Goldfinger (1964)

Last updated:
August 16, 2025

Goldfinger (1964) is the third entry in the James Bond film series, directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Sean Connery in one of his most iconic turns as 007. It’s a quintessential spy thriller, combining Cold War-era tension with stylish espionage and larger-than-life villains.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Operation in Miami

The film opens with James Bond completing a covert mission in Latin America before heading to Miami for some well-earned relaxation. There, CIA agent Felix Leiter briefs him about a gold-smuggling magnate named Auric Goldfinger. Bond’s first encounter with Goldfinger occurs poolside, where he cleverly disrupts Goldfinger’s cheating at cards by feeding information to his opponent via a hidden radio.

Jill Masterson and the Gold Murder

Bond seduces Jill Masterson, Goldfinger’s assistant, but she is murdered soon after—her body famously painted head to toe in gold paint, suffocating her. This shocking murder pushes Bond deeper into the investigation.

The Golf Game Duel

Bond challenges Goldfinger to a high-stakes game of golf, where he beats him by using Goldfinger’s own cheating tricks against him. This scene reveals the villain’s ruthlessness and sets up their rivalry.

Capture and the Laser Table

Bond follows Goldfinger’s operation to Switzerland, where he learns of “Operation Grand Slam”—a mysterious plot involving Fort Knox. While investigating further, he is captured and brought to Goldfinger’s facility, setting the stage for one of the most famous sequences in cinematic history. In this tense moment, Goldfinger threatens to slice Bond in half with an industrial laser, and Bond narrowly avoids death by bluffing that he knows more about the plan.

Pussy Galore and the Flying Circus

Bond is taken to the U.S., where he meets Pussy Galore, Goldfinger’s personal pilot and leader of an all-female flying team. Initially loyal to Goldfinger, Pussy becomes a pivotal character after Bond manages to sway her to his side.

Operation Grand Slam Revealed

Bond learns that Goldfinger doesn’t intend to steal the gold from Fort Knox—he plans to detonate a dirty bomb inside, rendering the gold radioactive for decades. This would dramatically increase the value of Goldfinger’s own gold reserves while destabilizing the world economy.

Movie Ending

In the climax, Pussy Galore has secretly informed the U.S. government of Goldfinger’s plan, replacing his knockout gas with a harmless substance. As Goldfinger’s forces infiltrate Fort Knox, Bond is handcuffed to the nuclear device. A brutal fight ensues between Bond and Oddjob, Goldfinger’s steel-hat-throwing henchman, inside the vault. Bond eventually electrocutes Oddjob and manages to disarm the bomb with only seconds to spare (the counter stops at “007” for extra flair).

Goldfinger escapes but hijacks the private jet carrying Bond and Pussy. In a final confrontation aboard the aircraft, Bond and Goldfinger fight; a stray bullet shatters a window, causing Goldfinger to be sucked out into the sky due to explosive decompression. Bond and Pussy parachute to safety, ending with the traditional Bond romantic fade-out.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No. Goldfinger ends before the credits and contains no additional scenes afterward. In true 1960s Bond tradition, the credits tease the next installment: James Bond will be back in Thunderball.

Type of Movie

Classic spy thriller / action-adventure, with elements of heist drama and Cold War intrigue.

Cast

Sean Connery – James Bond
Gert Fröbe – Auric Goldfinger (voice dubbed by Michael Collins)
Honor Blackman – Pussy Galore
Shirley Eaton – Jill Masterson
Harold Sakata – Oddjob
Tania Mallet – Tilly Masterson
Bernard Lee – M
Desmond Llewelyn – Q
Cec Linder – Felix Leiter

Film Music and Composer

Score composed by John Barry, featuring the legendary title song “Goldfinger” sung by Shirley Bassey—one of the most recognizable Bond themes of all time.

Filming Locations

Filmed across multiple locations:

Pinewood Studios (UK) – interior sets, including Fort Knox’s elaborate vault (completely fictional and highly stylized).
Miami, Florida – establishing shots for the early scenes.
Kent, England – Goldfinger’s golf club sequence.
Switzerland – Furka Pass and Andermatt for the car chase and factory scenes.
These locations were chosen for their glamour, scenic appeal, and the authenticity they lent to Bond’s globe-trotting adventures.

Awards and Nominations

Won: Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing (1965) – the first Bond film to win an Oscar.
Nominated: BAFTA for Best British Art Direction (Color).

Behind the Scenes Insights

The gold-painted Jill Masterson scene became iconic but was widely misunderstood—no, she did not die from “skin suffocation” in real life; this was a dramatic invention.
Sean Connery disliked filming in Miami because of the constant interruptions from curious fans.
Harold Sakata burned his hand filming Oddjob’s electrocution scene but stayed in character to finish the take.
Honor Blackman’s judo skills were real; she had learned them for her previous TV role in The Avengers.

Inspirations and References

Based on Ian Fleming’s 1959 novel Goldfinger. The adaptation is relatively faithful but condenses plot points and adds cinematic flair—most notably the laser scene, which was not in the book (there it was a buzz saw).

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Early drafts had Goldfinger surviving longer and being captured alive; the airborne fight and decompression death were added later for more spectacle.
Several small dialogue scenes with Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus were trimmed for pacing.

Book Adaptations and Differences

In the novel, Pussy Galore is portrayed more as a criminal gang leader than a pilot.
Goldfinger’s plan in the book involves physically stealing gold from Fort Knox, which would take weeks; the movie changed it to the more feasible (and dramatic) dirty bomb scenario.
The ending in the book occurs on an ocean liner, not on a plane.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Jill Masterson’s gold-painted death.
The golf match between Bond and Goldfinger.
The laser table “Do you expect me to talk?” moment.
The Fort Knox fight with Oddjob.

Iconic Quotes

Bond: “Do you expect me to talk?”
Goldfinger: “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”
Bond: “Shocking. Positively shocking.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The DB5’s gadgets debut here and became a Bond signature.
Goldfinger’s Rolls-Royce Phantom III actually had gold components in the grille.
The “007” time on the bomb countdown was a cheeky nod to Bond’s code number.

Trivia

The first Bond film to feature a pre-title action sequence unrelated to the main plot.
Fort Knox’s interior was entirely fabricated; no filming was allowed inside the real vault.
This film solidified the “Bond formula” for decades to come.

Why Watch?

Goldfinger is the blueprint for the classic spy adventure—charismatic hero, flamboyant villain, unforgettable set-pieces, and a perfect mix of style and suspense. If you want to understand why James Bond became a cultural phenomenon, start here.

Director’s Other Movies

Funeral in Berlin (1966)
Battle of Britain (1969)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Live and Let Die (1973)

Goldfinger (1964)