27 replies to this topic

[kevrichardson]

I feel that Goldfinger is an overrated Bond Film. Yet many consider it the best one. Dr.NO , FRWL , TB, OHMSS , TSWLM , FYEO ,TWINE are to me far superior to Goldfinger. I know this will cause a uproar. Does any one feel the same:cool:

[Spectre001]

Actually I do. I have always thought that something was missing from the film but could never put my finger on it. This is not top say that I don't like the film though.

Funnily enough, I got the book "Bond Films" for x-mas and am up to Goldfinger. The book highlights that Bond, in this adventure does not directly foil Goldfingers plans. A quote from the book include:

"Having said this, the character is peripheral at best, and plays no real part in the plots resolutions. He is however so cool that this largly goes by unnoticed by audiences".

This may be what is missing (for me anyway).

[11 11]

GF or OHMSS is the top Bond for me.

[General Koskov]

I started a thread a while back on how stupid Goldfinger's plan was in the film, yet how good it was in the book. However, many people say the film improved on the book because Goldfinger did not have to remove the gold.

And that thread showed me no one believes me! So you're right: it is overrated. Not bad though.

[Felix's lighter]

Bond's lack of direct foiling of the plot was always a sore spot between myself and GF. However, it's extremely cool in its own way because Bond indirectly defeats the plan through the sexual persuasion of Pussy Galore. It's definitely the sexiest of all the Bond movies, and that creates a huge appeal unto itself.

[flares]

Bond is so good in GF, real style and class. Anyone who can get away with the blue velour number he wears in Miami, can carry off any issues with the plot.

I love it

[BONDFINESSE 007]

i dont think it is the best bond film in the series, although it is very good, i think from russia with love is far better...so to me i think it is a tad bit over rated

[kevrichardson]

So outside of looking COOL and driving a Aston -Martin. Bond really does nothing in Goldfinger.????? Where as in Thunderball he his to actually work and solve a case.:cool:

[Jamie007]

I totally agree! I was going to make a similar thread, but thought I'd be ostracised from the Bond community for it.
Dont get me wrong, its a great movie, but I find it to be very overrated, it is often named as the best Bond of them all, I just dont get it. It has some really great scenes, love the beginning with Goldfinger cheating at cards. Bond is at his coolest. But nothing really seems to happen, and the locations are fairly ordinary throughout. And the sceene with the planes flying over and all the soldiers falling over looked kind of silly.
I agree with kevrichardson, Bond just doesnt seem to do anything.

Jim

[kevrichardson]

A question arose in a thread on the Best Connery Bond film thread . Regarding the direction of "Goldfinger" . As we know Guy Hamilton directed the film . He came after the original director Terance Young left . Young had been involved in the pre-production aspects of the film . Script development , casting ( it was Hamilton who dropped the Sylvia Trench character ) . Would Young have "directed" a better film ? I asked this based on what we now know about the Young and Hamilton directed Bond films.

[Dr Noah]

"I asked this based on what we now know about the Young and Hamilton directed Bond films"

What do we know about them, apart from they are good?


Goldfinger over-rated? Sure, in the same way as the Mona Lisa is over-rated as a painting or Hamlet as a play...

It's one of the best.

[ChandlerBing]

Goldfinger was good, but not the best Bond film to ever walk on the water. It gets a little annoying when people kep piping up screaming how much they love Goldfinger. C'mon, guys, be original, there are 19 other ones you can pick. It's allowed.

[Adam]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing
Goldfinger was good, but not the best Bond film to ever walk on the water.  It gets a little annoying when people kep piping up screaming how much they love Goldfinger.  C'mon, guys, be original, there are 19 other ones you can pick.  It's allowed.

That's why I say The Spy Who Loved Me is the best...but Goldfinger's still untouchable, especially by today's standards...I just saw Die Another Day again last weekend and comparing that to Goldfinger is like comparing Natural Light to Guinness--they both get the job done, but one does it with so much more class & taste.

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Adam
saw Die Another Day again last weekend and comparing that to Goldfinger is like comparing Natural Light to Guinness--they both get the job done, but one does it with so much more class & taste.

I never thought of it that way before. "Goldfinger" must be the Guinness to the Natural light of DAD .

[IrishCrown]

Ah, but they really are just apples and oranges. It's like comparing a Bentley like Mr. Bond used to drive with his new Aston Martin. They both are so nice, but they are so very different.

[kevrichardson]

Well a Bentely like a Aston Martin (use to be before destroyed by FORD) . Was a "Exotic Motor Car", very few peple had one . In the book the Aston Martin was more than just a "Gadget". It was a important of the novel . It was used to fit Bond's cover . In the film it was just a sci-fi(space age) toy . I like all the AstonMartin's , yet one can't just build a whole film around a car . It di not work well on TV with Night Rider" or the 50's show "My Mother the Car"

[Mr. Kidd]

I've heard GF called "the most definitive Bond film" and I think that is why it is held in such regard. ALL the elements of the "formula" are in
place here and it was THE film that seemed to usher in the '60's spy craze. Including those ridiculous "Dr. Goldfoot" movies with Vincent Price.
Overrated? Perhaps, but I would certainly call it the most influential Bond
film.

[kevrichardson]

The Most Definitive Bond Movie is "OHMSS". Or "ThunderBall" if you have to pick a Connery film. "Goldfinger" is just good bondian fun . Plus Cubby Broccoli's Definitive Bond film was "FRWL" .

[Mr. Kidd]

Originally posted by kevrichardson
The Most Definitive Bond Movie is "OHMSS". Or "ThunderBall" if you have to pick a Connery film.  "Goldfinger" is just good bondian fun . Plus Cubby Broccoli's Definitive Bond film was "FRWL" .

I say GF only because while FRWL had a pre-title sequence
and Q scene and DR. NO had a gambling scene ALL the conventions we've grown accustomed to first appeared together in GF and continued in subsequent films including both TB & OHMSS. FRWL May be the BEST
pure Bond film, (there's a good case for OHMSS too!) BUT I still think
GF is the "watershed" Bond film.

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Mr. Kidd

ALL the conventions we've grown accustomed to first appeared together in GF and continued in subsequent films including both TB & OHMSS. FRWL May be the BEST
pure Bond film, (there's a good case for OHMSS too!) BUT I still think  
GF is the "watershed" Bond film.

Okay brother have it your way . We all are entitled to are opinions .

[OOSe7en]

Definitely not overrated. It remains the watershed 007 adventure by which all the others are measured against. This Bond movie set the formula for all future Bond films and oh what fun it's been !

[Robinson]

Originally posted by flares
Bond is so good in GF, real style and class.  Anyone who can get away with the blue velour number he wears in Miami, can carry off any issues with the plot.

I love it

That wasn't velour, it was terrycloth- yikes!

Mr. Kidd has it right. GF was the watershed film in terms of the series' style, gadgets, sexuality and relative suspense as well as "Hitchcockian" elements.

Opinions may differ in terms of what is the "best" bond film but GF is usually seen as the zenith of Connery's tenure and the series as a whole.

[kevrichardson]

How can it be the Zenith of Connery's tenure as Bond when "ThunderBall" is consider a better film . Please tell me the "Hitchcockian" elements in "GoldFinger" . with that hack Guy Hamilton in charge . That's like saying there are Langian elements in "Dr.No" and "FRWL" . As much as i love both Fritz Lang and Hitchcock . No there are none in either film.

[Mr. Kidd]

Can't put my (gold)finger on it, but there were definately shades of Hitchcock particularly in the scenes with Tilly Masterton. A mysterious
blonde with motive for duplicity and revenge. Certain shots had a feel of
Hitchcock too. Specifically the shots of Bond tailing Goldfinger in the
countryside and Bond & Tillie separately and voyeuristically watching
goldfinger from afar as he pulls over and buys from a roadside stand.
Oh, and in the shots at the gas station as well when the Bond and
Tillie first eye each other. Just had a Hitchcock "feel".

[Robinson]

Originally posted by Mr. Kidd
Can't put my (gold)finger on it, but there were definately shades of Hitchcock particularly in the scenes with Tilly Masterton.  A mysterious
blonde with motive for duplicity and revenge. Certain shots had a feel of
Hitchcock too. Specifically the shots of Bond tailing Goldfinger in the  
countryside and Bond & Tillie separately and voyeuristically watching  
goldfinger from afar as he pulls over and buys from a roadside stand.
Oh, and in the shots at the gas station as well when the Bond and  
Tillie first eye each other. Just had a Hitchcock "feel".

I was thinking in terms of Tilly Masterson. You think that she's "the" Bond Girl that 007'll end up with by picture's end. however, she's killed less than ten minutes after he on-screen appearance. That's what threw people watching "Psycho." you thought Janet Leigh was going to be around for the remainder of the pic but she's killed halfway through.

Also, Pussy's transformation from bad girl to good. She's dressed in black when we first see her and she's decked out in white for the climax and the finale- after Bond "appealed to her maternal instincts." This was done in Psycho as well but in reverse w/Leigh.

We're not talking DePalma style "homages" here, just little things that you see after watching the Bond series and Hitchcock's films.

[Fraternal]

I think Goldfinger highly overrated, I would rank it about 15th out of the 20, it is not that good IMO.

[Mr. Kidd]

Originally posted by Robinson


I was thinking in terms of Tilly Masterson. You think that she's "the" Bond Girl that 007'll end up with by picture's end. however, she's killed less than ten minutes after he on-screen appearance. That's what threw people watching "Psycho." you thought Janet Leigh was going to be around for the remainder of the pic but she's killed halfway through.

Also, Pussy's transformation from bad girl to good. She's dressed in black when we first see her and she's decked out in white for the climax and the finale- after Bond "appealed to her maternal instincts." This was done in Psycho as well but in reverse w/Leigh.

We're not talking DePalma style "homages" here, just little things that you see after watching the Bond series and Hitchcock's films.

Oh no, I didn't think Hamilton was doing an "homage" to hitchcock. Just that some scenes had a look and mood that reminded me of Hitchcock. Thought someone else felt the same way.

[Von Hammerstein]

Goldfinger is the quintessential Bond movie that defined the series. Quick and dirt pretitle sequence ("Shocking.") Great main title and theme song, Outrageous larger-than-life villian, with an equally outrageous plot ("That's inspired, Goldfinger"), fabulous women including one painted gold, an unstoppable henchman, the crooks congress, introduction of Q's lab and the Aston Martin, a metaphoric duel with the villian (golf game) and Bond ends up in the arms of a beautiful women after just nearly escaping death. You can't beat it!