Goldfinger is the third James Bond movie released by Eon Productions. It was released in 1964, directed by Guy Hamilton. The film stars Sean Connery as the suave and sophisticated British spy, James Bond, who has been tasked with taking down a corrupt jeweler and gold smuggler, Auric Goldfinger. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming.
With its use of sophisticated humor, exotic locations, and exciting action sequences, many consider Goldfinger to be the quintessential James Bond film. Given a budget of $3 million, the biggest of the Bond films thus far, Guy Hamilton took over directing duties from Terence Young, who had directed the previous Bond films. A number of different writers worked on and revised the script to cover up plot holes and appease various collaborators. Filming took place in Miami, in a studio in England, in Switzerland, then in Fort Knox. Goldfinger was the first Bond film to feature high-tech gadgets.
The film premiered in September 1964, and was met with critical acclaim. Promotional materials included posters with Shirley Eaton, the actress who played Jill Masterson, painted head-to-toe gold, and a display of Aston Martin DB5s at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The $3 million budget was made back in two weeks, and the film broke records. The film won Best Sound Effects Editing at the 1965 Academy Awards.
Roger Ebert wrote of the film, "Of all the Bonds, Goldfinger (1964) is the best, and can stand as a surrogate for the others. If it is not a great film, it is a great entertainment, and contains all the elements of the Bond formula that would work again and again."
