BlogalongaBond #3: Goldfinger

Relevance of pre-credits sequence to rest of film: None, but it does have a super cool moment when Bond removes his wetsuit just after planting a bomb to reveal his tuxedo underneath an goes to a nightclub to maintain cover and get some lovin'.

Bond song: There has arguably never been a more iconic Bond song than Goldfinger (I was going to say better but there are actually a couple I prefer but that is for another Bond film). It is big, bold, brassy and Bassey with Shirley belting it out like there is no tomorrow.

Time elapsed before we hear the line "Bond... James Bond": 12:03

Attractiveness of Bond girls: Iconic seems to be a word that I'll be using a lot with Goldfinger but the fact is that this is the Bond film that really defined the series and genre, and provided us with a Bond girl with the best look: Shirley Eaton covered in gold paint; and the best Bond girl name in history: Pussy Galore. Trivia states that Honor Blackman got the role due to her job in The Avengers but I suspect it was because she could say Pussy Galore without sniggering. However am I the only that felt slightly uncomfortable when Bond forces himself on Pussy in the barn? Like the joke in Family Guy featuring Bond says "nine No's and a Yes means Yes"

Best Innuendo: Many would go for the easy "I'm Pussy Galore"... "I must be dreaming" gag, but I prefer when Bond is asked why he always carries his gun - "I have a slight inferiority complex"

Best One Liner used when despatching an evil henchman: *electrocutes a man in the bathtub* "shocking... positively shocking"

Best Gadget: This is the film where Q branch really comes into its own. We get to see the inner workings of the department and they deliver the technological highlight of the series so far in the form of the Aston Martin complete with ejector seat, defense mechanisims and homing device. I still have the replica toy car at home!

Evilness of Villain: Auric Goldfinger is quite a bastard to be fair. He has no qualms in killing business associates and thousands of soldiers in order to achieve his goal... unfortunately he makes the mistake that all Bond villains make, he doesn't kill Bond when he gets the chance! Having said that, Goldfinger is quite a charasmatic fellow and has a lot of interaction with Bond where there is a begrudging respect. One of the best villains of the series... even if he is dubbed.

Feasability of Evil Scheme: Goldfinger plans to break into Fort Knox in order to set off a nuclear device that would contaminate the USA's gold supply creating chaos in the world financial markets. It's odd to realise just how many Bond villains attempt to terrorize the world on a financial level. Goldfinger comes closer to success than many villains but Bond manages to deactivate the bomb just in time for the clock to read 007 (get it) even though moments later he remarks that "3 more ticks and Mr Goldfinger would have hit the jackpot". Plus everyone collapses from the "gas" far too quickly. The dispersal rate in the air to get to them would have been much greater... but then they were all playing along with the scheme so perhaps that explains the bad acting.

Does Bond end up in a romantic clinch in a boat: A new category due to the fact the first two Bond films ended this way. Did Goldfinger continue the trend? Not quite. Still ends with a smooch but they are hidden under a parachute instead.

I reviewed Goldfinger as part of my (500) Films of Empire challenge last year and stated that it was THE definitive Bond film. Will it still be the best when I reach the end of my time blogging along with Bond? Only time will tell.

Bond will return in April with Thunderball.