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BOND- 5 out of 5. Quintessential Bond. Connery in full command of his performance, with nuance, underplay, humor, oozing sexual chemistry at the right times, sharp, focused, and all around a near perfect James Bond. This story also suited him physically, I think. I mean, I can see Craig doing very well in this film - but there would be long extended foot race(s), more fights, and maybe more of a penetrating coldness to his Bond. (Mind you, I love Craig's Bond.) Connery here cannot be topped - his performance matches the story, keeps Bond grounded as real; he shows his self assurance in the role throughout.
WOMEN- 5 out of 5. I do wish they did not have to dub Daniela. She gives a heartfelt and convincing performance and seems comfortable with all the sexiness and playfulness of her role. Other supporting women also do a perfectly commendable, believable job.
VILLAINS- 5 out of 5. Klebb is one of the great villains of all time; a toad-like (sorry, Lotte!) woman oozing evil whose sadistic pleasure fills the screen. You can see her calculating, fuming, simmering. A very fine performance indeed. Then you have Robert Shaw as Red Grant - a wonderful performance, highlighted for me by his quiet heavy hearted psycho killer always just under the surface (until the end). You know something is not quite right, even from the start, with this killer's mind, and I love the way he tries to one up Bond. The very well coordinated and tensely filmed train fight scene rounds this off to ensure this film is considered a classic by many.
HUMOR- 3 out of 5. Not to a great extent, but the little that is there is appropriate. Subtle, warranted, and not overdone.
ACTION- 3.5 out of 5. Not a whole lot but the suspense and story compel us forward and everything just builds. The gypsy camp and of course the train scene are very memorable and fit like a glove into the story.
SADISM- 4.5 out of 5 These killers are sadistic and twisted!
MUSIC- 2 out of 5. The low point for me. I don't like the theme song or the ending song (it is very much "lounge lizard" and not my preference). This is the one area I would change if I could.
LOCATIONS- 3.5 out of 5 I think the feel of Istanbul is well done, but I wish there had been a few more locations. I know globe hopping took over the latter films, so I am really not complaining here. Locations fit the story and were well filmed.
GADGETS- 3.5 out of 5. Just coming along, not much, but Bond and villains made good use of them.
SUPPORTING CAST- 5 out of 5. Wish Moneypenny and Q were stronger, but they develop more in later films. No complaints at all, really. The incredibly strong character of Kerim Bey is in this movie and you can sense the bond that Connery had with Pedro, and it shows in their very believable partnership on screen. All other supporting cast are also excellent;, no one is wasted in this film.
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 4.5 out of 5 I think. (You want rounded to whole numbers ... I so want to say 5 but have to say 4 if that is true.)
A great Bond movie, lower on action than films to come but at its heart a true espionage, spy thriller that cements the Bond character in our minds and hearts, and with a sublime supporting cast. When I first saw FRWL, I felt that I was really with Bond all the way in this one, I was part of the storyline, I cared, I felt that the climax was built up nicely and perfectly done (keep in mind, I read the book first and was wondering how they would end it ...).
I knew after seeing this one, that I wanted more and more of this particular Bond. I enjoyed it more than DAF (although that was so much fun for me at first viewing). I couldn't wait to see TB. Recap: I first saw DAF (theatre), then the rest first on tv: Dr. No, then FRWL, then TB in that order. Then starting up again with LALD until present day first seen in the theatre. (Only exception was OHMSS was a dvd first view, in the 1990's).
FRWL: I remember lending the book out to my high school friends and most of them coming back to me being pleasantly surprised and wanting to see the movies (most had not seen them at that time; not sure why). I am talking 1971/72. I would give it 5 stars except for the music, honestly. A Bond movie I always recommend!
In summary, FRWL is a fairly "dark" entry to the series. Not until LTK do we get a film more "in your face" . The cold blooded murder of Krilecru at the hands of Kerim Bey. Face it the man was shot in the back, that is cold blooded murder.
the fight on the train was brutal and violent. The gypsy girl fight is has its moments as does the cold blooded killing of Kronsteen. The off screen murders of Kerim Bey and the Russian agent at the hands of Grant.
LYK gets all the attention but face it FRWL is a violent movie. Sadistic and jaw dropping.
Maybe its just me but think about it.. . :)]
I am still missing your scores for action and humor from FRWL so I can update collective rankings.
Goldfinger coming this weekend!
BOND- 5 out of 5. Connery has fully slipped into the role and nails it!
WOMEN- 4 out of 5. Yes Daniela Bianchi is very attractive and engaging but there are no other memorable women (Sylvia Trench and the two gypsy girls notwithstanding).
VILLAINS- 5 out of 5. So many, and each one memorable! Rosa Klebb, Donald Grant, Kronsteen, Blofeld. Lotte Lenya, Robert Shaw and Vladek Sheybal are all perfectly cast!
HUMOR- 3 out of 5. But that's fine, it's a much more serious Bond film.
ACTION- 4 out of 5. Not much until just before the end. But 5 out of 5 for the fight scene on the train!
SADISM- 5 out of 5! "Not till you crawl over here and you kiss my foot!" Perfect!
MUSIC- 3 out of 5. But good use of the James Bond theme and "007."
LOCATIONS- 2 out of 5. It doesn't make me want to visit Istanbul.
GADGETS- 5 out of 5! That attache case has everything Bond needs! Especially the exploding tear gas cartridge!
SUPPORTING CAST- 4 out of 5. Good introduction of Q. And Kerim Bey is the perfect ally/friend!
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 5 out 5! Quite simply the best James Bond movie ever made!
James Bond 5/5 - Connery is the epitome of all that James Bond should be, the closest we will ever come to the original character for me, although Dalton did come close many years later
Women 3/5 - Nothing too memorable I'm afraid. Never thought much of the Bianchi character. Romanova is a nice girl, but nothing too spectacular. The others that made up the numbers didn't live too long in the memory
Villains 4/5 - Robert Shaw makes it for me, his Grant character was truly quite brilliant, but unfortunately Lotte Lenya and the ? who played Number One can't quite measure up, but still a very good year for James Bond adversaries
Humor 2/5 - A minimum on this, as it's largely a straight faced and serious outing - always welcome
Action 3/5 - Not too much there, but some exciting action sequences, and Connery lets his James Bond do the talking. Action in a James Bond release is a vital component, but it doesn't have to be the be all and end all of any given movie. This was just such an example
Sadism 4/5 - Grant and Klebb radiating menace, a cruel delight in their endeavors
Music 3/5 - Never was one for Matt Monro, but it is a classic track, the Bond theme of course gets a using, and works well as the story unfolds
Locations 2/5 - Sorry, but found it all a bit dull for the most part, Istanbul fails to get the pulse racing. Some brief shots of Venice are a help though
Gadgets 4/5 - The trick case that Q provides Bond speaks for itself, a quite ingenious pack of nasty little surprises, and Shaw's garrotte watch also warrants a mention
Supporting Cast 4/5 - Pedro Armendariz takes all the accolades going as he was quite ill during production and still did a fine job with the Kerim Bey character. Moneypenny has little to do, Bernard Lee's M is good, and even a future Gogol in Walter Gottell's Morzeny makes for a fun additional cast
Overall score 4/5 - Could be the best ever, but it's not my favorite of the lot, but Connery puts on a powerhouse of a performance and it's easy to see why it has reached legendary status
Ok, I'll accept that may be true. You want in, PM me with your details just like everyone else who identified themselves as an original fan and we'll see.
Do you even know where my "annoyinglongusername" comes from? Since you're a big Dalton fan and all, you ought to know the answer.
Let's see if Baltimore agrees with you first.
TLR is correct, the lead villain was listed as Sir Henry Lee Ching. I added "Cha" to that for a little humor. My little tribute to my fond and forever unfulfilled wish that Tim would have done a 3rd (more would have been even better).
Again, we would love to have you aboard if you meet the criteria. I'm a PM away :D
How is it I never heard of this Ching character from a proposed third movie with Timothy Dalton?, and do we have a title for it also? This would of been about the time of 1991/92 maybe, and if Dalton was ever to do another release, that would of been the time for it. As in chinese villain, could that be main adversary or henchman? Bit fuzzy on this to be honest
BOND- 5. Connery's finest outing as Bond.
WOMEN- 4.5. Classy women (except Rosa Klebb), Daniela Bianchi is one of my favourite Bond women, pure class, gypsy girls also very nice, ST is delightful and even Moneypenny looks quite hot!
VILLAINS- 5. Best villains ever. Klebb, Donovan, Kronsteen, Blofled, etc.
HUMOR- 4.5. Some great humour, especially between Bond and Bey.
ACTION- 5. What action there is is excellent, still the best fight in the entire series, and the film doesn't rely on action to make a great film.
SADISM- 5. From Grant's 'kiss my foot' to Klebb's knuckle duster punch - watch Robert Shaw's face after the punch, a slight winch, she really hit him, and hard!
MUSIC- 4. Nice score, can't think of any time when it makes me sit up and think it sound bad
LOCATIONS- 4. Love Istanbul as a location (can't wait for Skyfall), and you can't get better than Venice.
GADGETS- 5. The beginning of the gadget phase, when they had a use and were not just put in and the plot written around it - the attaché case appears in the book.
SUPPORTING CAST- 5. Stellar supporting cast - nothing comes close, except maybe Skyfall.
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 5. From the first moment of seeing this it became my favourite and has remained so ever since. Never try of seeing it, Connery's performance is easily his best, great action, girls, locations, music, villains, just everything an almost perfect film with only OHMSS and CR getting anywhere near.
Here is the link for what was known as "Bond 17" in the Dalton tenure-
http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/movies/bond17.php3?t=&s=articles&id=01930
Under "features", you can read lots of script details.
1. From Russia With Love- 4.03
2. Dr. No- 3.48
"Do you expect me to talk?"
"Noooo Mister Bond, I expect you to DIE!"
The year was 1964. With the first two films in the series firmly establishing a growing fan base ready for future installments, and their plans to film "Thunderball" still unrealized due to legal proceedings between Ian Fleming and primarily two co-writers of the project, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman decide to film a Fleming novel well known to the British audience through it's serialization and comic strips featured for several years in the Daily Express, the best seller Goldfinger. In this third installment, Bond is seen relaxing in Miami Beach (his first appearance on U.S soil) after blowing up a Latin American drug factory when his friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter, shows up with a new assignment straight from M. The subject is one Auric Goldfinger, a dealer in gold bullion whom the British suspect is running his own smuggling operation in order to increase the value of his own stock. What MI6 and the CIA don't know is that Mr. Goldfinger has partnered with both Red China and the American Mafia in "Operation Grand Slam", an audacious plot that involves a daylight raid on the storehouse of the the U.S gold supply, Fort Knox, and one that promises to cause mass murder and economic chaos while providing Goldfinger with an extremely hefty payday- unless Bond and his CIA allies can stop it.
Based on Fleming's 1959 novel, the 7th in his series, principal filming began in Miami Beach, FL in January 1964 while Sean Connery was busy making Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie". While filming in Florida, EON and UA had already begun an aggressive marketing campaign that upped the ante from the previous films and would result in an eventual landslide of cash and notoriety for all involved. The production also used locations in England, Switzerland, and Muldraugh, KY near the actual Fort Knox, for which the filmmakers were allowed external shots but denied access inside the gold depository building. United Artists increased the film's budget to $3 million dollars, which equaled the combined budget of the first two films. After nearly 7 months, principal filming concluded on July 11th in Switzerland, with some last minute additional footage shot in Kentucky 3 weeks before the film's release in London on September 17th, 1964. The London premiere featured a turnaway crowd that local police were unable to control, which would prove to be the onset of "Bondmania", and the movie would go on to gross nearly $125 million during it's theatrical run. The movie was so successful both in popular and critical acclaim that it actually played 24 hours day, 7 days in week in New York to accomodate the overflow crowds wishing to see it, plus it broke box office records in numerous countries, became the fastest grossing film in history for that time, and launched Bond into the area of merchandising that remains profitable to this day. The movie won the series' first Academy Award in 1965 for "Best Sound Effects Editing" (Norman Wanstall), plus composer John Barry was also nominated by the Academy for the soundtrack, and designer Ken Adam was nominated for a BAFTA award. A huge rush of spy genre films (22 alone in 1966) and competing series (Matt Helm, Derek Flint) were launched by competitors in hopes of duplicating the movie's success.
In addition to being called perhaps "the most highly and consistently praised Bond picture of them all", the success of the film also had a large impact on the series itself, and the script became somewhat of a template for many Bond films to follow in the form of reliance on the Q character and his myriad gadgets, tongue-in-cheek yet not too "over the top" humor, and colorful, memorable villains and henchmen with physical characteristics. For all these reasons, such words as "iconic", and phrases such as "quintessential Bond" have been used to this day to describe the movie's impact and to this very day, many people who make up the world's general populace recognize the film in similar terms and as the series' most beloved entry.
THE CAST-
- Sean Connery as James Bond
- Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger
- Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore
- Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson
- Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson
- Harold Sakata as Oddjob
- Bernard Lee as M
- Desmond Llewellyn as Q
- Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny
- Cec Linder as Felix Leiter
- Michael Mellinger as Kisch
- Burt Kwouk as Mr. Ling
- Martin Benson as Mr. Solo
- Austin Willis as Mr. Simmons
- Mai Ling as Mei Lei
- Richard Vernon as Colonel Smithers
- Margaret Nolan as Dink
- Nadja Regin as Bonita
BOND- One of the first things that I noticed about the movie as a child is that Connery's performance here and in his films to come was different than his first two. He keeps the character traits that made the first two movies great, but he seems more relaxed, more suave, more unflappable. I call this the "cool quotient" for lack of a better term, and I think it's part of what took the series to another level for both the confirmed and casual fan. Plain and simple, Connery rules once again in the role- 5/5
WOMEN- As far as sheer memorability of this nearly all English cast, high marks. Obviously Honor Blackman, who was already a big TV star in "The Avengers", as Goldfinger's personal pilot Pussy Galore is a character that generations of fans and casual viewers have had a reaction to and remember. Like the book, Bond is able to overcome Ms. Galore's "lesbianism" (I prefer to think in this case that Ms. Galore was actually bisexual because the real world doesn't quite work that way) and enlist her aid in preventing thousands of deaths. Blackman does well in the role. In addition, the character's name follows in the tradition of giving Bond girls names that are double entendres- on a hilarious side note to this movie that illustrates the controversy surrounding the name, concerned about censors, the producers thought about changing the character's name to "Kitty Galore". But according to director Guy Hamilton, the producers and Hamilton decided "if you were a ten-year old boy and knew what the name meant, you weren't a ten-year old boy, you were a dirty little bitch". I suppose in recollection that I fit the bill even younger than that. Then we have yet another iconic figure in Goldfinger's aide Jill Masterson, portrayed by Shirley Eaton. Generations remember her seduction by Bond and subsequent death when Bond finds her on his bed, covered with and suffocated by gold paint. Next is Tania Mallet as Jill's sister Tilly Masterson, who is also a lesbian in the book and comes off that way right up until she joins her sister in the afterlife. Other minor characters are Chinese actress Mai Ling as Goldfinger's stewardess Mei Lei, England's Margaret Nolan as Bond's Miami masseuse "Dink", and another appearance by Serbian actress Nadja Regin as Bonita, the cabaret dancer in the PTS. Last but not least, there's the Pussy Galore flying circus girls, remembered with a fond sense of humor many years later as the prototype of sorts for "The Fembots" of the Austin Powers parody series. I'll be honest in saying that this bunch weren't my favorites in the looks department, but many men feel quite the opposite and it's difficult to deny their influence in popular terms- 5/5
VILLAINS- After failing to land original choice Orson Welles, the producers go with German actor Gert Fröbe as chief villain Auric Goldfinger after being very impressed with his performance as a child molester in a German language film, and it is an inspired choice. Despite being dubbed due to not being able to speak English at a certain pace (you can however hear his natural voice speaking while Bond is hiding under the Fort Knox model), Fröbe is more than up to the standards set by the prior two films. His facials are chilling at times, and underneath the veneer of being a wealthy and cultured gentleman, he is as cold blooded as they come. His scene with Bond while his industrial laser threatens Bond's manhood and life is yet another classic in film history, copied even recently on the kids' cartoon "Phineas And Ferb". Equally memorable is Hawaiian actor Toshiyuki "Harold" Sakata as Oddjob, Goldfinger's mute manservant who also functions as his chauffeur, general muscle, and private assassin. Already known to American fans outside of the Northeast as professional wrestler "Tosh Togo", he became so well known and iconic from the role that he would adopt "Oddjob" as his informal middle name for future acting roles. Oddjob's weapon of choice is a bowler hat fitted with a sharp metal brim that he uses to decapitate people, if not at least break their necks. They are joined by Michael Mellinger as Goldfinger's aide Kisch, veteran character actor Burt Kwouk as Mr. Ling, a Red Chinese equivalent of a "double O" who is also licensed to kill and a nuclear expert who supervises the building of Goldfinger's bomb, plus a host of mobsters, a small Chinese army commanded by Ling, and a machine gun toting grandmother. Once again, highly memorable and entertaining- 5/5
HUMOR- The humor also goes up a notch or two in this film. Connery starts unleashing the one liners, in particular in his first contentious and hilarious exchange with Q, as well as in many other instances. A scene I find quietly very funny and overlooked is Felix Leiter showing up outside in Miami in suit and tie, and the poolside bathing beauties laughing at the way he's dressed for the weather. He might as well have a sign "C.I.A crew chief" hanging on him. Even the mobsters are skewered in subtle ways. It's not overdone but is most significant in building the template for future installments- 4/5
ACTION- A small subtle increase here but still not at a frenetic pace and more reminiscent of what we saw in the first two films. We have the classic scene with Bond using his car and it's gadgets to make the pursuing Chinese look like fools, a solid fight in the PTS, and the high tension finale with the raid on Fort Knox and Goldfinger getting his "wings". Everything else is meted in smaller doses and kept essential to the story more than given just to keep the impatient types from getting bored- 3/5
SADISM- Plenty of this. Goldfinger and Oddjob's dispatch of Jill is torture of malicious extremes, Oddjob all but decapitates Tilly, gassed mobsters, electrocutions, etc, etc, etc- 5/5
MUSIC- Here is where we hear John Barry discovering the "Bond sound", complete with big in your face brass sections, sweeping strings, and the pure class of Shirley Bassey's voice topping it all off. There isn't a section in the entire film where Barry doesn't perfectly capture the feel of the scenes and make the viewer feel he or she is in Bond's world, watching what's going on. Of course, the title song is pure gold just like the character and the overall soundtrack is among Barry's best known, loved, and most enduring works- 5/5
LOCATIONS- Another step up from the prior movies which tended to concentrate more on one specific locale. The Switzerland locales are stunning in their beauty, England's rural beauty well captured, and Ken Adam's Fort Knox interiors glitter with gold as you'd expect- 4/5
GADGETS- As the mobsters might say, "Fugeddaboutit!". Bond's gadget laden Aston Martin DB5 complete with weapons and the iconic passenger ejector seat took what was done previously to a whole other level. Oddjob's hat and Goldfinger's laser only add to it all- 5/5
SUPPORTING CAST- The star of the show here is Desmond Llewellyn as Q, who plays the perfect amount of frustrated genius as Bond quips his way through his proud introduction of the Aston Martin. Bernard Lee gets more chances to define M with more than one scene, Moneypenny her customary classy and flirtatious self. Not thrilled with Cec Linder replacing Jack Lord as Felix Leiter, but with the Miami scene and the jokes he makes when Bond boards the presidential plane, he does OK enough compared to others who would later fill the role. An excellent cast that once again provided humor, suspense, or both in the right proportions- 5/5
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- I did not get to see the film until 1970, when it was in another theatrical run and well before it debuted on free TV. I had by then seen all the others including OHMSS in the theater, and was very frustrated because I knew it was Bond's most famous film and heard everyone who had seen it rave about it. When I heard the title theme going into "Bond In Miami", I was blown away by the tangible feeling of being drawn into Bond's world in a big way, and by all the iconic images and characters to follow. And so while I thoroughly respect that others may prefer other Connery or Bond films of another actor, I cannot fathom someone not at the very least having respect for all the film has meant to the series in terms of financial success and popularity, and appreciating it. If there was ever a film that embodies the phrase "all things Bond", this is the one that best fits the term and my personal favorite that I can watch over and over again and never tire of. For me, the film scores 46 out of 50 points, for an average of 4.6.
Doctor No 1962
James Bond 5/5 - Connery once again, almost immaculate as James Bond 007, a quite superb presentation
Women 4/5 - Andress is the star attraction but Ms Taro is also worth a mention, even though she turns bad. Eunice Gayson makes up the attractive numbers. The scene of Ms Andress coming out the ocean has reached legendary status. Too bad they had to spoil it with subsequent nonsense with Halle Berry and Craig himself
Villains 5/5 - Joseph Wiseman steals the show for me. Intelligent and menacing and real screen presence, the finest of the Connery tenure I really do believe. Anthony Dawson also deserved praise for his Prof. Dent character
Humor 1/5 - a real minimum on this, as with both of Connerys earliest releases, straight faced and hard edged for the most part, a welcome relief, as always
Action 3/5 - Nothing too extravagant as the budget of the time would suggest, some fine bits and pieces though, such as the journey to Ms Taro's residence, the hide on the beach as the search boat arrives and climax on Crab Key as the facility is destroyed
Sadism 2/5 - Nothing too extreme that I remember, certainly not on the level of the subsequent release From Russia With Love
Music 2/5 - Nothing too great I always found. We have the immortal James Bond theme from Norman but nothing much else stands out I recall, it was still early days yet and background scores would become more prominent as the series progressed
Locations 4/5 - We mostly get to see Jamaica, and beautiful as it is, there is not the usual bevy of locales we get to see in subsequent releases. As with License to Kill, it seems all a bit restricted in one place too often, which can frustrate the viewer
Gadgets 2/5 - Not much to report on here, these would feature more heavily as the franchise moved on. Bond had to rely on his wits and dexterity here rather than help from Q branch in later releases
Supporting cast - 3/5 - All play their part, but not overly impressive for me. Quarrel Senior is a fun cast, Jack Lord is a weak Leiter, and the immortal Bernard Lee gets off to a good start as the head of British intelligence and Bond's superior
Overall rating 4/5 - The locations are superb, Connery is excellent as Bond, Joseph Wiseman is a villain with teeth, Honey Ryder is beautiful, there are some fun action bits, the ending is a bit dull though, but apart from that, one of the best James Bonds ever, what a start to the series
From Russia With Love (Money)
BOND- SC made strides in the Bond character in FRWL. SC showed more sex appeal, humor, action skills and maturity. Except for maybe TB, Connery's best role as Bond. (5)
WOMEN- Daniella Bianchi was very effective as Tatiana despite her acting inexperience. She sold her acting in believing you could how see Bond at least took a non-duty interest in her. We also have a good return of Sylvia Trench and a good old fashioned gypsy camp catfight. (4)
VILLAINS- No other Bond film matches the villians in FRWL. We have our first exposure of #1 (Blofeld). The mystery and omnious voice gives a very convincing menace to Blofeld. Lotte Lenya was outstanding as a chilling Rosa Klebb. Rosa was a character I wouldn't touch with a 20' pole. The borderline lesbianism of its day had to have many a viewer dropping their jaw. Robert Shaw as Red Grant is arguably the best henchman of them all. The buildup of his psychopathic character was nothing short of brilliant. The train fight with Grant and Bond may have been the best of them all. Lost in the shuffle is the fantastic portrayal of Kronsteen by Vladek Sheybal and a young Walter Gottell as Morzeny. Kronsteen and Morzeny could easily be successful as the lead villians in plenty of other Bond films and done a better job than those cast. (5 times infinity)
HUMOR-There was more humor in FRWL compared to DN, but it's mostly dry puns. (3)
ACTION-The train fight between Bond and Grant alone gives this a 5 grade. The gypsy camp battle is icing on the cake. The boat battles could have been better, but doesn't detract from the overall score. (5)
SADISM- Where do we begin. How about the killing of a Bond impersonator at the SPECTRE training camp. Live targets at the SPECTRE camp. Kirlencu's murder. Or the peep show at the hotel. Or Red Grant's ruthless murder of various personnel. How about the bladed shoe. The poisoning of Tatiana. Too much sadism to list. (5)
MUSIC- The weak link of FRWL. Nothing particularly memorable in terms of music. Plus the lesser parts of the score from DN were borrowed in FRWL. (3)
LOCATIONS- I've always wanted to go to Istanbul, Venice and even Zagreb. Istanbul was beautifully shot for its time. We got a great glimpse of the inside of the Hagia Sofia. (5)
GADGETS- Q's briefcase was simple but very effective and useful. A definitive example of less is better. (5)
SUPPORTING CAST- The roles of M and Moneypenny were expanded from DN. We got the introduction of Desmond Llewelyn as Q. However, the MVP of FRWL is my namesake. We all know the backstory of Pedro Armedariz's health issues in his performance in FRWL. Kerim was the best ally Bond could ever wish for and served as an excellent mentor to Bond and even Sean Connery. We cannot give Pedro enough respect for what he had to overcome to give us his definitive role in his swan song and one of the most memorable characters of the franchise. (5)
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS: 45. Where DN built the foundation of the Bond franchise, FRWL built the rest of the house. A great story, great dialogue, great characters and a great cast made FRWL not just a Bond classic, but a cinematic classic. FRWL may not be everyone's favorite Bond film, but FRWL is one of the favorites of everyone's Bond films. The closest to perfection we will see.
Goldfinger 1964
Bond - 3/5 - Sadly, Connery seems a shadow of himself, strange really so soon after the previous releases, but just didn't seem the same here. A little more on humor, less action, not as ruthless as before or dominating screen presence. A Pity
Women 1/5 - Very disappointing. Honor Blackman lacks vitality and charisma, and just appears dull and banal, one of the most forgettable of the series even. The supporting girls, such as The Masterson sisters, are too brief on screen to make an impression, and Pussy Galore's flying circus girls are instantly forgettable
Villains - 2/5 Oddjob takes the honors for me that year, far more intimidating and a genuine threat, more so than the disappointing and lacklustre Gert Frobe. Nothing too special here, but Harold Sekata was a dominating screen presence and genuinely worked well as a threat to Bond, and anyone who got in the way
Humor 3/5 This is the point in time where Connery lost his hard edgedness and serious demeanor and just became less of a threat and seemed more pleasant and fun, so far detached from what I had seen in his opening two performances. The steel and hard edged reality of the first two Bond releases had seemed to come to a sudden halt, and replaced with a more humorous approach hitherto unseen in Bond
Action 2/5 An overall disappointment. Totally devoid of any genuine thrills and spills except the Fort Knox finale in Kentucky. A real disappointment for those seeking action and adventure
Sadism 3/5 Nothing too extreme, after what came before, Odd Job maybe enjoyed his work a little too much, but still a fine character. More emphasis on humor I found than anything else that had come before. Frobe's suffocation of Shirley Eaton by Gold Paint perhaps being a highlight
Music 2/5 Bassey's effort may have reached legendary status to some, but I found it loud and almost belligerent. The other background scores don't live long in the memory
Locations 2/5 Nothing overly exciting, and a major letdown on what had come before. Bond spends most of the time sitting down looking bored, rather than enjoy some globe trotting
Gadgets - 2/5 An ejector seat on Bond's trusty Aston Martin DB5 and some fancy additions can't componsate for an overall poor year for gadgets
Supporting Cast 2/5 Nothing too memorable. Sekata does well as mentioned, the Masterson girls are too short lived, and all the rest that make up the numbers are scattered about in a haphazard fashion, just contributed to an overall poor release
Overall rating 2/5 It's no surprise I genuinely don't like this film. Mundane, boring and dull, lacks vigor, excitement and just seems dead on it's feet sometimes. I wish I could be more benevolent with Connerys third outing, but there's no sense in lying. Devoid of action, fun, suspense, all the things a James Bond movie should be. Why this has reached lconic status seems a mystery sometimes
Really having some damn technical issues here, getting mighty irritated, but that's how I feel about it
Musical taste is subjective so what someone likes you can't change. You either agree or agree to disagree. Sadism another score which I fail to understand. How is not ordering the torture death, by slow suffocation, of another human being not sadism in the extreme??? And for what? A card game? Oddjob may have done the deed, but only a highly sadistic and unreasonably vengeful mind would order that so let's give the brains a little more credit. Then there's the scene when Bond mentions how many people will die from the gas and he scoffs, comparing it to a motor vehicle statistic.
Speaking of that scene, Goldfinger's smile is chilling. He smiles a lot like Red Grant when Bond is guessing out his plans. Gert Fröbe is brilliant, I just don't get the villains score being that low either. Maybe some of this will get Baltimore to rethink a few things and change some scores. I feel I've presented some compelling arguments against scoring these three categories as low as he has in this instance.
BOND- 5 out of 5. Connery is now firmly in the role of James Bond.
WOMEN- 5 out of 5. Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson just oozes sex. Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson and Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore both do superb jobs in their respective roles. Considering that they're both lesbians Bond does pretty well with both of them.
VILLAINS- 4 out of 5. While Goldfinger may be a megalomaniac obsessed with gold, he doesn't come across as being all that evil ("No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" notwithstanding). Oddjob is one of the best henchmen ever in a Bond film, but I still prefer the fight scene with Grant on the train in FRWL over the fight scene with Oddjob in Fort Knox in GF.
HUMOR- 5 out of 5. So many memorable lines. "That makes two of us." "Allow a man to stop off for a quick one enroute." "You don't look like the kind of girl that should be ditched." Again dry humor, the British kind, but appropriate for James Bond.
ACTION- 3 out of 5. Like FRWL not much until the end except for the car chase scene.
SADISM- 5 out of 5. Killing of both Jill and Tilly Masterson, both as the result of Bond's actions. The laser scene. The Mexican in the PTS and Oddjob both electrocuted.
MUSIC- 5 out of 5. John Barry at his best! From the title song sung by Shirley Bassey to the instrumentals "Into Miami," "Dawn Raid on Fort Knox," the background music is pitch perfect!
LOCATIONS- 4 out of 5. While Switzerland is very scenic, not a big fan of either Miami Beach or Kentucky.
GADGETS- 5 out of 5. The Aston Martin DB5, what more can be said!
SUPPORTING CAST- Desmond Llewellyn nails the role of Q perfectly! But as mentioned by others on this site, Cec Linder is terribly miscast as Felix Leiter. He looks more like Felix Leiter's father. Or his grandfather!
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 4 out of 5. Definitely one of the better Bond films.