The treatment of women in this movie, Goldfinger, disgusted me so much that I almost decided to stop watching the James Bond movies. But I know that Bond does evolve over time, and I’m curious to see the transformation, so I’m sticking with it. And, it’s a fun project…here are my thoughts on Goldfinger, movie #3. Reminder, it’s not a movie review but there will be spoilers.
By the way, if you don’t know why I, a non Bond fan, am watching all 25 James Bond movies, you can read the fun details here: Who Is The Next James Bond? A Non Bond Fan Makes Her Prediction.
Goldfinger Pushes The Limits With Disrespect Towards Women
This movie reminds me why I never liked James Bond in the first place—his blatant disrespect for women. This movie is dripping with it and takes it to a whole new level.
P*ssy Galore is one of the female character’s name. When she introduces herself to James Bond his response sums up who he is when it comes to women. He thinks of beautiful women as nothing more than walking vaginas.
The fact that James Bond became so popular speaks volumes about the culture’s attitude towards women at that time. What’s more disturbing is that movie ratings didn’t start until 1968—so were parents taking their young sons and daughters to see James Bond movies? Think about the wrong messages sent to boys and girls at that time about the treatment of women.
Ugh. I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep watching the Bond movies.
Thankfully, before starting this project, I watched No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s last James Bond movie released in 2021. I could see that Bond had evolved because I don’t recall any disrespect towards women in that film. Knowing that James Bond does evolve at some point, I’ll keep watching.
The thing that allowed Bond to get away with his vulgarity towards women is his good looks and suits. If he weren’t good looking or well-dressed the movies would never have ever been a hit. His outward appeal excused his degradation of women.
By the way, using the name P*ssy Galore didn’t come without controversy. The producers considered using the name Kitty Galore. But in the end they stuck with the vile name Ian Fleming used in the novel.
There’s another scene in the movie where Bond forces himself onto the character P**sy Galore until she stops resisting. This supporting the false belief that no means yes. It would be rape today.
Goldfinger Plot
Unless I’m missing something, the actual plot (to invade Fort Knox) wasn’t revealed until halfway through the movie.
I felt like Goldfinger was all over the place, and the movie was more complex than it needed to be.
The film is filled with constant action to make up for the lack of character development. The scenes do grab my attention, but after a while I’m wanting more depth in the characters.
James Bond In The Movies vs James Bond In The Novels
According to flixchatter.net, a guest blogger who’s read Ian Fleming’s books says James Bond in the novels is an emotionally deep character compared to Bond in the movies.
The movies are glamorous, mainstream action entertainment. The books get inside Bond’s head and under his skin.
flixchatter.net
This makes me wonder…is Ian Fleming’s Bond more like a Jason Bourne than the Bond seen in the movies?
In the movies Bond is about as deep as a cardboard cutout.
Production/Filming Info on Goldfinger
Goldfinger was filmed in 1964, and released in theaters in 1965. Ian Fleming, the man who wrote the James Bond novels, died shortly before this movie was released.