Goldfinger (1964)

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Ian Fleming (novel)
Richard Maibaum (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 January 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Miss Honey and Miss Galore Have James Bond Back For More!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Cult Favorite | Pilot | Cult Figure | Official James Bond Series | Decapitation Of Statue

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Sean Connery	...	James Bond
Honor Blackman	...	Pussy Galore
Gert Fröbe	...	Auric Goldfinger (as Gert Frobe)
Shirley Eaton	...	Jill Masterson
Tania Mallet	...	Tilly Masterson
Harold Sakata	...	Oddjob
Bernard Lee	...	M
Martin Benson	...	Martin Solo
Cec Linder	...	Felix Leiter
Austin Willis	...	Simmons
Lois Maxwell	...	Miss Moneypenny
Bill Nagy	...	Midnight
Michael Mellinger	...	Kisch
Peter Cranwell	...	Johnny
Nadja Regin	...	Bonita
Richard Vernon	...	Colonel Smithers
Burt Kwouk	...	Mr. Ling
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Q
Mai Ling	...	Mei-Lei
Varley Thomas	...	Swiss Gatekeeper
Margaret Nolan	...	Dink
John McLaren	...	Brigadier
Robert MacLeod	...	Atomic Specialist
Victor Brooks	...	Alfred Blacking
Gerry Duggan	...	Hawker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Brace	...	South American Guard (uncredited)
Terence Brook	...	Security Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Anthony Chinn	...	Servant at Stud Farm (uncredited)
Marian Collins	...	Girlfriend of Goldfinger (uncredited)
Michael Collins	...	Auric Goldfinger (voice) (uncredited)
Denis Cowles	...	Brunskill (uncredited)
Hal Galili	...	Mr. Strap (uncredited)
Caron Gardner	...	Flying Circus Pilot (uncredited)
Lesley Hill	...	Flying Circus Pilot (uncredited)
Alf Joint	...	Capungo (uncredited)
George Leech	...	Man in Bulletproof Vest at Q Branch (uncredited)
Aleta Morrison	...	Flying Circus Pilot (uncredited)
Tricia Muller	...	Sydney (uncredited)
Lenny Rabin	...	American Gangster (uncredited)
Janette Rowsell	...	Chambermaid (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	...	Soldier inside Fort Knox (uncredited)
Les Tremayne	...	Radio Newsman (voice) (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	...	Soldier at Fort Knox (uncredited)
Maggie Wright	...	Air Squadron Leader (uncredited)
Raymond Young	...	Sierra (uncredited)

Directed by
Guy Hamilton

Writing credits
Ian Fleming		(novel)
Richard Maibaum		(screenplay) &
Paul Dehn		(screenplay)

Produced by
Albert R. Broccoli	....	producer
Harry Saltzman	....	producer
Stanley Sopel	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Ted Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter R. Hunt		(as Peter Hunt)

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Peter Murton

Makeup Department
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist
Paul Rabiger	....	makeup artist
Eileen Warwick	....	hair stylist

Production Management
L.C. Rudkin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Ernst	....	assistant director
Richard Jenkins	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Michael G. Wilson	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Freda Pearson	....	set dresser
Maurice Pelling	....	assistant art director
Michael White	....	assistant art director
John Chisholm	....	prop man (uncredited)
Peter Lamont	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Ron Quelch	....	production buyer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon McCallum)
Dudley Messenger	....	sound recordist
Harry Miller	....	dubbing editor
Norman Wanstall	....	dubbing editor
Charlie McFadden	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Frank George	....	assistant special effects
John Stears	....	special effects
Wally Armitage	....	special effects (uncredited)
Joe Fitt	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Fred Heather	....	special effects (uncredited)
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)
Bert Luxford	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Jimmy Ward	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
William Creighton	....	carpenter: Fort Knox model (uncredited)
Cliff Culley	....	optical effects supervisor (uncredited)
Roy Field	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Simmons	....	action sequences arranger
Peter Brace	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Brayham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tim Condren	....	stunts (uncredited)
Phyllis Cornell	....	stunt double: Tania Mallet (uncredited)
Gerry Crampton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Diggins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Arthur Howell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alf Joint	....	stunt double: Sean Connery (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunt double: Sean Connery (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Munt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terence Plummer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Richards	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Sawyer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Street	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Winbolt	....	camera operator
David Watkin	....	cinematographer: title sequence (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsa Fennell	....	wardrobe supervisor
John Hilling	....	wardrobe master
Eileen Sullivan	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Ben Rayner	....	assembly editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Monty Norman	....	composer: James Bond theme
Vic Flick	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Bobby Graham	....	musician: drums (uncredited)
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Brownjohn	....	title designer
Charles Russhon	....	technical advisor
Constance Willis	....	continuity girl
Charles Russhon	....	government liaison: USA (uncredited)
Charles Russhon	....	military liaison: Kentucky (uncredited)
Pierre Salinger	....	liaison: USA (uncredited)
Terence Young	....	director: pre-production (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Danjaq (as "Danjaq S.A.")
• Eon Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1964) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1964) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1964) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1965) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1965) (Spain) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• 20th Century Fox Video (1982) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (Greece)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1981) (USA) (TV) (cable television)
• Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1964) (Norway) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA (1981) (USA) (video) (Selectavision videodisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (worldwide) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Ultimate Edition)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1964) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Nova)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (West Germany)
• Warner Home Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (Germany) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Capitol Records  soundtrack (CD only) (uncredited)
• Pinewood Studios  studio
• Studios CTS  music recorded at
• United Artists Records  soundtrack (LP only) (uncredited)
• United Artists  current copyright proprietor

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Goldfinger

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Iceland:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 (video rating) | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:GP (re-rating) (1971) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1994) | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Andermatt, Uri, Switzerland

Company:

Danjaq

Trivia:

A specially designed "gold finger" piece of jewelery was designed for Honor Blackman. British Designer Dipples designed the gold fingered piece of jewelery for the premiere and the star's promotional tour for the movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The reflection that Bond sees in the girl's eye isn't a mirror image like a true reflection would be.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sierra: Congratulations.
James Bond: Thank you.
Sierra: Mr. Ramirez and his friends will be out of business.
James Bond: At least they won't be using heroin flavored bananas to finance revolutions.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Bond Cocktail (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Goldfinger

Best Bond movie ever.

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.