Shaken, Not Stirred takes a (brief) look at the James Bond canon from Eon Productions. Twice a month, Chris and Jon share their impressions of each film, both on its own terms and in terms of the cultural landscape as well as the genre it helped to create, not to mention its intersection in the Cinema Dual hosts’ lives.
FROM THE (LETTER)BOX(D): EVERYTHING HE TOUCHES TURNS INTO EXCITEMENT! Special agent 007 comes face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time, and now he must outwit and outgun the powerful tycoon to prevent him from cashing in on a devious scheme to raid Fort Knox – and obliterate the world’s economy.
WHAT CHRIS THOUGHT: For better or for worse, Goldfinger leaves behind the more grounded (for a Bond film, anyway) espionage of From Russia With Love and sets the template for all the touchstones and callbacks we’ve come to expect out of the franchise for the next quarter of a century. The gadgets, the cars, improbably named Bond Girl™ now fully embodied by a wry and genuinely engaging Honor Blackman who nevertheless is still wasted by the film’s climax.
We also drop the entire SPECTRE storyline for this film, and it was a nagging itch at the back of my neck trying to piece together how Auric Goldfinger’s admittedly fabulous plan was connected to that mysterious organization’s plan for global chaos. Was there a passing reference in the film’s final moments? I can’t remember, because at that point I was aghast that apparently Bond saved the day by…being so good a lay he manages to convince Pussy Galore to throw away millions and betray her partner?
After one roll in the hay?
Putting aside my sexual confidence issues, there’s still a lot to enjoy in Guy Hamilton’s handling of the franchise. But you can also start to see the studio seeing what they have and already tightening the purse strings: for every fantastic location shot – the incredible shots overlooking the cliff roads in Geneva – there’s some truly horrible and unnecessary rear projection. And the cold open, which sees our hero wearing a duck on his head feels really cheap in a way you wouldn’t expect from a film so known for being Ground Zero for the cultural absorption of the series.
WHAT JON THOUGHT: If From Russia With Love builds the Bond franchise, then Goldfinger launches it into the air. From Oddjob to “I expect you to die” to Shirley Bassey absolutely belting out “GoldFINGER!”, director Guy Hamilton really sets the template for the franchise going forward. I don’t want to understate how much of the cultural memory of the Bond franchise can be traced back to this movie. Yes, I am slightly wistful that this movie is starting to leave the previous film’s more grounded approach behind. That being said, it’s so much fun and fresh at this point, that it’s not worth fussing over yet.
Sean Connery is mostly still as fun and charming as ever, with the exceptions early in the film using a naked woman as a human shield, and the use of the phrase “man talk”. Lois Maxwell gets her usual flirty scene, but the standout for franchise players is Desmond Llewelyn. He finally gets his big gadget scene with the Aston Martin, and also gets to chide Bond for being reckless with company provided gear. Of the women that cross Bond’s path, we have to talk about Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore, a name that you have definitely heard even if you haven’t seen the movie. I like her role in the film as both Goldfinger’s pilot, and as the leader of the Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus. She’s a formidable presence despite the incredulous name, and slightly less incredulous change of heart she has at the film’s end.
If there’s something I found myself surprised by, it’s Gert Frobe as the man himself, Auric Goldfinger. His plan indeed is to cause worldwide economic turmoil, and yes, he has a henchman who can kill people by throwing his hat, and has a laser and a big map in his lair that comes into view with the touch of a button. But Frobe presents himself rather modestly in dress and behaviour, given his role as a James Bond villain. The way that Bond and Goldfinger carry on conversations, it’s almost easy to forget that Bond is a prisoner for most of the film’s running time. Frobe’s performance keeps the movie from flying off the rails.
ANYTHING ELSE, CHRIS? One thing I’ll give to Goldfinger: it handles women better than any Bond film to date. Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson has the unenviable role that would come to be the harder to remember “Not” Bond Girl™, but her absolute dismissal of Bond gives her a life and agency not seen in a Bond film yet. And I echo Jon’s sentiments about the iconography of Odd Job, and how singular Gert Frobe’s portrayal of Goldfinger is. If there’s a weak spot it’s Connery. There are moments in film where I get the sense Hamilton and the crew are working around what Connery feels like doing. I have no context for that, but I felt it.
One thing that will never dim in my eyes? The Aston Martin. Hands down the best Bond car.
ANYTHING ELSE, JON? While Goldfinger’s ambitions, as a film, are loftier, the reach occasionally exceeds its grasp. In the shot at the beginning where Bond uses the grappling hook, the camera is misaligned just enough that you can clearly see the rope going up from somewhere else. Despite a prolific use of outdoor locations, there’s a weirdly noticeable amount of rear-projected shots in those same sequences. I can’t say the exterior model shots of Goldfinger’s jet are worth noting, especially when other aerial sequences in the film are much better. But probably the most unintentionally funny sequence in the film is all the Fort Knox personnel falling down in unison. None of these drag down the film much, so let’s just call it growing pains.
THE FINAL WORD(S): For Jon, Goldfinger is another step forward for the Bond franchise that only occasionally falters. For Chris the bloom is certainly off the rose from his childhood memories, but honestly he’s not going to hold that again the film.
NEXT TIME: LOOK UP! LOOK DOWN! LOOK OUT! HERE COMES THE BIGGEST BOND OF ALL! WE RETURN WITH THUNDERBALL!
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