Wick's Review

Summary - Really Great 4.5

Goldfinger has everything we love about James Bond, other than a memorable Bond girl. It’s got Sean Connery driving his legendary Aston Martin, complete with ejector seat and machine guns. It’s got a great “Bond, James Bond” and “Shaken, not stirred.” Most valuably, Goldfinger himself is a terrific villain, while Oddjob remains “the most famous henchman” of the entire James Bond series.¹ And it has perhaps the best certain-death scene in the entire series.

That last occurs with Bond strapped to a table, an industrial laser cutting up between his legs. This still thrills today and was truly wow stuff in 1964, when lasers were the highest of high technology.

“Do you expect me to talk?” Bond asks. Goldfinger’s gleeful reply: “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”

Oh yeah, there’s also a charming scene with Moneypenny, etc., etc. No wonder Wikipedia calls Goldfinger the quintessential Bond movie. Arguably Casino Royale tops it, but that’s like arguing about how many Bond girls can dance on top of a bar.

Oh yeah, one last thing: Shirley Bassey’s theme song is as iconic as they come. “GOLLDD-FINGER!!”

¹ Source: IMDb

Acting - Great 4.0

Sean Connery hit his Bond prime in Goldfinger, the third movie in the series. Unlike other Bonds, he manages to deliver quips with perfect comic touch while also being a man’s man.

Harold Sakata’s Oddjob makes as great a villain as the series has seen. Deadly, efficient, implacable and with a memorable weapon (the knife-edged Frisbee hat), he remains an icon half a century later.

As his boss, Gert Fröbe makes one of the better Bond supervillains. He wouldn’t score so high were it not for his “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” Perfect line, perfectly delivered.

The actresses fail the test of time, even Honor Blackman’s Pussy Galore. (Which first name is more curious, Honor or Pussy?) Only Margaret Nolan’s golden girl remains in the mind’s eye. Golden girl? Yep, that’s her golden derrière in the poster.

Film - Really Great 4.5

James Bond 3.0 perfected the program. High tech gadgetry, a highly produced pre-credits opening sequence, signature music and extensive badinage in the face of certain death were the hallmarks.

Edge - Risqué 1.9

Reality - Glib 1.9

3 Comments

• MJ5K Jun 20, 2012 10:58PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  I wasn’t a huge fan of Never Say Never Again. Not because it wasn’t an Eon film. It was just because the movie was just a remake of Thunderball and seemed unneccasary but it was interesting to see Connery take on the role of Bond as an older spy.

  I will say that the only reason it was made was because Kevin McClory had intended to make a Bond film with Ian Fleming starring Richard Burton in the role, but it was dropped and Fleming used their story as the basis for Thunderball. I heard that throughout the 90’s McClory tried to make the movie again but with Timothy Dalton in the role of an older Bond, but of course that never happened.

• Wick Jun 18, 2012 6:40AM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  Me too MJ. I’m hoping Skyfall gets back up to the level of Casino Royale, since Quantum of Solace was a bit of a disappointment. The trailer certainly is encouraging.

  Ever see Never Say Never Again? Hidden gem.

• MJ5K Jun 18, 2012 1:28AM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  Great review, Wick. Goldfinger is actually probably my favorite James Bond film along with Casino Royale. I’ve been rewatching a lot of them in anticipation of Skyfall.

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