Goldfinger

 "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence.  Three times is enemy action".

The above is a quote from about halfway through Ian Fleming's novel "Goldfinger", published in 1959.  The film adaptation, was released 60 years ago last month, in September 1964 as the third James Bond film.  

Book lovers often consider books to be far superior than their film counterparts.  In other posts I have stated that if I am interested in a title that I prefer to watch the film first and see the surprises onscreen.  Afterwards if I liked the film I will then read the book which will have some changes and probably overall be a richer experience because an author can use more language and is not limited by budget and screentime.  They are different mediums and yet I am always impressed when a good book turns into an enjoyable film.  

Spoilers for both the Goldfinger novel and movie below:

I say this because although Goldfinger is a terrific movie, in ways I will describe below, I found the novel in desperate need of a good edit.  Fleming created several fascinating characters.  The titular villain is a much smaller man, very intelligent, obsessed with gold and has a grandiose scheme.  Oddjob is a memorable henchman, a mute Korean who is strong (and who the racist Bond looks down upon).  Pussy Galore is the lesbian head of a group of female cat burglars.  Jill Masterton is Goldfinger's girlfriend who Bond makes the mistake of bedding.  Bond himself is given some good touches in this story.  Early on Bond reflects about the emotional cost of killing and later has some internal monologues about female drivers. 

There are several interesting story beats.  Jill is painted gold and asphixiates for betraying Goldfinger.  Bond and Goldfinger face off in a "friendly" golf game before the plot really gets moving.  Goldfinger has a plan to rob Fort Knox.  There is a sting after Bond has foiled the plot when Goldfinger and Oddjob capture Bond again and Bond faces off with them on a plane.

But Fleming bungles the execution of a lot of these elements.  Bond learns of Jill's death secondhand long after it occurred so the impact is not really felt.  All eighteen holes of the golf game are described in detail and my attention wandered.  Goldfinger keeps Bond captive for the second half of the story instead of killing him because he feels Bond can help with Operation Grand Slam, which is absurb since Bond will obviously do all he can to sabotage those plans.  Tilly Masterton, Jill's sister, also being held captive with Bond, loses all agency as a character during this section of the book.  Goldfinger's plan to rob Fort Knox never feels remotely plausible.  Bond carelessly gets a shot from a stranger (knowing Goldfinger is still on the loose) which knocks him out and puts him back into Goldfinger's clutches.  Also Fleming has some horribly outdated views on homosexuality and the plot suggests that Bond "saves" Pussy" by seducing her.  

(Side note.  The first act of Anthony Horowitz's first Jame Bond continuation novel "Trigger Mortis "takes place right after Goldfinger ends and has an interesting postscript on how Bond and Pussy's relationship ended up.  I will only say that Horowitz was far more respectful of Pussy's sexuality than Fleming was).  

Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn take these plot points and drastically improve them.  Bond finds Jill's body painted gold right after it happens and there is a wide shot of the gold body with a big blast of the score (the producers wisely leave the actual painting of the body offscreen).  The golf game is only three holes and the focus is on Goldfinger and Bond's trying to trick each other.  Goldfinger keeps Bond alive to fool the CIA and Secret Service (who are tracking him) into thinking he is still free so he is not replaced.  Bond's re-capture at the end is more the fault of the U.S. Army.  Pussy's lesbianism is barely hinted at and she flirts with Bond from the moment she meets him.  Tilly is killed off much earlier and it helps streamline the second half of the film.  Goldfinger plans to destroy the gold at Fort Knox to increase the value of his own gold instead of robbing it.

There is a book called "Adrian Turner on Goldfinger" which describes the adaptation process.  The novel was well received but the screenwriters clearly focused on improving on the source material and made good decisions on which elements to keep and which to discard or alter.  

My own experience with this film is a little funny.  The first Bond film I saw was Octopussy when it debuted on HBO in 1984.  I enjoyed it so much I watched it at least a couple more times in the next few months.  Around December of that year Never Say Never Again debuted on HBO.  One Saturday soon after that my dad, who had read all the Fleming books as they came out and seen all the films, not knowing what a monster he was creating in encouraging my Bond fandom, asked me who I preferred between Connery and Moore.  As I recall I answered that I liked them both but Connery seemed more like a secret agent but also looked too old in Never Say Never Again.  My dad explained that Connery had actually played it several times when he was younger and came back twelve years later for Never Say Never Again.  Later that day my dad went to the video store.  When he came I asked what film he got and he said "Goldfinger" but said no more.  My twelve year old attention span processed it as "Goldflower" I assumed he had just rented a film about gardening or something.  After dinner he called us all to watch the film and I was bracing myself for a flower story when the gunbarrel started and I exclaimed "It's a James Bond film!".

As a family we had a fun time watching Goldfinger, though my dad had seen it before.  We all laughed at the tuxedo reveal.  I noted that it had a similar scene from Never Say Never Again with Bond talking to a contact on the phone while in bed with a lady.  The discovery of Jill's body was a shocking moment (I knew something bad had probably happened to her but I never imagined THAT).  I liked seeing Connery in a film that used the Bond theme (Never Say Never Again was a rival Bond film that did not have permission to use the theme).  It was fun seeing Q looking much younger.  The car chase had two memorable moments.  The old lady firing a MP 40 submachine (after having been presented as a short and sweet woman who had to walk slowly) made my sister and me roar with laughter and the build up to the ejector seat is enjoyable tense (even though it makes very little sense that the henchmen would let Bond drive his own car at that point).  

On Halloween 2020 Sean Connery passed away, soon after turning ninety.  AMC theatres announced in honor of Connery they would put a 4K version of Goldfinger in the cinemas for a couple of days.  I took my boys to see it on Saturday, November 7, 2020.  Earlier that day the 2020 presidential election was called for Joe Biden, ensuring that Donald Trump would thankfully leave office after one term (here's hoping that holds this November).  Around the world people celebrated and we were very happy and relieved in our home.  We went into the cinema (where we had to wear a mask and not sit near anyone else) and had a blast watching this film on the big screen.  All the jokes seemed funnier and the images and set design all felt more striking.  It was a nice tribute to the late Mr. Connery and after we left my younger son said to me, "This is the best day of my life." 

Goldfinger was the first Bond film directed by Guy Hamilton.  Terence Young, who directed Dr No and From Russia With Love, had a good eye for suspense.  Hamilton's film moves faster and focuses more on spectacle.  Connery looks very fit and presents Bond as overall less edgy and more cool.  Hamilton keeps him exclusively in suits in the second half of the film (and for much of the first as well).  Connery has more dialogue and scenes with other characters in this film than the others.  But while this goes down easy I enjoy his Bond more when his ruthless side comes out, which it really only does during the pre-title sequence.   

Here are some random observations from the body of the film:

At the very beginning when Bond fires the cable to climb up the wall the rope is clearly not coming from the gun.

I do love the moment as he lights cigarette smoothly while the explosion goes off.  His expression is one of trying not to call attention to himself as he goes to the bar (though wearing a white tuxedo in that environment might work against that effect).

Barry's score is more legato which matches the flow of the film a little more.  When Bond comes out of the water at the beginning or when Feliz is tailing Solo the music is a light an arrangement of the Bond theme designed to envelop the viewer into the experience. The music editing is some of the best and most joyful in the series.  For example when Oddjob gestures to Bond to get it there it is scored with a metallic percussion sound.  This is the first Bond film not to use the original arrangement of the theme. 

The Goldfinger song by Shirley Bassey is much loved, though I find it a little brash and on the nose but still hummable due to the appeaing melody.  But overall there are many other songs in the series that I far prefer and it is my least favorite of the three Shirley Bassey songs.  Barry incorporates the theme into the score quite a lot which was an innovative move at the time.  

During the Miami Beach scene Goldfinger is actually wearing gold colored slippers and the book explains that he likes to get sun so it makes his skin appear more gold.  Frobe's skin tone looks like it would burn more than tan.

Hamilton plays off the famous Bond introduction.  The modified Bond theme starts as Bond introduces himself but he is looking out the window and not at Jill.  Yet he quickly charms Jill and when the scene cuts to his bedroom post coital later their behavior is much more relaxed than we usually see in these films where it will go back to the plot.  Hamilton and the screenwriters know that if we see this we will care more about Jill so it will be a shock when Bond finds her body.  There is definitely a sense that Bond has poked a bear in not only exposing Goldfinger's cheating but also in bedding Jill.

Hamilton frames Oddjob in silhoutte which sets up a scare when we see him dead in the center of frame on the golf course (with the same music cue as when Bond found Jill, thematically linking the two) and realize it is the same man who murdered Jill.  Connery manages Bond's efforts to control his reaction (a combination of fear and anger) beautifully as he also enjoys toying with Goldfinger on the golf course.

Gert Frobe, despite being fully dubbed in the film, gives Goldfinger a lot of characterization.  Goldfinger in some ways is a little like Trump.  Both are heavyset, wealthy men obsessed with gold, who wants to cheat their way toward winning, regardless of the cost, and will not hesitate to turn on their own employees if needed.  Frobe's facial reactions are delicious when Bond has him cornered in the card game.  Goldfinger is both more intelligent and dismissive and encourages Bond to figure out his plan.  Goldfinger warns Bond early on about staying away but once he has Bond captured enjoys matching wits with him.  For the most part Bond and Goldfinger treat each other cordially and the film gives them a lot of screentime together.  Frobe was so effective that at least twice the producers considered bringing him back as his Goldfinger's twin brother (which probably would have not worked well).  

Prior to shoot the Q scene Hamilton told Q actor Demond Llewelyn to act annoyed at Bond which became the hallmark of the dynamic between the two.  One element that was added in later films is Bond began being amused by Q's annoyance and he continually tried to get under Q's skin.  

Bond's tailing of Goldfinger with the homing device through the picturesque Furka Pass in Switzerland also allows a good character moment for both Bond and Goldfinger.  Goldfinger sleeps in the back of his car as Oddjob drives completely imperious to the incredible views right outside his window.  Bond looks restless and actually talks to himself, which rarely occurs in the series.  Hamilton and editor Peter Hunt do some excellent storytelling, always keeping the audience aware of where Bond, Goldfinger and Tilly are.  I might have expected a chase given the setting but the sequence works just fine without it.  

The nighttime car chase with all the gadgets must have been a lot of fun in 1964 although it is pretty brief.  The film actually has less action than probably any of the others but is so entertaining that the audience probably does not miss it.  The Q scene has primed us to expect a good time from the car.  One of the only issues is Connery looks far too tall for the car and sometimes seems to be hunched over in it.  A tasteful moment is when Tilly is killed Bond immediately give up his position (where he might have been able to take out Oddjob) to pay his respects much as he did to Quarrel in Dr No.  The henchman could easily have killed him but the whole scene pauses to allow both Bond and the audience to process this loss.  Tilly was not a particularly nice person and is one of the few women in the film that Bond does not take to bed but she was brave and loyal to her sister.  Notably Bond uses a Walther P38 instead of his PPK during this sequence.  The Aston Martin, for all its fun toys, is defeated when Bond is tricked by a giant mirror incoming carlights and crashes it into a wall.  

There are a few minor plot holes in the sequence which I really only thought about afterwards:

Why does Oddjob let Bond drive his own car, especially as it has been shown to have gadgets?

The ejector seat is teased by several shots of Bond shifting gears but you would not shift into third gear right before accelerating as he does here.  He'd be in first to start off, shift into second to start to speed up and into third right after hitting 20-205 mpg. 

Why is a mirror in the compound?  Does Goldfinger have an ongoing problem with enemies driving cars onto his property at night or does it have another purpose?  

In the book the centerpiece torture scene has Bond bound to a table with a saw underneath.  The film changes it to a laser and is one of the most iconic scenes in the series.  Cinematographer Ted Moore shows Bond in a medium shot waking up bound to a table, then Hunt cuts to a much wider shots showing the room.  It is wise to start this way so we see first that Bond cannot move before we get a sense of the setting.  Hamilton, Barry and Hunt build suspense by presenting the laser pointed right at Bond, moving across the far end of the table as it charges up and then start at the far end of the table and slowly work its way toward Bond.  Notably this is not an interrogation scene.  Goldfinger now is fully of aware of who Bond is and is just planning to kill him slowly.  Oddjob's torture is rightfully dropped as it is wholly unnecessary.  The laser is scary enough. Connery finds just the right note to play Bond.  He is terrified but early on tries to keep his composure and has keep rasing his voice as Goldfinger starts to leave the room.  Frobe plays this with relaxed gestures, hands in his pockets, the threat of Bond is now eliminated as far as her in concerned, but he delivers curious looks as Bond keeps saying just enough to complicate matters, which forces him to consult with his partners (but we in the audience do not hear the exahnges which drags out the suspense even further).  Note Bert Kwouck's reaction as Bond mentions "Operation Grand Slam"; he looks far more concerned than the arrogant Goldfinger.  Connery also makes some good acting choices late in the sequence, talking to Goldfinger while actually eyeing the laser, making sure his words have the maximum impact with the little amount of time he has left.  The editing of Goldfinger's last line before the laser turns off is a little off.  There are several cuts of Bond, the laser cutting the table, Goldfinger by the door and then impossibly several steps closer to Bond's table as he finishes the line. The sound design of the laser is also superb.

The scene is so unique I don't think the series has ever quite matched it.  There is a scene in Licence to Kill in which Bond is on a conveyor belt with a cocaine grinder at the end that would cut him to pieces if he reaches it but it is a more violent scene than this one.  

The second half of the film overall is less interesting.  The sequence on the plane is entertainingly suspenseful with the cat and mouse moments where Bond gets dressed and activates his homing device.  But the long sequence on the horse ranch has Bond in a  passive role, trying to learn about Operation Grand Slam while hoping to get word to the authorities.

Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore matches up well Connery.  Connery always seemed to enjoy when his leading lady was more of a sparring partner than affectionate lover and there is some sparkling dialogue between the two.  It is impressive that the producers got the name past censors (apparently with the help of Prince Phillip) and to further the effect Bond calls her by name constantly.  Blackman is also shown wearing pants suits and throughout the film and is presented as a leader despite the provocative name.  She is also one of the few English leading ladies in the series (Diana Rigg, Jane Seymour are the others).

The mobsters are played for fools as they use generic tough guy dialogue and goof around on the rocking horse.  Goldfinger tells them his plan and then gases them all which makes no sense for two reasons.  First, why would you tell a plan to someone who will not be alive to assist in it?  Second, what kind of heat is Goldfinger looking to bring on himself.  By killing the mobsters he would be painting an enormous target on his back by the surviving family members.  Eventually someone would get him.  I understand the need to demonstrate the use of the gas so the audience can see how deadly it is but narratively it might have worked better if Goldfinger had thrown an underling who had failed him into the room and gased him.  

Production designer Ken Adam uses as many gold themed items as possible.  The rooms where Goldfinger tortures Bond with the laser and in Kentucky where makes his presentation are both gold and brown colored.  Goldfinger has a golden Rolls Royce (which he uses for smuggling), a golden revolver, he is often wearing at least one gold colored piece of clothing, and his rooms all have a golden theme to them.  

Bond's escape from his cell is creative though it does seem a little out of character for Connery's Bond.  Bond's relaxed demeanor during the horse ranch sequence dilutes some of the suspense which I think is Guy Hamilton encouraging a lighter mood.  In Dr No and From Russia With Love, the two preceding films directed by Terence Young, when Bond is at the villain's mercy there is a far greater sense that anything could happen.

The moment where Pussy Galore takes Bond for a walk allows for Felix to wrongly think Bond is a guest instead of a captive.  Even though she is rightfully supremely confident of her fighting abilities, it feels a little careless since if one thing went off Bond could escape.  Bond contrives to get her to attack him hoping to use the heated moment to seduce her so he can convince her to help thwart Goldfinger's plans.  

Bond's seduction involves forcing himself on top of Pussy and kissing her until her resistance melts which is sexual assault.  Bond is supposed to be bold but using his superior strength is not romantic, it's just violent and uncomfortable (especially when she is twisting her face desperate to get away from his).  While we feel that Pussy has been attracted to him all along I think some dialogue at the end of the struggle to seduce her would be more appropriate. 

The third act has Bond again in a reactive role.  Pussy Galore's Flying Circus planes fly over Fort Knox in an extended sequence and many soldiers (41,000 we are told) collapse as well as Felix and his partner.  Barry uses a military influenced theme but Hamilton focuses on one of the sexy female pilots who has had little dialogue up until this point.  I think they should have used Pussy here as it would have kept the audience guessing as to her loyalties.  Instead we only see her briefly flying Goldfinger into Fort Knox and looking uncomfortable, clearly not into the scheme anymore.  But admittedly the scope of the gassing scene is impressive as is the horror of the number of people Goldfinger is willing to kill to achieve his goals.  I did notice when first watching the film that the people fell pretty easily and did not appear to suffer much.

The laser is creatively used to get through one of the gates where the bullion is stored which shows that it had a practical use beyond killing people who snoop around Goldfinger's warehouses.  Ken Adam has a lot of fun with the set, showing a vault with gold bars stacked (higher than gold bars could be stacked naturally).  Actor Michael Collins, who dubbed Frobe gives a cold but cordial delivery of the line "Goodbye, Mr. Bond" as Bond is left handcuffed to the bomb.  Connery looks appropriately concerned as (though the audience does not know this) Bond and Pussy have concocted a plan but Bond has no idea if it will work or not.  

When the military attacks Goldfinger has a surprising reaction as he puts on a U.S. military officer uniform (so the soldiers will obey him without question even though they would not recognize him).  Goldfinger's preparation, even when a big wrench has been thrown into his plan, strengthens him as a character and shows he is as clever as he is ruthless (emphasized when he shoots his own man, played by Bert Kwouk, who turns up in a different role in You Only Live Twice).  We do not see how he escapes but presumably he gets in the helicopter and gets Pussy to fly him off the base.  

There is a lot of suspense as Bond finally is able to get into action, dragging the big container holding the bomb to the body of the man who tried to get out of the vault, unlike the loyal Oddjob.  I presume Oddjob was going to leave the vault beforehand but once Goldfinger locks them in Oddjob is more than willing to die for Goldfinger's cause.  As Bond reaches the key Oddjob's shoes running on the hard floor is a constant reminder of his threat as Bond reaches the key and unlocks his cuffs and conveys the urgency better than a yell or shout might have.

The good news is Bond is now free, but if he wants to disarm the bomb, which the sound design constantly reminds us is ticking, he has to find a way to defeat Oddjob.  This is a good moment to examine Harold Sakata's villain.  Oddjob is a kind of innocuous name and Sakata plays this wordless (not mute as he makes a lot of different sounds) character with a lot of charm.  When Oddjob throws his hat he looks fierce but otherwise he is so confident in his abilities that Bond's efforts to overcome him throughout the film amuse him and rightfully so.  Oddjob has won every encounter with Bond, from sneaking up and knocking him out, painting Jill while Bond is unconscious, capturing him after the car chase and killing Mr. Solo who Bond had hoped to use to alert the CIA.  

The fight is different from the more kinetic fist fights Connery has against other opponents in the series.  The fight is staged so Oddlob does not land too many hits on Bond.  Bond tries to attack Oddjob with makeshift weapons but Oddjob is quicker and Bond's efforts are largely futile, despite Bond's expertise in unarmed combat.  Hamilton teases us when Bond gets ahold of the hat and we think this is how it is going to happen.  Sakata changes Oddjob's expression from amused to focused.  When Oddjob avoids the hat Bond looks momentarily defeated until he thinks quick and uses the broken cables to electrocute Oddjob while holding the hat which clearly has metal in the rim.  It is a spectaculer death worthy of this fun villain, and calls back to the electrocution of the thug in the pre-title sequence.

The editing is a little off in the following moment as Bond is trying to disarm the bomb but has no idea what he is doing.  With only a few seconds to go the CIA agents are about a floor away until the well staged moment in which one of the agents lightly pushes Bond's hands away from pulling the cord and switches off the bomb.  Also we had seen the counter at about nine seconds and we hear it click a few times.  I think it was supposed to stop at three given Bond's pun but the visual gag of showing the counter at 007 was probably too much for the filmmakers to resist. 

Felix has a brief expositional line that Pussy alerted Washington but I think the efforts to switch the cannisters should have been explained further.

Each of Guy Hamilton's Bond films have a final sting.  As in the novel Bond is on a plane with Goldfinger but it is truncated here.  Connery again shows a little fear when Goldfinger approaches him armed but tries to defuse it with humor.  The staging is clever as Bond takes advantage of Goldfinger's careless gesture with the pistol to attack him.  The film looks a little sped up as Goldfinger is sucked out of the window and I wish there were an exterior shot of Goldfinger floating away (a la Drax in Moonraker).  There is another man behind Goldfinger as he enters the cabin and he is passed out on the floor when Bond drops) but we do not see the Bond take him out.  The sequence is a little rushed (only two minutes pass from when Bond enters the plane to when it crashes) and it feels like a cop out that we do not see Bond and Pussy parachute out (just a quick glimpse on the radar).

Goldfinger built on the solid success of the first two films and became the first genuine Bond blockbuster that helped ignite a spy craze in the 1960s.  When the producers get a little lost they often look back to the tone of Goldfinger as the model to build off of.  

Goldfinger is an entertaining film and a good time at the movies.  While I have my quibbles that keep it a little lower on the Bond scale (aka the weaker second half) I would confidently recommend to anyone.  Sadly Hamilton returned for three more films all of which are far below this one in quality. If you can catch this film on the big screen I recommend you do so.  ***