12 Behind-the-Scenes Photos of Goldfinger Showcasing Bond at His Finest
Here are some stills from Goldfinger, which is often considered the finest James Bond film and the third to star Sean Connery as 007.
Do you believe there's a Bond film that surpasses Goldfinger? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. We promise we won’t be too shaken or stirred.
Now, here are 12 behind-the-scenes photos from Goldfinger.
Shine On
United Artists
Goldfinger is perhaps best known for the shocking manner in which the main villain eliminates his aide, Jill Masterson, portrayed by Shirley Eaton.
He has her covered in gold paint, resulting in her death by suffocation through her skin.
Above, Sean Connery ensures that the real Eaton is not experiencing any skin suffocation from the gold body paint, and she appears to be just fine.
Sharp-Dressed Man
United Artists
In this instance, a Bond girl isn't donning the most revealing outfit. Here’s Connery with Eaton and Bond creator Ian Fleming, who passed away the month prior to Goldfinger's release.
If you're curious about the relationship between Connery and Fleming, you can explore how Fleming eventually accepted Connery’s casting by reading this excerpt from Nicholas Shakespeare’s excellent Ian Fleming: The Complete Man.
We consider it essential reading for dedicated Bond enthusiasts.
Roles in the Hay
United Artists
Connery and Honor Blackman, depicting Ms. Galore, practice a notorious fight scene in the behind-the-scenes image above.
We're uncertain if we can type Ms. Galore’s first name, since our stories are shared across various media outlets with particularly sensitive filters.
Though it is indeed quite feline.
True Love
United Artists
Sean Connery as James Bond with his true love: His iconic Aston Martin, regarded as one of the most stunning movie cars ever.
A fully restored Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5 fetched $6.4 million at auction in 2019.
The auction house RM Sotheby’s noted that it featured "hydraulic over-rider rams on the bumpers, Browning .30 caliber machine guns in each fender, wheel-hub mounted tire slashers, a raising rear bullet-proof screen, an in-dash radar tracking scope, and dispensers for oil, caltrops, and smoke screens, revolving license plates, and a passenger-seat ejection system."
Odd Job
United Artists
Harold Sakata, who portrayed Oddjob, has some fun on set, revealing he’s not a villain off-screen.
He remains one of our favorite Bond villains, having set the benchmark for many subsequent characters.
However, none matched the style of his flying hat routine.
The Fall Guy
United Artists
From left to right, actor-stuntman Bob Simmons, who took on the role of Bond in the gunbarrel sequence, Connery, and Nadja Regin, who played Bonita.
The gunbarrel sequence is, of course, the opening segment where Bond, wearing a hat, strides across the screen from the side and abruptly turns to shoot towards the audience, all while the Bond theme plays. Did you believe that was Connery? We understand; we did too.
Make-Up
United Artists
Eaton’s gold paint allegedly required 90 minutes to apply, but it paid off: Her gold-painted image appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine as part of the promotional campaign for the film, the third in the 27 Bond series.
Collectors might want to note that her issue of LIFE is from November 6, 1964.
She is being painted above by makeup artist Paul Rabiger, who also contributed to Bond films such as Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and From Russia With Love.
Good as Gold
United Artists
Shirley Eaton smiles brightly, even while covered in gold paint.
Eaton, a British actress also recognized for her role in the Carry On films, stepped back from acting in 1969 to focus on family, but in 1999 she published her autobiography, aptly titled Golden Girl.
It became a hit, leading her to release three additional books.
In the Club
United Artists
Harold Sakata as Oddjob and Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger.
Orson Welles was one of the actors considered for the role of Goldfinger, a gold tycoon fixated on the precious metal, but he asked for an excessive fee. (Shouldn’t that have made him more suitable for the part?)
Fröbe, a German actor, was dubbed by Michael Collins, which continues a Bond tradition: Ursula Andress was similarly dubbed in the original Bond film, Dr. No.
From Russia With Love
United Artists
Tania Mallet, who portrayed Jill’s sister, Tilly Masterson, poses for a photo taken by an amateur photographer named Sean Connery.
Mallet, an English actress and model who sometimes signed her name
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