Goldfinger (1964) User Reviews (592)

The Blueprint For the Franchise

[Orpington · 8/10 · 21 July 2003]

Goldfinger was the third Bond film and, on its release in 1964, proved itself to be the first blockbuster of the series, firmly establishing OO7 in the public imagination. Dr No and From Russia with Love had both been successful, but Goldfinger outperformed both at the Box Office, and in the process laid down the guidelines for nearly every Bond film that has followed since.

There is undoubtedly much to admire about the film, not least the memorable Shirley Bassey theme song, still one of the best. Guy Hamilton directs with impressive assurance, the locations are excellent and Sean Connery is once again the epitome of cool as Bond, although he is not as menacing as he was in the first two films. He is, however, still a believable character and finds himself in genuine danger during the film, having to rely on his wits to survive. Goldfinger is one of the great Bond villains, played with real bonhomie by Gert Frobe, who succeeds in making him a more fleshed-out character than many of the one-dimensional baddies of later films. The wonderfully-named Pussy Galore, meanwhile, is one of the best Bond girls. Honor Blackman plays her as a woman with real spirit and intelligence, and it is a pity she does not get more screen time.

Goldfinger also introduced several elements which have since become cliches of the Bond series. For the first time Bond visits Q's workshop to pick up his equipment, and for the first time he receives some fancy gadgets, packaged up in the famous and stylish Aston Martin. The film is also injected with a lot more humour than its predecessors, with OO7 throwing out one-liners more frequently and a somewhat camper tone being introduced to proceedings. As Oddjob, Howard Sakata is the first in a long line of totally silent but lethal henchmen. He is not as good as Red Grant in From Russia with Love (who spoke), but his deadly hat is memorable, and he is a formidable opponent for Bond.

Good as it is, however, it could be argued that Goldfinger had a malign influence on many of its successors. Because it was so successful, the Bond producers became convinced that later OO7 releases should follow the same gadget-led, tongue-in-cheek style, but on a grander scale. As a result, Goldfinger began the shift away from the relatively serious, hard-edged tone of the first two films towards the light-hearted visual spectaculars that would come to dominate the franchise in the 1970s. Taken on its own terms, though, Goldfinger certainly ranks as one of the best Bond films, and is much better than the later ones which tried hardest to mimic and outdo it. Personally I like the tougher films in the franchise the best, especially From Russia with Love, but Goldfinger is the most enjoyable Bond film of its kind, and deserves its classic status.

The superlative James Bond film

[ToldYaSo · 9/10 · 20 July 1999]

First of all, I must state for the record, Sean Connery is THE James Bond. Even though the first Bond film I ever saw was "For Your Eyes Only" with Roger Moore. I was very young and very much drawn in. I have seen every one of the Bond films and without a doubt, "Goldfinger" is the finest the 007 saga has to offer.

Before I had begun an appreciation of the Connery films, i.e. before I'd seen them, a good friend and cartooning mentor, Ross Paperman, sorted me out. He helped me see how Connery's Bond was suave and sophisticated but also demonstrated a quality the other Bonds do not portray: fear. Not a panicky soil-your-pants kind of fear, mind you. But Connery's Bond actually has a few anxious, sweat-soaked-brow moments. A perfect example is when Bond is strapped to a table as Goldfinger's captive with a laser beam primed to cut him in half. 007 has to think fast. "Do you expect me to talk?" "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" A famous scene and line from Bond's most enjoyable film.

Perhaps what makes the earlier films more enjoyable is that they had fresh, innovative elements that have now become cliché and gimmicky. The new films are often stale and already covered ground and they don't even appear to be trying anymore.

But it's more than that. Even watching "Goldfinger" today, having seen all the latest in special effects and technology that Hollywood has to offer, it still is riveting and thoroughly entertaining. That is also without the added advantage of being overly nostalgic about "Goldfinger". How could I? I hadn't even been born when it first hit theaters, and it was far from my first 007 experience. The story, the characters and the fun of "Goldfinger" is timeless and if given a chance could probably rope in a whole new generation of fans. It just doesn't seem likely to happen.

Much of the satire from the Austin Powers films is directly derived from the Connery films, especially "Goldfinger" and "Dr. No", proving their lasting effect on popular culture. As well, John Barry's scores from the Connery films are finding their way into the ears of a new generation through pop music as snippets from his soundtracks are sampled by such artists as Robbie Williams, Mono and Curve, to name a few.

But if by some fluke you read this and you haven't seen "Goldfinger" yet, do yourself right and acquaint yourself with the real James Bond. You'll probably be hooked by the time you hear Shirley Bassey's voice in the famous opening theme.

Man has climbed Everest, gone to the bottom of the ocean. He's fired rockets at the Moon, split the atom, achieved miracles in every field of human endeavor... except crime!

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 30 November 2020]

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. This is the third installment in the Bond series n Connery reprises his role as James Bond for the third time. While vacationing in Miami Beach, Bond is directed by the MI6 n CIA to keep an eye on a bullion dealer Auric Goldfinger at the hotel there. During the investigation, Bond uncovers the gold magnate's sinister plan involving the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.

This was the first Bond movie to introduce the extensive use of technology and gadgets by Bond. It was also the first one where a Bond girl is killed. Quantum of Solace, includes an homage to the gold body paint death scene (inspired from this movie) by having a female character dead on a bed nude, covered in crude oil. In this one, Bond faces a sinister and sadist villain known as Goldfinger and his strong henchman, Oddjob, who kills people with his razor sharp hat. He gets to cool off with Honor Blackman n Shirley Eaton.

In the book, Goldfinger is an expert pistol shot who never misses, and always shoots his opponents through the right eye. He tells Bond he has done so with four Mafia heads. In the book, Oddjob has a taste for cats as food, apparently acquired during a previous famine in Korea.

Quintessential James Bond 007 Sean Connery's best film my favorite

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 9 November 2017]

Goldfinger (1964) is Quintessential James Bond 007 it is my number one all time favorite James Bond 007 film from Sean Connery. This one, You Only Live Twice and DR. No from Sean Connery are really my top three all time favorite James Bond 007 films. This was originally the first James Bond film I saw as a kid. Goldfinger was also my dad's favorite James Bond film and in years it become a cult classic. Even for 53 year old movie it still a classic the best 007 flick. I love it to death, I am enjoying it and I have so much fun watching it.

This movie has so much action, action, action and more action. Sean Connery does an excellent performance as James Bond 007 I'm a hard-core James Bond fan. I make no apologies for believing that even the late Sean Connery is the closest thing we've seen to IAN FLEMING's James Bond. Everyone who watched this movie know is a really good Bond movie.

The reason why is this movie so good: - James Bond has new cool car Aston Martin DB5 build with smoke screen in which can throw a co driver seat out of the car and the revolving licence plate. The car also has other applications such as: 30 calibre machine guns, Tire-shredding blade, Oil smoke and water emitters. Actress Shirley Eaton as the murdered Jill Masterson-" is one of the most enduring images in cinematic history. The girl is painted with gold and dies. Memorable and cool villains like are: Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob ( Goldfinger's second henchman.) Oddjob wears a Sandringham hat with a sharpened steel rim, he is using it as a lethal weapon in the style of a chakram. The movie has great sexy beautiful girls like Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson and Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson. Cool dialogues I love it so much.

"Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"

This was directed by director Guy Hamilton it was his first James Bond 007 film the first two films were directed by Terence Young in which he directed Thunderball next Bond movie after this one. This movie also didn't evolve around SPECTRE this time like was in the first two film it was about a brilliant mastermind criminal in which he planed to blow off Fort Knox to get more profits for his Gold brilliant! It has beautiful great music score by John Barry I love it. The car Aston Martin DB5 James Bond 007 was driving was so cool, it has so many accessories it was beautiful to watch it.

Investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.

This movie has so much impact it is well acted it has great brilliant plot.

Gert Fröbe R.I.P was brilliant and excellent as Goldfinger the original villain. He gave his powerful performance as the bad guy from the title of the movie. I love him in this movie.

Harold Sakata R.I.P. as Oddjob was great villain just like Goldfinger, he was really strong and excellent in hand to hand combat. Oddjob and Jaws are two great Bond villains.

Honor Blackman is the first of a long line of James Bond females with patently sexual names And ho could ever forget Shirley Eaton's introduction in the film? She is lying on a chaise longue on the balcony of Goldfinger's Miami Beach hotel suite, attired in black bra and panties, while she observes Mr. Simmons' (Austin Willis) gin hand through binoculars.

What more could you ask for? Well, how about a film in which Bond actually *does* something? For the whole 2nd half of this movie he's just a prisoner who fails every attempt to escape, signal his superiors or even deactivate the bomb himself. Even killing Oddjob at the end is ultimately meaningless as he's still trapped in the vault with a bomb he can't disarm until the Army rescues him.

Goldfinger is a 1964 British spy film and the third instalment in the James Bond series to be produced by Eon Productions, starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title character Auric Goldfinger, along with Shirley Eaton as the iconic Bond girl Jill Masterson. Goldfinger was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and was the first of four Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton.

10/10 Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved me has such a great villains and they are both in my top 10 James Bond favorite films. I just love and enjoy watching this film. Goldfinger in my opinion is MILES way better then Daniel Craig's last three films he did. This movie deserves a cult classic status movies like this will never be so good like was Goldfinger. It is quintessential James Bond 007 action cult classic film I love this movie to death it is my number one favorite Sean Connery's James Bond 007 film.

Best Bond movie ever.

[MovieAddict2016 · 10/10 · 7 May 2004]

Goldfinger could best be described as the quintessential, definitive Bond film, the first of the series to set the necessities of the entire saga in motion. It is also the best of the Bond movies, arguably the most suave and sophisticated, far superior to the Roger Moore era and those who followed in Connery's footsteps. It is the Bond ultimatum, so to speak.

Goldfinger was the first of the iconic legacy to feature Q (Desmond Llewelyn) as a recurring comic relief figure. (He was introduced in From Russia with Love, the second film in the series, where he was credited as Major Boothroyd, and given little screen time.) It was also the first to truly setup the suave nature of 007, the tongue-in-cheek humor (absent in the first movie, Dr. No), the far-fetched gadgetry (including fast cars, this one being an Aston-Martin) and, arguably, the first of the series to feature the famous line, "Bond, James Bond," as a 007 catchphrase, versus a mere line of dialogue. When Bond storms out onto the patio of the motel room, the camera zooms in towards his face, the 007 theme song roars through the speakers, and he says his motto with cool confidence. It's Bond, baby.

Both of Goldfinger's predecessors were darker, more serious motion pictures -- more in-tune with the writing of Fleming versus the suaveness to later be salvaged from the series with the third installment. Although Dr. No was a terrific movie, and although From Russia with Love is exciting, Goldfinger beats them both. It features the best (and most famous) Bond villain to ever grace the screen, constantly spoofed in countless productions: Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), the target of Austin Powers in Goldmember and, according to IMDb, referenced and spoofed in well over 100 other productions.

There isn't much of a plot, really. Goldfinger plans to rob Fort Knox and become the richest man in the world. Bond finds out and tries to put a stop to his mission. What entices us, and what makes the film so entertaining despite the absurdity, is its leniency towards itself. It doesn't mind being silly because the entertainment value far outweighs any flaws. Plus, it has some of the most memorable scenes in history, and arguably the best Villain Explanation Scene to ever be recorded. "Do you expect me to talk, Goldfinger?" Bond (Sean Connery) asks as a laser beam slowly makes its way towards his groin. "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" he says with mock ridicule, before walking away. The following shots is one of the only sequences in James Bond history where the iconic character actually seems fairly worried that fate may be playing a deadly hand.

Released in 1964, forty years later it stands as one of the most risqué Bond films to date. Especially for its time, there is brief nudity during the opening credits, sexual scenes, constant innuendo (including a Bond girl named "Pussy Galore," played by Honor Blackman) and implications of lesbianism.

Galore's sexual orientation is not delved into as deeply and explicitly as it may be dealt with in today's day and age, but the inclusion exists. Bond struggles verbally with Galore, trying to woo and seduce her, and she subtly implies from their very first meeting that she will not be seduced, claiming it is impossible for Bond to get very far with her, thereby insinuating that she is, in fact, a lesbian. According to the director of the film, Guy Hamilton, the entire situation is given much more emphasis in the novel by Ian Fleming, but it was simply too foul a subject for audiences back in 1964. Surprisingly, the verbal exchanges and implications behind the subject matter are much more effective.

All of the actors in Goldfinger are, at the very least, very good. But of course, it is really Sean Connery who demands our utmost attention and respect, for it is Connery whose inhumanly strong screen presence launched Bond into the heights of Movie Legend.

Recently in London I attended a James Bond exhibition, and as I made my way through a maze of Bond memorabilia and objects used in all twenty-something movies, I found myself realizing that the myth of 007 propels the films farther than anything else ever could. There is a sort of iconic legacy surrounding the entire Bond franchise that will probably never die. Different action heroes come and go, and nowadays Rambo looks criminally out of date, but Bond, in his black-and-white tuxedo, with all his suave sophistication, will never grow old, because he is a timeless hero who is comprised of all the greatest heroic attributes to ever be assembled, and although his style and looks may grow weary amid the changing ages, his character will remain the ultimate hero, and I very much doubt that we will ever live to see a day when Bond becomes outdated.

"No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!"

[uds3 · 12 September 2002]

Could anyone not recognise that line today...and still be clinically alive?

You hear talk about a "hit movie" today...what's that? "xXx" ??? (which itself owes its total existence to this film!) No my friends, "Success" is queuing up down the street to watch a film screening two sessions ahead. GOLDFINGER was such an enormous hit in '64 nothing much else mattered but THE BEATLES and seeing Connery do his thing! and let me add, NO-ONE has ever done the James Bond thing better...as Vin Diesel himself readily admits.

GOLDFINGER was everything that James Bond, action movies and escapism in general ever COULD amount to. Dated it may be, laughable back-projections yes! outrageous jump-suits and hair-styles....but still no one has come up with a better Bond film - and God they've had 18 stabs at it! PLUS a few ring-ins. (CASINO ROYALE, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN) Much of the credit for this fantastic film must go to the (then) new Bond Director Guy Hamilton, who ushered-in here an acknowledgment that Bond must grow and develop as a character and the ability to be able to send both himself and the series up via some smart dialog. How they ever managed to get away with the name "Pussy Galore" on screen, still staggers me!

The gadgets hit a new high with this third outing which at the box office that year blew most everything else off the screen. At the London theater premiere, they had the famous Aston Martin actually there in the foyer...and you people think the latest Holden Commodore has some meaning???? Gimmee a break guys! Its taken them forty years to make publically available the satellite tracking system used here. THAT'S how far ahead of its time it was!

Was this packed with memorable dialog too? "This is GOLD Mr Bond!" "Lovely sport!" "Oh, he had a pressing engagement," "You don't look like the sort of girl should be ditched!" and the quintessential "I never joke about my work 007" Gert Frobe's villainous Goldfinger has never been improved upon and Harold Sakata's bad-guy Oddjob simply never equalled.

GOLDFINGER had everything. It stands as perhaps THE icon of 60's movie-making and for those lucky enough to have been around then, it remains the most beloved of nostalgic revisitations.

If Only All Bond Movies Were This Good

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 14 July 2003]

I first saw GOLDFINGER round about 1977 and it has been shown on British television more times than I can count . In fact it`s somewhat ridiculous the amount of times it`s been repeated and having seen it so many times after more than 25 years I find it impossible to say much on it.

I will say however that future Bond production teams seem to have taken all the lesser bits of GOLDFINGER while completely ignoring all the good elements . The lesser bits are the awful puns like " Shocking " and " He blew a fuse " . How many times have you watched a Bond movie where the hero has dispatched a bad guy and you`ve made your own pun which is ten times better than the one Bond says to camera ? Exactly . Of course in 1964 these one liners might have been ground breaking but after the franchise has gone on you feel that the screenwriters have been ordered to write a sequence so that Bond can make a groan inducing one liner . Oh and I haven`t even mentioned Pussy Galore ( Insert your own joke here ) , this is another thing that the producers seem obsessed with - woman with completely unreal names , everytime someone makes a Bond movie we get a Plenty O Toole or some such weird name . The novelty wears out very quickly .

What I liked about GOLDFINGER is that James Bond is shown as being vulnerable , it`s about the only film in the franchise when he is unable to save the lives of his lovers for example , and lets not forget the classic scene of the lazer beam creeping up the table where he has to use his wits , and has anyone noticed that he doesn`t actually save the day at the Fort Knox climax ? He doesn`t even need to be there . Compare that scenario with the later Bond movies ( Especially the Roger Moore ones ) when he stops the baddies single handed in a ridiculously contrived and OTT manner , such a pity they don`t make Bond films like this anymore .

Despite seeing GOLDFINGER more times than I care to mention I`ll no doubt watch it again next time it`s on British television

Memories "Galore" For This Bond Film

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 11 March 2006]

Whether it's my nostalgia talking or a plain fact, I've always looked at this as the best James Bond film ever produced. It had the most memorable characters and scenes I can remember over these four decades of Bond films. Yes, it's dated by now and not as exciting as when it came out, but it's a treasure among the films of the 1960s.

It has a winning combination of good action, drama, romance and comedy. Best of all, it has great characters that all of us who first saw it years ago still remember: "Auric Goldfinger," Oddjob,." and - of course - "Pussy Galore," one of the all-time great names in the history of film!

The story moves fast without overdoing the action. Sure some of it - especially today - looks contrived and corny, but that's part of the fun and charm of the film. Meanwhile, Bond's Aston-Martin DB5 sports car will never go out of style. It's still very cool.....like the film.

Bond at His Best

[dansandini · 7/10 · 5 June 2015]

Of course this is dated, but digitally remastered it really is worth the price of admission. Sean Connery plays James Bond and has some pretty good one liners. As a matter of fact it's the gafaws that keep the entertainment coming. How did they get Bond to say "Pussy" so many times without breaking a smile. Note also the impeccable costuming here. Bond's creases are razor sharp, even while in a violent struggle with Pussy et. al. Points also for some striking scenery in the Swiss Alps. Points also for Q providing Bond with a pretty good approximation of what decades later was to become "Google Maps." Grab a Martini and re-enjoy this timeless classic. (shaken not stirred, of course.)

24 carat Bond...even Pussy went down Well

[Spondonman · 8/10 · 26 November 2012]

Almost sublime - this James Bond film had it all, from adventure to romance to thrills. It starts with a shocking electrocution and then into the classic saucy gold credits before the scene is set with Goldfinger himself.

Bond, played by dashing Sean Connery for the third time, has to find out what unpleasant gold-smuggling chap named Auric Goldfinger is up to and put a stop to it. He tracks him down first to Geneva then Kentucky in a sparkling sequence of adventures, occasionally involving bumping into Goldfinger's memorable Korean hatchet-man Oddjob with the odd hat. Favourite bits from so many: short-lived girlfriend Shirley Eaton going for gold; polished Bond being dismissive of the brandy at the Bank Of England much to M's pleb puzzlement; the debut of the special Aston Martin and Q's workshop; the narky golf match between Bond and Goldfinger; Bond's close but rather unnecessary laser shave at Goldfinger's HQ; his various encounters with feisty Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman); the gangster with the pressing engagement; and Shirley Bassey's title song was by miles the best Bond song ever.

The whole film is still a joy, maybe improbable and even ludicrous at times yet I watched it rapt all these years later. It portrays back to us a simpler world though we didn't know it at the time, a world I can sometimes relate to better than the beautiful perfect world we have now. You don't need cgi cartoonery, strong sex, extreme violence, so-called realism – or even a sensible story – if you've got the right mix of escapism and personality put together by people who enjoy what they're doing instead of only being in the middle of a franchise.

Shaken, not stirred!

[OllieSuave-007 · 6/10 · 3 March 2014]

Sean Connery's third outing as James Bond 007 is chock-full of gun-totting action, Bond girls, peculiar villains and surprises. Bond's next mission takes him to Fort Knox, where Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) and his henchman are planning to raid Fort Knox, to the expense of the World's economy.

Bond's mission to save the world is one somewhat thrilling ride as he dodges the killer hat of lead henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata), wrestle with ace pilot Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) and show-off in the classic and gadget-equipped Bondmobile, the Ashton Martin. There are more suspense and action, though, that I remembered from the previous two films. This movie is mostly all-talk and suffers from, unfortunately, lack of action (mostly from Bond), excitement and formidable villains (Goldfinger is not a force to be reckoned with). The plot is also pretty slow, with the golf scene being extremely boring. One bright side, though, is that this movie also features the iconic Bond girl Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton), all painted in gold, and the legendary sultry title song, Goldfinger, brilliantly sung by Shirley Bassey. The song will instantly remind you that this is a Bond film.

It's a more average 007 adventure, where Bond first utters his famous catchphrase, "shaken, not stirred."

Grade C

Effortless cool, Bond was never greater

[The Spectacular Spider-Man · 10/10 · 5 October 2008]

Now, we're talking.

What Goldfinger does, that so many subsequent Bond movies forget, is not overdo things. It underplays everything. This is a movie of such effortless cool and style that it's sweeps the viewer along with charm. Many Bond movies also jar between action and non-action scenes (The World is Not Enough, for instance). Goldfinger moves through the gears with aplomb.

Goldfinger is so stylish that even the pre-credit sequence contains more cool than the entirety of most 007 films. You have the iconic wetsuit/tuxedo scene; Bond lighting a cigarette just as an explosion goes off; the unflinchingly brutality of Bond electrocuting a man then just turning away to make a quip; and finally him slamming the door - even than leads perfectly into the Shirley Bassey theme.

Everything is pitch perfect. Goldfinger himself is the ideal combo of vulgar greed and gentlemanly host. A perfect foe for for Bond. Pussy Galore combines the voluptuousness of 60's Bond girls with the spirit of the more modern ones. Connery himself is the epitome of Bond; charismatic, tough, ultra-suave.

There are plenty of standout scenes; the laser-beam table is unmatched in the series for sheer, pure tension; the aston martin chase is again one of the best in the series and shows up similar scenes in the likes of Die Another Day as merely visual showcases - this one is genuinely exciting. Bond's fight with Oddjob set the template for numerous, 'How do I stop this guy?' cat-and-mouse fight scenes, especially in Spielberg movies.

You might argue than Goldfinger could do with at least one more action set-piece, as it does slow down before the climax whilst Bond is Goldfinger's guest. But it wouldn't really fit into the story. As a Bond film, Goldfinger is practically perfect. Connery even has the best wig.

Less spy, more action adventure...

[andyajoflaherty · 7/10 · 26 September 2023]

The third film in the 007 series sees him being put on the trail of notorious gold smuggler Auric Golfinger, and in doing so he uncovers a plot to break into fort knox and put the global economy into meltdown.

This is the first Bond film to feel like what Bond films would become over the next few decades - ie a larger than life antagonist, ridiculous world domination schemes, a dangerous henchman, and gadgets and women galore. And I have to say it is highly entertaining. Oddjob is an incredible foe, with Bond having to use his wits to beat him, Goldfinger is a brilliantly clever yet unhinged main antagonist, and the film is rammed with classic scenes from the laser table, to the gold paint kill to the Aston Martin chase to the battle in fort knox.

Equally fascinating is what went on behind the scenes, from the Oddjob actor being burned so bad he had to go to hospital, them getting into trouble with the US air force for flying too low over fort knox, to not being allowed inside fort knox, so they had to build a set of how they imagined it looked and won an award for it. Oh, and the actor who played Goldfinger couldn't speak English, so ALL of his lines are dubbed! Can you tell? Amazing!

The thing is though, for me it is lacking the espionage that the first 2 films have, and feels a bit more... cheesy, for lack of a better term. It feels more like an action/adventure film than a spy film, and that's fine if that's what you are after, but for me it feels jarring. It's also a film I have seen much more than the previous 2, so as such doesn't quite have the same impact as it might have had if this had been my first watch. All in all its a worthy entry into the Bond universe, but is not quite as good as the previous film imo...

Completely overrated.

[T-eschberger · 4/10 · 1 January 2009]

I respect Goldfinger for what it did for film and I respect thats its also the most important Bond film as far as formula goes, but I just cant help but feel completely confused by its popularity.

Connery is pretty much the only highlight of the film. Goldfinger lacks the suspense and intrigue Dr. No and From Russia With Love had as well as the well staged action. The plot of Goldfinger, while good on paper, is executed without any type of suspense or build up. Everything just sort of "happens". Goldfinger himself is also highly overrated as a villain. Even the most cartoonish of villains like Scaramanga and Drax feel more threatening than Goldfinger. Another overrated aspect in my eyes is Pussy Galore. Whats so great about her? She does next to nothing the whole film and she is regard as one of, if not the best Bond girl. I guess its just the name.

All in all I find Goldfinger completely un-remarkable. It lacks the suspense and well executed plot of the previous two films and the sheer fun later films had.

5/10

The superb Aston Martin DB5: a truly lethal combination of beauty and power

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 9/10 · 7 July 2005]

Although 007 is notoriously careless with the equipment delivered to him by Q, there is one item that retains a close hold on his affections—the superb Aston Martin DB5 entrusted to him on the "Goldfinger" mission…

The Bank of England suspects that Goldfinger has been smuggling large amounts of gold bullion around the world… Armed with a bar of gold as bait, Bond is assigned to uncover the truth about the man with the "Midas touch."

Gert Frobe—who had played a German sergeant on Omaha beach in "The Longest Day"—is perfectly cast in the role… He's an overweight man, but he's dressed smartly and expensively, and he has a certain lightness and grace to him… He's also supremely confident, self-assured, and resourceful… And even though Bond keeps thwarting him, nothing will shake his will to succeed…

Honor Blackman is the first of a long line of James Bond females with patently sexual names… And ho could ever forget Shirley Eaton's introduction in the film? She is lying on a chaise longue on the balcony of Goldfinger's Miami Beach hotel suite, attired in black bra and panties, while she observes Mr. Simmons' (Austin Willis) gin hand through binoculars…

The Swiss location shots add an international dimension to the fun with the chase along the overwhelming Swiss highways with the Alps in the background...

With two immortal exchanges: "You expect me to talk?"/"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" and "My name is Pussy Galore"/"I must be dreaming."), and with a fairy tense plot between a large number of highlights, and an expected spread of gadgetry, great women, and a menacing heavy with a deadly weapon, "Goldfinger" is probably the liveliest and most amusing of the Bond spy spoofs…

In this entertaining film, Bond enjoys a bottle of Dom Pérignon'53...

No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!

[philipposx-12290 · 24 January 2018]

Hands down, Goldfinger is the most iconic bond movie of all time. It is the standard by which later Bond films will be judged and it set the bar massively high for the bonds to come. Every, EVERY, E-V-E-R-Y Scene is memorable, unique and legendary in it's own right. The dozen one liners and facials are excellent, all the characters are excellent and all performances are amazing. The story and the plot isn't as deep as we get in movies like Skyfall (2012) or From Russia With Love (1963) but I doubt that this is a flaw. Oddjobb is iconic, Goldfinger is iconic, Pussy Galore is iconic and Sean Connery is at his best! Tied with 2006's Casino Royale as the best Bond Movie of all time.

That's Goldfinger, Not Goldwater

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 9 May 2009]

I wouldn't put too much money on it, but in a small friendly wager, I'd be willing to bet that those who are Bond fans like Goldfinger best of all Bond films. Especially those who think Sean Connery is the best and only man whoever should have played 007.

Certainly the most dangerous opponent Bond ever faced was Odd Job, who was Auric Goldfinger's bodyguard and all around assassin. I believe he was the most dangerous opponent James Bond ever fought with in all of his films. Watch that fight scene that Harold Sakata had with Sean Connery, he's got Connery almost down for the count. Fighting skills can only carry you so far when your opponent outweighs you and is built like a brick outhouse. In fact it's only sheer trickery in which Connery overcomes Sakata in a shocking conclusion.

As for Gert Frobe who was Goldfinger he's the ultimate Bond villain with the ultimate plan. He's even got his men fooled who think they're going to rob Fort Knox so he can corner the world's gold supply. Actually Goldfinger plans to blow up Fort Knox with an atomic bomb and then he'll really corner the market. Of course it's up to 007 to stop him.

The Bond girls are more luscious than ever with two of them, Shirley Eaton and Tania Millet meeting their demise. Eaton was the famous golden girl who Goldfinger suffocated by painting her entire body with gold paint. And of course there's Honor Blackman who switched sides do to the charms of James Bond. Who can ever forget a character name like Pussy Galore.

I well remember when Goldfinger was released in 1964 just in time for the presidential campaign. The Republican candidate was Barry Goldwater that year for you young people, not alive at the time. Poor Barry was busy defending himself from charges that he would scrap Social Security, sell the Tennessee Valley Authority and lob one into the men's room at the Kremlin. So all he needed was a film to come out with a master villain with a name so similar. The Democrats had a field day spoofing the title song that Shirley Bassey made such a hit from.

Without the Goldwater reference, Goldfinger is still a great action film, one of the best of Bond.

"Shocking! Positively shocking!"

[ackstasis · 7/10 · 20 October 2007]

After yesterday's viewing of 'From Russia in Love,' it seemed somewhat masochistic to deny myself the next James Bond adventure, and so tonight saw me watching 'Goldfinger (1964)' for the first time. Though it is often touted as the finest the franchise has to offer, I can't say that I agree with this; as far as this Bond-illiterate guy could deduce, its two predecessors were superior! Nonetheless, Guy Hamilton's adaptation of Ian Fleming's seventh Bond novel, published in 1959, was a phenomenal box-office hit and established the longevity of the series. It has everything that fans have come to expect from James Bond: intelligent, independent female characters (often with improbable and risqué titles); Q's elaborate and inventive gadgetry; an evil and uncompromising villain; a fiendish and daring plot of destruction. Sean Connery returned for his third of six "official" appearances as the legendary MI6 agent, once again up to his old tricks of saving the world, beating the bad-guy and getting the women.

In this adventure, the villain does not arise from the terrorist organisation SPECTRE, but rather is in the game for his own personal wealth. Auric Goldfinger (played by Gert Fröbe; voiced by Michael Collins) is a smuggler of gold bullion, illegally trafficking the bars out of Britain and into Switzerland where he can get a better price. His devilish scheme differs slightly from that in the novel, and it really is an ingenious plan. By detonating a nuclear weapon at the U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Goldfinger hopes to contaminate the gold store for the next 58 years, crippling America's economy and causing the value of his own personal stocks to increase tenfold. Goldfinger's memorable henchmen is the silent Oddjob (Harold Sakata), whose strength is such that he can kill a person merely by throwing his hat at them. Both villains, it needn't be said, reach, at the hands of our hero, spectacular ends that certainly do justice to their lively personalities.

Though, overall, I must say that I didn't find 'Goldfinger' quite as engaging as 'Dr. No' or 'From Russia with Love,' it does have several moments that are simply brilliant. Goldfinger's laser demonstration to Bond, who can only watch as the searing beam progresses ever-so-slowly towards his crotch, is a minor masterpiece of nail-biting suspense. The climax at Fort Knox (a remarkable interior set produced exclusively for the film) is absolutely gripping, and the classic cliché of the hero frantically deciding which bomb wire to cut is turned onto his head when Felix Leiter's associate calmly leans over and hits an 'off' switch with 007 seconds remaining. Curiously, many of the Bond women in 'Goldfinger' appear quite expendable: one (Shirley Eaton) is memorably covered entirely in gold paint and left to suffocate, another (Tania Mallet) is killed by Oddjob's deadly head-wear, and another, in the film's pre-credit sequence, betrays Bond and is forcibly spun around to be clunked on the head by her own ally. Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) is probably the series' most independent Bond girl to date, always in control of the situation and her own actions… until, that is, the charms of our hero firmly make their mark.

Bond's third is a charmer

[goya-4 · 9/10 · 7 September 2000]

Sean Connery's third go around as James Bond has become the quisessential James Bond Flick and for good reason..from the catch opening chorus by Shirley Bassey and the intro pretty lady decked out in gold to oddjob's hat and the name of the bond girl Pussy Galore..What else could one ask for? The most popular and arguable the best Bond as James tries to stop Goldfinger and his pilot from robbing Fort Knox.. On a scale of one to ten... Goldfinger strikes a 9

The Bond that's way beyond.

[bock_g · 7/10 · 18 November 2010]

Goldfinger (1964) is one of the most Favorited Bond films amongst fans and critics alike. This film set the standard for the spy-fantasy thrillers and had launched a wave of goofy spy parodies during that decade. I would have to admit, when I watched this for the first time when I was eight, I was jumping out of my couch excited. When I watched this film again yesterday, I felt as though if I were watching a horrible 90's action flick. The film was just so cheesy and over-dependent on gadgets that were out of question and had a ridiculous plot. I would give this film credit for it's clear depiction of it's period setting, the attractive girl who was painted gold, and some memorable one-liners. The film score was barely memorable,(as the title song was just annoying as hell) the main Bond girl looked like a grandma, and the villain seemed like one of those fat security guards that sleeps all day. I understand that the Bond films are a spy-fantasy, but I think there should be a line between the fantasy and reality. The fantasy in this film is clearly the Aston Martin DB5 (As if James Bond gambling, traveling first class, and having fun with hot chicks is not fantasizing enough). There's just a real lack of sophistication in the plot and gadgets unlike the previous film, From Russia With Love (1963). If you want a Bond film with gadgets, hot chicks, and a more decent story line, watch The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Goldfinger is the most overrated Bond film of all time.

Bond Quintessential Bond!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 10 September 2017]

Every individual James Bond film has some good assets and at least two or three special qualities that make it fantastically entertaining. "Goldfinger", however, exclusively has great assets and special qualities! I think this third entry in the series is almost unanimously – and righteously – labeled as THE best Bond movie of all. It's definitely also the most quintessential title to watch in order to get fully acquainted with the lead character's personality and working methods, as well as with the type of assignments he receives from his employer, his opponents and the hi- tech attributes he gets to help him. You'd expect all this to become clear already in the first film, "Dr. No", but the character created by Ian Fleming was still fairly unknown back then and hence the production values were a lot lower. Barely two years and only one sequel later, James Bond had already become a phenomenon and "Goldfinger" delivered the incredibly high expectations of the fans. It truly also is a terrific film, with an utmost solid script, a top three legendary villain and various highly memorable action & suspense sequences. Personally, I have the bizarre habit of ranking my favorite Bond movies based on the evil- factor and charisma of the villains, and thus "Goldfinger" is quite high up there thanks to the sublime roles of Gert Fröbe as the titular character and Harold Sakata as Oddjob, his silent but deadly henchman who pulverizes golf balls with his bare hands and throws around his killer-hat of steel. The gold-obsessed magnate has thought up an ingenious plan to rob the entire American gold supply from Fort Knox and naturally it's 007's job to prevent this from happening. Therefore Bond infiltrates into Goldfinger's private affairs twice; messing up his game cheating routines and seducing his female accomplices. Auric Goldfinger is undoubtedly one of the most vicious Bond-villains, but arguably also one of the dumbest! Never before or after did 007's opponents receive so many open and easy chances to eliminate him, but Goldfinger decides not to take the risk and kill his disloyal female assistants instead! Many, many sequences in this third Bond film are pure vintage, including the white tuxedo underneath the diving suit, Shirley Eaton's golden corpse, an uncomfortable laser beam moment and – of course – every scene with that awesome Aston Martin!

No different than its predecessors, Goldfinger is another fine action movie with no shortage of ridiculousness and women as objects

[andrewroy-04316 · 6/10 · 2 September 2020]

Goldfinger is a solid example of the early Bond movies - a decent villain, but a plot with little substance that relies heavily on hand-to-hand action sequences and Bond seducing women constantly. Goldfinger has a fully coherent plot (more so than From Russia With Love), and my favorite villain yet. It drags a bit less, and on the whole I can agree that it's the best of the first three. It still is in the same category as the previous two, though - fine movies that just don't have much substance to engage with. The way women are constantly treated as objects for Bond to seduce and protect is extremely tiresome, and the fact that there's a nonconsensual kissing scene made it even more upsetting here. The entire plot and Bond's success rests on convincing Pussy (what a silly name choice) to see his side of it, despite a single paper thin scene of him pleading. The climactic action scene with the admittedly cool henchman with the steel hat was shockingly bad - one of the better parts of From Russia With Love was the solid climactic action scene, but here it couldn't be less convincing, with Bond throwing himself across the ground and hitting the wall with no force. I did like the callback to the opening scene of the movie with the electric shock, though. It's not a bad movie, it's just so mediocre and forgettable that it is truly odd to me how iconic Bond as a figure is, especially if this is the peak of Bond films.

A serious contender for the best ever Bond

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 18 August 2010]

I am a fan of the James Bond series, and Goldfinger is just amazing for so many reasons. As much as I love Dr.No and From Russia with Love, I think Goldfinger is a serious contender for the best Bond film ever.

For me Goldfinger is the slickest of the Bond films in terms of how the stunts are performed and how the story is told. The story mayn't be the most exciting of all the Bonds, but it is still very gripping. The direction is sly, the cinematography is stylish, the locations are stunning and I can never get enough of the theme song sung by Shirley Bassey.

The script is sophisticated and humorous, while James Bond is still his suave and charismatic self, Pussy Galore is fabulously sexy and Auric Goldfinger himself ties with Blofeld as the best Bond villain, and a deliciously bizarre one he is too, being obsessed with gold and everything.

Other than the theme song and Goldfinger, the action is what makes this film. I love the gadget designs which are wonderfully over-the-top, while my favourite scenes include Shirley Eaton's legendary gold-plated death, the duel with the bowler-hatted sidekick Oddjob and the midair showdown between Bond and Goldfinger.

The acting is superb. Sean Connery gives his best performance as the character of Bond, although Connery is the master of suavity and charisma he is even more suave and charismatic here. Honor Blackman is sexy and enthusiastic as Pussy Galore, while Gert Frobe is amazing as Goldfinger. Overall, a golden treasure and a serious contender for the best ever Bond. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Cheap-ass, simplistic Bond bore.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 1 August 2007]

I know I'm just asking to be hauled over the coals for this, but Goldfinger is surely one of the dullest Bond films. I am not some cheeseburger junkie brought up on Die Another Day and xXx, before you make that assumption. But I found Goldfinger to be tolerable only because it was rather short for a Bond film and had a villain who was somewhat likable instead of a despicable super-arch-nemesis living in a volcano lair.

Despite the fact that this film apparently cost more to make then the first two Bond films combined it is so amazingly cheap you could be fooled into thinking it they filmed it all for free. First of all, Sean Connery is obviously never outside of Pinewood Studios (or the nearby, surrounding countryside) since every time he appears 'on location' it's ridiculously fake-looking rear-projection. My God, if you're going to make a spy movie in a franchise that sells itself on globe-trotting how about actually having your actor BE there!

The locations, as a result, are all low-key and not much to look at. The gold-melting plant in Geneva, for example, is blatantly an anonymous alleyway out the back of Pinewood. I was never really one for the silly gadget's in Bond film's either, so I'm glad that they never played a big part in the story and the stuff that he did use (homing devices) were believable. But don't get me started about the car! Why, why, why do people always cream their panties over these inane Bond cars? Let me tell you something; the Aston Martin is lamest thing I have ever seen, I wouldn't be seen dead in one and it irritates the hell out of me that they keep cropping up in this series. And that's even WITH Q's cunning extras. The Goldfinger Aston Martin spawned a die-cast toy car that's worth zillions on E-Bay these days and is worth even more if you have the box (why would you) with the ejector seat still intact. Wow...the ejector seat. Such a big deal is made out of this but I swear the guy Bond launches out of his car soars a whopping one foot in the air. Adventure doesn't get any bigger than THAT huh?

Despite it's undeserved praise as a classic and a definitive Bond film, Goldfinger is clearly a rush-job with an Oddjob. This was Connery's third Bond film (as well as others) in two years. If they took a little more time and effort and delivered something with more sophisticated framing and effects then Goldfinger could have been worthy of being called a classic. As it is it's merely a fond childhood event for a lot of older adults who are unable to see how naff it is since they can only view it through nostalgic goggles.

Genuine candidate for "Worst Bond Ever"

[gtc83 · 2/10 · 9 January 2006]

I had a lot of problems with this movie. Let me list them:

1) The number two person in the conspiracy to nuke Fort Knox changes sides and betrays her comrades...because Bond slept with her? Gimme a break. Judging from her personality, she'd be about the last person in the world I'd expect to do such a thing. It's obvious that the writers couldn't think of any way of getting out of the corner they'd written themselves into, so they tossed in a deus ex machina cop-out ending.

2) Bond just doesn't do much of anything in this movie. He spends the last half of the movie sitting in a cell while other characters run around and do things that don't advance the plot one bit. It's boring. I appreciate the fact that he uses his brains to get out of trouble, but he never really "gets out" of trouble, he just turns a bad situation into a slightly less bad one. This is about the only Bond movie where he's so ineffectual, and it makes for a very unentertaining film.

3) Bond allows himself to be captured by the bad guys so that he can go and check on the condition of a woman who got hit with a flying hat? He barely knew her! He gave her a ride to a gas station; that's it. It makes no sense that he'd jeopardize his mission in order to check on the condition of a stranger. What was he going to do, give her CPR? He certainly didn't want to be captured as part of any sort of plan, as he spent the next ten minutes of the movie trying to get away again.

4) Why didn't Goldfinger just kill Bond? He hit the nail right on the head when he said that Bond only knew the name of the operation (blockbuster), but he didn't know any of the details. Then Bond tells him that if he is killed, they'll send another agent. Well, obviously. Goldfinger certainly must have assumed as much. But how would anyone even know if Bond was killed? It was just another poorly thought out scene.

5) Pussy Galore is a really unlikable character. Not only is she just plain homely, but she brags and brags and brags about herself.

6) The ending on the plane felt very tacked on and silly. Are we to believe that a woman and a fat guy overpowered all the soldiers in a military aircraft hanger and stole a plane right out from under their noses?

Oh, there are a few good things about the movie. The Swiss Alps are beautiful, even in Summer. The car is really cool. And of course the theme song is fantastic.

Overall, this is easily the worst Connery Bond film. Much worse than any Roger Moore or Timothy Dalton or George Lazenby Bond movie. I can't for the life of me understand why people hold it in such high esteem, the writing is just so ridiculously sloppy. I enjoy most of Connery's other Bond films, but this thing sticks out like a big, stinky sore thumb.