Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger is a British spy film that grossed $125 million over a $3 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1964.  It’s based on the novel by Ian Fleming, and is a sequel to From Russia with Love (1963) and is the 3rd film in the James Bond franchise.  In Australia, it was originally rated PG, which in 2006 was upgraded to M for moderate violence.  The following are the 10 most recent IMDb reviews for the film.

9/10

A Golden Hit

jeremycrimsonfox26 March 2019

Goldfinger, the third movie in the James Bond film franchise, is known as the film that set up blueprint for its future installments. James Bond is called from vacation in Miami Beach to investigate the gold magnate Auric Goldfinger, and find out how he does it by smuggling it to another country. After socializing with him, he spies on him and finds out about Operation Grand Slam, he has to stop Goldfinger and his razor hat-throwing manservant, Oddjob, from rendering the gold in Fort Knox useless via the use of a dirty bomb.

Once again, Sean Connery does a great job as 007. Auric Goldfinger, played by the late Gert Frobe, gives an incredible performance, and Harold Sakata plays Oddjob real good. The film does have some iconic scenes (like the scene where James is strapped to the table where Goldfinger tries to use his industrial laser to cut him in half), and the movie is well known for establishing the formula its sequels follow.

9/10

On a golden Bond.

RatedVforVinny22 March 2019

I’m stretching this right up to a 9, because I think it was the best Bond film ever made. Sean Connery, never looked better and by the third in the series had just about perfected the role. The star of the show night be Mr Connery, the Silver DB5 (complete with an ejector seat), the Bond lady ‘Pussy Galore’, the Baddie (with such memorable lines delivered “No MR BOND, I EXPECT YOU TO DIE!”, or even the title song, coupled with one of the most audacious credit sequences. Look no further, because every Bond movie since, has tried to replicate this formula (with varying degrees of success). Oh yes I almost forgot to mention the rather wonderful character ‘Odd Job’, complete with a steel rimmed hat!

The quintessential Bond of the Connery era

filmfan19917 March 2019

Warning: Spoilers

Man, 1964 was a good year for movie franchises. The Pink Panther had “A Shot in the Dark”, Godzilla had “Mothra vs Godzilla”, and most importantly James Bond had “Goldfinger” which can only be described as the quintessential Bond film.

In this Bond outing, 007 investigates millionare Auric Goldfinger who plots to raid Fort Knox but not in the way you might think.

“Goldfinger” is probably the most important film in the Bond franchise because this was the film where the Bond formula we all know and love was perfected, for better or for worse. The action packed prologue that sets the tone for the film, the musical title sequence, the megalomaniac villain with a physically powerful henchman, Q gadget scene, Bond girl with a double entendre name, I could go on. While the two previous films had these elements to a degree, “Goldfinger” perfected them and made them into staples that have been part of the Bond franchise ever since 1964.

After two films Sean Connery was finally comfortable into the role of James Bond. Here he is the cool, suave, and dangerous super spy that audiences all recognise. Gert Frobe is excellent as the titular villain giving off a megalomaniac streak and one of the few villains in the Bond pantheon that nearly brought 007 to his knees. Harold Sakata is great as the mute Oddjob giving us one the best henchman in the franchise with a unique trait. The Bond girls in this one are excellent with one having one of the most iconic deaths in the franchise and the other having a sexy but weird name.

The film is very tongue in cheek compared with the first two entries in the series which were faithful to the essence of Ian Fleming’s novels. Compared with the original book, this is one of the few times where the movie was better than the book. It even contains iconic and quotable lines not found in the original novel, “Do you expect me to talk? No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.” Goldfinger’s plan is to nuke Fort Knox rather than rob it like in the original novel which is more ingenious and exciting. This is just a fun movie period and an influential film in the action genre that laid out the blueprint for how a Bond film should be executed.

7/10

Two men who don’t like to lose

shakercoola3 March 2019

This action-adventure about a British Secret Service agent is the third in a long series of films and the first which had a big budget. It produced a formula which would help bring box office success to the films that followed and define the fantasy spy film genre for a generation. “Goldfinger” had brilliant set design, sophistication, amusing dialogue, fast pace, interesting props and machinery, a Grammy Award winning film score and Academy Award winning sound effects. Sean Connery plays the gentleman spy with a commanding air and with wit, charm, panache and good humour. Gert Frobe is perfectly cast as the titular villain, wearing criminal success proudly. It is a farrago of stunts, voluptuous and kittenish females, gimmicks and gadgets and violence. It is also absurd and preposterous at times, mainly down to its hokum story – approaching spoof without quite arriving, thanks to a dose of self-mockery. The combination of all of this has made it a very memorable and popular film.

6/10

An Improvment In Some Ways, But A Downgrade In Other Ways

tylarwagner24 February 2019

Goldfinger is an improvement on “From Russia With Love” in some ways, but a downgrade in others. There are some basic things that I judge Bond movies on. Bond actor, Bond girl, action, villains, and overall plot. Sean Connery is still great as usual. I didn’t care for the Bond girls in this movie if you can really say there was one. Goldfinger is a fine villain, but he’s nowhere near as good as Grant from “From Russia With Love”. The action in this movie is better than the first two Bond movies. As for the plot, I find it less interesting than the previous film. While the music is good in this movie, I also feel like it was a downgrade. I’m not sure if I like this movie more than FRWL or not. That film did a fair amount of things better, but this movie has less filler it feels like.

8/10

Bond hahahahAHAHAHAH

ward_e23 February 2019

Bond is WHOA GOldddddddfinggggggger goldfinggerrrr he’s Goldfinger so Bond FUN

7/10

Aging, Sexist but Still Relevant and Entertaining

tabuno3 February 2019

Sean Connery in his third go around as the original James Bond offers up some lingering contemporary ideas including dirty bombs, miniaturized homing devices, industrial lasers. The action is sustained and the thrills and the electrifying music still resonate. The movie isn’t without its aging weaknesses in regards to sexist innuendos, stereotypical criminal gangsters, and some remarkably stilted death sequences. Interestingly this movie begins to lay the foundation for Bond’s uneasy relationship with authority and his involvement in the death of innocents, particularly women, which will come back to haunt in future films. Overall, the movie remains entertaining and watchable.

7/10

The Definitive Bond Movie

EvanAcreeFilm30 December 2018

Quicknotes: Goldfinger

• Another awesome opening credits excerpt featuring the fabulous original song performed by Shirley Bassey.
• The intensity-that From Russia With Love introduced-is indebtedly, still there.
• The action has fiercely improved with more practical approaches to filming the warfare. The car chase sequences are absolutely meticulous and seem far beyond there time especially for a movie birthed from the 60s.
• “No Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.” It’s no Casino Royale “the family jewels” torture scene, but it will make you squirmy for all you men out there.
• I prefer the first half over the second. The first half’s grittiness-all though, not fully shaken or stirred-is still present and drawing. The second half is merrymaking, but it becomes instinctively over-the-top, but in a good-natured, more cinematic sort of craze. Not 100% my cup of tea though.
• What. A. Twist.
• The deceased chick-count has doubled. This movie isn’t disinclined to kill off folks. Jeez.
• Hats alarm me now.
• Goldfinger is the undiluted definition of the exemplar “Bond Movie” (From Russia With Love is, well, quite the opposite).

I thoroughly savored this Bond flick, but I can’t seem to wrap my head around why most fans prefer this over From Russia With Love-which I find significantly more profound, iconic, and timely. Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up preferring Goldfinger one day. Only time can tell. (Verdict: B+)

7/10

Cute spy movie, only interesting for sentimental reasons, because the action is hilariously clumsy and painfully outdated for nowadays standards.

imseeg18 December 2018

Some movies age well, some dont. “Goldfinger” is to be found somewhere in between, because it is still an interesting action classic but only enjoyable for sentimental reasons, because the action is hilariously clumsy and painfully outdated for nowadays standards. But it still is a cute spy classic. If you wanna watch one of the older Bond movies THIS is the one to see. The best of the golden oldies.

The Bond theme song by Shirley Bassey has NOT been outdated however. That song is still THE greatest Bond song EVER! What a power! We have to thank composer John Barry for that! Bond Music from the sixties has got an ambient sound to it that makes current recordings sound bland. Shirley Bassey’s themesong sounds so sparkling, sharp and has got such a gloriously cathedral sound. If only for the soundtrack I would wanna watch this movie again and again…

9/10

Golden times for James Bond 007!

Lori_ruelo21 November 2018

Warning: Spoilers

In his third adventure, James Bond has to convict a gold smuggler. What he doesn’t know: Goldfinger wants to contaminate all the gold stock in Fort Knox radio to drive up his fortune. Sean Connery is now stepping into the role of British agent 007 for the third time. And he makes it perfect! Connery has found himself in this role and is Bravura! As a villain, German actor Gert Fröbe has now been hired. Frob gives the megalopic gold finger a real face. A real opponent of the old James Bond classics and one of the best. Also here, a right hand of the villain is introduced here: Odd Job. Harold Sakata, a Hawaiian wrestler, plays the first proper bodyguard with technical finesse here. Although it seems simple to watch a hat as a killing method, it is fun. Honor Blackman plays Pussy Galore. Although she doesn’t end up as a bondgirl until later, she was more interested in women than men. Which is also an innovation, middle in the 60s. The combination in the 1964 agent series is fun associated with classic action. That’s why Goldfinger is considered one of the best in the series. It promises everything that makes an agent movie: Humor, a classic battle between good and evil, an overmotivated villain with a strong aide and with very many beautiful women! Verdict: A successful spy classic, the Connery era, which was put on a stamp! So must be a James Bond thriller!