Goldfinger - A Revision?

Moore Than

It appears to me that Goldfinger is not nearly revered as much as it once was. I have been noticing more and more criticism in recent times here and in other Bond forums. It usually goes along these lines. The story is weak. Yes, it's got the iconic moments but the rest of it is dull. Bond doesn't do much except get caught, fails to save the Masterson sisters, and someone else saves the day at the end of the film. Felix Leiter is miscast.

Is there some kind of revision going on?
Is there a generational gap, with the younger generation being less impressed?
Are people now feeling free to criticise, whereas in the past they may have felt intimidated?

Napoleon Plural

GF is a great movie for the family to sit down and enjoy on a Bank Holiday Monday, or was. Put it alongside The Sound of Music and The Great Escape.

But viewing habits have changed, and now with Blu Ray fans prefer to sit and watch a film on their own todd, it's a more intense experience, more humourless. Plus, films are grittier and nastier these days, and GF has none of that really. A film like OHMSS fits in with all that better, whereas watching it with my family never lasted beyond two scenes, as it's bereft of decent action for the first almost two hours (!) and Lazenby is very much an acquired taste that many have no interest or incentive for acquiring.

perdogg

Moore Than wrote:

It appears to me that Goldfinger is not nearly revered as much as it once was. I have been noticing more and more criticism in recent times here and in other Bond forums. It usually goes along these lines. The story is weak. Yes, it's got the iconic moments but the rest of it is dull. Bond doesn't do much except get caught, fails to save the Masterson sisters, and someone else saves the day at the end of the film. Felix Leiter is miscast.

Is there some kind of revision going on?
Is there a generational gap, with the younger generation being less impressed?
Are people now feeling free to criticise, whereas in the past they may have felt intimidated?

The problem with Goldfinger is that is has been shown so often and Connery seems bored.

Blackleiter

It's still my favorite Bond movie after all these years. That doesn't mean it's perfect, but I vehemently disagree with anyone who says Connery gave a "bored" performance. To me he gave his most relaxed, assured and enjoyable performance as Bond in Goldfinger. That's one of the primary reasons it's my favorite.

moonraker84

Goldfinger is still one of my faves, great villain, great henchman, cracking score, nice girls, as well as a great performance from Connery.

Richard--W

I found GOLDFINGER ponderous and overlong the first time I saw it on a re-release in the summer of 1970. It has some suspenseful and outrageous moments, with at least four memorable set-pieces, but it fails to generate much excitement or suspense. Guy Hamilton was not a good choice to direct the Bond films. At best he turns the films into light comedy, at worst into outright farce. I've been saying for a long time that I wish Terence Young had directed GOLDFINGER. He'd made it darker and more atmospheric, built up the tension and made the action thrilling. Young would have pitched the interaction more seriously and given the proceedings a more exotic, dangerous feel.

Guy Hamilton is a boring director. I've always thought so.

I agree that Connery is wonderful.


Richard

AdamOmega

Blackleiter wrote:

It's still my favorite Bond movie after all these years. That doesn't mean it's perfect, but I vehemently disagree with anyone who says Connery gave a "bored" performance.

I agree. Connery has a number of terrific moments in Goldfinger, but that entire pre-title sequence sees him truly at his finest.

Mitchell

I enjoy Goldfinger but it's not my favorite. I think in retrospect it can perhaps be seen as the film which sets Bond on the path to self parody and as such I have mixed feelings about it. It's probably the most well done of the big, larger than life Bond films but I would personally prefer either Dr. No or FRWL when it comes to Connery Bond.

bailorg

It arguably has the best PTS of all time, but for me the rest of the movie is just decent.

Part of the problem for modern audiences is that this movie has some of the most overt sexism in the series.

Also, I think many would consider the scene in the barn with Pussy Galore to be rape, at least by modern standards of what rape is.