When I talked about From Russia with Love, I said that I had a hard time picking between that and Goldfinger as my favorite Sean Connery James Bond movies. Having watched both movies recently, I am still not sure which one I like the best, as I love them both. Goldfinger was released in 1964 and was a massive hit. While this was not the first James Bond movie, I would argue that it is one of the most important early James Bond movies.
How to Download Goldfinger
Goldfinger was released on 18 September 1964. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review: Goldfinger and the Evolution of Bond
This would be the first of four Bond movies directed by Guy Hamiliton and it really is where the Bond formula started to take shape. The fun, almost sci-fi gadgets, the opening caper, and the bits of humor that Bond would become known for were all introduced here, and these would remain staples of the James Bond franchise for the next several decades!
Auric Goldfinger: A Legendary Bond Villain
Our Bond villain this time around is Auric Goldfinger, who is played by German actor Gert Frobe. I had no idea until recently that his voice was actually dubbed due to Frobe talking too slowly. Goldfinger as the name suggests, is obsessed with gold and he is freaking insane. An insane person with infinite wealth can do some crazy things, and Goldfinger has some plans in store for the gold at Fort Knox.
Why Oddjob and Goldfinger Are Fan Favorites
I just love Goldfinger; he is crazy, over the top, and kind of theatrical. Goldfinger has everything that makes a great James Bond villain, including one of the greatest henchmen of all time, Oddjob. When it comes to Bond villains, I would say that Jaws, Oddjob, and Goldfinger are arguably the three most well known, and two of them are in this movie!
When my friends and I would play Goldeneye on the Nintendo 64, we had a strict, no playing as Oddjob rule as we always felt he had an advantage! I talked about the awesome From Russia with Love game that they made in 2005, and it is a real shame that they never did the same with Goldfinger, as I think it would have been a better fit for a video game than From Russia with Love was, and that turned out great.
The Bond Girls of Goldfinger
As well as Oddjob and Goldfinger, we have two other great characters here in the form of our Bond girls. We have Shirley Eaton and Tania Mallet as the Masterson Sisters. Shirly Eaton is only in the movie briefly, but her dead gold covered body is one of the most memorable aspects of this movie. We also have Pussy Galore who is played by Honor Blackman (she also played in Bridget Jones’s Diary) and let me ask you this, is there a more awesome Bond girl name that Pussy Galore?
Why Goldfinger is a Timeless Spy Classic
It may sound basic, but fun is the best way to describe Goldfinger. From the many different locations around the world that Bond has to go to, the awesome gadgets, the sexy Austin Martin car and the epic action scenes, not to forget the cool villains. Goldfinger is one of those movies that is fun from start to end, and like I have said many times, I am not sure what I like best between this and From Russia with Love, although Goldfinger does have Oddjob, so that may give it a slight edge!
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