For Conservative Movie Lovers: Ian Fleming, Sean Connery, and ‘Goldfinger’ Part 5

Big Hollywood ^ | 04.10.10 | Leo Grin

[Perdogg]

Almost fifty years ago, in the film journal Sight and Sound for Winter 1964/65, critic Roger Hudson wrote that the talent of motion picture production designers “is often overlooked, except where it is the greatest element in a film’s success, as it is in Goldfinger.”

The greatest element — that’s a bold claim, considering the hot competition among the movie’s other collaborators. But in hindsight, few would argue that the marvelous sets, vehicles, and spy gadgets of Goldfinger, masterminded by production designer Ken Adam, are any less iconic than Ian Fleming’s novel, Sean Connery’s performance, or John Barry’s musical score.

[Perdogg]

ping

[xp38]

The original book covers were iconic in their own way.

[Perdogg]

[HD1200]

I think I was about 12 when Goldfinger came out and I paid to watch it 10 or so times at our small town theater.

[HD1200]

The book and the movie were excellent, even without the F word interspersed about every 50 words like today’s movies.

[martin_fierro]

[AlexW]

That was in my early college days. Bond movies were all the rage. We just could not wait for the next one to come out.
God, how I miss those days, when America was America, and
Bond was Bond, James Bond.

[martin_fierro]

adam_aston_martin_sketch An admitted “sports-car freak,” Adam went nuts pimping out Bond’s ride with its now-legendary array of special options, using the rationale that “all the gimmickry and gadgets were just what I would have wanted in my own car.” The entire crew was encouraged to submit their own ideas for upgrades, and by the time he was finished he had spent 25,000 pounds — almost double the total production design budget of Dr. No — on the Aston Martin alone. As it happened the vehicle was only on screen for thirteen minutes, but Adam’s conception of it was so wildly inventive and fun that it became the most famous car in movie history.

A couple of hidden fitty-cals, an onboard computer or two, and this* could've been one of The Greats.

* also by Ian Fleming

[Castigar]

Goldfinger was the first Bond film I saw. I was 10 and at my cousin’s birthday party. His mother called the parish priest to see if it was ok if we all went to see it. Can’t believe he said yes!

I think it’s still my favorite Bond film.

[driftless2]

"first Bond film"

The first Bond film I saw was "From Russia With Love" which I viewed with a friend when I was thirteen. My old man had a fit since the film was rated B by the Legion of Decency which my father regarded as the word of the Pope. Now the flick would almost get a G rating the "suggestive" scenes are so mild compared to today.

[wtc911]

Yep, hard to get the folks say OK to anything other than A2 or A3 but we managed to catch the Bond fliks.

I remember thinking that Bardot must have been really hot because every film she was in was rated C.

[driftless2]

Just to show how prudish the Legion of Decency was they condemned the Dean Martin flick “Kiss Me Stupid” because the word “virgin” was used in the movie.

[henry_reardon]

a truly great movie, 2nd only to Thunderball

[albie]

I remember seeing “Goldfinger” at the drive in with my sister and parents. First we played on the HUGE playset right at the screen, then watched “Deputy Dawg” cartoons as the show opener. We’d get some greasy egg rolls at the snack hut and then listen to the movie through an awful little speaker hooked to the car door. Very fond memories!

[Cincinatus]

Although From Russia With Love is my favorite Bond movie, Goldfinger comes in a close second, largely because of the great golf game scenes between Bond and Goldfinger.

That and the greatest verbal exchange between Bond and the villain in the entire series:

"Do you expect me to talk?"

No, Mr. Bond! I expect you to die!!

[GSP.FAN]

Also starring.

[K-oneTexas]

I greup reading all Ian Fleming’s novels, they were utterly fantastic.

All the early Bond films with Sean Connery are classics an (for me) it would be hard to pick a clear winner, but I guess Dr No would be my choice.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a great film, but Lazenby just couldn’t act, but Diana Rigg was the film for me and she should have lived and Lazenby should have ‘bit the dust’.

“We Have All the Time in the World,” performed by The Great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong. Followed by Live and Let Die” performed by Paul McCartney and Wings.

Sean Connery, of course, started it all and I think he captures the essence of the Bond character the best. His six films all helped set a tone for a franchise that has lasted over 40 years.

Favorite Bond actor would naturally be:
1. Sean Connery, (suave and he kicked butt, exactly how Bond should be) (closest to Fleming’s original character I believe)
2. Roger Moore, (suave, handsome with a dash of humor, the “thinking man’s Bond”) (but will always be The Saint too)
3. Pierce Brosnan, (the ‘new’ Bond, post cold war and all) (Will always be Remmington Steele)(plus, when I see him I think about that scene from Mrs. Doubtfire when he’s choking on his food)
4. Timothy Dalton, (dark moody Bond seemed oddly shaken & stirred)
5. Daniel Craig (pretty realistic and actually get hurt lot)(he has a ‘wicked grin’)
6. George Lazenby (last and least)

Favorite Bond Girls name, why ‘Pussy Galore’ of course. However Ursula Andress and Halle Berry are the creme of the crop. Sexy ladies.

For women I guess this is the ‘manlicious’ and ‘manjoyment’ series of films of all time. For the guys, well maybe it’s the Bond Girls.

Memorable quote: Kamal Khan in Octopussy (referring to James Bond): “You have a nasty habit of surviving.” Very prophetic about the entire Bond franchise.

[chimera]

Good list. Hard to do, but I might have to call it a tie between Connery and Moore as the “best” Bond. They were each great in their own way. Connery was definitely the “serious spy” of the two, but I loved Sir Roger's play on the character with a bit of subtle British humor. Connery got to make it with Pussy Galore, but don't forget that Roger had a tumble with Octopussy. Maud Adams is definitely a Swedish valkyrie. Then there was the famous zero-g scene at the end of Moonraker with Holly Goodhead (a great name for a Bond girl if there was one). On a 1-10 scale of feminine beauty, Lois Chiles rates at least an 11. Yummy...:-)

[K-oneTexas]

I must admit, Ian Fleming had some wonderful names for the women in his Bond novels. And casting of many of the actresses for those roles was spot on.

Casting for the villains has also been good. Though frankly I just didn’t see Donald Pleasence (’You Only Live Twice’) or Telly Savalas (come on Kojak -’On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’) as Blofeld. They should have hired back the other guy from ‘Thunderball’ or ‘From Russia With Love’.

Always loved British humor and comedy, I agree with you call on Moore. It was tough to ‘choose’ between the two cause they were the best in different ways.

I am not overly thrilled with Craig but he’s okay. I see him more as a SMERSH/SPECTRE villain than as Bond.