Goldfinger
Starring: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton, Tania MalletDirector: Guy Hamilton
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release: February 6th 2007
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DVD Review
From the opening bomb blast outside a steamy nightclub to a last-minute escape from the president's personal jet James Bond's third screen adventure is an exhilarating pulse-pounding thrill-ride! Sean Connery takes command as Agent 007 and faces off with a maniacal villain bent on destroying all the gold in Fort Knox and obliterating the world economy! Featuring such memorable characters as pilot Pussy Galore and hatchet man Oddjob Goldfinger is "the best...of all the Bonds" (Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times)!System Requirements:Running Time: 110 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: PG UPC: 027616066275 Manufacturer No: M106627
User Reviews
"GOLDFINGER, the man with the Midas Touch..." - Rating: 5/5
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It's difficult to believe that this movie is almost 45 years old (counting from the date of this review).
(Sir) Sean Connery was in six EON (or "official") movies with him starring as James Bond. They were: (1) Dr. No (1962) (2) From Russia with Love (1963) (3) Goldfinger (1964) (4) Thunderball (1965) (5) You Only Live Twice (1967) and (6) Diamonds are Forever (1971).
As you can see from the above list, "Goldfinger" is the third spy film of the British Bond series. As well, it is the third to star Connery as the fictional MI6 agent Commander James Bond (code number 007).
This movie is based on the 1959 novel "Goldfinger" by Ian Fleming (1908 to 1964).
The story has Bond following gold smuggler Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe whose voice was dubbed) who plans a nuclear detonation inside the Fort Knox gold depository thus making the gold supply radioactive for 58 years. This would cause economic chaos in the West and increase the value of Goldfinger's non-radioactive gold (that he has stashed away) many times.
(Look at Goldfinger's first name "Auric" closely. The word gold comes from the Latin word "aurum." "Au" is the chemical symbol for gold.)
This was the first Bond movie to use a pop singer (Shirley Bassey) to sing the theme song during the titles. The lyrics of the title song were co-written by Anthony Newley. Bassey would go on to sing the theme song in two other Bond movies.
Several memorable scenes frequent this movie such as:
(1) the dead woman painted in gold
(2) Goldfinger's Korean mute manservant named Oddjob (Olympic silver medalist weight lifter Harold Sakata) who uses his Bowler hat as a lethal frizbee
(3) Goldfinger attempting to slice Bond in half with a laser
(4) the modified Aston Martin DB5 car that has a host of gadgets such as a handy passenger ejector seat
(5) the movie's double climatic ending
Another thing memorable about this movie is its witty dialogue. For example, take the scene where Bond is tied spread-eagled to a slab of gold with a laser beam slowly inching up between his legs threatening to cut him in half:
Bond: "Do you expect me to talk?"
Goldfinger: "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!!"
Connery brings his characteristic savoir fare to the role. Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore (Goldfinger's personal pilot) does a good job as an independent and strong Bond girl. Gert Frobe gives an excellent performance as Goldfinger. (I found it odd that in the beginning and end credits that Blackman is given first billing over Frobe who plays the title character.)
M, Q, Miss Moneypenny, and Felix all appear in this movie.
Filming was primarily in Switzerland, Miami, and London, England.
Some trivia: Burt Kwouk has a small part in this movie. He became famous for playing "Kato" in the Pink Panther series starring Peter Sellers.
Total box office for this movie was about one-hundred and twenty-five million dollars. In today's dollars, that's about eight-hundred and seventy million making this movie the first official Bond blockbuster.
The DVD (the one released in Feb., 2007) is flawless in picture and sound quality. The picture has been digitally restored and I'm sure the picture is just as good (if not better!!) than when it was released almost 45 years ago. As well, there is one extra in the form of an audio commentary.
Finally, here is some information to consider. This DVD is actually the first disc of the two-disc "Ultimate Edition." Bond enthusiasts might want to purchase this two-disc Ultimate Edition since the second disc has "the best collection of special features ever assembled for Bond." (Unfortunately, the Ultimate Edition is no longer available but it can be purchased second-hand.)
In conclusion, this movie is the first official Bond blockbuster thus making it a must-see!!!
(1964; 1 hr, 50 min; wide screen; 32 scenes)
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The Gold Standard... - Rating: 5/5
Sean Connery's third outing as James Bond in 1964's superb "Goldfinger" has the 007 franchise solidifying its primary thematic elements. Connerly is smoothly witty and deadly as the British Secret Service assassin. The exotic villain is one Auric Goldfinger, played by veteran German actor Gert Frobe, out to corner the world's gold supply. His evil henchman is Oddjob, a giant, mute Korean martial arts expert whose special touch is a bowler hat with a steel rim. The Bond girl of the moment is Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), Goldfinger's pilot, who will fall for Bond, as they always do.
Bond's assignment is to infiltrate Goldfinger's organization, learn his plans, and stop them. Bond and Goldfinger will play an exciting game of cate and mouse, with Bond repeatedly surviving close calls to stay close to Goldfinger. The climax of the movie is Goldfinger's raid on Fort Knox, inside the vault of which Bond will have his final confrontation with the seemingly indestructable Oddjob.
Shirley Eaton figures in an iconic scene early in the movie as Jill Masterson, one of Goldfinger's assistants who is seduced by Bond. Goldfinger gets his revenge by having her body covered with gold paint, causing her death by suffocation. Bond's discovery of her body helps set him on a collision course with Goldfinger.
This movie is highly recommended as one of the best of the original Bond movies based on Ian Fleming's novels.
Goldfinga... have some pie won't you? - Rating: 5/5
I just saw this movie last night on tv and I had seen pieces of it through the years... like the other James Bond stories but it's still over my head although for some reason it's still my favourite movie that may say a lot about me but may say more about you.
I'm ordering the DVD from Amazon here and can't wait at the price it's going for... I may just buy the whole bunch that is to say Bond, James 007 starring Sean Connery.
It's about this guy that gets an idea into his head and won't take no for an answer so he plans to rob the US for all of it's gold and then it gets a little beyond me but I'm sure somebody could get hurt nonetheless.
Great color and acting and stars and all that but even so it's just a movie and I think the staff did their job well to put out a product that satisfies the curious.
Translated by Won Won
Victoria BC
Bond reaches his peak in this film that is truly like owning a piece of gold - Rating: 5/5
Dr. No was a wonderful start to the Bond franchise. From Russia With Love returned with even more. Now, Goldfinger has brought the series to the peak. The highest budget of the three has been granted to Goldfinger, thus creating impressive action sequences and shot in teriffic locations. But don't stop there. Goldfinger is packed with memorable moments that places this film in the category of ultimate classic Bond.
While SPECTRE was never referred to in this film, I never missed it or thought about it once. Auric Goldfinger and his henchman "Oddjob" went above and beyond as the villains of this film. Auric is obsessed with gold, and his ultimate plan is to destroy the gold supply of Fort Knox, so that his own supply can multiply ten times in value. Oddjob's business is to take care of 007, and takes great pleasure in attempting so, armed with a hat sharp as a knife and martial art skills that are no match for the double 0.
Goldfinger is a great feel good movie, highly entertainig - especially for its day. Every scene is wonderful, whether it is action, brilliant lines and moves by the villains, chemistry between Bond and Pussy Galore, or sneaky and intellgient games such as the Goldfinger/Bond scene on the golf course. But the showstopper is certainly the grand finale, operation "Grand Slam" where Auric and his men take over Fort Knox. Oddjob and Bond have a final showdown inside that is a terrific matchup that was accompanied without music, and worked out quite well.
The story to Goldfinger is smart and fun, but maybe not as in-depth as the previous From Russia With Love. But overall, this Bond film has it all and is possibly the most balanced Bond film ever made, giving us a complete film of entertainment that is unforgettable.
Acting - 4.5
Action - 4.5
Charcaters - 5
Story - 4.5
Overall - 5
The Best - Rating: 5/5
At the risk of sounding unoriginal, I take the common view that Goldfinger is the best Bond movie. What it lacks in action and explosions, it makes up for in tone. Goldfinger features the best Bond, Bondgirl, villian, and henchman in the series. Everything works from the song & title sequence to the Aston Martin and the cool, dry wit. There are several excellent Bond flicks but Goldfinger is the only Bond where everything comes together so seamlessly. Only Sean Connery's Bond could get away with a babyblue bathrobe-shorts outfit that would look rediculous on 99.9% of men. That, in itself, is a sign the movie works.
This is the Bond movie where the makers hit their stride in presenting an escapist "Bond World". A Bond world where, conceivably, a masterspy would be comfortable visiting the Playboy Bunny mansion and eating caviar while he's supposed to be busy saving the world. Just because the fate of all mankind rests on his shoulders is no reason for him to lose sight of the finer things in life. Indeed, James Bond is never so busy foiling some dastardly plot that he can't spare a few minutes for the ladies. It's all part of the fun and Goldfinger captures the enjoyability of the Bond World better than any other Bond flick.
