Project Bond: Goldfinger

I’m not sure if these films are getting sillier, or if I’m just getting older, but this one felt pretty silly to me. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I’d just like to know what to expect. I thought the world’s suavest spy would be a bit more serious, but he keeps blundering into situations that lead to his being knocked out, much as I presumably would. His recoveries are a smidge more spectacular, though, I must admit.

Pussy Galore makes her infamous appearance as the most on the nose Bond Girl yet, working for your man Goldfinger, the man with the midas touch (except when it comes to golf). Bond outsmarts him on the links, but rather than quitting while ahead, follows him to the land of the Switz, where he lands himself in yet more hot water.

One almost fatal encounter with a laser later, Bond is on his way back to America, in a plane piloted by Pussy, who seems quite unaware that to fire a gun in the cabin would be a bad move. Things look bleak for Bond, especially since the two chaps assigned to keep an eye on him don’t seem to be up to much, assuming that he’d get in touch if he were in any trouble. However, the day ends up being saved, with Bond taking full credit, when only part is really due, and all’s well that ends well.

As ever, we can just skip over the casual misogyny and even more casual racism. Goldfinger’s Korean caricature manservant, Oddjob, isn’t meant to be offensive, it’s just a laugh! A funny joke, like on Top Gear, designed to cause harmless mirth AND weed out the PC Brigade at the same time. Classic British values. Look at his hat! Just like all Koreans, Oddjob has a razor-sharp top hat, with which he very deftly decapitates people and statues alike. Lovely stuff.

Goldfinger is a rather comical villain, who might feel more at home in Adam West’s Batman, without any clear motivation other than greed. That’s not to say that the film isn’t enjoyable, but I did find my disbelief being suspended further and further, now that I know exactly what to expect.