Goldfinger by Ian Fleming

The seventh novel in the Ian Fleming James Bond series is quite good, while the big-screen cinematic adaptation is only marginally superior. Unlike some 007 escapades, "Goldfinger" was rather audacious for its time. The Bank of England is losing gold, and the Bank has determined through its own investigation that Goldfinger is the wealthiest man in England. The problem is that Goldfinger is smuggling vast amounts out of the country to India where he can sell it for greater profits. The British Secret Service dispatches Bond to shadow Goldfinger. Interestingly enough, Bond has encountered Goldfinger before he is assigned to follow him. At the outset of the novel, Bond is sitting in the Miami Airport Terminal, reflecting on having killed a Mexican drug thug when Mr. DuPont approaches him out of the blue. DuPont remembers Bond from their meeting in France in the first Bond novel "Casino Royal" and asks him to help him with a private matter. DuPont is being taken to the cleaners by a man who never seems to lose, and he wants to know if Bond can figure out how his adversary is beating him so consistently at cards. This sounds a little like M's request in "Moonraker" when he wants Bond to figure out how Sir Hugo Drax has won so much without losing. Bond discovers that Goldfinger is cheating DuPont because he has a beautiful girl in the hotel room above them looking at DuPont's cards and relaying the information to Goldfinger by means of a rake hearing aid. Bond shatters Goldfinger's spree. Anyway, Goldfinger plans the crime of the century, takes Bond hostage, and forces him to work with him or suffer the penalty of death. Goldfinger wants to knock over Fort Knox and invites the major crime bosses in America to join him. The heist is incredible, and it is different from the one in the Sean Connery movie. Goldfinger's Korean bodyguard Oddjob is in the book and he has his deadly bowler hat. Fleming writes concisely, but the golf game between 007 and he is for golf enthusiasts only. Yes, the lesbian crime gal Pussy Galore appears, but she runs an army of chat burglars instead of a flying circus as in the movie. The novel "Goldfinger" with its ambitious caper ranks as one of the more imaginative Bond novels. I have read it three times now and still love it.

With ‘Goldfinger’ Ian Fleming raised the stakes for villains with absurd memorable names to match physical qualities that also set them apart from law-abiding people. Golden-hued Goldfinger, human sledgehammer Oddjob and Pussy Galore (more about her later) ensured that much of the general public that hadn’t read a James Bond book would at least be conversant with many of the Fleming trademarks much as those who have never read Charles Dickens can merely hear the names Ebenezer Scrooge or Martin Chuzzlewit or Fagan and acquire a general impression of the tone of his work.

‘Goldfinger’ begins promisingly enough. Bond is stranded in Miami and meets a man he barely remembers who witnessed his ‘Casino Royale’ triumph over SMERSH embezzler Le Chiffre in the first Bond book. This man unwittingly introduces him to his next diabolical villain. It quickly becomes apparent that Goldfinger is not only the richest man in England already but possesses a pathological lust for gold and will lie, cheat and steal to acquire more of it.

It is not surprising that Goldfinger is another SMERSH operative (actually more of a freelance criminal that merely sees them as another way station on his route to even more spectacular wealth). When Bond reports back to M in London he is informed that Goldfinger has been surreptitiously ferreting gold out of England, melting it down and recasting it in his Swiss factory. Until the point that Bond is captured and strapped down with a chainsaw heading between his legs the novel is on pretty secure footing.

Suddenly the plot takes an unconvincing turn. Goldfinger is yet another ‘talking villain’ who makes the fatal mistake of sparing Bond’s life, thinking that he can bend Bond’s will to serve his nefarious purposes. Not only has Goldfinger passed up a handful of opportunities to simply execute Bond and go on about his plans but he stops to explain those plans, fueling Bond’s survivalist mind with his own plans for escape. Goldfinger’s master crime is a massive heist of all the gold in Ft. Knox. It sounds absurd and no amount of Fleming’s clever and eloquent exposition ever convinces me that such a plan could ever work, even in the outrageous universe of James Bond.

The last quarter of the novel is chaotic. It is as though Fleming had taken his time unfolding a brilliant setup, realized he was closing in on his word limit and frantically wrapped up the story somewhat messily. His gift for describing environments and how they figure in with villain’s scheme and how Bond defeats villain and escapes relatively unscathed abandons him here. Juxtaposition is choppy and Fleming speeds from one unfinished action piece to the next. Goldfinger and his men are embarking on Ft. Knox. Is the population of Ft. Knox already dead? Goldfinger revealed to Bond that the substance he slipped into the water supply was deadly, not merely a strong sleeping potion. Suddenly the cavalry arrives in the form of U.S. troops and trusty C.I.A. ally Felix Leiter. Has the day been saved? Not quite so fast. Bond is heading home on B.O.A.C. airlines and suddenly realizes Goldfinger, Oddjob and Pussy have hijacked the plane. Huge Oddjob is sucked out the window that Bond has shattered (were airplane windows so easily broken even in 1959?) like a massive tube of toothpaste. Pussy decides to ally herself with Bond and Bond chokes the life out of Goldfinger. Altogether a fairly quick, messy resolution.

This is actually the rare instance in which the film actually improved on the novel. The unfolding of the plot in the film was far more believable and logical (within the context of the Bond universe). Homosexuality (specifically lesbianism) is addressed in the novel through the common view that it was an aberration. Pussy’s conversion to heterosexuality by the irresistible James Bond is no more convincing in the novel than it is in the film. Pussy is a paper thin character, uttering ‘Hello Handsome’ and Brooklynese wise girl criminal clichés before suddenly deciding she will aid Bond. The memorable image of the gold-painted girl is not dramatized but recounted by the girl’s vengeful sister.

‘Goldfinger’ is a seminal James Bond book primarily because it serves as a gateway to the world of Bond and possesses all of the characteristics that most people associate with the series. As a novel, it is flawed and messy, certainly in relation to its two brilliant predecessors, ‘From Russia With Love’ and ‘Dr. No.’ It provided filmmakers with the raw material to make a superior film that would translate the books into film while solidifying a formula that certainly possesses longevity.

I've been reading and listening to the James Bond books in order. First I read and listen to the novel, then watch the movie. It's been a very entertaining experience.

The Goldfinger movie follows the book's plot with some subtle and some not so subtle differences. However, the movie is an excellent adaptation of the novel.

The character development is much better in the book. It got both the Kindle book and the Audible recording. It was a great listen after reading the book so many years ago. When there is a really good scene, I'll break away from the recording and read it first. Then come back to the recording. It really gives you an interesting perspective on how your brain processes the written vs. spoken word for the same story. I'll probably listen again in a year or so. It was that good.

I feel it's good to get a couple of the very early Bond books read or listened to, before reading Goldfinger. It helps you understand the Bond character much better. Fleming only brushes lightly on Bond's background in each subsequent book, so it's nice to have the perspective of the early titles to fill in the mental blanks.

Bond, James Bond..... What an iconic line!