Goldfinger

_**Iconic 60’s Bond film**_ Released in 1964 (or January, 1965, in the USA), "Goldfinger" was the third Bond film in three years. This was the film that pushed 007 over-the-top and is rightly considered a classic. It's very iconic of mid-60's cinema -- the title song, the gold-painted woman, Oddjob's deadly hat and the breaking into Fort Knox. The next two films in the series are just as great and IMHO better -- "Thunderball" (1965) and "You Only Live Twice" (1967). "Thunderball" made more at the box office than any other Bond flick from the Connery era and "You Only Live Twice" upped the ante with the action & spy stuff and is just all-around entertaining. Yet "Goldfinger" continues to be the Bond film that's most highly regarded of the 60s and this should be respected. But don't expect the wall-to-wall action that was introduced with "You Only Live Twice" and remains to this day. Yes, "Goldfinger" has some quality action sequences, but less than what you'd typically get from a 007 flick post-"Thunderball.” In fact, one clash in the film is a simple game of golf between James and Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe). An earlier scene involves Bond forcing Goldfinger to lose a card game. This doesn't make "Goldfinger" bad, of course, just different. "A View to a Kill" (1985) is notable for the same reason. Other positives include a fairly long sequence in the magnificent Swiss Alps, where it was shot, and quality Bond women like Shirley Eaton (the ‘golden girl’) and brief appearances by Margaret Nolan (Dink) and Nadja Regin (Bonita); Honor Blackman is cool as Pussy Galore, but she never tripped my trigger. Despite all the good, there are some negatives. For instance, the gas fly-over by Pussy Galore's girls and the falling-over of the troops comes off lame. There's also a little too much "down time" in the second half that's not all that interesting. Nevertheless, "Goldfinger" is a James Bond classic, full of iconic imagery and scenes. When it was released it was extraordinary, but it may now strike some viewers as tame or even lame in ways. Regardless, it's definitely a worthy Bond flick and has its unique charm. The film runs 1 hour, 50 minutes, and was shot in Miami Beach, Florida; England; Switzerland; and Kentucky. GRADE: A-