With a double feature re-release with Dr. No in 1966, the gross grew to 51 mil. $ (40.8 % of the total gross) in North America and 73.8 mil. $ elsewhere for a reported enormous 124.9 mil. $ total. The film won the Sound Effects Oscar; it was also nominated for a BAFTA, a Grammy and other awards. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, translating to two notches higher than this review. The film was the first Bond movie to tie gadgets to the character, and the toy version of his Aston Martin DB5 car reportedly became the year's best-selling toy. Bond returned in Thunderball (1965). Hamilton returned with uncredited direction on The Party's Over (1965) and as credited director with Funeral in Berlin (1965); he returned to the Bond franchise with Sean Connery's (The Longest Day (1962)) last Bond portrayal, Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Connery returned first in The Hill (1965). Goldfinger is certified fresh at 98 % with an 8.6/10 critical average.]
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