Goldfinger (1964)
Being the third James Bond film it would seem logical to assume that the franchise would have found it's groove and style by this point but with Guy Hamilton taking the role of director from Terence Young, Goldfinger again carves a unique identity and feel for itself taking the best parts of the previous two films and blending them together creating the unique style of film that would build the Bond Franchise and revolutionize this genre of film. James Bond (Sean Connery) is on vacation in Miami when he receives instructions to observe the wealthy Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) who is being investigated for his ability to smuggle gold across country lines. It is up to Bond to stop Goldfinger before he can use a special bomb to destroy the gold inside Fort Knox sending the economy into disarray while drastically improving the value of Goldfinger's gold.
The plot might sound weird on paper but this is the perfect plot for a James Bond film. As mentioned before this film takes the camp from Dr. No and mixes it with the actually interesting and engaging plot which was present in From Russia with Love. This is a film with a plot and villains especially that actually intrigue you and pull you into the story using a level of campiness sparingly adding to the enjoyment of the film without taking away from the stakes or plot. This is perfectly seen in the villains, Gert Fröbe as Goldfinger is truly iconic being charismatic but also bitter and harsh perfectly crafting the right performance for this role. His sidekick Oddjob (Harold Sakata) also is a clear standout. Being a basically silent muscle man who has a top hat that can decapitate people, Oddjob definitely plays into the campiness of the film but also serves as a legitimate threat and obstacle that Bond will have to overcome. These villains are funny but also serve their roles as villains, they are dangerous and seem like a legitimate obstacle that can be taken seriously enough to where you can get invested seeing how Bond will overcome them. Sean Connery is also clearly inspired here with this serving as his best outing as the classic character so far at least.
It is impossible to look at these early Bond films though and not talk about them in the modern context, especially when it comes to their treatment of women. Where sure these films were made in a different era so it is harder to attack the film for turning women into objects of sex which Bond clearly views as more objects than people, it is hard to not have that affect your enjoyment of the film watching it now. It is uncomfortable and offputting when Bond kisses women without consent or tries (and often succeeds) to get in bed with every woman present on either side. These might have been elements that helped give the film a "cool" edge when it first released but there is no denying that these sides of the film and this classic character have not aged well. It is going to be 100% subjective how much these scenes affect your enjoyment of the film but to totally ignore the effect they have on a modern viewing of the film seems like a waste.
Overall though Goldfinger remains a high point in these early James Bond films. Guy Hamilton found the perfect balance of serious and camp that made this film not only feel unique but like a perfection of what the previous two films were going for tone-wise. Where the plot isn't quite as engaging as From Russia with Love this is overall more entertaining and more what I would expect from a James Bond film even if objectivity it is a lesser film. Where Hamilton will return later in the franchise Terence Young will once again take over as director for the next Bond film Thunderball which will mark his last time in the director's chair for a Bond film. Hopefully, he saw the balance in this film and will be able to apply it to that project.
Overall though Goldfinger remains a high point in these early James Bond films. Guy Hamilton found the perfect balance of serious and camp that made this film not only feel unique but like a perfection of what the previous two films were going for tone-wise. Where the plot isn't quite as engaging as From Russia with Love this is overall more entertaining and more what I would expect from a James Bond film even if objectivity it is a lesser film. Where Hamilton will return later in the franchise Terence Young will once again take over as director for the next Bond film Thunderball which will mark his last time in the director's chair for a Bond film. Hopefully, he saw the balance in this film and will be able to apply it to that project.