Strange Behind-The-Scenes Details From 'Goldfinger' Are Causing Quite The Stir
Though James Bond has appeared in well over 20 on-screen adventures, for many fans' money, Goldfinger is the biggest and best of them all. Film buffs turn to the 1964 spy thriller again and again for its iconic action sequences, villains, and, of course, that Shirley Bassey theme song. But there are certain sides to the 007 movie that you won't notice even on your thousandth rewatch. These behind-the-scenes secrets were classified for years, but just like Goldfinger's evil plans, they had to come to light eventually.
1. Dressed to kill
Oddjob's hat only kills one character in the film — apologies to the decapitated statue — but that headwear caused Oddjob's actor some real pain. For the henchman's on-screen electrocution, Harold Sakata was instructed to grab the hat, which would shoot out sparks while stuck between metal bars. The filmmakers had him grasp it for several seconds, resulting in painful burns across his hand.
2. Aston Martins
Executives at Aston Martin initially hesitated to sell two DB5 models to the production, especially once they heard about the filmmakers' plan to cut up the cars and add in all kinds of gadgets. But the smash success of Goldfinger ensured that any Bond flick would get any future Aston Martins free of charge. Side note: while the revolving license plate was real, the ejector seat didn't actually work.
3. Out of breath
While Shirley Bassey was recording the theme song, filmmakers showed her a cut of the opening credits so she could synch her vocals with the visual cues. The only issue was that the last segment of the credits required her to hold a note for an incredibly long time. Bassey discreetly removed her bra to get more room to breathe, but even then, nearly passed out stretching her voice over the final blare of the horns.
4. "Do you expect me to talk?"
James Bond's near-bisection by laser is one of the most memorable scenes in the series, so it's a surprise that this sinister device doesn't actually appear in the Goldfinger novel. In that version, the villain comes close to cutting into 007 with a buzzsaw, but the film's producers thought he should use something more hi-tech. And that laser caused more than a few problems on set...
