After two well-received Bond movies, the franchise reached new commercial heights with 1964’s Goldfinger. It was so popular that some theaters had to screen the movie 24 hours a day to meet the demand from audiences. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Goldfinger is the fastest-grossing movie ever made. It’s arguably the reason why the character remains so beloved to this day.
Sean Connery’s third outing as 007 has been lauded as arguably his greatest – and maybe even the best of the entire decades-spanning franchise – so it’s hardly surprising that there are some interesting details behind the making of the movie.
Orson Welles Was Considered To Play Goldfinger But Proved To Be Too Expensive
The producers’ first choice for the villainous role of Auric Goldfinger was Orson Welles, but he proved to be too expensive, so they chose Gert Fröbe instead. Welles would eventually play Bond villain Le Chiffre in the 1967 parody Casino Royale.
Ironically, Fröbe spent the shoot demanding more money – even asking for a 10 percent cut of the box office receipts – so the producers came to the realization that Welles might have been cheaper, after all.
The Laser Scene Was Originally Going To Feature A Buzzsaw
Possibly the most iconic moment in Goldfinger and in the entire Bond franchise is when Bond is strapped to a table with a laser beam slowly moving up between his legs. The original script called for a buzzsaw, which is how the scene appears in the novel, but this had become tacky and clichéd, so the filmmakers changed it to a laser.
The climactic battle was initially supposed to take place at the gates of Fort Knox, but the filmmakers realized it would be infinitely cooler to actually go into the vault.
The Original Script Called For A Bentley Instead Of An Aston Martin
The Aston Martin has become inextricably tied to the Bond mythos, but the script for Goldfinger originally called for 007’s car to be a Bentley, as it is in the books. The producers considered a Jaguar, Ferrari, and Alfa Romeo before settling on the iconic Aston Martin.
Aston Martin was reluctant to produce two cars for the movie and charged the filmmakers for them. After Goldfinger’s success gave the company the clout to market the DB5 as “The Most Famous Car in the World,” the company never charged the Bond producers for a car ever again. The DB5’s sales went up by 50 percent after Goldfinger was released.
Shirley Bassey Nearly ed Out When She Recorded The Final Note Of The Theme Song
Dame Shirley Bassey recorded her iconic Goldfinger theme song to the rhythm of the opening credits as they played on a screen in front of her, so she could match the vocals to the movie.
On the final high note, the credits kept rolling and Bassey had to sustain the note until she almost ed out. Tom Jones had a similar experience recording the Thunderball theme.
This Was The First Bond Movie For Which Sean Connery Wore A Toupee
Sean Connery started going bald at the age of 21 and it’s widely believed that he wore a toupee in all his appearances as Bond. The truth, however, is that he only started wearing a piece for the part when he shot Goldfinger.
In Dr. No and From Russia with Love, the filmmakers were able to use movie magic to cover up his thinning hair, but by Goldfinger, it had thinned a little too much.
The Fort Knox Set Was Surprisingly Accurate
Despite the fact that no one involved in the making of Goldfinger was allowed inside the real Fort Knox for security reasons, the Fort Knox set that the crew built at Pinewood Studios was astoundingly accurate. A 24-hour guard was appointed to make sure no one broke in to steal the gold bar props.
The controller of Fort Knox’s security sent a letter to production designer Ken Adam and his team to congratulate them on the accuracy of the set.
All Of Goldfinger’s Lines Had To Be Dubbed In Post Due To Gert Fröbe’s Poor English
Due to the fact that Gert Fröbe spoke very little English and his accent was quite strong, his voice was dubbed in post by an English actor named Michael Collins. Fröbe spoke his lines in German very quickly, which made dubbing easier.
It is rumored that some of Sean Connery’s lines were dubbed, too, because his delivery of the line “Do you expect me to talk?” changes between the trailer and the finished movie.
Michael Caine Was The First Person To Hear John Barry’s Iconic Score
The first person to hear John Barry’s iconic score for Goldfinger was Sir Michael Caine. Caine and his roommate Terence Stamp had been kicked out of their apartment, so Caine asked Barry, a close friend, if he could stay in his spare bedroom until he got back on his feet.
Barry completed his Goldfinger score during a sleepless night and, at breakfast the next morning, he played it for Caine.
Goldfinger Was The First Bond Movie To Win An Oscar
The Bond movies have never come close to Oscar glory in the form of major categories like Best Picture or Best Director, but the Academy will consider the franchise when it comes to technical awards and, of course, Best Original Song.
Goldfinger was the first Bond movie to win an Oscar. Norman Wanstall won Best Sound Effects for his work on the movie and the following year, Thunderball won an Oscar for Special Visual Effects.
The Movie Was Initially Banned In Israel Because Gert Fröbe Was A Member Of The Nazi Party
Upon its initial release, Goldfinger was banned in Israel after it was revealed that Gert Fröbe had been a member of the Nazi Party.
However, when it came to light that Fröbe used his Nazi connections to save some Jews from being taken to concentration camps, he was forgiven for his political attachments and the movie was released.
